Category Archives: Space Exploration

Earlier this month, the US space agency Nasa began accepting applications for four posts of volunteers. The unusual job profile involves living in a simulated Mars environment on Earth for a yearin Mars Dune Alpha, a 1,700 sq. ft Martian habitat, created using a 3D printer, and located inside a building at the Johnson Space Center in Houston.

The idea is to prepare for a Mars mission. These volunteers will work in a simulated Martian exploration mission: experiencing everything from spacewalks, limited communication with home, ready-to-eat space food and resources to equipment failures. The space agency is planning three such experiments, with the first one starting in fall next year, according to an Associated Press report.

Also read: How is life on the International Space Station? Ask an astronaut

If there is anyone who knows what its going to be like, its 20-year-old Akshat Mohite from Maharashtra. An astronaut in training, Mohite is one of the few people in the world to have participated in a citizen-science astronautics training programme with Project PoSSUM, or Polar Suborbital Science in the Upper Mesosphere.

The programme is associated with the US-based International Institute for Astronautical Sciences (IIAS) that specialises in operational science, flight test engineering and bioastronautics. Kellie Gerardi, the American science communicator who is set to travel to space through Richard Bransons Virgin Galactic, is one of the popular names associated with Project PoSSUM.

Next year, Mohite hopes to take forward his training with PoSSUM and IIAS by undertaking the advanced egress and post-landing space suit evaluation course, also known as BIO 104.

Project PoSSUM, which is also supported by Nasa through its flight opportunities programme, offers individuals a unique chance to train like a citizen-science astronaut. The month-long programme Mohite took part in in 2019 is called Astronautics, or AST 101he did everything from G-force training in an Extra 300 aircraft to understanding the effects of low oxygen on our body at certain altitudes, Mohite says on the phone.

To participate, Mohite explains, an individual needs medical clearance and certifications, including one from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation in India and the Federal Aviation Administration in the US. Mohite also has the mandatory scuba-diving certification from PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors).

The PoSSUM Scientist Astronaut programme that Mohite completed is focused on suborbital noctilucent cloud science missions. Noctilucent clouds are the highest in Earths atmosphere and are of special interest to researchers because they are sensitive to both global climate change and to solar or terrestrial influences. They were first recorded in 1885. In the years since, both satellite and ground-based observations have indicated that these clouds have become more frequent, and brighter.

The PoSSUM Scientist Astronaut programme that Mohite completed is focused on suborbital noctilucent cloud science missions (Courtesy: Project PoSSUM)

Scientists now know that these clouds are sensitive indicators of what is going on in the atmosphere at higher altitudes. These clouds in the mesosphere are really opaque, says Mohite, who calls this the scientific part of his training. Our mission is totally related to noctilucent cloud tomography, studying their composition and how they are formed. All this information about these clouds plays a major role during the re-entry of a space vehicle, he adds.

Astronautics training is physically tough. The hypoxia awareness and mitigation training, for example, sees the candidates go into a vacuum chamber with low levels of oxygen. Three individuals participate in this test at a time; they must be seated and follow instructions to fly a computerised aircraft simulation. The idea behind this test is to see if you are receptive and following instructions correctly even with a lack of oxygen, Mohite explains. You have to work as a team here. It does get tough towards the end when the pressure is stabilisedyour ears start hurting.

The other physically taxing activity involves space suit donning and doffing training, where an individual gets into a pressurised intra-vehicular spacesuit. Once its pressurised, you practise physical movements and operate a spacecraft simulator. Its almost like locomotor training, explains Mohite, who travelled to Melbourne and Daytona, in Florida, during training.

It was in school that Mohite decided he wanted to be a scientist. He enjoyed chemistry and physics and developed an interest in space exploration, spurred by his father Avinash. In 2018, he submitted a research paper to the Nasa Ames Centre on space settlements.

Today, he is studying mechanical engineering at the AP Shah Institute of Technology in Thane, Maharashtra, and is the chief technology officer for Spaceonova, a Mumbai-based space educational startup founded in 2020. Planning real-life analogue missions, Mohite is currently working with citizen-science astronauts around the world, as well as the Colorado-based company Space Nation, to plan a mission in 2022, with Ireland or the Utah desert in the US as possible locations. He is unwilling to say much about the project as of now.

As Nasa plans for Mars, Mohite too is dreaming big. Hoping to work with the Indian Space Research Organisation one day soon, he says: I want to become the first Indian to be launched in space from Indian soil. I am working towards that.

Also read: From Richard Branson to Jeff Bezos, space tourism takes flight

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What does it take to be a citizen-science astronaut? - Livemint

After a summer of billionaires in space, many people have begun to wonder when they will get their turn. The cost of entering space is currently too high for the average citizen, but the work of PhD candidate Martin Nisser may help change that. His work on self-assembling robots could be key to reducing the costs that help determine the price of a ticket.

Nissers fascination with engineering has been a consistent theme throughout a life filled with change. Born to Swedish parents, he spent a decade in Greece before moving to the UAE, and eventually to Scotland for his undergraduate degree. No matter what new school he attended, his favorite subjects remained the same. The idea of using math and physics to build something tangible always clicked with me, says Nisser. As a kid, I had always wanted to be an inventor.

By the time he completed his undergraduate degree, Nisser knew what he aspired to invent. His senior capstone project had drawn upon multiple disciplines and provided the perfect introduction to robotics. We had to sift through all of the different things we learned in college and combine them to do something interesting. Multidisciplinarity is often essential in robotics and part of what makes it so alluring to me, he says.

Designing robots prepared for space

After discovering his love for robotics, Nisser enrolled in a masters program in robotics, systems, and control at ETH Zurich, during which time he met a Harvard professor who directed the Harvard Microrobotics Laboratory and invited Nisser to write his thesis there. His thesis involved building robots that could fold to assemble themselves. We used layers of materials including shape memory polymers, which are smart materials that can be programmed to changed their shape under different temperature conditions, says Nisser. This allowed us to program 2D multilayer sheets to fold in particular ways in order to acquire targeted 3D configurations.

The experience brought Nisser to his current interest in exporing how robots can be automatically fabricated using both top-down processes like 3D printing and bottom-up processes like self-assembly. He notes that this engineering goal opens a wide door of academic questions. The multidisciplinarity required to build these engineering systems from mechanical and electrical engineering to computer science means youre always learning something new. Every once in a while, you get to apply a technique youve learned in one discipline to another, in a way it hasnt been used before, he says. Thats usually when something interesting happens.

Prior to beginning his PhD, Nisser also researched reconfigurable robots at the European Space Agency. This project helped him realize he could combine his passion for robotics with his interest in space. Because every system launched into space has to fit within the confines of a rocket firing, space agencies are interested in structures that can self-reconfigure between smaller and larger shapes, he says. I saw a great opportunity to build on what Id learned about self-folding robotics. I developed algorithms that would allow large numbers of spacecraft modules to move together, attach to one another, and then reconfigure together into a target shape.

Now a PhD student in the HCI Engineering Group at MITs Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, Nisser has partnered with the MIT Space Exploration Initiative to continue studying self-assembly in space. His team is developing a new kind of 3D printing technique adapted to the space environment, allowing them to create novel structures without the constraints of gravity. He recently tested his work on a parabolic flight, which allowed him to experience weightlessness for several intervals of 20 seconds. This December, the project will be launched to the International Space Station with SpaceX for a 30-day science mission.

Making hardware more accessible

To Nisser, studying self-configuration and self-assembly is also key to addressing important social issues. He is particularly interested in how his research can improve sustainability and make advanced technology more affordable. We typically build systems to perform a specific task, like a chair or a car. However the long-term vision is to be able to create systems from modular, smart components that let the system reconfigure and adjust its functionality to diverse needs, Nisser says. By addressing core challenges along the way, we aim to develop technology for the short term too.

Nisser has already begun to address this challenge by constructing LaserFactory, an add-on device for only $150 that connects to laser cutters and produces custom-designed devices ranging from electronic wearables to functional drones. The fabrication process requires no further instructions to operate finished drones can fly straight off the assembly line. The device has already been featured by the BBC and other outlets for its ingenuity. The ability to print fully functional robots is also important for space, where creating on-demand electromechanical devices without any human intervention is paramount to enabling long-duration missions, he adds.

In his free time, Nisser furthers his goal of democratizing technology by teaching introductory programming to incarcerated women. His lessons are through Brave Behind Bars, a program he and grad student Marisa Gaetz created last year after learning about the U.S. mass incarceration rate. Almost one in a hundred people in the U.S. today are incarcerated, and more than 80 percent of those will return to prison within a few years of release he says. Providing incarcerated people with educational opportunities that promote success in todays digital world is one of the most effective ways to help reduce this recidivism.

After graduating, Nisser hopes to continue teaching and conducting robotics research by pursuing a career as a professor. He looks forward to doing more projects related to space and hardware accessibility. The closer we get toward automating assembly, the sooner we can reduce costs and increase accessibility to all kinds of advanced hardware systems, says Nisser.

Initiatives like One Laptop Per Child helped increase awareness of the tremendous benefits of connecting people to the internet by letting people share and create things digitally. The same analogy translates to hardware, he says. By distributing fabrication via inexpensive printers or self-assembling hardware that remove the need for engineering expertise, we create an opportunity for people to share and create things physically. And thats good for everyone.

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Making machines that make robots, and robots that make themselves - MIT News

SEOUL, South Korea From the accumulation of space junk in low Earth orbit to questions concerning the ownership of space resources, the 21st century space race is spawning a slew of issues that can cause conflict among spacefaring nations.

South Koreas vice foreign minister said last week that the most effective way to settle them is through an international diplomatic framework like the Artemis Accords. The vice minister expects the more intense the space race becomes, the more significant the role for diplomacy will be.

The increase in the number of parties and the resulting proliferation of space activities call for a reexamination of global space governance to enable us to better manage potential conflicts and to foster a safe and predictable environment for all those involved, said Vice Foreign Minister Choi Jong-moon in an Aug. 12 speech at Space Diplomacy Forum 2021, which was live streamed on YouTube. Such challenges cannot be addressed by any one country alone, which prompts us to think that international cooperation through diplomacy will be of redoubled significance in the coming era.

In the absence of international coordination, Choi said, countries could easily get trapped in a race to the bottom as they strive for competitive advantage. Unregulated space activities could also generate a host of problems, from space debris to legal uncertainties involving issues such as property rights in space, he added.

This was the first international space diplomacy forum in South Korea since the nation signed the Artemis Accords in May. The event was co-hosted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Science and Technology Policy Institute (STEPI), a state think tank.

The forum was attended by dozens of space experts and policymakers at home and abroad.

STEPI president Mun Mi-ock underscored the importance of international cooperation on space issues to effectively tackle global challenges, including climate change.

We should break away from the traditional way of space cooperation focusing on trading of space technologies to evolve it in a way strengthening multilateral cooperation from the perspective of space diplomacy, Mun said.

David A Turner, acting director of space affairs at the U.S. State Department, welcomed South Koreas participation in the Artemis Accords, which he said represents Americas efforts to promote responsible behavior in space exploration activities beyond the Earth orbit.

Turner said while the accords are specifically focused on the civil space activities beyond the Earth orbit conducted by governments, the U.S. looks forward to engaging with South Korea and all of our accord partners regarding the authorization in continuing supervision of our respective commercial space sectors in line with the accord principles.

Neal Newman, deputy director of NASAs Office of International and Interagency Relations, called South Korea an ideal partner for NASA in the Artemis [Accords].

When NASA looks at Korea, we see a nation of highly educated, highly talented and very hard-working people that possess a superior technological ability, Newman said. We also see a nation that is very interested in leading in space, more importantly, leading responsibly in space. The Republic of Korea signed the Artemis Accords and has demonstrated that you are interested in being a strong partner with NASA and other responsible space agencies around the world, so the Republic of Korea and Koreans are ideal partners for NASA in Artemis.

Asked what role South Korea is expected to play in the Artemis Program, Newman said its very difficult to be specific for now.

To the question about how the U.S. would react if South Korea makes any form of cooperation with China in space, Newman avoided a direct answer. Instead, he said, We would like the Chinese to sign the Artemis Accords. I dont know if they are interested in doing so. If they do, that would really enable even more collaboration multilaterally.

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South Korea touts Artemis Accords as a way to settle international space issues - SpaceNews

Philippine Ambassador to the UAE Hjayceelyn M. Quintana is given a tour at the UAE Space Agency in Masdar City, Abu Dhabi by UAE Space Agency executive director Ibrahim Al Qasim.

Mariecar Jara-Puyod, Senior Reporter

The Republic of the Philippines and the United Arab Emirates diplomatic relations are now 47 years old and in efforts to continually fortify this, not only for the benefit of their respective citizens but for the entire humanity as well, a Space Cooperation has been initiated by the Philippine Embassy in Abu Dhabi.

The first meeting took place exactly on the 47th anniversary of the diplomatic relations last August 19 (Thursday). Officials and representatives of the two-year-old Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA) and the seven-year-old United Arab Emirates Space Agency (UAESA), led respectively by PhilSA director general Dr. Joel Marciano Jr. and UAESA executive director Ibrahim Al Qasim, met virtually at the UAE Space Agency headquarters in Masdar City, Abu Dhabi.

According to the press release given to Gulf Today on late Thursday evening, Marciano and Al Qasim lauded the Embassys efforts to bring together the two space agencies and discussed practical ways the Philippines and the UAE can move forward with Space Cooperation.

Specifically discussed at the initial meeting, with Philippine Ambassador to the UAE Hjayceelyn M. Quintana in attendance, were cooperation on space technology applications primarily concentrating on food security, hazard management and climate studies. Both sides considered exchange of experiences in the respective space programmes between Filipino and Emirati scientists. The parties expressed commitment to the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding during the October 2021 72nd International Congress to be hosted by the UAE and held in Dubai.

In her speech on Thursday, Quintana, the eighth Philippine Ambassador to the UAE, after the diplomatic relations were established on August 19, 1974 said: Let us make this 47th year anniversary a milestone in our relations. By forging the path of space cooperation, the Philippines and the UAE are charting a new frontier in our bilateral relations, which like space, will be of limitless possibilities.

She early on stated: Even in the midst of the pandemic, the last two years have been groundbreaking for both the Philippines and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as far as space science and technology is concerned.

In 2019, the Philippine Space Agency was born on August 8 to be exact. The UAE on the other hand, made history when its Mars Mission Al Amal or Hope Probe was launched on July 19, 2020 and reached Mars on February 9, 2021 making the UAE the first Arab country and the fifth country to reach Mars. Truly a spectacular feat for the UAE Space Agency that is only seven years old.

The Philippines and the UAE may be new in the field of space exploration but there is no doubting and underestimating their enthusiasm and eagerness to jump-starting science and succeed in exploring the great beyond. Their efforts, individually, have shown so much promise and future.

Quintana mentioned the ejection into space of the two PhilSA micro and nano satellites coded as DIWATA (Filipino for fairy)-1 and DIWATA-2 as well as the cube satellite Maya (a small passerine Philippine bird)-2: The DIWATA-2 was launched along with the UAEs KhalifaSAT from the Tanegashima Space Center in Japan on October 29, 2018, even before the formal creation of the PhilSA. A cube satellite, Maya-2 was also released to space this year, on March 14, which is the Philippines fourth successful attempt to send a satellite to space. Japanese experts cited the Philippines as one of the best examples of a success story saying that none is more serious about developing in-country human resources than the Philippines. As they say, before you can make a spacecraft, you have to train engineers who know how to make them. With these microsatellites for space research, the Philippines can do applications in remote sensing and communications. They can also be used for climate monitoring to disaster response and other applications that can help in economic recovery and national growth.

Quintana praised the dedication of the UAE in engaging in international collaboration and aptly referenced to the statement of UAE Minister of State for Advanced Technology Sarah Al Amiri at the June 8, 2021 signing of the Artemis Accords, relative to the USA-led programme and the political commitment of governments to send man back to the moon by 2024.

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Space cooperation between UAE and Philippines thrives - Gulf Today

French astronaut Thomas Pesquet, who is presently aboard the ISS, recently showed a few beautiful images of Italys floating city Venice..(Image Credit: thomo_astro/Instagram)

Space exploration has not only given us insights into the vast universe surrounding us but has also mesmerised us with thousands of images of the celestial world and our planet as well. From time-to-time various images of our planet captured by space agencies, astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) have often amazed us all. Many astronauts using social media platforms often give us the opportunity to see the images of the various beautiful places on the Earth taken from space.

French astronaut Thomas Pesquet, who is presently aboard the ISS, recently showed a few beautiful images of Italys floating city Venice. Pesquet often shares mesmerising snaps of Earth taken from space. In his recent post the European Space Agency astronaut posted several photographs of the historic city after the Italian authorities placed a ban on cruise ships entering Venices historic centre.

Supporting the ban in his post, the French aerospace engineer in a detailed Instagram post wrote the unsung heroes of this iconic city are the thick wooden planks. Most of us know it for its watery canals, bridges and melodic gondoliers but the unsung heroes of Venice are actually thick wooden planks. The 43-year-old further elaborated on the challenges including climate change and human movement among others the city is currently facing.

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Ever since being shared some 19 hours ago, Pesquets post has gone viral on social media. His latest images have garnered more than 86,000 likes on the photo-video sharing platform. Meanwhile, netizens used a slew of emojis and appreciative words while reacting to the post.

Italy recently banned large cruise ships from entering into the historic city in order to protect its ecosystem and heritage. Italian authorities approved a ban on cruise ships entering the citys Giudecca canal after years of protests from residents and others to protect the floating city from the downsides of mass tourism, BBC reported.

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French Astronaut Shares Images of Venice from Space and they are Mesmerizing - News18

Netflix has greenlighted Countdown: Inspiration4 Mission to Space, a near real-time docuseries following the September launch and mission of the first all-civilian flight crew aboard the SpaceX capsule. The docuseries hails from Time Studios (Black Gold, Big Vape), The Last Dance director Jason Hehir, Known and Connor Schell and Chernin Entertainments Words & Pictures. Additionally, Netflix will premiere StoryBots Space Adventure, a hybrid live-action animation special for kids and families to watch together before the mission.

The privately chartered space flight funded, led and commanded by billionaire Jared Isaacman, is also intended to support St. Jude Childrens Research Hospital. Isaacman, the 38-year-old founder and CEO of Shift4 Payments, will be joined by Hayley Arceneaux, a physician assistant at St. Jude and pediatric cancer survivor; Christopher Sembroski, a former member of the U.S. Air Force who served in Iraq and now works as a Lockheed Martin engineer, and Sian Proctor, a professor of geosciences and two-time NASA astronaut candidate.

The docuseries will follow the four civilians as they launch into space on a three-day trip orbiting Earth and reaching an altitude higher than that of the International Space Station (ISS). The SpaceX Dragon mission, dubbed Inspiration4, is the most ambitious step to date in the rapidly-developing age of civilian space exploration, making history as the first all-civilian mission to orbit.

Countdown: Inspiration4 Mission To Space, the first Netflix documentary series to cover an event in near real-time, will premiere in five parts leading up to and following the mission beginning with the first two episodes on September 6, followed by episodes 3 and 4 on September 13. Inspiration4s launch is scheduled for September 15 and the feature-length finale episode will air at the end of the month.

The quick-turnaround series will take viewers behind the scenes with the four crew members from their unconventional selection and intensive months-long commercial astronaut training, through the intimate and emotional moments leading up to liftoff. The final episode, which premieres just days after the mission is completed, will feature unprecedented access inside the spacecraft capturing the launch and the crew.

Hehir (The Last Dance) will direct the docuseries and executive produce with Schell (30 for 30, The Last Dance), Libby Geist (O.J.: Made in America, The Last Dance), and Aaron Cohen for Words & Pictures; Ian Orefice, Alexa Conway, and Rebecca Gitlitz for Time Studios; Ross Martin, Brad Roth, and Mark Feldstein for Known.

The docuseries is produced by Jonathan D. Woods (A Year in Space) and Jake Rogal (The Last Dance).

In A StoryBots Space Adventure hybrid live-action animation special, the civilian space travelers from Inspiration4 will help the StoryBots answer some of kids most pressing questions like how does a rocket work, how do they train, and how do they eat and sleep in space.

The special is scripted by veteran StoryBots writer Erik Weiner and features a new original song performed by Big Freedia.

Time Studios recent projects include, Black Gold (Paramount+), Big Vape (Netflix), John Lewis: Good Trouble (CNN Films), among others.

Marketing company Known is currently producing Hulus first-ever after-show for The Handmaids Tale and has produced original series and specials for NBCUniversal, WarnerMedia and Discovery Networks.

Words & Pictures, founded by Schell and Chernin Entertainment in 2021, is a production studio with a mission to produce high-end, culturally relevant nonfiction content. The Words & Pictures team, which includes producers Libby Geist and Aaron Cohen, is led by the creators and producers of the 30 for 30 series, Michael Jordan docuseries The Last Dance, and the Oscar-winning O.J.: Made in America.

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Netflix Greenlights Inspiration4 All Civilian Space Mission Docuseries From The Last Dance Team - Deadline

When Gene Cernan and Harrison Jack Schmitt climbed into their lunar module nearly 50 years ago at the end of the Apollo 17 mission, it marked the end of an era. The Apollo 17 crew would splash down in the Pacific Ocean a few days later, marking the end of humanitys presence on the Moon for the foreseeable future. A new age of space exploration was ushered in with the launch of the first space shuttle in 1981. The shuttle program had its own set of triumphs, notably the launch and subsequent repairs of the Hubble Space Telescope. But the pursuit of so-called deep space exploration via crewed missions including a return to the Moon did not seem imminent, replaced instead with a series of missions involving uncrewed probes in deep space and crewed missions closer to Earth.

The idea of returning humankind to the Moon dawned again in 2017 with the official unveiling of NASAs Artemis program. In mythology, Artemis is the twin sister of Apollo. As the programs namesake implies, a chief goal of Artemis is to see humans once again on the surface of the Moon, including the first woman and first person of color. NASA believes Artemis is a monumental shift in deep space exploration that, along with subsequent missions, will culminate with an achievement well beyond the lunar surface: landing humans on the surface of Mars.

But first, the Moon, and to get back there, NASA is developing an ambitious series of components designed to expand exploration of the lunar surface. Its called the Gateway, and a Notre Dame alumnus is helping to get the lunar outpost literally off the ground.

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Gate Maker: Alumnus plays critical role in NASA's effort to return to the Moon - ND Newswire

The White Houses core space policy body will be led by Chirag Parikh, a veteran intelligence official and senior director for Microsofts space-based cloud services, Vice President Kamala Harris announced on Monday. Harris, chair of the National Space Council, tapped the seasoned national security official to lead the councils day-to-day activities as the Biden administration sees global competition mount in space.

Parikhs appointment, coming three months after the White House confirmed Harris would chair its space council, gets the ball rolling for the Biden administrations coordinated priorities in space. Harris aims to put her own personal stamp on the council that could include a heightened focus on cybersecurity for space assets and ways to leverage satellites in Bidens push to fight climate change, senior administration officials said in May.

In 2017, the Trump administration revived the space council, which had been disbanded since 1993, four years after it was formed by George H. W. Bush. Parikh will succeed Trumps space council executive secretary Scott Pace, whose space policy directives sought to craft standards of international behavior in space and retooled an Obama-era space exploration program into a commercial-focused sprint to land humans on the Moon, whats now called the Artemis program.

Parikh served two years as deputy national intelligence officer for science and technology for the US intelligence community, and later led the National Security Councils space policy wing for six years under the Obama administration, when the National Space Council was defunct. Before his appointment to helm Bidens space council operations, he was a senior director for Azure Space, Microsofts cloud platform that links with satellites in space.

Parikhs appointment was welcomed by space analysts, who say his experience leading an array of space-related bureaucracies makes him a good fit for his new role. The space council bundles a number of cabinet-level officials together, from NASA administrator to the director of national intelligence, for quarterly or biannual meetings to discuss civil and international space issues.

He was almost like an interagency coordinator, which is very similar to the role that he will be playing as the executive secretary of the National Space Council, said Victoria Samson, space policy analyst and Washington director for the Secure World Foundation. So hell be bringing years of expertise to do a lot of the same sort of things that hell be doing in his new job.

In the two months before the Biden administration confirmed Harris would helm the space council, it wasnt immediately clear whether the White House would even keep it after the Trump administration. The Obama administration crafted its space policy through the Office of Science and Technology Policy and the National Security Council under Parikhs space tenure. But the vice presidents commitment to lead the council in May became one of a few rare instances where Bidens White House aligned with Trump-era initiatives.

Biden has embraced NASAs Artemis program, the Trump-branded effort to land humans on the Moon by 2024 and use its surface as a training ground for future missions to Mars. And under Biden, NASA is keeping its preference for commercially focused projects in space, like its Commercial Crew Program which began under Obama and core elements of the Artemis program, which was created under Paces space council.

They certainly have different backgrounds, space policy analyst Brian Weeden of the Secure World Foundation, said on Pace and Parikhs resumes. It might be the case that Chirag [Parikh] is a little more focused early on in the national security side of space, rather than the civil side, because thats his background ... but the Biden admin as also expressed strong support for the Artemis program, and for Gateway, and for commercial cargo and crew, so I dont expect that to just be ignored.

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Microsoft director with intelligence background will lead the White Houses space council - The Verge

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This post was written by Scott Castle, VP & general manager of products at Sisense

The new space race is grabbing headlines and driving public interest in the potential of space exploration. For tech innovators, it opens the doors to a world of possibilities. It has brought in a fast-moving, Silicon Valley- and product-led paradigm to a sector that was previously the governments domain. As a product leader with more than 25 years experience in software development and product management in both technology and analytics, I believe there are some big takeaways for product innovators and business leaders in this exciting technology milestone.

The advent of SpaceX, Blue Origin, and Virgin Galactic generated a highly entrepreneurial, private sector-led new space technology ecosystem, with startups offering services and applications that are highly innovative and customer-focused. Morgan Stanley, which predicts the global space industry will generate revenue upwards of $1 trillion in 2040, identifies this as a big investment opportunity for venture capital and private equity.

In Q2 of 2021, new space exploration received an infusion of $4.5B, setting it on track to beat 2020s total investment of $9.1B, reports Space Capital, a venture capital firm focused on the sector. The report estimates a total of $199.8B of equity investment across 1,533 companies in the new space ecosystem over the last decade. By factoring in the product innovations downstream that impact our daily life on Earth thanks to technology transfer, there is good reason for this optimism.

In many ways, the new space ecosystem and its constellation of space tech startups and unicorns ready to boldly go where no one has gone before follow three of the golden rules of product innovation that we strive toward:

SpaceX, Blue Origin, and Virgin Galactic have ushered in radical and disruptive innovation into the aerospace and space technology sector. SpaceX was listed as the top disrupter on the CNBC Disruptor 50 List in 2018, upending both aerospace leader Boeing and the rocket industry with its reusable rockets, becoming one of the most valuable companies in the world.

Product leaders might typically be inclined to go for incremental innovation because it appears sustainable. However, your product could miss the mark, lose product/market fit, and eventually, customers if you dont innovate quickly. During a crisis recovery period, this is of critical importance, reports McKinsey. Their recent survey of more than 200 executives revealed that over 85% think that the pandemic will have a lasting impact on customer needs over the next five years, but only 21% report they have the commitment and resources to face the challenge.

By following agile, data-informed methods, product leaders can test and iterate while keeping management informed with a high-level road map. By moving fast, with analytics at speed and reduced time to insights, product leaders can innovate to stay ahead of the competition.

Virgin Galactic and Blue Origin have said they want to lower barriers to mass adoption of space travel. Space X has stated its single vision of reducing the cost to launch. While these sound like lofty aims, they follow the right questions and have an impact on technological progress on the ground. Cost of launch is the crucial barrier to product innovation in space technology, and reusable rockets pave the way for new space pioneers to experiment, test, iterate, and launch products and technology more frequently.

Product leaders are equally focused on mass adoption of their products. A key reduction of cost to launch on that path is with the use of white-labeled embedded analytics. Think about how you can make it easier for your customers to interact with their data on your app. What if they could simply ask a question using plain language and have your app present analyzed insights in a user-friendly format? That is now an attainable differentiator and value proposition for customers to keep returning to your product.

Virgin Galactic leader Richard Branson and Blue Origin chief Jeff Bezos are bringing their famous customer and data obsession to a sector that traditionally focused on technology first, and the user experience next, with little incentive for change. New space startups and their backers, however, expect profitability from innovation, and have a laser-sharp focus on customer-centric innovation. For example, Virgin Galactics stated customer goal for its fully crewed test flight on July 11 was to assess everything from the seat comfort to the weightlessness experience, aiming to ensure the customer experience of the complete wonder and awe of space travel.

Product leaders are customer-obsessed but often rely on instinct rather than quantifiable data to drive their innovation decisions, missing opportunities to win customers. Bring that back into your court by using data derived from continuous testing so you can arrive at a solution that meets customer needs and ensures product stickiness.

For example, offering traditional reporting tools to your customers with static visualizations and dashboards simply dumps metrics onto your customers rather than providing actionable insights, leading to dissatisfaction and poor engagement. Instead serve contextual insights to your customers in a revolutionary way, by embedding them into your products to achieve a seamless and intuitive user experience. At Sisense, we call this infused analytics, and it empowers your customers with actionable insights where they spend the most time, in their communication apps or CRMs.

You can further enhance user experience with native app visual interfaces that help customers take action on their insights without jumping to and from workflows. By going beyond data delivery to make analytics an intuitive and integral part of decision making, product leaders can innovate to make a difference.

The new space race brings home Captain Picards famous line from Star Trek: The Next Generation. As a product leader, I am always excited to see innovations lead the way to more discoveries. Product innovation is arguably rocket science. Just as they did with the new space race, scientists must think big, ask the right questions, and constantly test. And product leaders must aim beyond the stars to create visionary products with long-lasting and universal impact.

Scott Castle is an analytics infusion pioneer bringing more than 25 years of software development and product management experience to his role as VP & GM of products at Sisense. Castle previously held technology positions at companies including Adobe, Electric Cloud, and FileNet.

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The new space race: Big takeaways for software and product innovators - VentureBeat

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Alyssa Hurst.

Nicole Militello:

And I'm Nicole Militello. We've now entered a new chapter in space exploration, billionaires in space, where some of the world's wealthiest men are launching themselves in their private rockets to new heights. Amazon founder, Jeff Bezos, just took an 11 minute joy ride to space on a rocket from his private company, Blue Origin. The company has lofty goals to one day offer an option to leave this earth and have habitable space stations where people can live and work. But a trip to escape the confines of gravity comes with a hefty price tag, one winning bidder paid $28 million for their ticket to space, and Bezos says the company is nearing $100 million in sales for seats on future flights.

Nicole Militello:

So, what are the ethics of private space travel for billionaires? Bezos has received significant blowback after his trip for not using his vast wealth on the multitude of problems facing Earth, along with the jarring criticism of the reported grueling conditions for Amazon workers, while he turns his attention to the stars. Joining us to discuss it all is Michael Nalick. He's an assistant professor of management at the University of Denver who focuses on corporate misconduct and CEO activism.

Nicole Militello:

So, let's start with the optics of billionaires in space. Why do you think this strikes a chord with so many people?

Michael Nalick:

Well, I think it strikes a chord because of what space is. Space, the history of NASA and the space program it's really seen as institutional civilization accomplishments, right? It's the United States, it's mankind, it's those sorts of accomplishments to go to space. And given that, and the fact that, we like to at least again, with the history of the space program, it's the best, it's the brightest that have made it to that caliber. It's the pilots, it's the engineers and then we've had... NASA certainly diversified to teachers and to other types of civilians that have gone to space. But now you have these people that are circumventing all of that and buying their way into an area that has really, in the past been reserved for just governments and the enhancing of science and civilization and society in general. And so the fact that's occurring, I think that's why it hurts so many people. It's kind of what space has represented in the past.

Nicole Militello:

Right. So a lot of people have criticized Bezos and Branson for just not reading the room, we have COVID cases rising, wildfires are burning. One Atlantic writer wrote, "The world is drowning and scorching and two of the wealthiest men decided to race in their private rocket ships to see who can get to space a few days before the other." What should go into making a decision like this for a business leader, and is there ever really a right time to do it?

Michael Nalick:

You know, if it's something that's going to be perceived negatively, like I said, due to the aforementioned reasons before, there's probably not a right time, right? I mean, it's always going to be perceived negatively due to the institutional environment, with that said, of course doing it during a pandemic at a time when there is a lot of world strife and all, you named, other things that are going on. Obviously it's not good optics as well. And so that, that does play with it. And that does factor into business decisions.

Michael Nalick:

However, they have consciously made the decision that this likely will not affect their reputation or their business's reputation. And they probably do have a good point. This is something where it's... People will perceive it negatively, but as far as their companies go, I doubt that many people will stop shopping at Amazon or stop flying Virgin Atlantic or one of his other enterprises. And so I seriously doubt there's a whole lot of blowback onto their organizations, but there is some negative publicity associated with it, especially given the time.

Nicole Militello:

Yeah, and another major criticism is just how frivolous space travel seems when that money could be going towards fighting some of the major challenges we're experiencing on Earth. So, I'm curious to hear what your thoughts are on when you have that much money, what is your ethical responsibility as a business leader?

Michael Nalick:

Well, and I think this has really magnified Jeff Bezos especially, because Jeff Bezos, not only is he one, if not the richest man in the world, it kind of depends, or person in the world, it kind of depends on the timing of that report. But he's also been criticized in the past for not being as charitable as others.

Michael Nalick:

Comparatively, if you look at Bill Gates and Warren Buffett, that he is not as charitable, and then you even have kind of this side by side comparison with his wife, his ex wife. Where his ex wife has given away a lot of her money, if not most of her money and he has really not risen to that occasion. And then now he's spending a lot of this money on, or at least a lot of money, what she attributed to Amazon and his customers, to fly to space. And so I do think it does represent something that is very, at this point in time can be seen as very frivolous and the whole venture, as far as I know, is catered towards the wealthy rather than any sort of, again, benefit to humanity like we have seen the space paradigm in the past.

Nicole Militello:

Yeah, and I want to get into some of that criticism of Bezos related to Amazon, but I want to hit on something that you just said about how this is kind of catered the wealthy. So the glaring divide with this is that Blue Origin's hope for life in space is really a ticket away from Earth's problems, but it's only an option for the ultra rich. So, what does that mean for the growing wealth gap?

Michael Nalick:

Yeah, I mean, we've kind of seen it in the movies, right? There's been several movies, I think Elysium was one of them where they had this planet full of these gigantic mansions and everything, and Earth was just rotting, decaying and falling apart. And people trying to go to this other civilization with the most advanced tech and science and space, and so it really paints a kind of a dire picture, right? That's the goal of this company. The goal of this company is to leave the home planet to establish civilizations for the wealthy, while not addressing the needs of everyone else.

Michael Nalick:

While I think that is the ultimate goal, obviously the most immediate goal was just to take wealthy people into space, to give them a thrill ride. I do think that has a bad connotation to it, it does leave a bad taste in people's mouths. Of course, it's a business and if there is a business need and a market for it, we do have rights in this country that allow individuals and entities and organizations to pursue whatever businesses they want, as long as it's within certain regulations and confines. And of course, if it's a market void, so you're filling some more sort of market void. Even if it, the optics don't look good.

Nicole Militello:

And we've seen people are willing to pay for it.

Michael Nalick:

Yeah, you know I just read an article today. It said Ashton Kutcher had a ticket on it and at the urging of his wife, after his daughter was born, sold the ticket. And so there's obviously a demand for it because it's a thrill sport, right? But we know, we like to think of billionaires and billionaires, especially if you talk about Richard Branson. Richard Branson has this persona attached to him that he's a thrill seeker. He goes bungee jumping and does all these... that he uses his wealth in a cool, sort of, kind of exotic means in a lot of ways. And this is just that next frontier for the billionaires. It's not safaris anymore, it's not mega yachts, it's not these huge mansions or islands. Now space is the latest trend.

Nicole Militello:

So, I want to talk a little bit about the criticism related to Amazon. So was this a good business move for somebody that has been so publicly criticized for not doing enough when it comes to his other ventures like Amazon?

Michael Nalick:

I don't think he cares that much, to be honest. He is honestly trying to detach himself from Amazon. That's why he stepped down as CEO, while he's still chairman and still very much runs the company, I think that this is all part of that move is he's trying to move away from, "I'm the guy that created Amazon." To doing other things. And this is part of the other things he wants to focus on, he has said that in the past. So I don't think he cares all that much whether this was a good business decision or not. I think he feels that Amazon is somewhat insulated due to its position in the market, from having a whole lot of reputational blowback from his decisions at this point. And at the same time, he is personally trying to distance himself from Amazon and detach while... By doing other things.

Nicole Militello:

Yeah. I was going to ask you if he's done anything to recover from that criticism, or if he even feels like he needs to do anything, but it sounds like you would say that he would say that he doesn't have to.

Michael Nalick:

I would say he would hire public relations people and maybe do some media stuff. But besides more symbolic things, strategically I'd feel like he doesn't at least believe that he needs to do something strategically.

Nicole Militello:

Yeah, and he got a lot of criticism because after his trip, he thanked every Amazon employee and every Amazon customer, because, "You guys paid for all this." What was your reaction when you heard that?

Michael Nalick:

Yeah, that was not his finest moments, of course. I think that statement does rub a lot of people the wrong way, as you've said, for the various reasons we have mentioned. And so I was kind of taken aback, I... He was in the moment, I think he was jubilant and he was just more free willing and not as handled as he normally is in his public statements. And oops, it came out and now it's not wrong, of course. It was his customers, it was his shareholders, it was his employees that all helped him get to that point, so he is not wrong. It's just not something you want to publicly say.

Nicole Militello:

Right. Do you see any upsides of this move from a business standpoint?

Michael Nalick:

No. I mean the only upsides could be if they use, if they lever the technology. And you never know, who knows in 50, 75, 100 years. But if they levered the technology from this endeavor, from Blue Origin's to the primary business of Amazon, or that would be the only long-term upside I would see. Of course, short term, I don't see much upside. Long-term? Of course, there could be some technological breakthroughs that help the primary business.

Nicole Militello:

Mm-hmm (affirmative). One of the counter-arguments that I've seen is that this should actually be viewed as a major leap forward for space travel in that companies like Elon Musk's SpaceX is essentially an essential contribution to our existing publicly sanctioned space program, and that's from an op-ed in Politico. So, what are your thoughts on that, kind of it being seen as a public service for our space exploration?

Michael Nalick:

You know, it's this kind of the same thing I said before. Well, SpaceX is a different thing, I don't think you can compare this to SpaceX because SpaceX is... Has contracts with the government and wants to develop government vehicles to space. This is not the same thing. At the same time though, it's not... these breakthroughs that these companies are developing, again, could be used in the future with more public means. What if there is a station that's developed on the moon, and instead of taking, again, the big rockets, they want to take these small sort of more personal spaceships up there.

Michael Nalick:

So, that could... In the future, it could serve some public benefit. So I don't want to say they're wrong. It's just in immediate term, it does not. But in the medium or long-term, it certainly could. And you do see that in other companies and other programs where the initial product is not the end product. The initial product at Amazon was certainly, was not what Amazon is today. And you can say that with 95% of the public companies out there. So, it could change at one point, and it's likely to change at what point where you could see a breakthrough public benefit that does cross into other areas.

Nicole Militello:

Mm-hmm (affirmative). And Bezos has talked a lot about how space has just been such a personal interest to him for a long time. And we were just curious how, when you're a business leader and you're also a celebrity, how do you manage the balance of focusing on building your brand and your interests versus what you need to do as a business leader?

Michael Nalick:

Well, research has shown there's... It's intertwined, to be honest. But being a celebrity or having personal feelings about something or thoughts or ideologies, does transcend into the outcomes and actions of the business. Whether that's right or wrong. But that's kind of what you get into when you know you're hiring someone and that's why you put checks and balances by the board of directors or the other stakeholders that are involved in the company or the shareholders. And so that's what they're supposed to serve, is the checks and balances, but it's inseparable, the persona of the individual, whether it is a CEO celebrity to the outcomes of the company, you do see that intertwined.

Nicole Militello:

And so right now we're seeing three of the most prominent billionaires kind of in this race for space. And another high level of concern is that with billionaires entering this area, now we have the wealthiest individuals getting to set the agenda and make decisions about how we're navigating space exploration. So, what values does a business leader like Bezos need to keep in mind when managing such an enormous responsibility?

Michael Nalick:

Well, I mean, Bezos can't get there without the government. I mean, that's just a fact at this point. And so, he always has to be mindful of what's going on within the government, what regulations are in place, what regulations are going to be in place. If this is an area in which there's a regulation gap, I can certainly guarantee you that U.S. Congress will take this up at some point. Now it might not be next year, it might not be five years, but at some point it will be taken up. And so, he needs just to be cognizant of what are the opportunities that this involves and what's the regulatory threats to him as well as a business leader. And he has to be proactive and responding to this.

Nicole Militello:

Is there anything that we haven't talked about on this topic that you think is just interesting or people might like learning about?

Michael Nalick:

Well, I think though, looking at the two individuals involved, Jeff Bezos and Richard Branson and comparing them. I also feel comparing their explorations is like apples and oranges, because Richard Branson, as I've mentioned before, has this persona of a thrill-seeker. He's done this in the past, he's done a lot of test flights, he does racing, he does these sort of things. So, this is kind of the next area, thrill-seeking for him. But if you look at Jeff Bezos, he doesn't have that track record. And so I actually think that Jeff Bezos, again, because of his persona and his background, has deviated more in his exploration than Richard Branson. And as such, I actually think he's getting more negative press as an individual than Richard Branson is.

Nicole Militello:

To read more of Michael Nalick's work, visit our show notes at du.edu/radioed. Alyssa Hurst is our executive producer, Tamar Chapman is our managing editor and James Swearingen arranged our theme. I'm Nicole Militello, and this is RadioEd

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Billionaires in Space: Equity and Ethics in Orbit - University of Denver Newsroom