Category Archives: Space Exploration

Caregivers and educators, NASA needs your kids' help.

Have your children or students ever wondered about life elsewhere in the universe? Have they ever been curious about whats on other planets? Well, scientists at NASA and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) are curious about that too. They all strive to answer questions and solve problems. Theyve actually figured out how to land a robot on Mars and how to take pictures on other planets. But there are a lot of problems and questions that scientists are trying to figure out. Caregivers and educators, this is where your kids come in.

Here is their mission straight from scientists at JPL: Engage [your] curious minds, get a good science education and come help us solve problems.

The most advanced rover built by NASA was launched July 30, 2020, and will be landing on Mars, Thursday, Feb. 18, 2021, in hopes of answering the questions we mentioned earlier. Ota Lutz, Ph.D., a STEM elementary and secondary education specialist at JPL, summarizes the rovers mission: Were landing the most capable rover on the surface of Mars in arguably one of the most dangerous places to land. Were basically looking for signs of past life on Mars and this rover has the potential to determine whether those signs existed.

With this groundbreaking mission that will likely change our understanding of the universe, Lutz provides insight into how you can encourage childrens engagement in the Mars rovers landing.

Its going to be one of those turning points in their knowledge and understanding of the universe. Its going to be for everybody, but were going to have another generation after this that has a completely different understanding than the generations before, Lutz says. And besides that, its just super cool to land a robot on Mars.

Here are some discussion points and activities to get you and your kids started on your space exploration mission at home and beyond.

The first thing I would do is have them talk about Mars, Lutz said. Learn a little bit about Mars and why we go there. NASA provides a website with a little bit of everything about exploring Mars, from previous missions, facts about the Red Planet to future exploration plans. Check out their Mars Exploration website.

Its also important to encourage kids to ask questions. And lets face it; sometimes, kids ask the toughest questions. But its vital for caregivers and educators to know that they dont have to have all the right answers. Engage your own curiosity with them and find out the answer together. Teach them not only to ask questions but how to investigate and research answers.

I think its important to model learning together because nobody knows everything. Thats why we do science, to learn more, Lutz says. The more science we do, the more stuff we learn, and the more stuff we learn we dont know.

The second thing would be to follow along with the mission by trying out these activities at home and in class that will relate to what scientists are working on.

This cutting-edge rover, named Perseverance (Percy, for short), is taking along a technology demonstration which Lutz explains consists of things we dont know if theyll work, but we want to try.

On the belly of the rover is a specialized helicopter named Ingenuity, which will allow scientists to explore a wider range of Mars. This is new technology that will change the way future exploration will look. The remarkable thing about the helicopter is that its specifically designed to fly on Mars, which was a tricky thing to engineer. Helicopters need air to fly and Mars atmosphere is about 1% as thick as Earths atmosphere. Their blades push against the air making a force called lift and they lift off the ground, Lutz says. So, if you dont have much air, how do you fly?

Help kids in making their own Mars Helicopter with this activity. But dont stop there. Challenge your brains and try to improve its performance. After you experiment with your first design, try to figure out with your kids, How can we make it fly better? What would make it fly longer or faster? Try folding the helicopter blades differently, cutting the template differently or using thicker cardstock or thinner paper. Experiment! This encourages children to engage in the engineering design process.

Learning Space: Make a Paper Mars Helicopter

It gives kids the opportunity to do what NASA engineers do. Its the same concept of investigation and testing and refining and retesting until you get your desired result, Lutz says.

So now youve got your helicopter exploring Mars. How do you receive the information of what it finds?

Lutz explains the importance of NASAs Deep Space Network (DSN) in communicating with Perseverance and Ingenuity. By using a series of antennas and giant parabolic dishes placed at three different points on Earth, Lutz explains that this is how NASA is able to communicate with the rover and orbiters on and around Mars. They can give it commands and receive information back through these towers.

Try building your own antenna tower with this activity and see how strong you can make it together.

There is so much to exploring space. Challenge your curiosity and follow along with the Mission to Mars Student Challenge, with activities, videos and lessons that will keep kids engaged and informed about NASAs exploration leading up to the landing and even after.

The excitement doesnt end when Perseverance lands; far from it. Within the first few hours, there will be photos received of the river delta in which the rover will be landing.

On Earth, we will be able to see and hear what Perseverance sees and hears on Mars. But more than that, were going to be able to follow this mission for years, Lutz says.

Watch the live broadcast of the Mars Landing on Thursday, Feb. 18, 2021. The stream begins at 11:15 a.m. PST with a special program that includes virtual JPL tours and interviews with leading scientists. But make sure youre tuned in around noon for the aptly named "seven minutes of terror" when Perseverance will make its official landing.

So, remind your kids to follow along with these activities and remember their mission:

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How to Engage Kids in the Mars Landing and Exploration - pbssocal.org

Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) is accelerating space exploration and increasing self-sufficiency for astronauts by enabling real-time data processing with advanced commercial edge computing in space for the first time. Astronauts and space explorers aboard the International Space Station (ISS) will speed time-to-insight from months to minutes on various experiments in space, from processing medical imaging and DNA sequencing to unlocking key insights from volumes of remote sensors and satellites, using HPEs Spaceborne Computer-2 (SBC-2), an edge computing system.

Spaceborne Computer-2 is scheduled to launch into orbit on the 15th Northrop Grumman Resupply Mission to Space Station (NG-15) on February 20 and will be available for use on the International Space Station for the next 2-3 years. The NG-15 spacecraft has been named SS. Katherine Johnson in honor of Katherine Johnson, a famed Black, female NASA mathematician who was critical to the early success of the space program.

Breaking Barriers to Achieve Reliable Computing in Space

The upcoming launch of Spaceborne Computer-2 builds on the proven success of its predecessor, Spaceborne Computer, a proof-of-concept that HPE developed and launched in partnership with NASA in 2017 to operate on the International Space Station (ISS) for a one-year mission. The goal was to test if affordable, commercial off-the-shelf servers used on earth, but equipped with purposefully-designed software-based hardening features, can withstand the shake, rattle and roll of a rocket launch to space, and once there, seamlessly operate on the ISS.

The proof-of-concept addressed the need for more reliable computing capabilities on the ISS, or low Earth orbit (LEO), that were previously impossible to achieve due to the ISSs harsh environment of zero gravity and high levels of radiation that can damage IT equipment required to host computing technologies.

Additionally, gaining more reliable computing on the ISS is just the first step in NASAs goals for supporting human space travel to the Moon, Mars and beyond where reliable communications is a mission critical need.

HPE successfully accomplished its one-year mission with Spaceborne Computer and is now set to launch, through a sponsorship from the ISS U.S. National Laboratory, an even more advanced system, called Spaceborne Computer-2, which is set to launch this month and be installed on the ISS for the next 2-3 years for wider use.

Accelerating Space Exploration with State-of-the-Art Edge Computing and AI Capabilities

Spaceborne Computer-2 will offer twice as much compute speed with purpose-built edge computing capabilities powered by the HPE Edgeline Converged Edge system and HPE ProLiant server to ingest and process data from a range of devices, including satellites and cameras, and process in real-time.

Spaceborne Computer-2 will also come equipped with graphic processing units (GPUs) to efficiently process image-intensive data requiring higher image resolution such as shots of polar ice caps on earth or medical x-rays. The GPU capabilities will also support specific projects using AI and machine learning techniques.

The combined advancements of Spaceborne Computer-2 will enable astronauts to eliminate longer latency and wait times associated with sending data to-and-from earth to tackle research and gain insights immediately for a range of projects, including:

Real-time monitoring of astronauts physiological conditions by processing X-Ray, sonograms and other medical data to speed time to diagnosis in-space.

Making sense of volumes of remote sensor data: There are hundreds of sensors that NASA and other organizations have strategically placed on the ISS and on satellites, which collect massive volumes of data that require a significant amount of bandwidth to send to earth to process. With in-space edge computing, researchers can process on-board image, signal and other data related to a range of events, such as:

o Traffic trends by having a wider look at number of cars on the road and even in parking lots

o Air quality by measuring level of emissions and other pollutants in the atmosphere

o Tracking objects moving in space and in the atmosphere from planes to missile launches

The most important benefit to delivering reliable in-space computing with Spaceborne Computer-2 is making real-time insights a reality. Space explorers can now transform how they conduct research based on readily available data and improve decision-making, said Dr. Mark Fernandez, solution architect, Converged Edge Systems at HPE, and principal investigator for Spaceborne Computer-2. We are honored to make edge computing in space possible and through our longstanding partnerships with NASA and the International Space Station U.S. National Laboratory, we are look forward to powering new, exciting research opportunities to make breakthrough discoveries for humanity.

Proven in Space, Available on Earth: HPE Addresses the Harshest, Outer Edge Environments with Enterprise-Grade Solutions

HPE is delivering the same edge computing technologies targeted for harsh, remote environments on earth such as oil and gas refineries, manufacturing plants or on defense missions, to space. Spaceborne Computer-2 includes the HPE Edgeline Converged EL4000 Edge System, a rugged and compact system designed to perform in harsher edge environments with higher shock, vibration and temperature levels and purpose-built to process computing power at the edge to collect and analyze volumes of data from remotely scattered devices and sensors in space.

As a result of HPEs proven success in delivering its computing technologies to space, organizations such as OrtbitsEdge, which provides protective hardening features for space computing initiatives, plans to integrate the HPE Edgeline Converged Edge Systems with its hardening solution, SatFrame, to enable commercial space companies to deploy computing in orbiting satellites and accelerate exploration.

Coupled with the HPE Edgeline Converged Edge Systems, Spaceborne Computer-2 will also feature the HPE ProLiant DL360 server, an industry-standard server, for additional high-performing capabilities to target a range of workloads, including edge, HPC, AI, etc.

Edge computing provides core capabilities for unique sites that have limited or no connectivity, giving them the power to process and analyze data locally and make critical decisions quickly. With HPE Edgeline, we deliver solutions that are purposely engineered for harsh environments. Here on Earth, that means efficiently processing data insights from a range of devices from security surveillance cameras in airports and stadiums, to robotics and automation features in manufacturing plants, said Shelly Anello, General Manager, Converged Edge Systems at HPE. As we embark on our next mission in edge computing, we stand ready to power the harshest, most unique edge experience of them all: outer space. We are thrilled to be invited by NASA and the International Space Station to support this ongoing mission, pushing our boundaries in space and unlocking a new era of insight.

Tackling Bigger Research with Edge-to-Cloud Capabilities

Through a collaboration with Microsoft Azure Space, researchers around the world running experiments on Spaceborne Computer-2 have the opportunity to burst to the Azure cloud for computationally intense processing needs that require that can also seamlessly transmit results back to SBC-2. Examples being considered by Microsoft Research include:

Modeling and forecasting dust storms on Earth to improve future predictions on Mars that can cover the entire red planet and decrease output of solar power generation that is critical to enabling mission essential energy needs

Assessing liquid usage and environmental parameters involved in growing plants in space to support food and life sciences by collecting data from hydroponics processes and comparing them with large data sets on Earth

Analyzing lightning strike patterns that trigger wildfires by processing a vast amount of data collected from 4K video-streaming cameras that capture lightning strikes happening across earth

Advanced analysis of medical imaging using ultrasound on the ISS to support astronaut healthcare

If you have an interesting article / experience / case study to share, please get in touch with us at [emailprotected]

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HPE accelerates Space Exploration with First Ever In-Space Commercial Edge Computing and Artificial Intelligence Capabilities - CRN - India - CRN.in

February has been a big month for Mars exploration. We already have seen the United Arab Emirates and China successfully place orbiters around Mars, while the United States hopes to build on its past successes with Mars rovers Spirit and Opportunity by landing a new one named Perseverance there this week. That rover is equipped with instruments that will search for life, seek to convert Martian carbon dioxide into oxygen, and fly around the surface.

All of these activities are exciting for scientists and space enthusiasts because of the possible gains in knowledge and technical innovation. As noted in a Mars blog post last year, there are many reasons to explore the Red Planet from the potential to gain a better understanding of the origins of life to the chance to develop new technologies and lay the groundwork for space tourism and mining.

Much of space exploration in recent decades has been marked by international cooperation. The United States, for example, has worked with Russia and 13 other countries on the International Space Station, the launch of space telescopes, and the development of land-based observatories. Scientists from many nations compare notes, share data, and collaborate on academic papers. There are international conferences where experts report preliminary findings and get feedback from their peers.

Yet the geopolitical situation is shifting dramatically in ways that could imperil future cooperation. There is anger over Russias alleged role in the SolarWinds hack of U.S. government agencies and leading business enterprises. In addition, there are Russia sanctions due to that countrys takeover of Crimea and invasion of Ukraine.

Relations with China also have grown tense as the two countries compete over trade, national security, and economic power. There is concern over that nations treatment of Hong Kong and its human rights record in regard to political and religious minorities. Many Democrats and Republicans have called for tougher action against China.

These tensions are spilling over into space exploration. Not wanting to be reliant upon Russian launch rockets, the United States has developed its own multi-stage rocket to send astronauts to the space station. And a number of years ago, Congress enacted legislation that precluded NASA from working with Chinese scientists.

As a result of its exclusion from the American space program, China has developed agreements with Asian, European, and Latin American nations to explore the Moon and space in general. It is expected to launch its own international space station this year with financial support from other countries.

Last year, the United States negotiated an agreement with eight nations called the Artemis Accords that enables individual nations or specific private companies to create exclusive zones on the moon. That will enable the founding signatories (Australia, Canada, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, and United States, with later signatures by Brazil and the Ukraine) to build colonies, engage in space tourism, or undertake mining activities in those areas.

Yet other nations have criticized the agreement. Countries such as China, France, Germany, India, and Russia so far have not signed the accord. Among their objections include its focus on bilateral agreements that may be outside of existing international frameworks, the role of private exploration companies, and concerns about American primacy in space.

The risk of planned activities is that the Moon, Mars, comets, asteroids, and other solar system objects will become the focus of international competition and space commercialization. Are exclusive zones going to become mini-nations that engage in similar competitiveness, conflict, and mistrust that characterize their earth-based entities? Are there meaningful ways to create cross-national areas that encourage peace, cooperation, and prosperity?

Going forward, these are crucial questions. On planet Earth, countries are establishing defense forces that militarize near-earth orbits. With the importance of satellite communications, leaders are taking steps to defend orbiting satellites and make sure those of other nations were not used for offensive purposes. While understandable given their status as critical infrastructure, these moves set precedents that could prove quite risky.

As countries see outer space through the lens of colonization and commercialization, we need to think about how to govern the solar system beyond our planet. Will settlements on the Moon and Mars be democracies or run according to military principles? Which environmental rules should apply to lunar mining operations? What legal rules and norms should apply to Mars and the Moon? If we do not develop answers to these questions and have broad-based international agreements that enforce them, we could end up in a dystopian space future based on military interests and commercial exploitation.

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Will Mars become an object of international competition? - Brookings Institution

Britons hoping to take their career to new heights are being encouraged to apply to become the UKs next astronaut in a recruitment drive launched on Tuesday.

For the first time in over a decade, the European Space Agency (ESA) is on the lookout for astronauts to join its latest cohort of space explorers.

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People of any age and walk of life are invited to enter the rigorous screening and selection process, so long as they are fit, healthy and calm under pressure.

Experience of the space sector is not essential, but candidates will at least need a relevant Masters degree or to be qualified as an experimental test pilot and qualify as a parastronaut.

There is also special call for candidates with physical disabilities and from diverse backgrounds to apply to the programme.

British astronaut Major Tim Peake, who in 2015 became the first British astronaut to take part in a spacewalk, is piloting the new campaign.

Major Peake said: Over the next few years and decades, space exploration will become even more exciting as we travel back to the Moon and even further to Mars.

For space missions to succeed, they require highly motivated people from diverse backgrounds to combine their skills and work as a team.

The Governments Minister for Science, Research and Innovation, Amanda Solloway, said the UK aims to be seen as a leading space-faring nation.

After intensive training, which will include a three-week caving exercise and a course in practical geology, the new astronauts will take their first flights into space when they are deployed to the International Space Station.

Applications will open at the end of next month and stay open until the end of May.

There will then be a 17-month process of psychological, practical, psychometric and medical screening and testing, before the successful applicants are appointed in October 2022.

They are likely to be part of the crew on the ESAs next missions to the moon in the late 2020s and throughout the 2030s.

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Space exploration recruitment drive: Could you be the UKs next astronaut? - iNews

While the vertical farming industry says that the sky is the limit, Space Lab Technologies LLC is pushing that notion even further.

Space Lab Technologies LLC is a Colorado-based company whose mission is to advance human space exploration through technology development. One of Space Labs focus areas is crop production in space, either onboard a spacecraft with the companys LilyPond or on Mars surface with the MarsOasis. According to Christine Escobar, Vice President and CBO of Space Lab, there are lots of benefits to producing food for a spacecraft, including psychological benefits. Its better to have fresh vegetables and plants onboard to deal with some of the psychological stresses that an astronaut would go through.

The MarsOasis

The companys MarsOasis is a greenhouse designed for use on Mars surface. As the cost of transporting materials is quite high, the greenhouse needed to be designed such that it was lightweight and could easily be stowed on a spacecraft. Space Lab designed MarsOasis to be inflated for ease of transportation, then rigidized on-site to withstands Mars environment. While Mars surface may not receive as much sunlight as Earth, there is still enough sunlight to grow plants. Building greenhouses on Mars surface is still in the undetermined future, but Space Labs LilyPond may certainly be used much sooner, as it is essentially an LED-equipped growth chamber for use onboard a spacecraft.

According to Christine, LilyPond is basically a vertical farm contained in a small box, which can work in microgravity; the microgravity is the hardest part. LilyPond is essentially a growth chamber, but the biggest difference between a growth chamber on Earth and one in space is the effect of microgravity.

Microgravity is the condition of weightlessness caused by the diminished gravitational pull in space as compared to the Earths surface. This weightlessness can be especially problematic for the delivery of water to crops, a process that is typically facilitated by gravity in terrestrial (Earth-based) agriculture. To circumvent challenges posed by microgravity, Space Lab has based its hydroponic systems on capillary action and the attraction of water to other surfaces.

You can take advantage of capillary action by providing surfaces that will attract the water, so it flows where you want it to. Were also using materials in a certain shape to direct the water flow, says Christine.

Adam & Christine with our payload testing g-LilyPond in microgravity on Blue Origins NS-13 mission in October 2020

While capillary action can effectively direct water in microgravity conditions, the waters attraction to surfaces means that it will attach to plant roots and can create an anaerobic environment. As such, LilyPond must provide water in moderation to meet the crops needs without suffocating the roots.

The overarching challenge to crop production in space is the highly limited resource availability, as any materials transported on the spacecraft and space used by equipment carry a heavy price tag. Any equipment must occupy a minimal footprint in the spacecraft, be as energy-efficient as possible, and require minimal maintenance. With respect to energy efficiency, Space Lab has developed close-canopy, low-power lighting which allows them to place lights within inches of the canopy to meet photosynthetic needs without damaging the crop. Such lighting allows the company to reduce the height between shelves, thereby increasing crop density. While the company has yet to tackle automation, Christine explains that automation is a necessity.

If youre talking about growing food onboard a spacecraft, youre feeding a crew that is really time-constrained. Their daily schedule is very scripted and most of what theyre there to do is to be conducting science, not taking care of plants. So one of the big concerns for space agriculture is making it as autonomous as possible.

A render of the g-LilyPond concept

Space Lab is currently at the prototyping phase with LilyPond and MarsOasis. LilyPond was originally developed for the production of duckweed, a highly nutritious and fast-growing aquatic plant. That said, the system can also be used to produce leafy greens, microgreens and, according to Christine, possibly root crops. Considerable research is also underway way to genetically engineer crops and create dwarf varieties of fruiting crops, which could allow for the production of tomatoes in microgravity, for example.

While Space Lab is focused on technology development for human space exploration, the company also hopes that its technologies can prove useful for increasing the agricultural efficiency on Earth. Space Lab is also keen to understand the vertical farming industry and recent innovations to avoid redundancies and meet the industrys key players.

We are interested in learning more about the controlled environment agriculture & vertical farming industries to explore whether our space agriculture solutions may have value for terrestrial indoor farming or vice versa," Giovanna Marcantonio, Executive Assistant adds.

For more information:Space Lab Technologies LLCGiovanna Marcantonio, Executive Assistantgigi@spacelabtech.comwww.spacelabtech.com

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Overcoming the challenge to crop production in space - hortidaily.com

Space exploration has become one of the top goals in todays day and age. Many scientists want to learn what lies outside of the Earth and how it can help human civilization. Due to this reason, many new Aerospace companies are immerging and trying to capitalise on the space exploration business. A new company called Sierra Nevada Corporation is making strides in this business and many people want to know what is Sierra Nevada Corporation.

Also read:Blue-green Algae Could Help Keep Humans Alive On Mars, Says Study

Also read:Why Is Mars Rover Named Perseverance? Where Did Perseverance Get Its Name From?

Sierra Nevada Corporation is an American, privately held aviation and public security worker for hire gaining practical experience in aircraft alteration and integration, space parts and frameworks, and related innovation items for cyber protection and Health. SNC delivers tailored solutions to government and commercial customers, with applications in space exploration and satellites, aircraft integrations, navigation and guidance systems, threat detection and security, scientific research, and infrastructure protection.

The Sierra Nevada Corporation has 5,000 employees, 40 plus locations around the globe, and also has 50 plus years of experience in this field. SNC brings all this together to help to solve the world's toughest and most complex technology challenges.

Sierra Nevada Corporation has been in the industry for a very long time. Being such a huge company, it hasspread its wings into multiple businesses and created an empire. SNC works to innovate and create new things to help increase the progression of technology in the world. It also provides solutions for various issues faced by the Government and Private Organizations Check out what does Sierra Nevada Corporation do below:

SNC has also received awards from various institutions for its work. Check out all the Awards SNC has received below:

Also read:NASA Mars Rover To Dig For Signs Of Ancient Life

Also read:Russian Cargo Ship Docks At International Space Station

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Sierra Nevada Corporation: Learn what is Sierra Nevada Corporation and what does it do - Republic TV

European Space Agency to recruit female and disabled astronauts for Moon and Mars missions.

EUROPES equivalent of NASA has launched its first recruitment drive in 11 years, and is eager to achieve greater diversity.

For the first time in 11 years, ESA is looking for new astronauts. These recruits will work alongside ESAs existing astronauts as Europe enters a new era of space exploration, said the agency.

ESA Director General Jan Wrner says, Thanks to a strong mandate from ESA Member States at Space19+, our Ministerial Council in 2019, Europe is taking its place at the heart of space exploration.

To go farther than we ever have before, we need to look wider than we ever have before. This recruitment process is the first step and I look forward to watching the agency develop across all areas of space exploration and innovation, with our international partners, in the years to come.

Representing all parts of society is a concern that ESA takes very seriously, said David Parker, Director of Human and Robotic Exploration.

Diversity at ESA should not only address the origin, age, background or gender of our astronauts, but also perhaps physical disabilities.

To make this dream a reality, alongside the astronaut recruitment I am launching the Parastronaut Feasibility Project an innovation whose time has come.

The vacancy runs from 31 March to 28 May 2021 and ESA will only consider applications submitted to the ESA Career website within those eight weeks. After that, the six-stage selection process will start, which is expected to be completed in October 2022.

Thank you for taking the time to read this news article European Space Agency to recruit female and disabled astronauts for Moon and Mars missions. For more UK daily news, Spanish daily news and Global news stories, visit the Euro Weekly News home page.

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European Space Agency to recruit female and disabled astronauts for Moon and Mars missions - Euro Weekly News

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- Providing multiple examples of what differentiates Penn State from peer institutions and how access to world-class researchers impacts the lives of Penn State students, Lora Weiss, senior vice president for Research, presented an overview of the Universitys research enterprise today (Feb. 18) during the Board of Trustees meeting of the Committee on Academic Affairs, Research, and Student Life.

Weiss also highlighted innovative Penn State research discoveries in the Commonwealth, the nation and the world.

The senior vice president began by reporting a significant milestone attained during fiscal year 2019-20, as Penn State research expenditures surpassed $1 billion. This achievement places Penn State among a select group of research universities and reflects the breadth and depth of its research expertise, she said. Expenditures increased by $40 million, with a record $633 million in federal funding and $375 million from a combination of private funders, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and University sources.

In addition, Weiss noted, in the most recent (FY2018) National Science Foundation Higher Education Research & Development rankings, Penn State is listed among the top 10 institutions in 18 different research fields, ranging from materials science to anthropology.

These measures are a testament to the incredible expertise, creativity, and dedication of our faculty, staff and students, she said. They reflect the extraordinary innovations within our research portfolio, the talent of our researchers, and the continued confidence of our sponsors.

Weiss stressed the many dimensions of research at Penn State, encompassing all of its colleges and campuses as well as its interdisciplinary research institutes and agricultural extension program, carried out by faculty, staff, and students both graduate and undergraduate. The work is funded via sponsored research and seed grants alike and is administered via expertly staffed offices for research support and operations.

Broad support

Penn State enjoys a broad range of research sponsorship, with major external funders including federal and state agencies, as well as corporations, industry and foundations, Weiss reported. More than 15 federal agencies actively support research at the University, she noted, and more than a dozen foundations have done so. Once again, this is statement about the breadth of our research and our ability to innovate. Having such a diversified research portfolio helps us to weather events like the COVID-19 pandemic.

The broad federal support also reflects Penn States alignment with national research priorities, including designated industries of the future artificial intelligence, quantum information science, advanced manufacturing, 5G and biotechnology, as well as national security, health and wellness, and space exploration.

Empowering students

Access to world-class researchers offers a wealth of benefits to Penn State students, Weiss told board members, from hands-on research experience to job opportunities to lasting industry connections. Undergraduates gain invaluable experience through internships, senior projects and as summer hires in critical areas of society and our nations economy. Between 2014 and 2019, nearly 8,000 students completed undergraduate research experiences. Several have benefited from National Institutes of Health training grants totaling $3.4M annually, she said, adding that the Graduate School is currently piloting Accelerate to Industry, a program focused on providing career readiness opportunities for students.

Penn State students also are benefitting from the recruiting advantages provided to employers through research partnerships. Corporate gifts support undergraduate projects and provide plentiful opportunities for making connections with potential employers. Industry partners including Merck, Lockheed Martin, PPG, Volvo, CSL Behring, and Wabtec all engage undergraduates in the research they sponsor, and companies that locate at Innovation Park count on proximity to students for recruiting, Weiss said.

No less important, she added, are the educational advantages afforded by a major research university. Our students learn from professors who are true experts in their fields and who bring a wealth of research knowledge and experience to the classroom, she said. Nor are these benefits limited to University Park, as research is conducted at Commonwealth Campuses as well. Research across Penn State means research across Pennsylvania.

In FY20, Commonwealth Campuses administered or participated in $41.6 million in sponsored awards, and in 2018-19, more than 1,800 undergraduate students at Commonwealth Campuses participated in supervised research, according to Weiss. As one example of world-class research undertaken at a Commonwealth Campus, she cited the Lake Plastic Recovery, Recycling and Polymer Research program at Penn State Behrend in Erie, and its launch of a new major in polymer engineering and science.

Culture of Interdisciplinarity

One of the factors that distinguishes Penn State from its peers, Weiss said, is a long-standing commitment to interdisciplinary research, demonstrated tangibly in its seven interdisciplinary research institutes. She took the opportunity to highlight the achievements of a few of those institutes.

TheMaterials Research Institute, created in 1992 with an initial strategic investment of $500,000, accounted for more than $150 million in research awards in 2020, Weiss reported. Its unrivaled core facilities make it a critical strategic partner for industry and are a tremendous asset to recruiting top-tier faculty. More than 100 Pennsylvania companies use the facilities, and partners include Morgan, Corning, PPG, Lockheed Martin, Volvo, Dow and Murata. The institutes leadership, resources and expertise are keys to Penn States No. 1 ranking in materials science and No. 2 ranking in materials engineering in the recent NSF Research & Development report, Weiss said.

TheSocial Sciences Research Institutesupports research aimed at both fundamental understanding and societal impacts in four key research areas: smart and connected health, the human system, social disparities, and transitioning data to knowledge and impact. This institutes agile response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Weiss noted, allowed studies of the psychological and social impacts of online technology during the pandemic, and well as the impacts of social distancing on family well-being and child safety.

Unique among the institutes is theApplied Research Laboratory, a Department of Defense University Affiliated Research Center which last year celebrated 75 years of research excellence. This lab is charged with developing innovative solutions to address challenging national security problems in sea, land, air, space and cyberspace by maintaining essential core capabilities in communications and information, materials and manufacturing, navigation, undersea systems, fluid dynamics and acoustics,and by transitioning advanced technology to operational programs in support of national security priorities, Weiss explained.

The culture of interdisciplinarity that has grown along with the institutes enables an approach to collaboration and cluster hiring that was held up as a national model in a recent study published in the Journal of Higher Education,Weiss told the committee. "Its a profoundly different approach to leveraging our expertise, she said.

Strategic seed investments are another important interdisciplinary tool, allowing bold forays into new research directions, rapid responses to emerging needs, exploration of high risk-high payoff ideas and collaborations, and support of ideas that are too early for sponsors to fund. As an example of the positive impact of such investment, Weiss cited the Universitys research response to the COVID-19 pandemic, in which $2.4 million was seeded to 48 research teams across the University that quickly pivoted to address the crisis with expertise in areas ranging from biology to social sciences. To date, she said, those early funds have yielded an additional $11 million in external awards.

Leading for the future

In summary, Weiss emphasized the value of research as a driver of progress in the commonwealth, the nation and the world.

Our universities have become the countrys innovation centers. A top research enterprise like Penn States attracts leading faculty the innovators, knowledge discoverers and creative drivers of tomorrow, she said. It attracts the best students and provides them with experiences that lead to successful careers. It attracts industrial partnerships, as we help companies anticipate and solve their challenges. Research is crucial to our standing among our peers as a world-class institution and research is what prepares us to address the challenges of tomorrow.

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Penn State research impacts the world - Penn State News

For the first time since 2008, The European Space Agency (ESA) is on the lookout for new astronauts, and UK citizens of any walk of life are invited to apply.

Following an intensive period of training, which will include a 3-week course in caving and a course in practical geology, the new astronauts will take their first flights into space when they are deployed to the International Space Station. They are likely to be part of the crew on the next missions to the Moon in the late 2020s and through the 2030s.

ESA is also issuing a special call for candidates with physical disabilities to apply to its astronaut reserve. The pilot project aims to open the astronaut career path to people who, until now, have been excluded from space flight. Those with a lower limb deficiency or who are considered to be of short stature and meet other recruitment criteria are invited to apply. ESA will invest in the necessary adaptations of space hardware to enable these otherwise excellently qualified professionals to serve as crew members on a safe space mission.

The UK Space Agency expects the next professional UK astronaut to be selected through this recruitment drive and encourages all eligible applicants to apply.

Experience of the space sector is not essential, but candidates will need a masters degree (or higher) in Natural Sciences, Medicine, Engineering, Mathematics or Computer Sciences or be qualified as an experimental test pilot. Fluency in English is essential along with other requirements. The right person for the job will also be calm under pressure and be willing to be the participate in life science experiments - past experiments have included studying the effects of microgravity on human bone and tissue.

Science Minister, Amanda Solloway, said:

Becoming an astronaut is a dream for many, and Tim Peakes historic mission to space in 2015 showed millions of Brits that it can become a reality, while putting the UK firmly on the map as a leading space-faring nation.

With the UK space sector receiving more government backing than ever before, its time for a new generation of British astronauts to answer this call as we continue working with our European partners to push the boundaries of science and exploration even further.

In 1989 Helen Sharman became the first British astronaut when she was selected for the joint UK/Soviet Union mission, Juno. In May 1991, Sharman spent eight days in space and became the first female astronaut to visit the Mir Space Station.

Tim Peake was the first British recruit though the ESA astronaut programme in 2009 where he and 5 other applicants from the United Kingdom made it to the final stage of the application process. In 2015 Tim spent 6 months living and working on the International Space Station and was the first British astronaut to take part in a spacewalk.

British ESA astronaut, Tim Peake, said:

Over the next few years and decades, space exploration will become even more exciting as we travel back to the Moon and even further to Mars. For space missions to succeed, they require highly motivated people from diverse backgrounds to combine their skills and work as a team. The next generation of UK citizens have so much to offer the world, and so I would encourage anyone who has dreamt of pushing the boundaries of what is possible to take this opportunity to be part of ESAs future cohort of space pioneers.

The position of astronaut is just one possible career path in the UK space industry, which employs close to 42,000 people in various roles from aerospace engineers, satellite technicians, research scientists to entrepreneurs and lawyers. Anyone who meets the criteria to be an astronaut is invited to submit a complete application online through the ESA careers website.

Applications will open on 31 March and stay open for two months until 28 May. There will then be a 17-month process of screening, psychological, practical, and psychometric testing, medical selections and two interview selections until the final applicants will be appointed and announced in October 2022.

The UK Space Agency has been a member of the ESA human exploration programme since 2012, and its participation is not affected by Brexit.

The UK Space Industry has a total income of 14.8 billion, and its contribution to GDP is expected to grow as the government boosts investment in space-related activity. The UK Space Agency is leading major programmes to support the first UK space launches, pioneer satellite innovation, and foster space hubs across the Union.

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The sky is not the limit: could you be the UK's next astronaut? - GOV.UK

Mass Effect Andromeda almost included a space exploration system that allowed you to manually drive the Tempest.

Mass Effect Andromeda featured a variety of new systems thatiteratedon preexisting ones from the series' original trilogy. For example, a lot of work was put into developing the Nomad, a land vehicle designed for traversing rough terrain on certain planets. Given the amount of flak directed at the first Mass Effect game's Mako, which handled like an anti-gravity go-kart with two missing wheels, the improvements to the Nomad were warmly welcomed by many players.

As it turns out, this wasn't the only transport enhancement that was on the cards during development of Andromeda. According to Dorian Kieken - who was a development director at BioWare during Mass Effect 2 and 3, before becoming franchise development director in the early days of Andromeda - there was also a playable prototype for completely revamped space travel.

I remember playing a pretty good prototype of space exploration back in 2015, Kieken says. You would basically pilot your ship from planet to planet."

I wasn't in the company anymore when that decision [to cut it] was made, but I'm not surprised," Kieken explains. "Not because it was not fun. It was. But it would have likely required a lot of effort to make work, and so, keeping it would have cost other parts of the game.

Related:How Mass Effect Inspired The Games Industry And Beyond

We tried to do too much with Andromeda, from large explorable planets with a ground vehicle to space exploration with tons of planets. Something had to eventually give.

It's fascinating to think about how this could have fared in Andromeda. I personally thought that planet design was one of the game's strongest elements, so having the opportunity to consciously flit between them at the helm of the Tempest instead of fast-travelling via the Galaxy Map could have been brilliant. Hopefully we see this prototype realized in a future Mass Effect game.

In related news, Kieken also told us about a Han Solo-inspired Mass Effect spin-off that was scrapped before Mass Effect 2. While he and several other devs at BioWare thought the idea was solid, there simply wasn't enough bandwidth to focus on it while also working on Mass Effect 2.

Next:Mass Effect 3 Could Have Had A Completely Different Ending

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Cian Maher is the Lead Features Editor at TheGamer. He's also had work published in The Guardian, The Washington Post, The Verge, Vice, Wired, and more. You can find him on Twitter @cianmaher0.

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Mass Effect Andromeda Had A Playable Prototype For Space Exploration, But It Was Scrapped - TheGamer