Category Archives: Space Travel

An innovative rocket system could revolutionize future deep space missions to Mars, reducing travel time to the Red Planet to just a few months.

The goal of landing humans on Mars has presented a myriad of challenges, including the need to quickly transport large payloads to and from the distant planet, which, depending on the positions of Earth and Mars, would take almost two years for a round trip using current propulsion technology.

The Pulsed Plasma Rocket (PPR), under development by Howe Industries, is a propulsion system designed to be far more efficient than current methods of deep space propulsion, enabling the trip between Earth and the Red Planet to be made in just two months. Specifically, the rocket will have a high specific impulse or Isp, a measure of how efficiently an engine generates thrust. This technology could therefore enable astronauts and cargo to travel to and from Mars more efficiently and rapidly than existing spacecraft, according to a statement from NASA.

Related: How long does it take to get to Mars?

Stemming from the Pulsed Fission Fusion concept, the PPR uses a fission-based nuclear power system, which obtains energy from the controlled splitting of atoms, to generate thrust for spacecraft propulsion. However, the PPR is smaller, simpler and more affordable than previous concepts.

In addition to enabling further range missions, the PPR could support much heavier spacecraft, meaning additional shielding could be installed to reduce a crew's exposure to harmful high-energy particles, called Galactic Cosmic Rays, endured during long-duration spaceflight.

"The PPR enables a whole new era in space exploration," NASA officials said.

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"The exceptional performance of the PPR, combining high Isp and high thrust, holds the potential to revolutionize space exploration," the statement reads. "The system's high efficiency allows for manned missions to Mars to be completed within a mere two months."

The PPR concept is now moving into Phase II of the NASA Innovative Advanced Concept (NIAC) study, having completed Phase I, which focused on the neutronics of the propulsion system, designing the spacecraft, power system and necessary subsystems, analyzing the magnetic nozzle capabilities, and determining trajectories and benefits, according to the statement.

During Phase II, developers will build upon the assessments from Phase I to optimize the engine design, perform proof-of-concept experiments and design a spacecraft concept to better protect crewed flights to Mars. Currently visited only by robotic explorers, the PPR could one day bring NASA closer to establishing a permanent base on Mars.

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NASA-funded pulsed plasma rocket concept aims to send astronauts to Mars in 2 months - Space.com

Howe Industries is developing a Pulsed Plasma Rocket (PPR) capable of producing 100,000 N of thrust with a specific impulse of 5,000 seconds, promising to revolutionize space travel by enabling faster and safer manned missions to Mars and beyond. (Artists concept.) Credit: SciTechDaily.com

Howe Industries PPR could transform space exploration with its high thrust and specific impulse, enabling faster Mars missions and safe transport through enhanced shielding.

The future of a space-faring civilization will depend on the ability to move both cargo and humans efficiently and rapidly. Due to the extremely large distances that are involved in space travel, the spacecraft must reach high velocities for reasonable mission transit times. Thus, a propulsion system that produces a high thrust with a high specific impulse is essential. However, no such technologies are currently available.

Simplified image of the PPR system. Credit: Brianna Clements, edited

Howe Industries is currently developing a propulsion system that may generate up to 100,000 N of thrust with a specific impulse (Isp) of 5,000 seconds. The Pulsed Plasma Rocket (PPR) is originally derived from the Pulsed Fission Fusion concept, but is smaller, simpler, and more affordable.

The exceptional performance of the PPR, combining high Isp and high thrust, holds the potential to revolutionize space exploration. The systems high efficiency allows for manned missions to Mars to be completed within a mere two months. Alternatively, the PPR enables the transport of much heavier spacecraft that are equipped with shielding against Galactic Cosmic Rays, thereby reducing crew exposure to negligible levels.

The system can also be used for other far-range missions, such as those to the Asteroid Belt or even to the 550 AU location, where the Suns gravitational lens focuses can be considered. The PPR enables a whole new era in space exploration.

The NIAC Phase I study focused on a large, heavily shielded ship to transport humans and cargo to Mars for the development of a Martian base. The main topics included: assessing the neutronics of the system, designing the spacecraft, power system, and necessary subsystems, analyzing the magnetic nozzle capabilities, and determining trajectories and benefits of the PPR. Phase II will build upon these assessments and further the PPR concept.

In Phase II, we plan to:

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Mars in a Flash: How Pulsed Plasma Rockets Are Revolutionizing Space Travel - SciTechDaily

Ed Dwight celebrates after landing back on Earth following Sunday morning's ten-minute flight to space. Blue Origin via X

More than 60 years after he became the United States first Black astronaut candidate, Ed Dwight finally flew to space.

On Sunday, Blue Origins New Shepard rocket carried six people to and from the Krmn linethe boundary 62 miles above Earths surface where the atmosphere ends and space begins. Dwight, a former Air Force captain, was among the crew. President John F. Kennedy selected him as an astronaut candidate in 1961, but Dwight was never admitted to NASAs astronaut training program and had never been to space.

After stepping out of the capsule last weekend upon his return to Earth, the 90-year-old Dwight lifted both arms over his head in celebration.

Fantastic! A life-changing experience. Everyone needs to do this! he said, per NPRs Scott Neuman. I didnt know I needed this in my life, but now I need it in my life.

Dwight was born in 1933 Kansas City, Kansas. He joined the U.S. Air Force in 1953, completed pilot training and served as a military fighter pilot, according to his personal website. In 1957, heearned a degree in aeronautical engineering from Arizona State University.

As part of his preparation for becoming an astronaut, Dwight completed the experimental test pilot course and aerospace research pilot training and performed duties as an aerospace research pilot, per his website. Though the Air Force recommended him for astronaut training with NASA, he was not selected, per the Washington Posts Christian Davenport.

Dwight left the military in 1966 and had a wide-ranging career: He worked for IBM, developed a restaurant chain and founded a real estate company. He later became a sculptor, creating bronzes of important Black figures in American history, including pioneers in the American West and famous jazz musicians. His sculptures are installed in museums across the country.

Sunday, Dwight joined five other people on the New Shepard rockets trip to space: Mason Angel, the founder of a venture capital fund; Sylvain Chiron, the founder of a craft brewery in France; Kenneth L. Hess, a software engineer and entrepreneur; Gopi Thotakura, a pilot and aviator; and Carol Schaller, a retired accountant who has been traveling the world since being told by her doctor in 2017 that she will go blind.

The launch marked the seventh time Blue Origin has carried tourists to space on one of its rockets. It has now transported 37 people in total on trips beyond the Krmn line, where they experience weightlessness and overhead views of Earth on roughly 11-minute flights.

Blue Origin conducted 16 test flights of its New Shepard rocket, which concluded in 2021. The first crewed flight launched on July 20, 2021, with four people on boardincluding Jeff Bezos, the companys founder. Sundays launch was Blue Origins first tourism flight since an uncrewed rockets engine failed during a flight a year and a half ago, per the Washington Post.

The recent flight launched from Texas at 9:35 a.m. local time on Sunday, and the capsule delivered the travelers back to Earth at 9:45 a.m., per the New York Times Amanda Holpuch.

New Shepard is fully autonomous, meaning it has no pilot. The capsule landed with only two of its three parachutes deployed, but it has been designed to safely land with only one parachute if necessary, per the Blue Origin website.

Dwight is now the oldest person to ever travel to space, surpassing the actor William Shatner, who also flew on a New Shepard rocket in 2021.

Youve waited a long time for this opportunity and all of us who stand on your shoulders could not be happier, Charles Bolden, the first Black NASA administrator, says to ABC News Nadine El-Bawab and Bill Hutchinson in a message to Dwight before the flight launched. I know how much you have dreamed about this, and I want you to take some time while you are flying to suck it all up and take it all in. You deserve every moment of this. Youve been a role model and mentor for many of us for so long, and were with you there in spirit.

Dwight tells NPR that he wants to go to space again. I want to go into orbit. I want to go around the Earth and see the whole Earth.

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Ed Dwight, the First Black Astronaut Candidate in the U.S., Finally Travels to Space at 90 Years Old - Smithsonian Magazine

Dwight was on Blue Origins latest crewed space flight on May 19, decades after he was selected as the nation's first Black astronaut candidate

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Ed Dwight, the United States first-ever Black astronaut candidate, has finally traveled to space and is now the oldest man to do so.

Dwight was one of six individuals aboard Blue Origins seventh human space flight on Sunday, May 19, according to a news release from Jeff Bezos' aerospace company.

The 90-year-old was a member of the 1963 class of astronauts, which also included Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins, per the Associated Press.

But despite being selected by President John F. Kennedy in 1961 as the nations first Black astronaut candidate, Blue Origin said Dwight never had the opportunity to venture into space until now.

Related: Lauren Snchez Says Her All-Female Space Crew Will Be Announced Soon: 'My Fellow Astronauts' (Exclusive)

Sundays flight to space took off for its first flight in two years around 10:37 a.m. local time from west Texas, according to The Guardian.

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Footage from the flight, shared by Blue Origin, showed the seven-person crew in awe as they cruised around the Earth in their spacecraft. Dwight could be seen giggling with glee as he took in the sights around him.

After landing, Dwight called the nearly 10-minute flight a life-changing experience, according to the AP.

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I thought I really didnt need this in my life, he explained. But, now, I need it in my life .... I am ecstatic.

Related: Blue Origin Is Replacing Pete Davidson with Company's Rocket Architect on Next Space Flight

Dwight now holds the world record for oldest individual to travel to space, topping Star Trek actor William Shatner by only a few months, per the AP and NPR.

According to the AP, Guion Bluford became the first African American to visit space in 1983 about five years after NASA began selecting Black astronauts in 1978.

This was Blue Origins first crewed flight to space since 2022, when the New Shepard rocket was grounded following an in-flight failure, according to the AP and The Guardian.

Related: All About Jeff Bezos' Space-Themed Bar at His West Texas Ranch

Also aboard Sundays flight were venture capitalist Mason Angel, entrepreneur Kenneth Hess, aviator Gopi Thotakura, retired accountant Carol Schaller and Sylvain Chiron, the founder of a French craft brewery, Blue Origin and NPR reported.

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New Shepard has now flown 37 people into space, according to Blue Origin.

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Ed Dwight, America's First Black Astronaut Candidate, Makes History by Finally Reaching Space at 90 - Yahoo New Zealand News

Ed Dwight was named a candidate for NASAs astronaut corps by President John F. Kennedy in 1963. On Sunday, he finally made it to space.

Dwight, 90, traveled to space aboard a capsule with Blue Origin, the aerospace company owned by Jeff Bezos. The flight departed from West Texas and lasted about 10 minutes, according to theAssociated Press.He was one of six passengers to make the journey on Sunday.

I thought I reallydidnt need this in my life,Dwight said after the flight. But, now, I need it in my life. I am ecstatic.

Dwight became the new record-holder for the oldest person ever to travel to space. He is about two months older than actor William Shatner, who previously set the record in 2021 during his space flight.

His journey to get to space spanned over seven decades.

Dwight enlisted in the Air Force in 1953 and eventuallyearned the rank of captainafter several years of service. After not being selected by NASA as an astronaut, he remained in the Air Force until 1966. Later, Dwight worked as an engineer, real estate, and business owner before becoming a renowned sculptor.

While Dwight was nominated in 1963 to be in the Astronaut Corps, it wasnt until 1978 that the first black astronaut was accepted into NASA. Five years later, in 1983, Guion Bluford became the first black astronaut to travel to space aboard the Space ShuttleChallenger.

In 2020, Dwight was named an honorary memberof the Space Force.

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The Blue Origin flight into space marks a comeback of sorts for Bezoss company. It was the first flight into space with a crew in almost two years. Previously, Blue Origin grounded all its flightsafter an accident in 2022in which engine trouble caused an unmanned capsule to come apart in the sky in midflight.

Blue Origins commercial flight into space on Sunday was the companys seventh journey with passengers.

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After 60 years, the countrys first black astronaut candidate gets to travel to space - Washington Examiner

On Sunday, Dwight will join five others on a space flight by Blue Origin.

Ed Dwight, who is the first Black man to be trained as an astronaut, is set to become the oldest person to go to space at 90 years of age. Dwight in 1961 hoped to become the first Black astronaut in space, but he never made it.

A Blue Origin flight is finally giving the 90-year-old the chance that he was denied decades ago.

On Sunday, Dwight will join five others on a space flight by Blue Origin, the space travel company owned by Amazon boss Jeff Bezos.The 11-minute flight will take the six members to the edge of space, helping them experience weightlessness due to zero gravity and view the Earth's horizon.

In 1961, Dwight was selected by then US President John F. Kennedy to enter an Air Force training program, known as the Path to NASA's Astronaut Corps. Dwight was an elite test pilot at that time, but was ultimately not picked.

In 2022,Dwight revealed that when he got the offer letter in 1961 to be the first Black astronaut, he thought"these dudes were crazy.

After the completion of the program in 1963, the Air Force recommended him to join the corps. However, he wasn't selected. In 1966, he resigned from the military citing strain of racial politics.

"So, all these White folks that I'm dealing with, I mean, my peers, the other guys that were astronaut candidates and the leadership was just horrified at the idea of my coming down to Edwards and the president appointing me to the position, CBS quoted him as saying.

He dedicated the rest of his life to telling Black history through sculpture. Dwight's art, displayed around the country, includes iconic figures like Martin Luther King Jr, Frederick Douglass, Harriet Tubman, and more.

Dwight's seat on the Blue Origin flight is believed to cost $250,000 even though the ticket prices are a well-guarded secret. His ticket has been sponsored by the nonprofit organisation, Space for Humanity, known for providing help to send citizens to space.

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Meet Ed Dwight, First Black Man Trained As Astronaut To Go To Space After 63 Years - NDTV

Blue Origin announced that it will be launching a rocket this Sunday, ending a nearly two-year drought. The space tourism firm hasnt held a crewed suborbital mission since its NS-22 flight in August 2022. A month after that event, during an uncrewed flight, its New Shepard spacecraft disengaged itself from the rocket mid-flight. The capsule parachuted safely back to Earth.

A thermo-structural failure on the rockets BE-3PM engine nozzle was blamed for the malfunction. After 15 months, Blue Origin returned in December 2023 with its uncrewed NS-24 mission.

The company is offering both research and space-tourism suborbital missions that fly to about 100 kilometers above the Earth to the Karman line, which many scientists call the edge of space. At that point, the crew experiences a few minutes of weightlessness before the capsule drops back to the companys launch facility in Van Horn, Texas. The flight and space experience lasts about 10 minutes.

This missions crew is as eclectic as previous flights. It includes Ed Dwight, 90, who in 1961 became the U.S.s first-ever black astronaut candidate; venture capitalist Mason Angel; Sylvain Chiron, the founder of French craft brewery Brasserie Mont Blanc; entrepreneur Kenneth L. Hess; retired accountant Carol Schaller; and pilot and aviator Gopi Thotakura.

Blue Origins resumption of commercial flightsrumored to cost anywhere between $200,000 and the $28 million one civilian astronaut supposedly paid for the initial flightmeans the space race between Jeff Bezoss company and Richard Bransons Virgin Galactic is finally getting serious.

Sort of.

Virgin Galactic says it will be launching its seventh commercial flight aboard its supersonic aircraft VSS Unity on June 7. Unity will be tethered to a larger mothership, Eve. The two aircraft take off together and separate at 45,000 feet, at which point Unity heads skywards. This would be Virgin Atlantics seventh space-tourism flight after it officially launched its commercial flight program last year. It flew an earlier mission on January 26.

June 7s full crew roster has yet to be released, though Turkish astronaut Tuva Atasever will be on the flight doing suborbital research, according to Axiom Space, a company that has facilitated trips for other scientists to the International Space Station. The other space tourists on the June 7 flight will include two Americans and an Italian.

But there wont be the highly anticipated leapfrogging between Virgin Galactic and Blue Origin that observers expected after Branson and Bezos both flew in their respective spacecraft in the summer of 2021.

Junes flight will be the last for VSS Unity, effectively mothballing Virgin Galactics commercial program until 2026. The company is developing two new Delta-class spaceplanes which, if all goes according to plan, should be doing hundreds of suborbital flights, as opposed to a half-dozen, in two years. Virgin Galactic plans to fly 125 flights per year going forward, putting 750 tourists (a seat on the aircraft now costs $450,000) into space. At that point, the company Branson founded 20 years ago will be making money for the first time.

Several weeks ago, SpaceX seemed to officially declare itself open for space tourism business by adding a page to its website that described four missions that citizen astronauts could sign up for, even including an email address humanspaceflight@spacex.com. (But the Join a Mission button on the page goes nowhere.) The company has accommodated private civilian missions before, but this is the first time SpaceX has floated the possibility to the public.

Elon Musks company, which went from plucky startup to the dominant force in commercial space transport, showed diagrams of its two spaceship types, the Dragon and much larger Starship, also noting four possible missions. They include a three- to six-day Earth orbit later this year aboard the Dragon. A 10-day trip for four to the International Space Station will be available as early as 2025.

The 7-day moon mission, 240,000 miles from Earth, doesnt have a launch date yet. But the website noted it could carry up to 12 passengers in their own suites, presumably aboard Starship. The flight to Mars would involve traveling 140 million miles away from the planet. It didnt give any information about costs or dates, though it did note that gravity on Mars is 38 percent of that of Earths, and a day there is 24 hours, 37 minutes.

Three years ago, many observers forecasted the race to space among the three billionaires would be a slugfest at this point, but technical failures and modifications for all three have tempered expectations, showing that space travel will not be as seamless as proponents expected.

Still, Sundays projected flight shows that the race is still on. It just may be more marathon than sprint between the three space-tourism companies.

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The Billionaire Space Race Heats Up With Blue Origin's Latest Launch - Robb Report

We've added the arrow and "Earth" note to this view of Earth taken by the NASA Curiosity Mars rover. The original photograph is also in this article. Credit: NASA

Within the next few decades, NASA aims to land humans on the Moon, set up a lunar colony and use the lessons learned to send people to Mars as part of itsArtemis program.

While researchers know that space travel can stress space crew members both physically and mentally and test their ability to work together in close quarters, missions to Mars will amplify these challenges. Mars is far away millions of miles from Earth and a mission to the red planet will take two to two and a half years, between travel time and the Mars surface exploration itself.

As a psychiatristwho has studiedspacecrew member interactionsin orbit, Im interested in the stressors that will occur during a Mars mission and how to mitigate them for the benefit of future space travelers.

Given the great distance to Mars,two-way communication between crew members and Earthwill take about 25 minutes round trip. This delayed contact with home wont just hurt crew member morale. It will likely mean space crews wont get as much real-time help from Mission Control during onboard emergencies.

Because these communications travel at the speed of light and cant go any faster, experts are coming up withways to improve communication efficiencyunder time-delayed conditions.These solutions might includetexting, periodically summarizing topics and encouraging participants to ask questions at the end of each message, which the responder can answer during the next message.

Space crew memberswont be able to communicatewith Mission Control in real time to plan their schedules and activities, so theyll need to conduct their workmore autonomouslythan astronauts working on orbit on the International Space Station.

Although studies during space simulations on Earth have suggested that crew members canstill accomplish mission goalsunder highly autonomous conditions, researchers need to learn more about how these conditions affect crew member interactions and their relationship with Mission Control.

For example, Mission Control personnel usually advise crew members on how to deal with problems or emergencies in real time. That wont be an option during a Mars mission.

To study this challenge back on Earth, scientists could run a series of simulations where crew members have varying degrees of contact with Mission Control. They could then see what happens to the interactions between crew members and their ability to get along and conduct their duties productively.

Beingconfined with a small group of peoplefor a long period of time can lead totension and interpersonal strife.

In my research teamsstudies of on-orbit crews,we found thatwhen experiencing interpersonal stress in space, crew members mightdisplace this tensionby blaming Mission Control for scheduling problems or not offering enough support. This can lead to crew-ground misunderstandings and hurt feelings.

One way to deal with interpersonal tension on board would be to schedule time each week for the crew members to discuss interpersonal conflicts during planned bull sessions.We have foundthat commanders who are supportive can improve crew cohesion. A supportive commander, or someone trained in anger management, could facilitate these sessions to help crew members understand their interpersonal conflicts before their feelings fester and harm the mission.

Spendinglong periods of timeaway from home canweigh on crew members moralein space. Astronauts miss their families and report being concerned about the well-being of their family members back on Earth, especially when someone is sick or in a crisis.

Mission duration can also affect astronauts. A Mars mission will have three phases: the outbound trip, the stay on the Martian surface and the return home. Each of these phasesmay affect crew members differently. For example, the excitement of being on Mars might boost morale, while boredom during the return may sink it.

For astronauts in orbit, seeing the Earth from spaceserves as a reminderthat their home, family and friends arent too far away. But for crew members traveling to Mars, watchingas the Earth shrinksto an insignificant dot in the heavens could result in aprofound sense of isolation and homesickness.

Having telescopes on board that will allow the crew members to see Earth as a beautiful ball in space, or giving them access to virtual reality images of trees, lakes and family members, could help mitigate any disappearing-Earth effects. But these countermeasures could just as easily lead to deeper depression as the crew members reflect on what theyre missing.

Researchers studiedsome of these issues during theMars500 program, a collaboration between the Russian and other space agencies. During Mars500, six men were isolated for 520 days in a space simulator in Moscow. They underwent periods of delayed communication and autonomy, and they simulated a landing on Mars.

Scientists learned a lot from that simulation. But many features of a real Mars mission,such as microgravity, and some dangers of space meteoroid impacts, the disappearing-Earth phenomenon arent easy to simulate.

Planned missions under theArtemis programwill allow researchers to learn more about the pressures astronauts will face during the journey to Mars.

For example, NASA is planning aspace station called Gateway, which will orbit the Moon and serve as a relay station for lunar landings and a mission to Mars. Researchers could simulate the outbound and return phases of a Mars mission by sending astronauts to Gateway for six-month periods, where they could introduce Mars-like delayed communication, autonomy and views of a receding Earth.

Researchers could simulate a Mars exploration on the Moon by having astronauts conduct tasks similar to those anticipated for Mars. This way, crew members could better prepare for the psychological and interpersonal pressures that come with a real Mars mission. These simulations could improve the chances of a successful mission and contribute to astronaut well-being as they venture into space.

The author is a Professor Emeritus of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco

This article is from The Conversation and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

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Isolation and annoying co-workers: Solving the stress of a trip to Mars - Astronomy Magazine

The test capsule, which is named Excelsior in honor of late balloon space-jump pioneer Joe Kittinger, is now the largest spaceflight capsule in existence and represents a significant milestone in U.S. entrepreneurship and the first commercial spacecraft designed, developed and manufactured without the backing of a billionaire or significant government funding.

Soon to be the largest human spacecraft in operation (excluding the space stations), Spaceship Neptune's spherical capsule is 16 feet (4.9 meters) in diameter, providing a pressurized volume of more than 2,000 cubic feet (60 cubic meters) roughly two times the volume of Virgin Galactic's Spaceship Two and Blue Origin's New Shepard, and about four times that of SpaceX's Crew Dragon.

Entering the interior of the finished capsule for the first time just last week, capsule design lead, Dan Window, was overcome with emotion. "It's been over a decade of work with Jane (Poynter) and Taber (MacCallum)," Window said of his long-standing relationship and collaboration with Space Perspective's Founders and Co-CEOs. "I teared up. To see our designs become reality and to know that we will be taking people to space to have this life-changing experience in this beautiful capsule. It's a dream."

"The space capsule is like nothing the world has ever seen," said MacCallum, who is also Space Perspective's CTO, noting the capsule's massive windows, iconic design, and spacious interior. "We are on the cusp of a staggering shift not only in the way we humans experience space, but also what we conjure in our minds when we think of the spaceship that gets us there. We are redefining the category and paving the way for accessible space travel for years to come."

Spaceship Neptune - Excelsior Capsule Images & Video

Design Innovation & Patents

The iconic spherical shape of the exterior creates the perfect pressure vessel. Starting with this form allowed the engineers to not only create the lightest and strongest structure possible, but also the roomiest interior. Space Perspective also long considered repeated vertical windows, which allow for contiguous panoramic views (vs. horizontal windows, which would bifurcate the view to the human eye a phenomenon resulting from stereoscopic vision). Its innovative windows were designed to protect from harmful wavelengths of sunlight while also controlling for heat in the capsule and not altering the color of what you see out of them the stars above and the Earth below.

More than 100 layouts for the interior of the capsule and its Space Lounge were explored before finalizing the overall dimensions and flow to maximize space and comfort. Designed to accommodate eight Explorers and a Captain, once in commercial operations, Spaceship Neptune will set the record for the most people taken to the edge of space one more than the NASA Space Shuttle mission STS-61-A.

Every major element of its spaceship is covered by a patent this includes the SpaceBalloon, the method of launching a SpaceBalloon from a ship, the reserve descent system, the heat-rejecting radiator technology, the capsule structure with vertical windows, and the splash cone, which attenuates the capsule to provide a gentle ocean landing and then becomes a sea anchor to stabilize the capsule.

Development & Manufacturing

Uniquely, Space Perspective is vertically integrated with in-house capsule design, manufacturing, testing and operational functions. This includes a carbon composites manufacturing facility with state-of-the-art process control, a material testing laboratory, and a capsule integration hangar. The flight electrical and power systems, software, mission control and the environmental control and life support systems, including atmospheric and thermal control, are also designed and built in house as are the company's SpaceBalloons, which are manufactured in its 700-foot-long Seely SpaceBalloon Factory, named after late chemical engineer and balloon science pioneer Loren G. Seely, whom the company's head of balloon development and manufacturing studied under.

Reputable operational partners supporting test capsule completion included Llamas Plastics, Keyence, Siemens, Epsilon3, Dolphitech, ViRTEK, Rescale, Sims Crane, PCI Composites, Andromeda Systems Inc., and RS&H Aerospace Solutions.

Unparalleled Engineering Team

Space Perspective's team has been instrumental in the development of every U.S. human spacecraft for the past 40 years, and has worked directly for or on high-profile projects with the likes of NASA, SpaceX, Boeing, Virgin Galactic, Blue Origin, and the U.S. Navy. The capsule achievement, specifically, is the result of deep collaboration between three of the company's engineering teams, including structures, led by Ryon Warren, manufacturing, led by Vincent Bachet, and design, led by Dan Window (former PriestmanGoode). Mitzi Giles and her team are responsible for the recent completion of the company's first SpaceBalloon. Rounding out the leadership is John Straus, who heads environmental control and life support; Ryan Nascimento, who heads launch and retrieval; Quentin Washington, who heads avionics, power and computational systems; Curis Larsen, who heads Spaceship Neptune's reserve descent system; and Al Witkowski, who occupies an integrated role as lead systems engineer.

Funding, Sales & International Expansion

Space Perspective has raised $77M to date, and is funded by a diverse portfolio of investors, including lead investment group, Prime Movers Lab, who specialize in deep-tech investments into companies that have the potential to impact billions of lives, and other notable venture capital funds like LightShed Partners, 1517 Fund, Republic Capital, SpaceFund, Explorer 1 Fund, E2MC Ventures, Base Ventures, Green Sands Equity, and Harry Kravis's new fund, Stonecroft Management not to mention investment from its own Explorers. Some of the company's investors joined the Space Perspective team last week for a special capsule unveiling on Valentine's Day, marking the anniversary of the Pale Blue Dot, the photograph taken of Earth from 3.7 billion miles away in 1990 by the Voyager 1 space probe on beloved late astronomer Carl Sagan's urging. The Pale Blue Dot is a beacon for the Space Perspective mission and brand an image that reminds us to act more kindly toward the planet and each other.

Watch Space Perspective's Pale Blue Dot Brand Video

In 2021, Space Perspective flew a capsule simulator to 100,000 feet under its SpaceBalloon; since then, its teams have been designing and building a pressurized capsule to resume testing, which will include evaluating all systems, corners cases and off-nominal scenarios to pass numerous safety gates. With the spaceship components now complete, a series of uncrewed test flights will begin in the next few weeks off the coast of Florida. Data gathered during those flights will pave the way for the parallel development of human-rated capsule and crewed test flights later this year.

Space Perspective's revolutionary spaceflights offer customers, who they call Explorers, a transformative six-hour journey inside a capsule lifted by a SpaceBalloon at ~12 mph. With no rockets or heavy g-forces, it's the most accessible way to travel to space and as easy as being on an airplane. Inside the capsule, Explorers will enjoy the comforts of the world's first Space Lounge, complete with Wi-Fi, a world-class culinary program, plush seating and luxury amenities provided by its growing list of partners, panoramic views through the largest windows ever flown to space even a proper restroom (a serene, beautifully designed private enclosure that they company is calling the Space Spa).

Mercedes-Maybach Partnership | OREO Space Dunk Partnership

Space Perspective is on a mission to bring more humans to space than ever before. Working with NGOs and continuing to develop its carbon-neutral operational plan, the company hopes to create positive impact and a better future for the planet. Astronauts often return from missions with a deeper understanding of our home and humanity's place within it many are compelled to get involved in environmental and societal issues. It's an insight that drives not only Space Perspective's employees, but also its expanding Explorer community.

The luxury experiences market is expected to double from $1T to $2T by 2030, and is seeing more emphasis placed on experiences vs. goods including trends around transformative, sustainable and bespoke trips for all age groups. With the world's growing high-net-worth population and adventure tourism on the rise as one of the fastest-accelerating tourism markets, Space Perspective finds itself well positioned as a first mover to capture the global demand in a severely supply constrained industry.

Now ready to resume test flights, the company is one giant leap closer.

Space Perspective aims to begin taking its more than 1,750 current ticket holders more than any other space tourism company to the edge of space in 2025, and is expected to hit 4,000 seats sold $400M in bookings by the end of this year. Roughly 35% of its current customers can be attributed to international markets, but that number continues to grow. Initial flights will launch off the Space Coast of Florida. The company is currently in talks to bring operations to the Middle East, Asia, and Europe, where there is significant interest in participating in the new space economy and in bolstering regional cultural moments and offerings through space tourism and space activation.

A seat on Spaceship Neptune costs $125,000. A full capsule (eight seats) costs $1,000,000 and accounts for 50% of reservations within the travel trade industry, which plays an important role in securing these bookings. While tickets are sold out for the next few years, interested customers can discuss waitlists and upgrade options, especially for some of the earlier flights, by contacting [emailprotected].

About Space Perspective

Space Perspective, the world's first carbon-neutral spaceflight experience company, is on a mission to make space travel more accessible than ever before. Its innovative Spaceship Neptune, which comprises a pressurized capsule propelled by a giant SpaceBalloon, offers a safe and transformative six-hour journey to the edge of space.

With no rockets, weightlessness, heavy g-forces, or training required, the experience is designed to be as gentle on Explorers as it is on the Earth. Those who fly with Space Perspective, which is being regulated by the FAA as well as the U.S. Coast Guard and follows guidelines established by NASA, enjoy a world-class meal and cocktail service, Wi-Fi, unprecedented views through the largest windows ever flown to space, and a proper restroom, which it calls the Space Spa all from the comforts of the world's first Space Lounge.

Based on Florida's Space Coast, Space Perspective was founded by human spaceflight veterans Jane Poynter and Taber MacCallum, who met as original crew members in Biosphere 2. They went on to launch Paragon Space Development Corporation, which develops tech for environmental control systems that can be found on the International Space Station (ISS). Space Perspective's team more broadly has been instrumental in the development of every U.S. human spacecraft for the past 40 years.

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SPACE PERSPECTIVE UNVEILS THE FUTURE OF HUMAN SPACE TRAVEL - PR Newswire

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The new Apple TV+ psychological thriller Constellation takes viewers into a dimension where they might feel like they are in the twilight zone. Its a strange story that is a bit unsettling. It begins like a normal space travel show but soon spins itself into a new dimension for the viewers.

Noomi Rapace stars as Jo, an astronaut on the International Space Station. When an accident occurs on the ISS, most of the crew evacuate and return to Earth; however, Jo stays to try to fix the problem. She is basically alone in the station. Alone in space. Her husband and daughter anxiously wait for word about her situation knowing that time is running out. Her oxygen supply is dwindling and she must fix the batteries in the Soyuz capsule in order to return to Earth.

The accident occurred almost at the same time an experiment was being conducted using lasers. What happened to the experiment and what happened to the ISS? While the ground crew is keeping the faith that Jo will return safely, they are also insisting she return with the experiment in tact so they can learn about the secret of space. There are many secrets being kept and those on the ground are anxious to get to the bottom of some of them.

When Jo manages her return to Earth with no time to spare, she discovers a world that is different from the one she left. Things are not the same. What happened on the station and why are things different at home?

As the series progresses, viewers see disturbing situations and little by little might be able to put the pieces together; however, it is not until the finale when everything is settled, albeit unsettlingly. The main crux of the show is the effect space travel has on humans. The show is definitely a psychological thriller in the true meaning of the phrase.

Starring alongside Rapace are Jonathan Banks as Henry, who is overly insistent the experiment returns with Jo; James DArcy as Jos husband, Magnus; Julian Looman; Barbara Sukowa; Rosie Coleman and Davina Coleman, who play Jos daughter Alice; Lena Kudrjawizki as Sergei, the main connection on the com with Jo; and William Catlett as another astronaut on the ISS with Jo. It is rather a small cast and the time frame in which the story unfolds is relatively short.

Constellation premieres Wednesday on Apple TV+. There are a total of eight episodes in this very strange limited series.

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Brokaw: 'Constellation' is an unsettling story of space travel - Daily Herald