Category Archives: Space Travel

With Chinas Tiangong Space Station set to become operational this year, Beijing is poised to advance its burgeoning space program. This development comes at a time when the International Space Station (ISS) is struggling with an internal conflict and could retire by 2030.

Tiangong space station, whose first module was launched last year, is 340 miles above the Earths surface, approximately 100 miles higher than the International Space Station, and has a mass of about a fifth of the ISS.

China has some ambitious plans for the Tiangong, including inviting international and commercial partners to participate and visit the facility. It is also reportedly working to welcome international astronauts to its Space Station, which was revealed at a press conference held last month.

The Chinese Space Agency (CNSA) plans to launch six major missions before the end of the year to complete the space station, which will soon be connected to a powerful telescope and host commercial operations and foreign astronauts, informed the officials at the press conference.

Two more modules, i.e., the area in the space station where the astronauts live and work, will be added to the existing habitation unit. Currently, the Tiangong Space Station has just one core module, called Tianhe, which was launched in 2021.

The ambitious announcements about the future of Chinas own space station come at a time when the only space station in the world, the ISS, is in the midst of an intense political battle due to the Russia-Ukraine War.

As a consortium of space agencies, including Russia, the ISS grapples with stark divisions as Moscow refuses to end its special military operations in Ukraine.

Many space collaborations with Moscow have either been halted or, hang in the balance as the war rages on in Eastern Europe. Russia also announced that it has decided to quit the ISS, a news that was debunked by NASA Chief. However, Moscows exact intentions remain unknown.

The uncertainty gripping the ISS due to the Ukraine war, escalating tensions among its members, and its retirement inching closer could collectively become a perfect setting for Chinas resurgence through a successful space station.

A race for space dominance continues between China and the US (with NASA being an influential member of the ISS), with the US trying to preserve the status quo and China trying to dismantle it.

According to the head of the China Manned Space Engineering Office (CMSEO), Hao Chun, the six planned critical missions would begin in May with a resupply trip, followed by the six-month-long Shenzhou 14 crewed voyage in June.

The Tianhe core module will be joined in orbit by a second module, Wentian (Asking the Heavens), in July, and a third and final module, Mengtian (Dreaming of the Heavens), in October. The completion of the Tiangong Space Station would mean three modules or living units for Chinese astronauts in space.

The Tianzhou 5 cargo and Shenzhou 15 crewed missions will be launched later this year, when the Tiangong station will host its first crew rotation, with the Shenzhou 14 astronauts welcoming the newcomers aboard, thanks to extra living quarters of the Wentian module.

The last crewed mission involving three astronauts returned to earth last month after spending 183 days in microgravity.

Further, Chinas announcement to invite space tourists and astronauts from other space agencies is significant as it comes in the backdrop of the first-ever private mission to ISS aboard a SpaceX spacecraft.

The mission was given the name Ax-1 after Axiom Space, which acted as a form of space travel agency, paying SpaceX for two-way transportation and NASA for the use of the orbiting facilities.

China also plans to connect the station to a powerful space telescopes control center. According to its space agency, the Xuntian space telescope is identical to NASAs Hubble but has a 300-fold larger field of view.

It will be in a shared orbit with Tiangong, allowing it to dock for repairs, upgrades, and refueling as and when needed.

Tiangong will host six-month crewed flights after it is fully assembled, during which astronauts will conduct a variety of experiments and outreach activities.

The Chinese Space Agency (CNSA) is also considering expanding the space stations capabilities and the scope of its activities and developing new ways to approach Tiangong.

Were developing the extending modules and cabins of the spacecraft to conduct more experiments and provide better living conditions for the astronauts, Hao said.

According to previously stated expansion plans, Tiangong could eventually be expanded to six modules.

Well also actively explore new models of commercial human spaceflight and introduce commercial cargo, Hao said.Earlier, EurAsian Times had reported how China was gearing to open the space station to commercial activities for competitive, innovative players.

The lead designer of Chinas manned space program, Zhou Jianping, had earlier stated that international astronauts would be welcomed onboard Tiangong in the future.

We would actively promote foreign astronauts participation in the work in Chinas space station, which is an important part of international cooperation. You look forward to it, I look forward to it too, Zhou had told CGTN.

With the International Space Station retiring sometime in 2030, Chinas Tiangong will be the lone space station in the world. While the ISS is a consortium, China will be the only country to operate its own space station once Tiangong becomes operational.

Even though Russia is a vital part of the ISS, it is pertinent to mention that China is not a part of the international consortium. Since the collapse of the Soviet Union (USSR), the US has somewhat enjoyed complete space dominance with NASAs astonishing budget.

However, it appears that China is now aggressively replacing the former USSR and is actively challenging the might of the American space program.

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Challenging The Might Of US Space Program Chinas Tiangong To Rival ISS For Global Dominance - EurAsian Times

Space travel. Lifelike, interactive virtual reality destinations and attractions. Robots.

These are some of the technological advancements that are even today shaping where, how and even why we travel.

As we continue celebrating National Travel and Tourism Week this week, we recognize all the challenges the industry has had to overcome over these past two years while also looking toward the future.

And what a future it is shaping out to be.

2022 NTTW: The Future of Travel from U.S. Travel on Vimeo.

While consumer trends like sustainability, workations and bringing pets along for the ride during travel are some trends that shape the ways hotels, tour operators, cruise lines, airlines and other travel industry companies approach consumers, there are other trends that are even today shaping how, why and even where they travel.

The pandemic has been a pivotal force in bringing new technology into the travel industry. Virtual tours, contactless amenities, attractions to visit via augmented reality, robots that use UV light to disinfect airports, airplanes and hotel rooms. These are just a few examples of the types of technology the travel industry is expected to utilize in the future.

One emerging technology that is growing in airports across the country is facial recognition technology. Using biometrics, or the unique shape of your face, your eyes or your fingerprints (sometimes all three), companies like CLEAR and Corsight, the latter of which worked on IATAs Travel Pass, can speed up the process at airports and provide a contactless security check for those going through security checkpoints.

CLEAR currently operates in over 55 airports, stadiums and other venues in the U.S. and North America. Its likely that due to the pandemic, more people will want a quicker, contactless method of identity verification, and facial recognition technology can provide just that.

Even as early as 2015, we reported on robots entering the travel industry. But it wasnt in the way that anyone couldve expected.

The first robots in the industry were bartenders onboard Royal Caribbeans Quantum-class cruise ships. Like the robotic arms that work in assembly lines in factories across the world, these robots are programmed to do one thing repeatedly: make drinks.

But when the pandemic spread across the world, robots began growing in number and purpose, for more than just entertainment value.

They helped and continue to help disinfect airports, airplanes and even hotel rooms using UV light technology, like those employed in Key West International and Pittsburgh International airports, enhancing sanitization measures while protecting at-risk humans from exposure to COVID-19.

The robots currently employed to enhance cleanliness arent replacing those who are hired to clean hotel rooms or airports; they work alongside them to destroy the viruses and bacteria that could be left behind even with routine cleaning.

Its expected that the need for these types of robots will grow, and will grow to include robots in more than just bartending and sanitization; last year, a GlobalData poll asked over 475 companies the types of things they would invest in over the course of the next year. Thirty-one percent of those companies named robotics, which was the third most popular answer overall.

With cities and countries on lockdown and travel all but completely stalled, the worst days of the pandemic brought a rise in creative alternatives to traditional tours and travel experiences, effectively jump-starting the rise in virtual reality travel experiences.

From tour operators offering video tours of destinations closed to international tourists, like InsideJapan Tours, to destinations themselves investing in AI or VR experiences, like the German National Tourist Board or Visit Malta, the pandemic informed many different organizations and companies across the travel industry of the importance of investing in unique, creative and often innovative ways for travelers to interact with a destination or attraction, even before they leave on their trip.

New data from Accenture found that about half of consumers expressed interest in buying a virtual or augmented reality travel experience, whether it be a virtual hotel stay or augmented reality tour in the metaverse, the term now commonly referred to as any virtual reality space that users can interact with in real-time.

The metaverse is not intended to replace physical travel, rather provide a complementary enhancement to an overarching experience. Giving the option to sit in a virtual first-class seat, experience the lounge or walk around a hotel resort or room, opens up opportunities to truly engage and inspire people before they travel, said Emily Weiss, senior managing director and global head of Accentures travel industry group.

And, through trying-before-you-travel, recreating landmarks in all their past glory or allowing travelers to investigate parts of nature, which they cannot explore within real-life interaction, the metaverse can also help create a more meaningful travel experience that delivers on or even exceeds customer expectations.

While the metaverse will never completely replace real travel for most people, it can be used to educate and promote a destination, tour, cruise line or other travel-related experience.

Another emerging technology has the opportunity to fundamentally change how we view travel: space travel. Soon, it wont just be for billionaires and multi-millionaires, thanks to revolutionary companies like Space Perspective and Orbital Assembly Corporation.

Space Perspective will begin bringing travelers into space via SpaceBalloon technology, a more sustainable and carbon-neutral method of reaching Earths orbit, as early as 2024. Its Space Lounge will be made from sustainable materials and offer nearly 360-degree views, with prices currently at $125,000 per ticket, much more reasonable than Elon Musk, Richard Branson or Jeff Bezoss alternatives.

"Now, more than ever, people are seeking purpose and meaning in their travel experiences and once-in-a-lifetime moments. Space travel offers not only a brand new destination but also the opportunity to have the quintessential astronaut experience and enjoy the phenomenal beauty of Earth and the vastness of space. Space Perspective offers travelers the thrill of space exploration with the worlds most comfortable and gentle voyage to space, said Jane Poynter, Founder, Co-CEO and Chief Experience Officer of Space Perspective.

Orbital Assembly Corporation, on the other hand, is working on developing gravity ring technologies to install the first orbital space station where people can live, work, play and yes, even visit for tourism purposes, all with gravity the likes of that found on the moon, which should make being in space safer for everyones health while also allowing them to eat and sleep as they would on Earth.

OAC is expected to launch its smaller version of what will one day be a space station for up to 400 as early as 2025, called the Pioneer space station. It will be large enough for up to 28 individuals.

Whether companies focus on making it to Mars, to the Moon or just into orbit, its expected that in the decades to come, space tourism will become increasingly more possible for less wealthy individuals and that emerging technologies like artificial gravity will help spur safer space travels.

With the growth in technology for everything from airport security to hotel sanitization and virtual experiences, issues relating to cybersecurity will become a greater focus for the travel industry in the future.

The World Travel & Tourism Council recently released a new report called Codes to Resilience, in partnership with Microsoft, detailing the challenges and threats that the industrys increased digitization could encounter in the years to come, as well as possible cybersecurity solutions that can be adopted to solve them.

According to the report, 72 percent of all small and medium-sized businesses in the U.K., U.S. and Europe have reported at least one cyberattack in the past; 80 percent of the travel industry are small or medium-sized businesses, proving that cybersecurity is a very real concern for the industry.

"Technology and digitalization play a key role in making the whole travel experience more seamless, from booking a holiday to checking in for a flight or embarking on a cruise, said Julia Simpson, WTTC President & CEO. But the impact of cyberattacks carries enormous financial, reputational and regulatory risk."

The latest security breach TravelPulse covered earlier in February was Scenic Group's security breach; while it didnt identify any stolen client information when it was first reported, the website did go offline during the cyber breach.

Issues surrounding cybersecurity, then, should remain a humbling factor and a prioritized concern as we consider the future of the travel industry.

"Automation and self-service has always been something that most industries strive for to make sure processes are as seamless and efficient as possible. You can see that in airports all over the world with examples like self-service kiosks for check-in and apps for check-in and getting your boarding pass. Those two things seem like an obvious part of the travel process these days but thinking back to 15-20 years ago that technology would have blown people's minds," said Jordan Bradshaw, Vice President of Northcutt Travel Agency.

"So I like to take that into consideration when thinking about new technologies to come. It seems like technology advances at a slow pace but when you step back and look at decade over decade rather than year over year, its amazing how far weve come and to think about what the future has for us!"

The travel industrys future is at a turning point as we celebrate National Travel and Tourism Week in a year in which the world continues to reopen and recover from the pandemic.

Emerging technologies might never fully replace the travel experiences that people love, but they can add extra safety, save time, draw interest and even take travelers beyond the bounds of Earths atmosphere, and thats something to look forward to.

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The Future of Travel: Technologies Shaping the Industry This Year and Beyond - TravelPulse

Since The Space Age began in the 1960s, leading scientists have believed that plants will someday be crucial for human space travel. Astronauts will need to be part-time farmers when they establish settlements on other planets. Theres just one problem: when we get to Mars, there will not be enough sunlight to grow crops.

Plants need light to grow, and when sunlight isnt enough (like on Mars or on many indoor farms and greenhouses across the world), farmers only option is to use electric light fixtures, grow lights. Some indoor or greenhouse farmers use a mix of grow lights and sunlight, like in greenhouses that are outfitted with electric lights. This way, indoor farmers use cheap sunlight to grow plants, and only turn on the electric lights when absolutely necessary. But even this method has its downsides, including the costs of light fixtures and electricity. No matter what indoor and greenhouse farmers try, lighting costs remain expensive, making our food more expensive too.

Therefore, scientists and engineers across the world have been seeking ways to grow crops more efficiently with novel lighting technologies. One team of scientists from the University of Arizona has recently been testing quantum dots, to see if this microscopic technology could make it more efficient to grow food on Earth and on Mars.

Quantum dots are synthetic crystals that are only a few nanometers across, comparable in size to the width of a DNA strand. They are a relatively new technology, and their uses are still being explored. In the research teams recently published paper, Optimizing spectral quality with quantum dots to enhance crop yield in controlled environments they performed experiments to see whether quantum dots could improve light for farming.

In their paper, the scientists describe quantum dots as arranged in a sheet, embedded in a resin film. When light shines through this film, the light particles (photons) are slowed down, and the color of the light changes. There are many types of quantum dots which create a rainbow of different colors, but this research uses quantum dots that can change ultraviolet radiation into red or orange light.

Quantum Dots. Source: Prof. Michael S. Wong, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Why does this help plants? Plants can capture energy from many colors of light, but they cannot use energy from ultraviolet radiation. By turning ultraviolet radiation into red or orange light, these scientists are making unusable light into usable light for plants. This light filtering quantum dot technique could potentially improve yields in greenhousesthat is, if it actually works.

For this experiment, the researchers grew lettuce plants in a custom-built plant growth chamber, a box designed to maintain a very uniform growing environment. Plants were grown under three different treatments: normal white light, normal light with an orange quantum dot filter, and normal light with a red quantum dot filter. By maintaining the same environmental conditionssame temperature, same humidity, same hydroponics, etc.the researchers designed this experiment so that they could easily determine whether the quantum dots made any difference in yield.

Their results were an exciting yes, quantum dots did improve plant growth. Although the quantum dot filters made the light a little bit less intense, the lettuce under the quantum dots had higher yields (10% more fresh mass) and greater productivity than the plants under the normal light treatment. Additionally, the plants under quantum dot films were more efficient at converting light energy into edible material. This is wonderful news because it indicates that we could grow more food from the same amount of sunlight.

Furthermore, in space environments like on Mars there is more ultraviolet radiation than on Earth, and quantum dots could provide even greater yields on space farms. Mars doesnt get as much sunlight as Earth does, so every extra bit of usable light energy helps.

More research and development must be done, but this data is promising. If quantum dots can be integrated into durable sheets that are easy and affordable to use in greenhouses, they could improve productivity in farms on Earth. Farms are supporting almost 8 billion people, and technological advancements, like quantum dots, are vital to support our growing population. And when future generations look to the sky, quantum dots may help us expand the reach of humanity.

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Could quantum dots reduce the cost of indoor farming? - Sciworthy

Paramount's latest Star Trek series is nothing short of a space-glory adventure that leaves you wanting the next episode. Episode 1 of 'Star Trek - Strange New Worlds' is out and we're loving every bit of it.

The new series neatly falls into the sci-fi adventure genre, and rightfully so. The show left no stone unturned in using the public's enthusiasm about space travel to tackle war, racism, and the issues with eugenics with its plotlines. It also depicted the aspirational stages of human achievement when it comes to space research and travel.

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The episode starts with an alien spaceship that starts firing weapons at the USS Enterprise with Captain James Kirk on board. Captain Nero, from the alien ship, demands to meet James. James evacuates the crew sensing danger and continues to drive straight through the nucleus of the alien ship.

Cut to the next part of the story, Spock's childhood is shown. Spock is seen to be half human half Vulcan and is shunned because of it. After the Vulcans disrespect his mother he decides to leave. We then see the story show Jim Kirk, son of Captain James Kirk, in a club in Iowa. He meets Uruha there, gets beaten by some boys for teasing her, and captain Pike saves him with an offer to join the ship.

Jim's at the ship the next day and meets Leonard Mckoy instantly becoming friends. Jim goes along to give the Kobayashi Maru test designed by Spock and beats his simulation. Spock doesn't like that and calls in a jury to judge implying that Jim cheated.

Meanwhile, there's a distress call from Vulcan, and everyone straps on to leave to help them while Jim is taken on board by Mckoy. Jim saves the ship from Romulans after sensing the distress called to be a facade for an attack. The federation is attacked by the Romulans and captain pike is called so he asks Olsen, Kirk, and Sulu to join him. The three land on the planet where the ship is parked and start combating the alien crew and sabotaging the drill. The Romans understand this and try to launch a matter that will consume the whole planet while Sulu and Kirk manage to get outta there.

Captain Pike is taken hostage by Romulans. Meanwhile, a tiff between Spock and Kirk leads Spock to throw Krik off the ship to another planet where he meets his future self of Spock. Future Spock then explains how he met Nero. We'll save that for when you watch the episode.

So coming back we have future Spock and Kirk heading to a shady science garage handled by future Montgomery Scott. There they discover the equation for transport so Scott and Kirk leave back to ship. Kirk plays the 'emotions compromised' card on current Spock and makes him resign his post.

Eventually, the two decide to hit Neo's spaceship and procure the dark matter. In their quest to do so, they manage to destroy the drill and take back the Vulcan ship. The duo manages to save Captain Pike and leave the matter in the alien ship to let it consume them. Kirk offers final assistance that is rejected by Neo followed by the death of him and his crew. The story ends with James Kirk becoming the captain of the USS Enterprise ship relieving Captain Pike and the federation embarks on another journey.

Catch the latest episode of 'Star Trek: Strange New Worlds' exclusively on Paramount+

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'Star Trek: Strange New Worlds' Review: A dive into the alien worlds explored - MEAWW

It's not science fiction: Hologram doctors beamed to space to visit astronauts.

In 2021, a team of hologram doctors was "holoported" to space to visit astronauts living aboard the International Space Station, NASA has revealed in a new post. The hologram teams, led by NASA flight surgeon Dr. Josef Schmid and Fernando De La Pea Llaca, CEO of software provider Aexa Aerospace, were the first humans to ever be "holoported" from Earth to space.

"This is completely new manner of human communication across vast distances," Schmid said in the statement. "Furthermore, it is a brand-new way of human exploration, where our human entity is able to travel off the planet. Our physical body is not there, but our human entity absolutely is there."

(In the image above, Schmid can be seen greeting the astronauts in space with a well-known space greeting, the Vulcan salute from "Star Trek.")

Related:Space travel can seriously change your brain

"It doesn't matter that the space station is traveling 17,500 mph [28,000 kilometers per hour] and in constant motion in orbit 250 miles [400 km] above Earth, the astronaut can come back three minutes or three weeks later and with the system running, we will be there in that spot, live on the space station," Schmid added.

The medical teams holoported to the station on Oct. 8. Using the Microsoft Hololens Kinect camera and a personal computer with custom Aexa software, European Space Agency astronaut Thomas Pesquet, who was on board the station at that time, had a holo-conversation with Schmid and De La Pena's teams. The holograms of the doctors were visible live in the middle of the space station.

So how did it work?

The "holoportation" technology that enabled this event works using specialized image capture technology that reconstructs, compresses and transmits live 3D models of people. This technology couples with the HoloLens, a self-described "mixed reality headset" that combines sensors, optics and holographic processing tech to allow the wearer to see the hologram images or even enter a "virtual world."

With the two systems combined, users in orbit can not only see hologram participants, but can also hear and interact with them. The technology is not new, but has never been used in an environment this challenging with users so far apart.

According to NASA, this "new form of communication" is a precursor for more extensive hologram use on future space missions. Next, the agency plans to try two-way hologram communication, in which they will send a hologram of the astronauts in space to Earth in addition to sending a hologram of Earth-bound users to space.

"We'll use this for our private medical conferences, private psychiatric conferences, private family conferences and to bring VIPs onto the space station to visit with astronauts," NASA officials wrote.

With two-way hologram communication tested from Earth to space (and vice versa), NASA aims to use this technology for off-Earth tele-mentoring.

"Imagine you can bring the best instructor or the actual designer of a particularly complex technology right beside you wherever you might be working on it," Schmid said.

"Furthermore, we will combine augmented reality with haptics," Schmid said. Haptics refers to technology that can simulate touch through things like vibrations or motors. "You can work on the device together, much like two of the best surgeons working during an operation. This would put everyone at rest knowing the best team is working together on a critical piece of hardware."

The possible future applications of hologram technology in space are far-reaching, according to NASA. The tech could support everything from advanced medical treatment, mission support or even to connect astronauts with their families back on Earth. The tech could also prove especially useful for future crewed deep-space travel to destinations like Mars, where we know astronauts will face significant communication challenges and delays.

Email Chelsea Gohd at cgohd@space.com or follow her on Twitter @chelsea_gohd. Follow us on Twitter @Spacedotcom and on Facebook.

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Hologram doctors beamed to space station to visit astronauts - Space.com

Systematically designed from the inside out, Audi has unveiled plans for the Audi urbansphere concept car. Designers and engineers initially created the Audi urbansphere for use in traffic-dense Chinese megacities, although the concept is also suitable for any other metropolitan center in the world. In these urban areas, where personal space is in particularly short supply, the concept car offers the largest interior space of any Audi to date. It intelligently coordinates this with technologies and digital services that appeal to all the senses and offer a whole new level of experience.

In order to meet the demands of our Chinese customers, Audis design studios in Beijing and Ingolstadt worked together closely to jointly develop the Audi urbansphere concept car, says Markus Duesmann, Chairman of the Board Management at AUDI AG and responsible for the Chinese market. For the first time, potential customers in China could also take part in the development process, contributing their own desires and perspectives as part of a process known as co-creation.

The result can be seen in the Audi urbansphere concept and its particularly striking interior. The spacious automobile acts as a lounge on wheels and a mobile office, serving as a third living space during the time spent in traffic. To this end, the Audi urbansphere combines the luxury of complete privacy with a comprehensive range of high-tech features on board, even during the daily rush hour. Automated driving technology transforms the interior, in which a steering wheel, pedals, or displays are notably absent, into a mobile interactive space that provides a gateway to a wider digital ecosystem.

Audi skysphere, Audi grandsphere, and Audi urbansphere are the three concept cars that the brand with the four rings has developed to showcase its vision for the world of premium mobility of tomorrow. In the process, Audi is creating a vehicle experience that goes far beyond the purpose of merely spending time in a car to get from point A to point B.

Sphere number 1: The electrically driven roadster Audi skysphere concept debuted in August 2021. It presented a spectacular vision of a self-driving GT that transforms into a self-driving sports car with a variable wheelbase.

Just a few weeks later, Audi unveiled the second model in the sphere series, the Audi grandsphere concept, at the IAA 2021. This large four-seater sedan exemplified the brands ambition to define the future of progressive luxury.

What both concept cars have in common with the Audi urbansphere is that the entire concept is based on level 4 autonomous vehicle technology. Audi is currently working with CARIAD, Volkswagen Groups software business, to introduce this technology within the second half of the decade.

Even at first glance, the Audi urbansphere concept reveals itself to be the largest model in the sphere family and of all Audi concept cars to date. Its grand dimensions 5.51 meters (18 feet) long, 2.01 meters (6.6 feet) wide, and 1.78 meters (5.8 feet) high place it in the upper echelons of the automotive world, yet the Audi urbansphere concept radically breaks with the conventions of the segment.

This is because it has been systematically designed around its passengers, from the inside out. The most important dimension is the unrivaled wheelbase of 3.40 meters (11.2 feet). The interior of the Audi urbansphere is not subject to the conventional maxim of squeezing as many seats, storage compartments, and functional elements as possible into a space limited by the physics of driving. Instead, it prioritizes the occupants need to experience ample space as a distinctive comfort factor.

To make e-mobility even more attractive, we think about it holistically and from the customers needs, says Markus Duesmann. More than ever before, it is not just the product that is decisive, but the entire ecosystem. That is why Audi is creating a comprehensive ecosystem with services for the entire car. The Audi urbansphere concept also offers everyone onboard a wide range of options to use that freedom to provide a highly-personalized in-car experience: communication or relaxation, work or withdrawal into a private sphere as desired. As such, it transforms from being strictly an automobile into an experience device.

Thanks to Audis own options and the ability to integrate digital services from other providers, the possibilities are nearly endless. These can be used to access a wide range of services related to the current trip. The vehicle also takes care of everyday tasks that go beyond the ride itself such as making dinner reservations or shopping online from the car. In addition, the autonomous Audi urbansphere concept picks up its passengers at home and independently takes care of finding a parking space and charging the battery.

Customized infotainment offerings are also available, such as the seamless integration of onboard music and video streaming services. Audi will also offer customers exclusive perks, including access to concerts, cultural events, and sporting events based on their individual preferences.

Even the sphere in the name sends a signal: the heart of the Audi skysphere, grandsphere, and urbansphere concept vehicles lies in its interior. That makes the inner space the foundation of the vehicles design and technology and therefore the occupants living and experience sphere while on the road.

Their needs and desires shape this space, its architecture, and all of the integrated functions. As a result of this shift, the design process itself also changes. At the beginning of all discussions, the focus is solely on the interior. Only then are the package, exterior lines, and proportions designed, along with the technological specifications, turning the automobile into a complete work of art.

The doors of the Audi urbansphere concept are counter-hinged at the front and the rear; there is no B-pillar. As a result, the whole world of urbansphere interior opens up to passengers as soon as they climb in. Seats that swivel outward and a red carpet of light projected onto the ground next to the vehicle transform the very act of entering the car into an experience of comfort.

A wheelbase of 3.40 meters (11.2 feet) and a vehicle width of 2.01 meters (6.6 feet) delineate what is a more than stately footprint, even for a luxury-class automobile. Together with 1.78 meters (5.8 feet) of headroom and expansive glass surfaces, these dimensions provide an exceptionally spacious experience of the interior.

Four individual seats in two rows offer passengers luxurious first-class comfort. The seats in the rear offer particularly generous dimensions and a wide range of adjustment options. In Relax and Entertain modes, the backrest can be tilted up to 60 degrees while leg rests extend at the same time. The center-mounted armrests integrated into the sides of the seats and their counterparts in the doors create a comforting feeling of security.

The seats also cater to passengers changing social needs in a variety of ways. While conversing, they can turn to face each other on their swiveling seats. On the other hand, those who want some seclusion can conceal their head area from the person sitting next to them using a privacy screen mounted behind the headrest. In addition, each seat has its own sound zone with speakers in the headrest area. Individual monitors are also built into the backs of the front seats.

When passengers want to use the infotainment system together, on the other hand, there is a large-format and transparent OLED screen that pivots vertically from the roof area into the zone between the rows of seats.

Using this cinema screen, which occupies the entire width of the interior, the two passengers in the back row can take part in a video conference together or watch a movie. Even split-screen use is possible. When the screen is not in use, it offers a clear view into the front thanks to its transparent design or when folded upwards through the glass roof area to the sky.

Like in the Audi grandsphere concept, the interior of the urbansphere blends space and architecture, digital technology, and authentic materials into a single entity. The lines emphasize the vehicles horizontal proportions. The open, wide interior supports the impression of a one-of-a-kind space. The steering wheel, pedals, and conventional dashboard can be hidden during automated driving, which enhances the feeling of transparency and spaciousness.

The seating surfaces and backs of the two seats with integrated seat belts are visually separate. Between the rear seats normally locked in place in a low position is a center console that swivels upwards. It contains a water dispenser and glasses another testament to the Audi urbansphere concepts first-class credentials.

The Audi urbansphere also qualifies as a wellness zone thanks to innovative digital options that emerged in no small part through input from the co-creation process with Chinese customers. Stress detection is a prime example this adaptive program uses facial scans and voice analysis to determine how passengers are feeling and offers personalized suggestions for relaxation, for example with a meditation app that can be used via the personal screen and the private sound zone in the headrests.

In the Audi urbansphere, simplicity has become a design principle. Neither circular instruments nor black screens for virtual display concepts are visible before activating the driving functions.

Instead, passengers find clearly structured and calm zones made from the highest quality materials. Wood and wool, as well as synthetic textile fabrics, are used in paneling, seat coverings, and floor carpets, all of which have a high-quality feel and are pleasant to the touch.

Soft beige and gray tones structure the interior horizontally. A dark, toned-down green serves as the color of the seat shells and soothes the eye. The interior color zones become lighter from top to bottom and, together with the natural light entering the space, create a homogeneous, wide interior.

The vehicle comes to life at the touch of a fingertip, along with a number of displays, albeit in the form of projections on the wooden surfaces below the windshield, which can be surprising at first. Depending on the driving status whether manual with a steering wheel or level 4 they are either distributed across the entire width of the interior or segmented for the driver and front-seat passenger, displaying all of the necessary travel information in ultra-high resolution throughout the journey.

In addition, a sensor bar is integrated under the projection surfaces for quick switching between content for instance, for music or navigation. It shows all the functions and applications that are active in the car. Icons flash for the different menus.

One particular, extremely innovative control element is located near the door cut-out on the interior cladding: the MMI touchless response. If the passenger is sitting in the upright position, far forward in his or her respective area, they can use this element to physically select various function menus via a rotating ring and buttons and click their way through the individual levels, allowing for simple and intuitive operation.

Even if the seat is fully reclined, passengers can still make use of this convenient feature thanks to a combination of eye-tracking and gesture control. A sensor directed at the eye detects the line of sight when the control unit is to be engaged. And the passenger only needs to make hand movements that are similar to physical operation without leaning over to operate the system without touching a thing.

Whether it is eye-tracking, gesture or voice control, or touch, the same thing applies to all operation modes: the Audi urbansphere concept adjusts to the individual user and learns his or her preferences and frequently used functions and on that basis, it can not only sensibly complete rudimentary commands but also give personalized suggestions directly to the user.

Control panels are even integrated into the armrests on the doors. That way, the car always offers passengers invisible touch surfaces using an optic indicator to show its position. At the same time, there are VR glasses in the armrests on the left and right doors that can be used in conjunction with infotainment options for instance for the Holoride system.

Many of the materials in the interior of the Audi urbansphere concept, such as the hornbeam veneers, come from sustainable sources. This choice of material makes it possible to use wood that has grown close to the site, and the entire trunk can be utilized. No chemicals are used during the manufacturing process.

The seat padding is made of ECONYL, a recycled polyamide. This material can also be recycled after its use in the automobile without any loss of quality. The fact that the respective materials are installed separately also plays an important role in the ability to recycle them, as mixing them would drastically reduce the potential for recycling.

Bamboo viscose fabric is used in the armrests and in the rear of the vehicle. Bamboo grows faster than ordinary wood, sequesters a great deal of carbon, and doesnt require herbicides or pesticides to grow.

A grand, undoubtedly self-assured appearance the Audi urbansphere concept is certain to leave a lasting first impression. A length of 5.5 meters (18 feet), height of almost 1.78 meters (5.8 feet), and width of more than two meters (6.6 feet) are undoubtedly prestigious enough to rub shoulders with the automotive elite.

The flowing silhouette of the vehicle body features traditional Audi shapes and elements, which are combined here to create a new composition featuring the distinctive Singleframe, with the digital eyes of the adjacent lighting units, a widely curved, dynamic roof arch, a massive rocker panel that conceals the battery unit, large 24-inch six double spoke wheels (a reference to the iconic 90s Audi Avus concept car) which convey lightweight design and stability, reminiscent of functional motorsport wheels and the Bauhaus tradition of the brands design.

The implied wedge shape of the vehicle body is emphasized by the large, flat windshield. At the front and also at the rear, there are large digital lighting surfaces that leave their mark on the design and at the same time serve as communication elements.

The Audi urbansphere defies classification into conventional vehicle categories. Nevertheless, it reveals itself to be a typical Audi at first glance. The similarities to the Audi grandsphere concept are particularly eye-catching. The monolithic design of the vehicle body shares commonalities with these two concept cars, as do the sculpted, soft shape of the wheel arches. A long wheelbase of well over three meters (9.8 feet) and short overhangs indicate that this is an electric vehicle. Elegance, dynamism, an organic design language these are the attributes that immediately spring to mind despite the stately proportions of the Audi urbansphere, just as they do in the significantly flatter grandsphere.

In the front end, there is an innovative interpretation of the Singleframe that defines Audis look: it is shaped like a large octagon. Even though the grille has lost its original function as an air intake on the EV, it still remains prominent as an unmistakable signature of the brand. The digital light surface lies behind a slightly tinted, transparent visor that covers a large area of the front. The three-dimensional light structure itself is arranged in dynamically condensed pixel areas. The upper and lower edges of the Singleframe are still made of aluminum and the vertical connections are formed by LEDs as part of the light surface.

The entire surface of the Singleframe becomes a stage or canvas (known as the Audi Light Canvas) and can be used for communication with dynamic lighting effects to clearly signal to other road users in order to improve road safety. Low beams and high beams are implemented via light segments in the outer sections of the Singleframe and a similarly functioning matrix LED surface is located in the rear.

The lighting units to the right and left of the Singleframe look narrow, like focused eyes. These digital lighting units, known as Audi Eyes, echo the logo of the brand with the four rings, as they enlarge and isolate the intersection of two rings to form a pupil a new, unmistakable digital light signature.

The illuminated surfaces and therefore the expression of the eyes can be adapted to the traffic situation, environment, or even the mood of the passengers. As a daytime running light, the gaze can be focused or open, and the iris can be narrow or wide.

A digitally created eyebrow also functions as a dynamic turn signal when required. Thanks to its outstanding visibility, it makes an unmistakable statement in the service of safety.

One special tribute to China is a luminous accessory that passengers can take with them when they leave their Audi urbansphere the Audi Light Umbrella, a self-illuminating umbrella. Inspired by traditional Chinese umbrellas, this one acts as a protective companion and multifunctional light source the inner skin of the umbrella is made of reflective material, so the entire surface acts as a glare-free lighting unit.

The Audi Light Umbrella not only gives users a better view of their path, it becomes more visible when crossing a street or in dangerous situations, activating a rhythmic flashing of the luminous cone by means of artificial intelligence and sophisticated sensor technology.

And the Light Umbrella also literally places its wearer in the best possible light, given that it evenly illuminates their face for perfect selfies whenever needed.

The technology platform of the Audi urbansphere the Premium Platform Electric or PPE was designed exclusively for battery-electric drive systems and therefore takes full advantage of all the benefits of this technology. The key element of the PPE is a battery module between the axles, which as in the Audi grandsphere holds around 120 kilowatt hours of energy. Audi has succeeded in achieving a flat layout for the battery by using almost the entire base of the vehicle between the axles.

Together with the large 24-inch wheels, this produces basic proportions that are perfect not only from a design perspective. The core benefits include a long interior and therefore legroom in both rows of seats.Additionally, the absence of a gearbox cover and a cardan tunnel increases spatial comfort in electric cars.

The Audi urbansphere concepts two electric motors are capable of delivering a total output of 295 kilowatts and a system torque of 690 newton meters. These are impressive figures that are often not fully utilized when driving in dense urban traffic. Nevertheless, the Audi urbansphere is still equipped with permanent quattro four-wheel drive an essential feature for the brands high-performance models.

The concept car has one electric motor on each of the front and rear axles which, by means of electronic coordination, implements the permanently available all-wheel drive as required, balancing these perfectly against economy and range requirements.

One innovative feature is that the motor on the front axle can be deactivated as required in order to reduce friction and thus energy consumption when coasting.

The heart of the drive system is the 800 volt charging technology. It ensures that the battery can be charged with up to 270 kilowatts at fast-charging stations in the shortest possible time. As such, charging times approach those of a conventional stop to refuel a car powered by an internal combustion engine: just ten minutes are enough to charge the battery to a level sufficient to power the car more than 300 kilometers (186 miles). In addition, the battery, which holds more than 120 kilowatt hours, can be charged from 5 to 80 percent in less than 25 minutes. This means that a range of up to 750 kilometers (466 miles) can be expected according to the WLTP standard and even when used for more energy-intensive city and short-distance trips, it is generally possible to avoid making unexpected stops to charge.

The front wheels are connected via a 5-link axle that has been specially optimized for electric vehicles. In the rear, there is a multi-link axle that, like the front axle, is made of lightweight aluminum. Despite the long 3.40 meter (11 foot) wheelbase, the steerable rear wheels provide excellent maneuverability.

The Audi urbansphere concept, like its closest relative the grandsphere, features Audi adaptive air suspension a single-chamber air suspension system with semi-active damper control. It offers outstanding comfort not only on city highways, but even on the uneven, often patched asphalt of downtown streets with no noticeable body movement.

SOURCE: Audi

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Audi: Space travel in the heart of the megacity - Automotive World

Move over, Mars: NASA's next interplanetary trip may land on Uranus.

According to a survey from the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM)which asks scientists to weigh in on where space travel should go next, among other thingsvisiting the seventh planet from the Sun should be the "highest priority large mission."

The proposed Uranus Orbiter and Probe (UOP)first recommended by the decadal survey in 2011would launch by 2032 and conduct a multi-year tour to "transform knowledge of ice giants in general, and the Uranian system in particular," through flybys and an atmospheric probe.

According to NASA, only one spacecraftVoyager 2has visited distant Uranus and it only spent about six hours gathering data on the planet, its rings, and moons in 1986. "The rest of what we know about Uranus comes from observations via the Hubble Space Telescope and several powerful ground-based telescopes," the space agency says.

Second-highest on NASEM'S list, meanwhile, is the Enceladus Orbilander, designed to search for evidence of life on Saturn's Enceladus moon from orbit and during a two-year landed mission.

"This report sets out an ambitious but practicable vision for advancing the frontiers of planetary science, astrobiology, and planetary defense in the next decade," says Robin Canup, co-chair of the NASEM steering committee, in a statement. "This recommended portfolio of missions, high-priority research activities, and technology development will produce transformative advances in human knowledge and understanding about the origin and evolution of the solar system, and of life and the habitability of other bodies beyond Earth."

Recommendations for the survey are based on input from the scientific community, cover three themes (origins, worlds and processes, and life and habitability), and define 12 priority questions about planetary science and astrobiology.

Other priorities include planetary defense via improved near-Earth object detection, tracking, and characterization capabilities; the continuation of NASA's Discovery program; further exploration beyond Mars, like Venus and "ocean worlds"; andof coursemore funding.

The report also encourages investment in the people who will make these missions possible, particularly students from underrepresented communities at secondary and college levels. Ensuring broad access and participation in the field is essential to maximizing scientific excellence and safeguarding the nations continued leadership in space exploration," says Philip Christensen, Regents Professor in the School of Earth and Space Exploration at Arizona State University, and steering committee co-chair.

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After Mars, Where to Next? Scientists Say Uranus - PCMag

How much do we need humans in space? How much do we want them there? Astronauts embody the triumph of human imagination and engineering. Their efforts shed light on the possibilities and problems posed by travel beyond our nurturing Earth. Their presence on the moon or on other solar-system objects can imply that the countries or entities that sent them there possess ownership rights. Astronauts promote an understanding of the cosmos, and inspire young people toward careers in science.

When it comes to exploration, however, our robots can outperform astronauts at a far lower cost and without risk to human life. This assertion, once a prediction for the future, has become reality today, and robot explorers will continue to become ever more capable, while human bodies will not.

Fifty years ago, when the first geologist to reach the moon suddenly recognized strange orange soil (the likely remnant of previously unsuspected volcanic activity), no one claimed that an automated explorer could have accomplished this feat. Today, we have placed a semi-autonomous rover on Mars, one of a continuing suite of orbiters and landers, with cameras and other instruments that probe the Martian soil, capable of finding paths around obstacles as no previous rover could.

Since Apollo 17 left the moon in 1972, the astronauts have journeyed no farther than low Earth orbit. In this realm, astronauts greatest achievement by far came with their five repair missions to the Hubble Space Telescope, which first saved the giant instrument from uselessness and then extended its life by decades by providing upgraded cameras and other systems. (Astronauts could reach the Hubble only because the Space Shuttle, which launched it, could go no farther from Earth, which produces all sorts of interfering radiation and light.) Each of these missions cost about a billion dollars in todays money. The cost of a telescope to replace the Hubble would likewise have been about a billion dollars; one estimate has set the cost of the five repair missions equal to that for constructing seven replacement telescopes.

Today, astrophysicists have managed to send all of their new spaceborne observatories to distances four times farther than the moon, where the James Webb Space Telescope now prepares to study a host of cosmic objects. Our robot explorers have visited all the suns planets (including that former planet Pluto), as well as two comets and an asteroid, securing immense amounts of data about them and their moons, most notably Jupiters Europa and Saturns Enceladus, where oceans that lie beneath an icy crust may harbor strange forms of life. Future missions from the United States, the European Space Agency, China, Japan, India, and Russia will only increase our robot emissaries abilities and the scientific importance of their discoveries. Each of these missions has cost far less than a single voyage that would send humanswhich in any case remains an impossibility for the next few decades, for any destination save the moon and Mars.

In 2020, NASA revealed of accomplishments titled 20 Breakthroughs From 20 Years of Science Aboard the International Space Station. Seventeen of those dealt with processes that robots could have performed, such as launching small satellites, the detection of cosmic particles, employing microgravity conditions for drug development and the study of flames, and 3-D printing in space. The remaining three dealt with muscle atrophy and bone loss, growing food, or identifying microbes in spacethings that are important for humans in that environment, but hardly a rationale for sending them there.

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The End of Astronautsand the Rise of Robots - WIRED

In 1972, Air Force test pilot Lt. Col. Charlie Duke celebrated the services 25th birthday nearly alone and far from home in unfamiliar territory.

He placed a specially engraved coin on the dusty ground, large and silver and embossed with the Air Force seal, along with other mementos that reminded him of America.

A special salute from me to the United States Air Force on their silver anniversary this year, from one of the boys in blue thats pretty far out right now, said Duke, according to a contemporary transcript.

Duke, an Apollo 16 astronaut, was sending his regards from the moon.

A compilation of photos of an Air Force 25th anniversary commemoration coin that was laid on the moon during Apollo 16 in April 1972, overlaid with the coin's design to show its detail. Space imagery expert Andy Saunders remastered the image of the coin. (NASA/Johnson Space Center/Arizona State University/Andy Saunders)

The Air Force medallion is thought to remain in the same spot 50 years later, as another milestone approaches and the Space Force begins to carry on the Air Forces legacy in the cosmos.

This month marks the 50th anniversary of Apollo 16 the penultimate moon landing by American astronauts in the Apollo era in the same year as the Air Force turns 75.

Andy Saunders, a space hobbyist-turned-NASA imagery expert, is unveiling new high-resolution photos from Dukes visit to coincide with Apollo 16s half-century anniversary. They are part of his forthcoming book of restored NASA images, Apollo Remastered, due out in September.

A lot of the images of these incredibly historic moments are actually really poorly represented, even on NASAs website, Saunders recently told Air Force Times.

Charlie Duke, a retired Air Force brigadier general and Apollo 16 astronaut, participates in a memorial service for renowned aviator Chuck Yeager in Charleston, West Virginia, Jan. 15, 2021. Yeager died Dec. 7, 2020 at age 97. (Edwin Wriston/Army National Guard)

Photos from the Apollo missions were taken on analog film, which can make images too grainy when enlarged online. To create crisp remastered images, Saunders takes extremely high-resolution scans of that film which NASA stores in a freezer in Houston then layers the images with frames from the originals to make the details pop.

Duke, now 86, was the 10th of just 12 astronauts to set foot on the moon, and the youngest to do so at age 36. He piloted the lunar module on Apollo 16 and served in supporting roles on four other Apollo missions.

It was a tremendously exciting adventure, Duke told Air Force Times in an April 13 interview.

He is a 1957 graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, where he fell in love not with ships, but with airplanes. His few rides in the N3N-3 Yellow Peril biplane at Annapolis sparked a desire to fly, and he transferred into the Air Force to begin flight school.

This commemorative medallion was taken to the moon by U.S. Air Force Col. Charles M. Duke Jr., lunar module pilot for the Apollo 16 mission. A second, duplicate coin was left at the Descartes moon site by Duke in commemoration of the silver anniversary of the Air Force. This medallion was presented to the Air Force July 13, 1972, by Duke. (Ty Greenlees/Air Force)

Duke completed his first solo flight in late September 1957, getting one step closer to his goal of becoming a fighter pilot. But the space race was about to catch up with him.

Less than a month later on Oct. 4, 1957 the Soviet Union launched Sputnik, the worlds first artificial satellite in space.

The United States created NASA two years later and picked the first American astronauts. At the time, Duke was serving in the 526th Fighter Interceptor Squadron at Germanys Ramstein Air Base. He hadnt yet begun to dream about a new kind of flight.

Then in 1961, Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first man in space; the U.S. followed by launching Navy Cmdr. Alan Shepard on his own suborbital flight. President John F. Kennedy followed up that achievement by announcing the plan to put an American on the moon by the end of 1969.

A duplicate of this commemorative medallion was taken to the moon by Col. Charles Duke, lunar module pilot for the Apollo 16 mission. He left it at the Descartes moon site on April 20, 1972. (Ty Greenlees/Air Force)

Duke met astronauts at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology while studying for his masters degree in aeronautics. Their enthusiasm convinced him to pursue a spot as a military test pilot the breeding ground for many astronauts of that era.

He took on the challenge as part of Class 64-C, or 64-Charlie, and graduated in 1965. Col. Chuck Yeager, the first man to break the sound barrier and head of the Air Force Aerospace Research Pilot School at the time, encouraged Duke to stay on as an instructor pilot.

When NASA put out a call for new astronauts, Duke found that he fit the bill. NASA selected him as part of its fifth group of 19 astronauts in 1966.

The 12 men who formed Class 64-C had particularly good luck with the jump to spaceflight: four headed to space and three visited the moon, Duke said. So they created a souvenir a piece of spacesuit fabric with 64-C scrawled on it that would travel with them as a reminder of where they started.

The 64-Charlie little beta cloth made it on a number of flights, Duke said, including to the moon and as part of the space shuttle program.

An image of a piece of spacesuit material with "64-C" written on it in honor of Apollo 16 astronaut Charlie Duke's class at the Air Force test pilot school. (NASA/Johnson Space Center/Arizona State University/Andy Saunders)

When it came time for Apollo 16 in April 1972, Duke realized that year marked the 25th anniversary of the Air Forces founding. He was slated to be the only Air Force officer to fly into space that year, too.

I got hold of the Air Force up at the Pentagon and started talking to the chief of staffs office, Duke recalled. I said, I want to do a Happy birthday, U.S. Air Force while Im on the moon, and they thought that was a great idea.

Apollo 16 launched on April 16, 1972; its three-man crew touched down at the moons Descartes highlands four days later on April 20. It would prove to be the United States second-to-last moon landing of the first space race.

NASA notes that Navy Cmdr. John Young, the mission commander, Navy Lt. Cmdr. Ken Mattingly and Duke drove more than 16 miles over three moonwalks on the Lunar Roving Vehicle and collected more than 200 pounds of rock and soil samples in their 71 hours on the surface.

An image of a family photo that Apollo 16 astronaut and Air Force Lt. Col. Charlie Duke left on the moon in April 1972. (NASA/Johnson Space Center/Arizona State University/Andy Saunders)

Duke left tokens behind as well.

In advance of his trip, the Air Force had minted two silver coins with its official seal to commemorate the services 25th anniversary. Duke took both to the moon, plus the 64-Charlie cloth, a miniature Air Force flag and a snapshot of his family.

Hey, Tony, he said to the spacecraft communicator in Houston from the moon, according to a NASA transcript of the mission. Is Stu [Roosa] around? Tell him 64-Charlie just topped the Mount Whitney event.

He laid one coin and the family photograph on the moons surface, where they likely remain today.

You can see exactly where it landed and then bounced, Saunders said of the coin that remains on the moon. You see a huge amount of detail in the photographs.

An image of an Air Force 25th anniversary celebration coin on the moon during the Apollo 16 mission. (NASA/Johnson Space Center/Arizona State University/Andy Saunders)

Saunders noted that radiation from space would have crinkled up and faded the picture, but he plans to send a small copy of the photo back to the moon in a more resilient capsule on a commercial lunar mission at the end of the year.

Duke brought the other coin, the flag and a moon rock back to the Air Force. Those items now reside in the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force in Dayton, Ohio.

Though Duke took a picture of the test pilot class memento in space, he said he doesnt recall whether he left it there.

Saunders believes the cloth is still on the surface, though likely not in its original spot because of its lighter weight. He expects the coin will last millions of years, however, even with micrometeorite strikes.

Space imaging expert Andy Saunders plans to send a small copy of Charlie Duke's family photo back to the moon in a more resilient capsule on a commercial lunar mission at the end of 2022. (Courtesy of Andy Saunders)

No one knows exactly where the artifacts are, but they are thought to sit near where the lunar module was parked, he added.

It certainly brings it alive with the definition that these pictures have, Duke said. To be the only Air Force officer to have a chance to say happy birthday from the moon was very, very special for me.

The airman-turned-astronaut spent about two decades on active duty and reached the rank of colonel before joining the Air Force Reserve in 1976. He worked in training and recruiting and flew T-38s before retiring near the 30-year mark as a brigadier general.

He has logged almost 266 hours in space and 4,150 hours in aircraft.

Retired Air Force Brig. Gen. Charlie Duke, Apollo 16 astronaut and 10th person to walk on the moon, climbs into a 560th Flying Training Squadron T-38 Talon before an incentive flight Feb. 19, 2015, at Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas. (Airman 1st Class Alexandria Slade/Air Force)

Duke is also known for serving as the spacecraft communicator, or CAPCOM, when Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin planted the first human footsteps on the moon during Apollo 11 in 1969.

He prepared for his own possible trip to the moon as part of the ill-fated Apollo 13 mission in 1970, but was famously sidelined from the backup crew when he caught the measles from his son.

It all worked out, Duke said. Mattingly came back on our [Apollo 16] crew and we became good friends and worked really wonderfully together.

As the United States prepares to return to the moon and beyond, Duke is excited for what he sees as a natural next step in space exploration.

Veteran journalist Nick Clooney, seated with back to camera, moderated a panel discussion with Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin, far right, Charlie Duke of Apollo 16, John Grunsfeld of the Hubble mission, not seen, and Goddard Space Flight Center Deputy Director Laurie Leshin July 20, 2009, at the Newseum in Washington as part of the commemoration of the 40th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing. (Bill Ingalls/NASA)

He believes the commercial spaceflight boom will lead to a division of roles: NASA can focus on deep space exploration with its Artemis missions to the moon and then to Mars, while private companies like SpaceX and Blue Origin can handle military, civilian and tourist work closer to Earth.

I see a lot of big cooperation with near space and Im very excited about the commercialization of space, he said. Its going to result in, I think, some really, really big breakthroughs.

When Duke looks at the moon now, he sees his own object reached with a sense of satisfaction and pride.

A small-town boy from South Carolina getting to go to the moon was never even a dream of mine, he said. Yet it happened.

Rachel Cohen joined Air Force Times as senior reporter in March 2021. Her work has appeared in Air Force Magazine, Inside Defense, Inside Health Policy, the Frederick News-Post (Md.), the Washington Post, and others.

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How astronaut Charlie Duke brought the Air Force to the moon - AirForceTimes.com

Nasa scientists have invented a new metal alloy that is 1,000 times more durable than current state-of-the-art materials used in aviation and space exploration.

The US space agency believes that Alloy GRX-810 could revolutionise space travel, as it can withstand far harsher conditions than existing materials used within rocket engines.

The material has twice the strength, three-and-a-half times the flexibility and more than 1,000 times the durability under stress at high temperatures.

This breakthrough is revolutionary for materials development, said Dale Hopkins, deputy project manager of Nasas Transformational Tools and Technologies project

New types of stronger and more lightweight materials play a key role as Nasa aims to change the future of flight. Previously, an increase in tensile strength usually lowered a materials ability to stretch and bend before breaking, which is why our new alloy is remarkable.

The new alloys composition was determined using computational models, before 3D printing technology allowed Nasa engineers to create a turbine engine combustor a vital component found in rocket engines that serves as a fuel-air mixer.

Applying these two processes has drastically accelerated the rate of our materials development. We can now produce new materials faster and with better performance than before, said Tim Smith, a material research scientist at Nasas Glenn Research Center in Cleveland and one of the inventors of this new alloy.

What used to take years through a trial-and-error process, now takes a matter of weeks or months to make discoveries.

The manufacturing process is also more efficient, cost effective and cleaner than conventional methods.

Nasa said the alloy would result in vast performance improvements and would have major implications for the future of sustainable flight.

In a press release detailing the discovery, the space agency said: Designers can now contemplate tradeoffs they couldnt consider before, without sacrificing performance.

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Nasa invents revolutionary material 1,000 times better than state-of-the art spaceship alloys - The Independent