Category Archives: Space Travel

The story of mans foray into space is a thrilling one, encompassing war, technological innovation and the power of imagination. The story of the Black mans foray into space the subject of the documentary The Space Race comprises a different set of milestones. For African Americans who dreamed of traveling beyond the earths atmosphere, the barriers werent just physical or scientific, but also social and political.

Directed by Lisa Cortes and Diego Hurtado de Mendoza, The Space Race offers an alternative history of American space travel through interviews with pioneering figures including Ed Dwight, an Air Force captain who was the first Black trainee at the Aerospace Research Pilot School; and Guy Bluford, who became the first African American to go to space almost two decades later, in 1983.

But the films most fascinating revelation is that the Soviets beat the Americans in sending a Black person to space in 1980 with Arnaldo Tamayo Mndez, a Cuban pilot an achievement that never got its due during the Cold War.

This fact, mentioned only cursorily, reinforces the limitations of the movie (which also, it should be noted, features hardly any stories of Black women). A theme running through the interviews is that for the U.S. government, sending a Black astronaut to space was more a matter of propaganda than racial justice. Cortes and de Mendoza capture these contradictions through archival footage of Civil Rights leaders excoriating the nation for spending millions on space travel while poverty decimated communities on the ground.

But for the most part, The Space Race doesnt quite interrogate these tokenizing narratives, leaving the central question unaddressed: Can the glorified achievements of a few result in change for the many?

The Space Race Not rated. Running time: 1 hour 31 minutes. Watch on Disney+ and Hulu.

Link:

'The Space Race' Review: Why Was NASA So White? - The New York Times

The New Corporate Frontier: Space and Its Implications

The corporate space race, spearheaded by companies like SpaceX, is transforming space travel and innovation. The rapid progression in technology and the commercialization of space exploration have led to a surge in the number of satellites in Low Earth Orbit (LEO). This proliferation, however, has also sparked concerns about light pollution, atmospheric pollution, and satellite congestion in orbit. With a call for sustainable practices and collaboration between governments and private entities, the space race brings with it a gamut of challenges and opportunities.

The advent of the corporate space race has seen an influx of mass-produced satellites into LEO, resulting in increased light pollution. Thousands of satellites circling the Earth reflect sunlight, creating a condition known as skyglow. This phenomenon obscures celestial views and hampers astronomical research. Dr. Samantha Lawler, an associate professor of Astronomy at the University of Regina, has voiced concerns about unchecked satellite deployment and its potential adverse effects on space exploration. The need for guidelines that prioritize the preservation of the night sky and the advancement of scientific knowledge is more prominent than ever.

Ground-based telescopes, vital tools for unraveling the mysteries of the cosmos, are grappling with the challenges posed by these megaconstellations of satellites. The satellites in LEO, especially those from SpaceXs Starlink project, have obstructed telescopic space exploration both on the ground and in space. This obstruction has had a profound impact on astronomers work, leading to lost data and knowledge. The issue of light pollution is not only about preserving the beauty of the night sky but also about ensuring the continued advancement of scientific knowledge.

The growing number of satellites in LEO raises concerns about the sustainability of space exploration. The risk of a runaway collisional cascade, or the Kessler Syndrome, where the density of objects in LEO is high enough that collisions between objects could cause a cascade, is a real threat. Moreover, as these satellites reenter the Earths atmosphere, they pose risks of atmospheric pollution and ground casualties.

The issue has prompted calls for stronger regulations and government intervention. Governments worldwide need to establish transparent policies and guidelines to control the number of satellites in orbit. Collaboration between governments and private companies is crucial in this regard. A balanced approach that promotes innovation and sustains the health of our night skies is the need of the hour.

The corporate space race, while being a testament to human innovation and progress, brings with it significant challenges that need addressing. The unchecked proliferation of satellites in LEO can hamper astronomical research, affect the beauty of the night sky, and pose environmental and safety risks. A collaborative, regulated, and sustainable approach to space exploration is necessary to mitigate these concerns, preserving the night sky for future generations, while also advancing our understanding of the cosmos.

Follow this link:

The New Corporate Frontier: Implications of the Space Race on Ground-Based Telescopes and Astronomical Research - Medriva

University of Nebraska engineerSean Crimminsloads the robotic arm into its case. A surgeon on Earth will remotely guide the robot through a surgical simulation while it is on the International Space Station. Craig Chandler / University of Nebraska-Lincoln / University Communication and Marketing

Scientists have sent a small surgical robot to the International Space Station (ISS) where it will perform a simulation of surgery, remotely guided by an expert on Earth.

The research aims to learn more about how surgery might be conducted on long space missions that send humans to the moon, Mars or beyond, as well as on our home planet, where not everyone has access to a surgeon.

Its taken a lot of testing to build up to this, and were still a long way from telesurgery on an actual patient, Shane Farritor, an engineer at the University of NebraskaLincoln and one of the inventors of the robot, says in a statement. The first step is to demonstrate the technology.

The robot launched to the ISS on January 30 with a host of other scientific experiments. Named MIRA, or the Miniaturized In vivo Robotic Assistant, it arrived on February 1, according to NPRs Juliana Kim.

MIRA is developed by the Virtual Incision Corporation, and the experiment in space is made possible by a NASA grant to the University of Nebraska. Farritor, Virtual Incisions co-founder, started working on MIRA with his team almost 20 years ago.

Weighing only two pounds, the device is roughly 1,000 times lighter than existing robot-assisted surgery technologies, according to a statement from Virtual Incision. MIRA has two robotic arms, a camera and remote technology, per the Washington Posts Erin Blakemore. Its the first surgical robot on the ISS.

MIRA Surgical Robotic Platform

In an upcoming experiment, a surgeon on the ground in Lincoln, Nebraska, will guide MIRA through a surgical simulation using remote-controlled technology. MIRA will use its left arm to grasp and its right arm to cut.

The preliminary tests will be conducted on rubber bands, according to Space.coms Monisha Ravisetti. A spokesperson for Virtual Incision told the Washington Post that the experiments will take place in the second week of February.

One challenge with the simulated surgery is possible delays in communication, since the signal must transmit to and from the International Space Station, which is around 250 miles away.

The experiment will allow the team to test the impact of the space stations zero gravity environment on surgical tasks. But researchers are also interested in how the robot could be used on the ground, such as in rural areas or on military battlefields.

About one in three counties in the U.S. lack a surgeon, and the Association of American Medical Colleges predicts the nation could face a shortage of up to 30,000 surgeons within the next ten years.

While space travel is exciting to think about, there is also an immediate need on Earth to help patients get the care they need, Farritor says in a statement. Remote surgery has the potential to address these issues.

If you have a specialist whos a very good surgeon, that specialist could dial into different locations and help with telesurgery or remote surgery, Farritor said during a presentation last month, per Space.com. Only about 10 percent of operating rooms today are robotic, but we dont see any reason that shouldnt be 100 percent.

While there has been other research into remote surgery, the surgeon has typically been in the same operating room as the patient, according to Virtual Incision. Eventually, the company hopes to have surgeons control MIRA through a console during procedures.

Alongside the robot, several other experiments traveled to the ISS, including a 3D printer that creates small metal parts, an additional robotic arm and experiments to manufacture artificial retinas and regeneratecartilage tissue in space.

MIRA will return to Earth in the spring, and it will likely take at least a year to publish results from the experiment, according to the University of Nebraska.

As thrilling as it is to have our technology in space, we expect the impact of this research will be most notable on Earth, John Murphy, president and CEO of Virtual Incision, says in the companys statement.

Get the latest stories in your inbox every weekday.

Continue reading here:

This Remotely Controlled Robot Will Conduct a Simulated Surgery on the International Space Station - Smithsonian Magazine

A Historic Mission Around the Moon

In a historic moment for Canada, astronaut Jeremy Hansen prepares to orbit the moon as part of NASAs Artemis II mission in 2025. This mission is a testament to the contributions of visionaries who have paved the way for Canadas involvement in space exploration. However, it also underscores the need for continued visionary investments to uphold Canadas stature in this field.

Canada has been a key player in space exploration, with Hansens upcoming mission highlighting this involvement. As the only Canadian on the crewed mission, Hansen signifies the collaborative nature of international space exploration. Alongside him will be American astronauts, emphasizing that space exploration is a global endeavor, not confined to one nation.

With the missions risks and the inherent challenges of space travel, the importance of good communication and preparation cannot be overstated. The crew undergoes rigorous training, including practicing living in mockups of their Orion spacecraft and staying fit in tiny spaces while floating. A portable exercise solution, the flywheel, has been introduced for astronauts on the spacecraft. This tool has its limitations and benefits, but it aids in keeping astronauts healthy and fit in the challenging environment of space.

Space exploration is not a solo endeavor but a collaborative one. The upcoming missions by the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) in celebration of its 100th anniversary exemplify this. Col. Jeremy Hansen will be the first non-American to fly around the Moon on Artemis 2, while Col. Josh Kutryk will be the next Canadian to fly to the International Space Station aboard the new Boeing Starliner spacecraft. These missions demonstrate the collaboration between nations and the shared goal of exploring the final frontier.

The Artemis program aims to return astronauts to the moon, paving the way for future missions to Mars. The successful launch of the Nova-C lander, also known as Odysseus, is a significant step towards this goal. This mission is also crucial in the race against China, who aims to land its own crewed spacecraft on the moon by 2030.

As Jeremy Hansen reflects on his upcoming mission, there is a mix of excitement and apprehension. Embarking on a historic journey, he carries the hopes of a nation and the legacy of space exploration visionaries. His journey is a testament to the importance of international collaboration in space exploration and the need for continued investment in this field. As we look towards the future, the importance of astronaut health and fitness data from the Artemis 2 mission will be crucial in fortifying spacecraft design against risky vibrations for more ambitious moon landing missions later in the decade.

See the original post here:

Canadian Astronaut Jeremy Hansen: Reflecting on Canada's Role in Space Exploration and Preparing for Artemis II ... - Medriva

Axiom Spaces Ax-3 Mission A Leap Forward in Commercial Space Travel

The dawn of commercial space travel is upon us, with Axiom Space, a private space company, at the forefront. A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched the Ax-3 Mission, marking a significant step in the commercialization of space. This mission is the first all-European commercial crew journey to the International Space Station (ISS).

The launch took place from pad LC-39A during the Ax-3 Mission at the Kennedy Space Center. The mission, paid for by Axiom Space, includes four crew members: Michael Lpez-Alegra, Axioms chief astronaut, Pilot Walter Villadei of the Italian Air Force, and mission specialists Alper Gezeravc of Turkey and Marcus Wandt of Sweden and the European Space Agency. This crew will join seven other people currently on the ISS.

The crew will stay at the orbital laboratory for two weeks, during which they will conduct approximately 30 experiments. The experiments will cover a range of areas, including microgravity research, technology demonstrations, and outreach engagements. This mission aims to provide valuable insights that will contribute to future space travel and research.

Significantly, Axiom Space plans to construct its own space station in orbit. The experiences and findings from these missions will be pivotal in planning and designing this ambitious project. The mission also marks the first all-private astronaut mission to the ISS, indicating the growing role of private companies in space exploration.

The Ax-3 mission is the third mission planned by Axiom Space, demonstrating the companys commitment to making space travel accessible to civilians. This endeavor is not only a milestone for Axiom but also a significant development in the field of commercial space travel. The mission is scheduled to launch in 2023 and will include four crew members, one of whom is a former NASA astronaut serving as the mission commander.

By 2028, Axiom Space aims to have a commercial space station in orbit. This goal signifies a major shift in space exploration, as private companies take on roles traditionally held by governmental space agencies. The Ax-3 mission is not just a journey to the ISS; it is a step towards a future where space travel is increasingly democratized and accessible.

See original here:

Axiom Space's Ax-3 Mission: A Revolutionary Step in Commercial Space Travel - Medriva

MBRSC will take part in the Human Exploration Research Analogue project by sending an Emirati crew to live in a habitat in Houston.

The Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) has announced the commencement of the second analog study under the UAE Analog Programme, collaborating with NASAs Human Exploration Research Analog (HERA). This study spans 180 days, divided into four phases of 45 days each, aimed at assessing how analog crew members adapt to isolation, confinement, and remote conditions on Earth, mirroring the challenges faced during extended space missions.

The inaugural phase of the UAE Analog Programmes second analog study is scheduled to kick off on January 26, 2024. Emirati analog crew members will actively participate from the second phase starting on May 10, 2024, followed by the third and fourth phases commencing on August 9, 2024, and November 1, 2024, respectively.

As part of NASAs HERA, Emirati analog crew members will join the research team at the Johnson Space Center, engaging in various science and maintenance tasks inside the HERA habitat. HERA, a three-story habitat designed to replicate space-like conditions on Earth, serves as an analog for isolation, confinement, and remote conditions, offering valuable insights for potential long-duration space missions and simulating journeys to Mars.

Activities within the HERA habitat include testing augmented reality and monitoring the mock environment. Analog crew members will face scenarios such as increasing communication delays with ground control support staff as they approach Phobos, a moon of Mars.

The data gathered from these activities will aid researchers in designing strategies to enhance the autonomy, teamwork, and communication skills of analog crew members. This information is crucial for better-preparing astronauts for interplanetary missions, aligning with the UAEs long-term vision under the Mars 2117 Programme.

Local universities play a pivotal role in the second analog study, contributing diverse research studies. United Arab Emirates University (UAEU) focuses on areas such as glucose metabolism dysfunctions, cognitive fatigue-induced deficits in brain function, and optical-based cardiovascular vital signs monitoring. The Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences (MBRU) conducts studies on changes in whole-body energy consumption, bone density, muscle mass, and cardiovascular variability during prolonged exposure to a space analog environment. The American University of Sharjah (AUS) explores mental stress in isolation and confined environments.

Commenting on the development, Salem Humaid AlMarri, Director General, MBRSC, said: The UAE Analog Programme is instrumental in deepening our understanding of the challenges and nuances of long-duration space missions. They are also pivotal in shaping the scientific methodologies and technological innovations required for future expeditions to the Moon and beyond. Under the visionary leadership of the UAE, we continue to enhance Emirati capabilities and technologies with the goal of sending our astronauts on long-duration missions. Through the UAEs second analog study, we are laying a robust foundation for our nations ambitious journey across the cosmos, driven by a commitment to enhance human understanding and capability in the realm of space exploration.

Adnan AlRais, Mars 2117 Programme Manager, MBRSC, added: The analog missions provide us with invaluable insights into the physical, psychological, and technological challenges of long-duration space travel. As we simulate the conditions of space here on Earth, we are not only testing human endurance and adaptability but also refining the technologies and strategies that will be pivotal for the success of future expeditions to the Red Planet. Each discovery and lesson learned from these analog missions also bring us a step closer to turning the ambitious vision of the Mars 2117 Programme into a reality. Its a testament to the UAEs commitment to being at the forefront of space exploration and to contributing significantly to the global understanding of human capabilities in space.

The first analog study, part of the SIRIUS-21 programme, successfully concluded in 2022, focusing on understanding the effects of isolation on human psychological and physiological conditions. The UAE Analog Programme is managed by MBRSC under the UAEs National Space Programme, funded by the ICT Fund of the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA), supporting research and development in the ICT sector in the UAE and promoting global integration.

Follow this link:

MBRSC to begin second Mars simulation mission on January 26 - SatelliteProME.com

Jake Nichols

Published: 2023-09-02T00:55:34

Updated : 2023-09-02T00:55:47

Starfield players are voicing their frustration over the games lack of manual space flight, arguing that the fast travel system severely limits the sense of exploration and freedom.

Some Starfield players are just now finding that the only way to travel between planets is by simply selecting the destination from your menu.

While the game makes it easy to fast-travel between areas, it wont allow you to fly seamlessly from space to planet.

Article continues after ad

The discovery has become a huge letdown for space explorers hoping to fly between planets rather than simply using a fast-travel system.

Players have taken to Reddit to express their disappointment with the space travel system, or lack thereof.

Article continues after ad

Thoroughly disappointed with the flying, one Starfield player shared on Reddit. I was willing to compromise on the take-off and landings, but the fact that flying to every location is literally fast travel is utterly gutting. Theres no feeling of exploring or traveling for that matter. I would love at least the ability to manually travel to other planets and moons.

Article continues after ad

Players were quick to compare Starfields travel mechanics to those in games like No Mans Sky and even Lego Star Wars. The latter, despite being a Lego game, offers a more immersive travel experience, as pointed out by the community.

Ad-lite Mode|Dark Mode|Deals in gaming, TV and Movies, and tech

Article continues after ad

The space part of this game is disappointing, another player said. Its almost entirely menus and fast travel. The short amount of time you do spend in space is really lacklustre too, doesnt even feel like youre moving. I wasnt expecting NMS, but damn.

Article continues after ad

However, Bethesda had clarified its design philosophy well before the games release. In an interview with IGN in June 2022, Todd Howard stated that the feature of seamless travel between space and planets was really just not that important to the player.

Howard explained that Bethesda decided to focus on making the on-surface and in-space experiences as good as they could be. If you try to really spend a lot of time engineering the in-between, like that segue, youre just spending a lot of time [on something] thats really just not that important to the player, Howard explained.

Article continues after ad

Article continues after ad

Despite the disappointment, some players have found workarounds or are hopeful for future updates. One Reddit user even discovered that by powering up the ships gravitation drive, you can travel without a menu between systems, although the screen still goes black for a bit.

While Starfield has much to offer, the lack of seamless planet landings has proven to be frustrating for players who were hoping for a more immersive space flight experience.

Read more here:

Starfield players outraged over missing space exploration feature - Dexerto

Highlights

One of the greatest criticisms that Starfield faces in Early Access concerns the game's space exploration, but one method may help players looking to make interstellar travel more immersive. While Starfield's major Factions are every bit as interesting and expansive as its marketing implied, fans have been less keen on the way Starfield functions as a space simulator. Mired with constant loading screens, this lack of seamlessness in the experience of driving their starship from planet-to-planet has soured some Starfield players on what is otherwise a deeply engaging Bethesda sandbox.

Though many players have praised Starfield's ship customization, citing it as the best feature of the game, actually getting to fly that ship in space is uncharacteristically restrictive from what the community has come to expect from a Bethesda title. The confusing world map and unsettling background NPCs in Starfield are all issues that will likely be fixed by modding in the coming months, but its approach to space exploration is a compromise that Starfield players will ultimately have to accept.

RELATED:Starfield Players Are Not Happy About the Game's Maps

There are ways to eliminate the most annoying aspect of interstellar travel, as contrary to common belief, Starfield doesn't require the player to go through the UI in order to travel from one planet into the other. As demonstrated by Huggan00 on Starfield's official subreddit, making use of the ship's scanner and pointing at the player's potential destination offers up an option to make the grav jump without needing to open the menu.

Moreover, landing on a planet can be done entirely outside the menu as well. By using Starfield's scanner tool inside the ship, players can point at any of the planet's key areas, whether it's a barren world or New Atlantis, and complete the landing near-seamlessly. Though it may not offer the kind of experience seen in No Man's Sky or Star Citizen, this method helps in funneling the players towards the content that Bethesda excels at: pillaging dungeons filled with loot, joining memorable factions, and getting on random adventures.

Being able to build and customize ships in Starfield, smuggle contraband items, and taking on powerful pirate fleets shows that space travel can still be enjoyable in the game. Despite its limitations, Starfield players can still live out their fantasy of being an interstellar explorer so long as they accept that the majority of that exploration will be on foot, whether in story-heavy zones or one of Starfield's many procedurally generated worlds.

Starfield is now available on PC and Xbox Series X/S.

MORE:Starfield: Every Companion (& How to Get Them)

Go here to see the original:

This Alternate Method of Space Travel in Starfield is Way More Immersive Than Menus - GameRant

Starfield is a GIANT game, and that is putting it as mildly as possible. For such a huge game, Bethesda did a great job of balancing the hand-holding and allowing independent observations for the player to figure on their own. Two of those are space travel and planet scanning. Below, our handy walkthrough talks you over the basics.

There are over 1,000 planets in Starfield with just over 100 of them fully populated. Traveling from one to another is easy, but thats once you get used to it. You can see each individual star system and the planets within it, but also zoom out in order to see the entire universe. The visual is similar to Mass Effect, but the travel is much different. Once you find the system you need to travel to, you must plot a course to jump at light speed. This is done utilizing your Grav drive on board your ship.

Plotting your course will sometimes see you going through multiple systems to arrive at your destination due to the distance between them. You will notice in the right hand side a fuel consumption gauge. As long as it does not use all your fuel, you can travel there. The dots that indicate the systems show up blue if you can reach them and red if you cant. When you find the one you need, hit the jump button to begin. Normally, games would just start your course of travel. Starfield, however, is a bit different. You need to manually activate your Grav drive, which the game doesnt tell you.

In order to do so, youll need to press down on the D-pad in order to highlight the ships controls. You will have to make sure at least 1 bar of power is in the Grav drive, which will be taken away from another aspect of the ship. Once this is done, a timer pops up on screen and counts down to your jump. I didnt realize this at first, and I spent about 5 minutes trying to boost my way through space not realizing I was standing still.

Once at the planet, of course you cant just land there. It would be too easy. Youll first need to scan the planet from orbit in order to reveal its POIs. These are landing spots, mining zones, etc. Resources such as metals and minerals are also revealed. Many missions require certain resources to complete, so you can pin their locations in order to land at the nearest spot. Pressing LB on the surface brings up your scanner and allows you to see the items highlighted for retrieval. I recommend upgrading your scanning and surveying skills a well. These let you scan items without being right next to them (saving you much travel) as well as revealing rare materials from space.

There are many other skills that let you acclimate to crazy environments and have more Oxygen to let you run farther. Theres no limit on levels so you can earn every skill if you take the time, but the scanning and surveying will help greatly at the start of the game.

Starfield is out on September 6 on Xbox and PC, with early access available now. Get out and explore!

See the article here:

Starfield: How to space travel and scan planets - App Trigger

In 2019, India attempted to land a spacecraft on the Moon and ended up painting a kilometers-long streak of debris on its barren surface. Now, the Indian Space Research Organisation has returned in triumph, with the Chandrayaan-3 lander successfully touching down near the south pole of Earths rocky neighbor.

Indias success came just days after a spectacular Russian failure when the Luna 25 mission tried to land nearby and ceased to exist as a result of a collision with the lunar surface.

These twin missions remind us that, close to 60 years after the first successful "soft landing" on the Moon, spaceflight is still difficult and dangerous. Moon missions, in particular, are still a coin flip, and we have seen several high-profile failures in recent years.

Why were these missions unsuccessful, and why did they fail? Is there a secret to the success of countries and agencies who have achieved a space mission triumph?

The Moon is the only celestial location humans have visited (so far). It makes sense to go there first: it's the closest planetary body to us, at a distance of around 400,000 kilometers.

Yet only four countries have achieved successful "soft landings" landings in which the spacecraft survives on the lunar surface.

The USSR was the first. The Luna 9 mission safely touched down on the Moon almost 60 years ago, in February 1966. The United States followed suit a few months later, in June 1966, with the Surveyor 1 mission.

China was the next country to join the club, with the Chang'e 3 mission in 2013. And now India too has arrived, with Chandrayaan-3.

Missions from Japan, the United Arab Emirates, Israel, Russia, the European Space Agency, Luxembourg, South Korea, and Italy have also had some measure of lunar success with fly-bys, orbiters, and impacts (whether intentional or not).

On August 19, 2023, the Russian space agency Roscosmos announced that "communication with the Luna 25 spacecraft was interrupted" after an impulse command was sent to the spacecraft to lower its orbit around the Moon. Attempts to contact the spacecraft on August 20 were unsuccessful, leading Roscosmos to determine Luna 25 had crashed.

Despite more than 60 years of spaceflight experience extending from the USSR to modern Russia, this mission failed. We don't know exactly what happened but the current situation in Russia, where resources are stretched thin and tensions are high due to the ongoing war in Ukraine, may well have been a factor.

The Luna 25 failure recalled two high-profile lunar crashes in 2019.

In April of that year, the Israeli Beresheet lander crash-landed after a gyroscope failed during the braking procedure, and the ground control crew was unable to reset the component due to a loss of communications. It was later reported a capsule containing microscopic creatures called tardigrades, in a dormant cryptobiotic state, may have survived the crash.

And in September, India sent its own Vikram lander down to the surface of the Moon but it did not survive the landing. NASA later released an image taken by its Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter showing the site of the Vikram landers impact. Debris was scattered over almost two dozen locations spanning several kilometers.

Space missions are a risky business. Just over 50 percent of lunar missions succeed. Even small satellite missions to Earths orbit dont have a perfect track record, with a success rate somewhere between 40 percent and 70 percent.

We could compare uncrewed with crewed missions: around 98 percent of the latter are successful because people are more invested in people. Ground staff working to support a crewed mission will be more focused, management will invest more resources, and delays will be accepted to prioritize the safety of the crew.

We could talk about the details of why so many uncrewed missions fail. We could talk about technological difficulties, lack of experience, and even the political landscapes of individual countries.

But perhaps its better to step back from the details of individual missions and look at averages to see the overall picture more clearly.

Rocket launches and space launches are not very common in the scheme of things. There are around 1.5 billion cars in the world and perhaps 40,000 airplanes. By contrast, there have been fewer than 20,000 space launches in all of history.

Plenty of things still go wrong with cars, and problems occur even in the better-regulated world of planes, from loose rivets to computers overriding pilot inputs. And we have more than a century of experience with these vehicles in every country on the planet.

So perhaps its unrealistic to expect spaceflight whether its the launch stage of rockets or the even rarer stage of trying to land on an alien world to have ironed out all its problems.

We are still very much in the early, pioneering days of space exploration.

If humanity is ever to create a fully-fledged, space-faring civilization, we must overcome monumental challenges.

To make long-duration, long-distance space travel possible, there are a huge number of problems to be solved. Some of them seem within the realm of the possible, such as better radiation shielding, self-sustaining ecosystems, autonomous robots, extracting air and water from raw resources, and zero-gravity manufacturing. Others are still speculative hopes, such as faster-than-light travel, instantaneous communication, and artificial gravity.

Progress will be little by little, small step by slightly larger step. Engineers and space enthusiasts will keep putting their brainpower, time, and energy into space missions, and they will gradually become more reliable.

And maybe one day, well see a time when going for a ride in your spacecraft is as safe as getting in your car.

This article was originally published on The Conversation by Gail Iles at RMIT University. Read the original article here.

See the article here:

Why Do Almost Half of Moon Missions Fail? Here's Why Space Is ... - Inverse