Category Archives: Space Travel

Presented by a North American company Space travel On a ship like a hot air balloon.

About Space view, The company that will start carrying out its commercial flights 2024, 230 seats already allocated year. Those interested can plan their trip from 2025 onwards.

The ship, so called Spacecraft NeptuneIt has a compressed capsule that has eight reclining seats for passengers and another for the pilot.

It will have 360-degree panoramic windows, a drinks bar, a place to store belongings, a WiFi connection with communication devices to allow live broadcasts, and sensors that indicate altitude, air and temperature throughout the aircraft.

For his part, The world of space It grows to the size of a football field and allows the capsule to fly upwards evenly.

The journey lasts six hours and must meet the minimum requirements required when boarding a passenger plane. The missions will begin at the Kennedy Space Center NASA.

The Spacecraft It will take two hours to climb until it reaches an altitude of 30 km. At that point, it would float in the atmosphere for two hours. Finally, they will return Land Two hours later land at sea, where a ship will retrieve the capsule, space balloon and explorers.

Technically it does not reach space Karman line, The boundary between the Earths atmosphere and space is 100 km. Despite this, it would be enough to see the curve of the earth.

Of course, traveling into space will not be cheap, as you can imagine. There is value in tickets 5,000 125,000I.e. 91 million 600 thousand Chilean pesos.

Those interested can choose between a single seat or a capsule for eight people, with a refundable $ 1,000 (733 thousand pesos).

Space view It recently called its first test balloon Neptune One, which did not carry any crew. The mission was successful, so they hope to continue conducting test flights in the coming months.

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Company offers space flights on the "balloon": the spacecraft has WiFi and drink menu | Technology - The Press Stories

TITUSVILLE, Fla., June 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ --Michael Baker International, a global leader in engineering, planning and consulting services, and the Titusville-Cocoa Airport Authority join Space Perspective, the world's first luxury spaceflight experience company, in celebrating the first space launch from the Space Coast Air and Spaceport, located in Titusville, Florida. On June 18, 2021, Space Perspective's Neptune One spaceship test vehicle successfully flew to its target altitude and traversed the Florida peninsula before splashing down in the Gulf of Mexico and being recovered.

Michael Baker has served as the Airport's Engineer and General Consultant since 2008. In 2020, the firm partnered with the Titusville-Cocoa Airport Authority to achieve a Spaceport Launch Site Operators License, allowing the Authority to conduct launches from the Space Coast Air and Spaceport. This marked only the 12th Licensed Spaceport Launch Site approved in the United States.

"Florida has long established itself as the center of space travel," said Aaron McDaniel, South Florida Operations Manager at Michael Baker. "We are excited for this milestone in our partnership with the Titusville-Cocoa Airport Authority and look forward to continuing the development of new and innovative infrastructure to keep pace with the ever-evolving needs of the space industry. "

"With this launch, we have confirmed the capability and functionality of the Space Coast Air and Spaceport to serve as a center of space flight. We congratulate Space Perspective on this historic day as they kicked off an extensive test flight campaign with the ultimate goal of flying customers to space for an unrivaled experience and perspective of our world," said Justin Hopman, Interim Executive Director at the Titusville-Cocoa Airport Authority. "Our entire Space Coast Air and Spaceport team is dedicated to growing our area's burgeoning space businesses by offering the ideal location for these operations to take place. We anticipate that the launch will be the first of many exciting developments in the space industry to take place at this location."

To support the Spaceport's activities, the Titusville-Cocoa Airport Authority is planning several large-scale construction projects, including a 4,000-square-foot hangar to produce and develop horizontal spacecraft and storage for rocket-grade kerosene and oxidizers, a 4,000-square-foot apron between the hangar and taxiway and a 350,000 square-foot parking lot. The area also offers more than 700 acres of developable access to SR 407, making it an ideal location for space businesses.

About Michael Baker InternationalMichael Baker International is a leading provider of engineering and consulting services. The firm'sPracticesencompass all facets of infrastructure, including design, civil engineering, planning, architecture, environmental, construction and program management. For more than 80 years, the company has been a trusted partner, providing comprehensive services and solutions to commercial clients and all branches of the military, as well as federal, state and municipal governments. Embracing emerging technologies and the latest innovations likeintelligent transportationanddesign-buildproject delivery Michael Baker is an industry leader that delivers expertise and quality. The firm's more than 3,000 employees across nearly 100 locations are committed to Making a Difference for clients and communities through a culture of innovation, collaboration and technological advancement. To learn more, visithttps://mbakerintl.com/.

About Space PerspectiveSpace Perspective is the world's first luxury spaceflight experience company. It invites more people than has historically been possible to experience a thrillingly new and visceral perspective that expands the human consciousness the incredibly exhilarating panoramas and scale of Earth in space. Our atmosphere stretches for 100s of miles into space, Spaceship Neptune flies above 99% of it.

Setting a new bar in out-of-this-world thrilling experiences, as soon as late 2024 Space Perspective will escort Space Explorers gently to space inside Spaceship Neptune's pressurized capsule propelled by a high-performance spaceballoon that doesn't use rocket fuel, where Explorers see the world anew through its vast windows. The ultra-comfortable, accessible and gentle six-hour journey redefines what space and wonder travel means for the modern traveler.

Based out of Kennedy Space Center, Space Perspective is led by industry luminaries Jane Poynter and Taber MacCallum, and their expert crew who have been integral to all human spaceballoon flights in the last 50 years. Poynter and MacCallum have been dubbed 'Masters of the stratosphere,' by Bloomberg Business Week, and MacCallum served as Chairman of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation. For more information, visit SpacePerspective.com. Follow Space Perspective on social media for updates, Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook and YouTube.

Contact: Julia Covelli[emailprotected] (866) 293-4609

SOURCE Michael Baker International

http://www.mbakerintl.com

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Michael Baker International and Titusville-Cocoa Airport Authority Partner with Space Perspective for First Space Launch to Fly from Space Coast Air...

Jeff Bezos will join his brother Mark, one paying auction winner and another unnamed person on the Blue Origin rocket bound for space in July. Patrick Semansky/AP hide caption

Jeff Bezos will join his brother Mark, one paying auction winner and another unnamed person on the Blue Origin rocket bound for space in July.

On July 20, Amazon's founder and billionaire magnate Jeff Bezos and his brother Mark will board the New Shepard suborbital rocket system. The Bezos brothers, one auction winner with $28 million to spare, and a fourth person will become the first crew aboard the reusable rocket for its 11-minute voyage to space.

Since Bezos made the announcement about his journey to space this month, tens of thousands of people have come together to petition against his return to the planet.

There are multiple petitions out there, but the front-runner, "Do not allow Jeff Bezos to return to Earth," had collected more than 33,000 signatures by late Sunday. "Billionaires should not exist," the description read. "On Earth, or in space, but should they decide the latter they should stay there."

Bezos is the founder of the space exploration company Blue Origin, which built New Shepard. The rocket is reusable and has capacity for six passengers in its capsule.

"If you see the Earth from space, it changes you. It changes your relationship with this planet, with humanity. It's one Earth," Bezos said in a video posted to Instagram.

Bezos isn't the only billionaire with his sights set on out-of-this-world endeavors.

Elon Musk is the founder of SpaceX, which has racked up a number of firsts for private spaceflight, including being the first private company to transport astronauts to the International Space Station last year. The company's website advertises trips to space for paying customers. Musk has not announced any immediate space travel plans. But a Japanese billionaire, Yusaku Maezawa, booked a trip with SpaceX to travel around the moon in 2023.

Richard Branson, founder of the Virgin Group, also has a space program Virgin Galactic, which has a reusable spacecraft intended for commercial space travel. Branson plans to be on one of Virgin Galactic's upcoming flights.

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Tens Of Thousands Sign Petition To Stop Jeff Bezos From Returning To Earth - NPR

Theres something about summer and space travel.

Maybe its that sublime footage of a Saturn V rocket taking off against the blue Florida sky in 1969. You know, that slow motion rise, clouds of steam and sheets of ice flaking off the massive black and white rocket, that bold red U-S-A and billows of flame and smoke.

The clips appear in every video montage about the 1960s. You can almost hear Norman Greenbaums song Spirit in the Sky.

Apollo 11 landing on the moon on July 20, 1969, is the main reason space and summer seem to go together. But other space milestones have occurred in the summer months. On June 3, 1965, San Antonio native Ed White became the first American to walk in space.

On May 30, 2020, SpaceX sent two astronauts to space from American soil for the first time since 2011. The spectacle offered a brief escape from the realities of the pandemic, political chaos and civil turmoil. The launch, known as Demo 2, carried echoes of the late 60s.

On ExpressNews.com: 'This is not SpaceX property': Elon Musk's company looks to rename South Texas town 'Starbase'

2021 is shaping up to be a big space summer, and Texas is playing a leading role, much like it has in the past. But Texas summer space jam doesnt involve NASAs Johnson Space Center as much as it does two commercial space companies, SpaceX and Blue Origin.

The state could see at least two historic launches as two battling billionaires Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos look to push their commercial space endeavors to the next step. And its not a stretch to say San Antonio is at the crossroads of this new space race.

Apollo 11 liftoff as seen from the launch tower camera, July 16, 1969.

SpaceX plans to lob its Starship into orbit for the first time from its South Texas launch facility. According to plans filed with the Federal Communication Commission, a Super Heavy booster will carry Starship into orbit and return to earth, splashing down in the gulf 20 miles off the coast of Boca Chica. The Starship will continue its flight and perform a powered landing into the ocean about 60 miles off the coast of Kauai roughly 90 minutes after launch.

Its an impressive plan with a tight timeline. Elon Musk tweeted in March the company planned to do the test flight in July, but thats looking less likely. Federal licensing and authorizations are pending. The Boca Chica orbital launch tower is still under construction, and the company hasnt fully built or tested the Super Heavy booster.

On ExpressNews.com: SpaceX's Boca Chica venture has all the 'versus' categories covered

Then theres the continued legal skirmishes, land battles and the contingent of South Texas SpaceX critics. In the companys latest legal battle, the Cameron County district attorney sent SpaceX a cease and desist letter over complaints its private security staff had illegally denied access to public roads.

But its risky to doubt SpaceX. The commercial space juggernaut surprises critics time and time again.

Oh, and speaking of juggernauts lets talk about the Super Heavy booster. With at least 29 Raptor engines, the 230-foot tall stainless steel beast will be one of the most powerful rockets ever built. And all those engines likely pass through San Antonio on their way to Boca Chica from SpaceXs McGregor test facility.

Then, near Van Horn out in West Texas, Amazon and Blue Origin founder Jeff Bezos plans to fly to space along with his brother, Mark, an unnamed customer who paid $28 million for the seat and another passenger who hasnt been identified yet.

Theyre scheduled to launch July 20 aboard a reusable Blue Origin New Shepard rocket. The flight will last about 11 minutes, taking the crew above the 62-mile-high threshold of space. Blue Origins space capsule is fully autonomated. It features large windows and room for six passengers.

On ExpressNews.com: San Antonio firm is working on moon launch pads for NASA

New Shepard has had 15 successful consecutive missions, including three escape tests. Bezos and his crew mates will be the first people to fly in the capsule.

And dont forget Sir Richard Bransons commercial space firm, Virgin Galactic. While not in Texas, its a close neighbor at Spaceport America outside Truth or Consequences, New Mexico, about 100 miles from El Paso.

Virgins Unity spacecraft had a successful flight to space on May 22 from the spaceport. The success spawned speculation that Branson might try to beat Bezos to space in July, but Virgin hasnt announced the timing of its next flight.

Closer to home, in San Antonio, Southwest Research Institute remains the areas space heavyweight, and it has a busy summer scheduled.

On ExpressNews.com: Starbase, Texas? Really?

First, NASA announced June 10 that it selected a SwRI payload to go to Schrodingers Basin on the far side of the moon to study the lunar crust, mantle and core. Maybe that research will help Exploration Architecture and University of Texas at San Antonio researchers in the citys burgeoning moon infrastructure scene.

Then, SwRIs Lucy spacecraft, which will study the Trojan asteroids, is shipping to Cape Canaveral in July in preparation for an October launch.

Also over the Summer, scientists are calibrating SwRIs MASPEX Mass Spectrometer for Planetary Exploration instrument that will fly on Europa Clipper, a spacecraft scheduled to launch in 2024.

The Juno spacecraft, which carries SwRI instruments and got an extended lease on life in January, begins its follow-on mission in August that will include multiple flybys, expanding its investigation to the larger Jovian system, including flybys of Jupiters moons.

UVS-JUICE, a SwRI instrument on the European Space Agencys Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer mission, is on the spacecraft in Toulous, France. Its undergoing environmental vacuum tests this month in preparation for a September 2022 launch.

Finally, the Magnetospheric Multiscale Mission, a constellation of four SwRI spacecraft studying the Suns and Earths magnetic fields, got a three-year extension.

So heres to the Texas-sized space summer. Someday, todays space footage may dominate the video montages from the 2020s.

What will the soundtrack be?

Brandon Lingle writes for the Express-News through Report for America, a national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms. ReportforAmerica.org. brandon.lingle@express-news.net

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A Texas-size space summer has billionaires racing for the heavens - San Antonio Express-News

Staff, USA TODAY NETWORK PRESSROOM Published 4:27 p.m. ET June 22, 2021

Today,Gannett Co Inc., announced its inaugural non-fungible token (NFT) inspired by the first newspaper delivered to space in 1971.Legendary Apollo 14 astronaut Alan Shepard, the first American in space, famously transported a special edition of TODAY, now FLORIDA TODAY and part of the USA TODAY NETWORK, to the moon. To celebrate the 50th anniversary ofShepards visit to the moon, the NFT collection allows bidders the chancetoimmersethemselves with the interactive artwork of the Apollo Landing and relatedNASAmissionsas captured by FLORIDA TODAY.

TheFirst Newspaper Delivered to the Mooncollection includes a photo mosaic video, an interactive photo mosaic illustration, a digital copy of A Space Age History: Mans Odyssey to the Moon,an exclusive behind the scenes Space Coast Tour, lifetime digital subscriptions, and out of this world extras. All auction proceeds willbenefittheAir Force Space & Missile Museum FoundationandThe Gannett Foundation.

Space travel was an inspired theme for our first NFT because it tells the story of innovation and advancement that has been a positive, unifying force in American culture, which is also the aim of Gannetts storytelling, said Kris Barton, Chief Product Officer, Gannett | USA TODAY NETWORK. Our digital subscriber growth can be attributed to our unique content and our ability to use technology like an NFT as we find meaningful ways to bring communities together and engage new audiences.

We are thrilled to be the recipient of this auction recognizing the importance of space exploration and discovery, said Board Chairman of the Air Force Space & Missile Museum Foundation Ray Sands. The funds will support our work to recognize and preserve the historical significance of U.S. Space Force launch activities.

The 48-hour auction will begin on Monday, June 28 at 8 p.m.ETatnft.usatoday.com,powered by Origins NFT Launchpad. Gannett will also be offsetting the NFT footprint with carbon credits.

For more details and the controlling terms and conditions applicable to the auction, visitnft.usatoday.com.

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GANNETT Launches ItsInauguralNon-Fungible Token Inspired by the First NewspaperOnthe Moon - USA TODAY

MCLEAN, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--USA TODAY NETWORK, part of Gannett Co. Inc. (NYSE: GCI), announced it will auction its inaugural non-fungible token (NFT) inspired by the first newspaper delivered to space in 1971. Powered by Origins NFT Launchpad, which was chosen for its ability to host record-breaking NFT sales on an industry-leading tech platform, the auction will consist of a unique mosaic incorporating more than 300 images from 50 years of space coverage. All auction proceeds will benefit the Air Force Space & Missile Museum Foundation and The Gannett Foundation.

Legendary Apollo 14 astronaut Alan Shepard, the first American in space, famously transported a special edition of TODAY, now FLORIDA TODAY and part of the USA TODAY NETWORK, to the moon. To celebrate the 50th anniversary of Shepards visit to the moon, the collection allows bidders the chance to immerse themselves with the interactive artwork of the Apollo Landing and related NASA missions.

The First Newspaper Delivered to the Moon collection includes the following:

Space travel was an inspired theme for our first NFT because it tells the story of innovation and advancement that has been a positive unifying force in American culture, which is also the aim of Gannetts storytelling, said Kris Barton, Chief Product Officer, Gannett | USA TODAY NETWORK. Our digital subscriber growth can be attributed to our unique content and our ability to use technology like an NFT as we find meaningful ways to bring communities together and engage new audiences.

We are thrilled to be the recipient of this auction recognizing the importance of space exploration and discovery, said Board Chairman of the Air Force Space & Missile Museum Foundation Ray Sands. The funds will support our work to recognize and preserve the historical significance of U.S. Space Force launch activities.

The 48-hour auction will begin on Monday, June 28 at 8 p.m. ET at nft.usatoday.com, powered by Origins NFT Launchpad. Gannett will also be offsetting the NFT footprint with carbon credits. For more details and the controlling terms and conditions applicable to the auction, visit nft.usatoday.com.

ABOUT GANNETT

Gannett Co., Inc. (NYSE: GCI) is a subscription-led and digitally focused media and marketing solutions company committed to empowering communities to thrive. With an unmatched reach at the national and local level, Gannett touches the lives of millions with our Pulitzer Prize-winning content, consumer experiences and benefits, and advertiser products and services. Our current portfolio of media assets includes USA TODAY, local media organizations in 46 states in the U.S., and Newsquest, a wholly owned subsidiary operating in the United Kingdom with more than 120 local news media brands. Gannett also owns the digital marketing services companies ReachLocal, Inc., UpCurve, Inc., and WordStream, Inc., which are marketed under the LOCALiQ brand, and runs the largest media-owned events business in the U.S., USA TODAY NETWORK Ventures. To connect with us, visit http://www.gannett.com.

ABOUT USA TODAY

Founded in 1982, USA TODAY reflects the pulse of the nation, serving as host of the American conversation by delivering high-quality, engaging content through unique visual storytelling across all platforms. A media innovator, USA TODAY reaches more than 90M unique visitors each month across digital platforms, with more than 25 million downloads of our award-winning app. USA TODAY is owned by Gannett Co., Inc. (NYSE: GCI).

ABOUT THE GANNETT FOUNDATION

The Gannett Foundation supports communities across the country and invests in community-building initiatives that positively impact the neighborhoods we share. In addition, the Foundation supports the development of diversity in the journalism field, invests in issues important to our employees, and provides opportunities and a national platform for consumers to raise ideas and community solutions to support services for historically underserved groups. We are one community with our consumers, business partners, and employees, building a better tomorrow together.

ABOUT THE AIR FORCE SPACE & MISSILE MUSEUM FOUNDATION

The primary mission of the Air Force Space & Missile Museum Foundation is to raise funds for and provide financial and other support to the Air Force Space and Missile Museum to advance its mission to collect, restore, and exhibit items of historical significance which relate to the development and heritage of U.S. Space Force space launch activities. This unique museum highlights the Space Force as a major participant in Americas space program and emphasizes activities at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station beginning in early 1950 and continuing today. Donations support the ongoing programs, refurbishment of displays, and general support for maintaining the history of Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, the U.S Space Program, and the preservation of our rocket and missile artifacts and exhibits.

ABOUT ORIGIN

Origin Protocol is building a commerce platform to bring NFTs and DeFi to the masses. Origins NFT Launchpad helps creators unlock new forms of fan engagement and monetization, while giving them direct control over content and branding. The Origin NFT Launchpad is known for hosting record-breaking NFT sales, including the most successful viral video/meme NFT sale of all time with Charlie Bit My Finger, and the most successful music NFT sale with musician and producer 3LAU. The platform has raised more than $14M of gross sales since late Feb 2021, partnering with world-known artists and influencers including Ryan Tedder, Bassjackers, Lupe Fiasco, Mike Dean, Shepard Fairey, and Jake Paul. The Origin Token (OGN) is a governance token of the Origin commerce platform which powers the network, and is available in top crypto exchanges including Coinbase, Binance and Crypto.com.

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Gannett Launches Its First Non-Fungible Token - Business Wire

Test Gods: Virgin Galactic And The Making Of A Modern Astronaut; Penguin Random House UK, Pgs 352; 799 (Courtesy: Penguin Random House)

As Schmidle points out in the book, Branson, Bezos and SpaceX founder Elon Musk have distinct visions for their journeys to space. While Virgin Galactic hopes to carry passengers on a sub-orbital flight, Blue Origin is interested in deep space exploration too. The most ambitious is Musk, who hopes to colonise Mars one day.

With Mark Stucky, however, the author takes the reader on a deeply personal journey, right from his early days as a boy who was born to fly. Inspired by the pioneering aviator John Glenn, and his missions to space in 1962, a three-year-old Stucky told his father he would one day become an astronaut. His first experiences of hang gliding, skydiving with goggles stolen from a chemistry lab and a dodgy parachute, life in the Marine Corps, becoming a pilot with US space agency Nasa and flying the worlds fastest spy jet, serving with the air force during the war in IraqSchmidle puts you on the shoulder of a successful pilot and his passion for flying. The author is no stranger to this feeling. His father, Robert, was a decorated fighter pilot.

Also read: When space is more than rocket science

The triumphs and journey of taking people to space are also dotted with tragic moments. In 2014, Stucky saw one of his closest friends and co-pilots, Michael Alsbury, die in a crash of the Virgin SpaceShipTwo space vehicle VSS Enterprise. Schmidle poignantly describes the small margins of error and the risks that come with the job.

It was a simple technical mistake by Alsbury, an experienced test pilot, that led to the crash as aerodynamic forces tore the ship apart. The tragedy hit Stucky hard but didnt deter him. An expectation of sudden death came with the job; test pilots learned to metabolize mortality differently than the rest of us, Schmidle writes.

Virgin Galactic's VSS Unity, piloted by CJ Sturckow and Dave Mackay, is released from its mothership, VMS Eve, on the way to its first spaceflight after launch from Spaceport America, New Mexico, U.S. May 22, 2021 in a still image from video. (Virgin Galactic/Handout via REUTERS)

There is, of course, the elation of flying to space, experiencing weightlessness and returning safely to Earth. In December 2018, Stucky and his co-pilot Frederick Sturckow, also a former Nasa astronaut, took the SpaceShipTwo more than 51 miles (roughly around 82.7km) above Earth, a mark used by the US to denote the beginning of space. This was a major boost for Virgin Galacticand the industry is expecting much more, in the form of commercial operations for instance, by the end of the year.

For those who can afford it and the ones with the right risk appetite, nothing else comes close to space travel, says Schmidle. A Himalayan expedition seemed almost pedestrian by comparison.

This brings up another question, recently posed by the Associated Press: As private space flight picks up speed, who should be called an astronaut? What do we call the people who are reportedly willing to pay up to $55 million for a seat on a space rocket? Amateur astronauts or space tourists? Space sightseers or rocket riders? Schmidles book leads you to some answers. But more importantly, it takes you on a well-reported journey on what inspires people to chase their dreams.

Also read: Egos clash as Bezos, Musk compete in the modern space race

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From Richard Branson to Jeff Bezos, space tourism takes flight - Livemint

As an oncologist, Adam Dicker has seen how cancer treatments can pummel the body to knock out tumors, sometimes leading to deteriorating bones, more infections, and haywire sleep cycles. But others have observed similar ailments in a group of healthy people: astronauts who spend time in space.

Next year, Dicker and fellow researchers at Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University will launch three studies of how space travel affects aspects of the human body immunity, microbes in urine, and stress as part of the first private mission to the International Space Station. Researchers believe that the unique environment in space can also shed light on human health on Earth.

I never thought Id ever do a project in space, said Paul H. Chung, assistant professor of urology at Sidney Kimmel Medical College, who is involved in one of the space studies. Most people dont even know the logistics of how someone would do a project in space.

The eight-day mission is the first of its kind to be approved by NASA. Organized by Axiom Space, on Jan. 22, 2022, a SpaceX rocket will ferry four paying passengers to the International Space Station along with 44 scientific experiments commissioned by the Ramon Foundation and the Israel Space Agency. So far one passenger, former Israeli fighter pilot Eytan Stibbe, has volunteered to participate in the studies.

Dicker, professor and chair of radiation oncology at Jefferson, said the immune system in particular takes a beating in both astronauts and people undergoing cancer treatment.

Astronauts arent as immunosuppressed as cancer patients, but thematically we saw a linkage, Dicker said. No one has really studied the immune system in a comprehensive way with astronauts.

Astronauts who have previously returned from space missions have become easy targets for viruses that were lying dormant in their bodies for years, like the herpes virus that causes shingles. To figure out how space might weaken the immune system, Dickers team will collect blood from the participating space travelers before and after their journey and measure more than 7,000 proteins. Previous studies have measured changes to DNA, but measuring proteins which are made based on DNA and carry out tasks in the body gets closer to what matters, Dicker said.

Hes hoping to see patterns in groups of immune proteins that rise or fall while the astronauts are in space, which could point to ways to improve immune function for astronauts and Earth-dwellers alike.

For cancer patients, Dicker said this could shed light on how the immune system responds to the stressors of treatment, which mirror an astronauts experience in space: physical stress, emotional stress, gastrointestinal problems, disturbed sleep.

Chung is counting on space to help him study the microbiome, the trillions of microscopic organisms living inside the human body. Theres a myth that urine is sterile, but as a urologist, Chung knows better; its actually full of microbes like bacteria and fungi. The microbiome is better studied in the digestive system, where the more friendly varieties of bacteria can help digestion while others can cause discomfort. But the urinary microbiome is murkier, and scientists still dont know how it changes, Chung said.

Putting someone in space and studying the microbiome is kind of the most extreme thing that you could potentially do in regards to diet and gravity, Chung said. If we can see changes in the microbiome in space, then that will help us to better understand how changes in the microbiome may occur on Earth.

Urine is also no laughing matter in space: Being unable to urinate warrants a NASA rescue mission, and astronauts are at high risk of developing kidney stones or urinary tract infections.

Astronauts will use a mess-free apparatus similar to toilets on board the shuttle to collect and freeze urine. Back on Earth, scientists will sequence the genetic material in the urine to figure out what types of microbes it contains.

Its trickier to collect human samples in outer space than in Philadelphia. Dicker decided not to collect blood samples while the astronauts were in space because of the risk of making them anemic and the weight and cost the equipment would add to the delicately balanced space shuttle.

In a third study, Jefferson brain scientists will continue their ongoing investigation into how the stress of space travel affects sleep and health.

Dicker hopes this mission is just a starting point and may help prepare for future trips: The space station is suborbital, which means conditions wont be as extreme as what astronauts might encounter traveling to proposed destinations like Mars.

This is the beginning of a road map, Dicker said. Its completely uncharted.

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Jefferson research looks to outer space to learn about human health on Earth - The Philadelphia Inquirer

Virgin Galactic took a giant step towards its goal of making space tourism a reality over the weekend.

On Saturday, the companys space plane, the VSS Unity, successfully made it to the edge of space before returning safely back to Earth, reports CNBC. The flight was the companys third successful crewed space flight and first in more than two years.

The companys latest flight took off from Spaceport America in Truth or Consequences, New Mexico at approximately 10:35 am Saturday. The VSS Unity, which was piloted by CJ Sturckow and Dave Mackay, was carried by its mothership, Virgins VMS Eve, until reaching an altitude of 44,000 feet. At that point, the plane released, fired its engine and rocketed towards the edge of space at more than three times the speed of sound.

Once there, or at about 55.45 miles above the surface of the planet, the plane performed a slow backflip in microgravity, which was captured in video shared on YouTube. The US government recognizes 50 miles above the Earths surface as the edge of space. Backflip complete, the VSS Unity began its graceful glide back down to the earth and crowd of onlookers, including founder Richard Branson, waiting for it back at Spaceport America. It landed at 11:43 am, meaning the entire flight lasted just over an hour.

The VSS Unity fires its rocket engine over New MexicoVirgin Galactic/Youtube

Space travel is a bold and adventurous endeavor, and I am incredibly proud of our talented team for making the dream of private space travel a reality, Virgin Galactic CEO Michael Colglazier said in a statement. We will immediately begin processing the data gained from this successful test flight, and we look forward to sharing news on our next planned milestone.

Saturdays flight, which was originally planned for last December, was Virgin Galactics third successful crewed space flight, and first since February 2019. The first took place two months earlier, in December 2018. The previous flights took off from Mojave Air and Spaceport in California, where the company was formerly based. Virgin Galactic moved its operations to Truth or Consequences in 2019.

Virgin Galactic has three more space flights planned before the end of the year, reports The Verge. The first will carry two pilots and four of the companys employees, and the second will include Branson himself. (Hey, the boss has dreams, too.) The third will carry members of the Italian Air Force and is expected to generate $2 million in revenue.

Virgin Galactic still has two remaining Federal Aviation Administration milestones it has to pass before it can conduct regular space flights. The company sounded hopeful that the information gathered from Saturdays flight will put it on pace to begin commercial operations next year, though. When it does finally get the green light from the agency, there are plenty of customers ready and waiting for their cosmic adventure. The company already has over 600 reservations, with tickets costing between $225,000 and $250,000 for the hour-long space flight.

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Watch the Virgin Galactic Spaceship Soar at the Edge of Space - Robb Report

Space tourism is a newly introduced luxury that will potentially become reality very soon. There are numerrous companies trying to scale their technology to make this possible. Take for example Jeff Bezos Blue Origin, which is currently open for bids for a seat on its New Shepard flight planned for July 2021 (current high bid: $2.8 million). Elon Musks SpaceX and Japanese entrepreneur Yusaku Maezaw also announced a new project named dearMoon, which will enable 8 civilians to join a week-long Starship mission around the Moon in 2023. These are just two of the biggest names in space travel, with many more smaller companies ramping up their operations with scalable space-travel in mind.

Indeed, as the prospects of space travel are slowly becoming more promising, one cant help but wonder: am I cut out for space travel? Can my body handle the rigors of outer space? After all, venturing into space is by no means for the faint-hearted. The body undergoes a significant amount of change, including functioning in reduced gravity, being exposed to solar radiation, and undergoing muscle atrophy just to name a few of the many health effects.

Since the beginning of space travel nearly 60 years ago, the scientific community has invested significant resources in understanding what exactly happens to the human body during space travel.

A recent report published in Nature describes a study undertaken to determine how muscle mass and strength is affected during spaceflight. The study, conducted in collaboration with the University of Tsukuba, set two murine [mouse] experimental groups in orbit for 35days aboard the International Space Station, under artificial earth-gravity (artificial 1g; AG) and microgravity (g; MG), to investigate whether artificial 1g exposure prevents muscle atrophy at the molecular level. The results were definitely jarring. The paper authors explain that their main findings indicated that AG onboard environment prevented changes under microgravity in soleus muscle not only in muscle mass and fiber type composition but also in the alteration of gene expression profiles. In particular, transcriptome analysis suggested that AG condition could prevent the alterations of some atrophy-related genes.

These findings are congruent with that of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). In fact, a NASA fact sheet explains: the absence of gravity makes working in a spacecraft physically undemanding. On Earth, we must constantly use certain muscles to support ourselves against the force of gravity. These muscles, commonly called antigravity muscles, include the calf muscles, the quadriceps and the muscles of the back and neck. Because astronauts work in a weightless environment, very little muscle contraction is needed to support their bodies or move around. The fact sheet provides startling statistics: Studies have shown that astronauts experience up to a 20 percent loss of muscle mass on spaceflights lasting five to 11 days [] Astronauts on the International Space Station spend 2 1/2 hours per day exercising to combat the effects of muscle atrophy.

View of the Earth rising above the lunar horizon photographed from the Apollo 10 Lunar Module, ... [+] (Snoopy) as it orbited around the moon, May 1969. (Photo by NASA/Underwood Archives/Getty Images)

Other aspects of human spaceflight are equally worth considering. According to NASA, the first hazard on their list is exposure to space radiation, which the agency states increases cancer risk, damages the central nervous system, can alter cognitive function, reduce motor function and prompt behavioral changes. Moreover, the agency lists Isolation and confinement and Hostile/closed environments as two other prominent concerns, highlighting that space travel has significant impacts on mental and behavioral health, in addition to the physical toll.

The European Space Agency has teamed up with five particle accelerators in Europe that can recreate cosmic radiation by shooting atomic particles to speeds approaching the speed of light. Researchers have been bombarding biological cells and materials with radiation to understand how to best protect astronauts.

The research is paying off, according to physicist Marco Durante, who also explains that Lithium is standing out as a promising material for shielding in planetary missions.

NASAs Human Research Program (HRP) is another pioneer in the research arena. The agency partners with external entities in researching and developing innovative approaches to reduce risks to humans on long-duration exploration missions, including NASAs Journey to Mars.One of these partnerships is the Translational Research Institute for Space Health (TRISH) []The mission of the TRISH is to lead a national effort in translating cutting edge emerging terrestrial biomedical research and technology development into applied space flight human risk mitigation strategies for human exploration missions.

WASHINGTON, DC - MAY 9: Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon, Blue Origin and owner of The Washington Post ... [+] via Getty Images, introduces the newly developed lunar lander "Blue Moon" and gives an update on Blue Origin and the progress and vision of going to space to benefit Earth at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. (Photo by Jonathan Newton / The Washington Post via Getty Images)

There are still so many intricacies to delve into and so much research yet to be done with regards to the effects of space travel on the human body. Indeed, as the new-age space race and interest in space tourism continues to accelerate, only time will tell as to how humanity will confront the challenges and experiences that this new frontier entails.

Link:

As Interest In Space Tourism Booms, New Research Shows What May Happen To The Body In Space - Forbes