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Ramin Skibba

Here’s a Sneak Peek at the Far-Out Future of Space Travel

From Star Trek–like medical scanners to concepts for off-planet agriculture like in The Expanse , science fiction has often inspired actual research at NASA and other space agencies. This week, researchers are meeting at a virtual conference for the NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) program to brainstorm and investigate sci-fi-like ideas, some of which may very well shape the missions of the next 20 years.

A drone helicopter hopping about a Martian crater or a lunar rover that maps moon ice might have seemed far-fetched a decade ago, but the copter actually flew earlier this year, and the rover is in the planning stages. Now the conference organizers have solicited proposals for more exploratory projects, a few of which the agency might eventually fund. “We invest in long-term, far-out technologies, and most of them probably won’t work. The ones that do might change everything. It’s high risk, high payoff, almost like a venture capital investment portfolio,” says Jason Derleth, the NIAC program executive.

The program isn’t focused on incremental developments but instead seeks game-changing technologies, ones that are 10 times better than the state of the art, Derleth says. He likens it to the Pentagon’s Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, which also explores extremely speculative concepts but developed the precursor to the modern internet, among other innovations.

The annual conference , which continues through Thursday, September 23, is publicly viewable on NIAC’s livestream . Some of the proposals discussed so far—such as for new ways to launch foldable space stations or astronaut habitats, or to extract resources from other worlds—revolve around the understanding that, for lengthy space voyages, you have to make the most of every rocket launch.

The next generation of space travelers will need resources for survival, for protective structures, and to fuel the journey further or return home. “This leaves us with two options: Take everything with us, like if you were going on a hiking trip in the desert. Or find new and creative ways to use whatever is already there,” says Amelia Greig, an aerospace engineer at University of Texas at El Paso, who presented at the conference on Tuesday.

To aid creative reuse of lunar resources, Greig and her colleagues propose a technology called ablative arc mining, which would slurp up water ice and the kinds of metals that could be used as building materials. “It’s like using controlled lightning bolts to mine the moon,” she said during her presentation. Her concept describes a van-sized moon crawler—named after the Jawa sandcrawlers of Star Wars —that picks a spot, and then places a ringed device that it carries on its front end parallel to the ground. Electric arcs zap across the ring, which can be made as large as a meter in diameter, ripping particles from the moon’s surface. Those particles, now charged, can then be moved and sorted by the machine’s electromagnetic fields. That way, rather than scoping just one resource, a single piece of equipment could fill one container with water, another with oxygen attached to other elements, and others with silicon, aluminum, or other metal particles.

Reece Rogers

David Gilbert

Scott Gilbertson

Andy Greenberg

An artistic representation of the ablative arc mining system deployed into a crater near the lunar south pole.

But, like all early concepts, it faces practical challenges that would have to be overcome: In this case, the moon’s dusty environment could cause problems by getting stuck in the machinery, which would have to be made dust-proof. To hunt for water ice, the crawlers also will have to trundle into permanently shadowed craters, which contain water at about 6 percent by mass but are extremely cold and dark. The crawlers’ electronics would have to be designed to operate in those rugged conditions and with a non-solar power source. It also would be tough for any astronaut to oversee them, though they could monitor the mining from the crater’s rim. NASA estimates that permanent lunar settlements will need around 10,000 kilograms of water per year. That would require at least 20 of these kinds of crawlers roving about, gradually collecting those supplies, unless this technology was supplemented with something else. For now, Greig just hopes to test a smaller demonstration version of the crawler in a few years.

Space mining projects have also prompted ethical questions. For example, scientists and others have raised concerns about lunar mining permanently changing the look of the moon in the night sky. But Greig points out that ablative arc mining wouldn’t look like the environmentally harmful pit mines on Earth; the mining region could be spread out, making some craters only slightly deeper. And as for sustainability issues, she says, “there’s enough water to last human settlements hundreds of years.”

Stop-motion representation of the arc mining process on the lunar surface.

As a potential launching point for moon-goers and expeditions to deep space, NASA has proposed a space station orbiting the moon called the Lunar Gateway . But Zachary Manchester, a roboticist at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, argues that the limited size of rockets allows few options for launching large structures for a lunar station. “If you want something that’s bigger than a rocket fairing, which is at most a few meters, it has to get launched in multiple rockets and assembled in orbit, like the International Space Station . Or it has to somehow get scrunched up into that rocket and then somehow expand out,” Manchester says.

At a session Wednesday, he and Jeffrey Lipton, a mechanical engineer at the University of Washington, proposed a space station that would fit into that confined space. Then, once deployed, it would unfold autonomously, like origami, into a full-sized structure, some 150 times bigger than its folded size. Preliminary designs involve a many-jointed structure made of titanium, aluminum, or another metal.

Since future astronauts will likely be on-station for a while, it would need to rotate to generate artificial gravity to avoid the deleterious health effects of prolonged periods in zero-G. But humans are sensitive to spinning; no one wants to live on a merry-go-round. “If you try to build a rotating space habitat, the only way to do it without making people motion-sick is to spin at up to two revolutions per minute,” Manchester says. To produce Earth-like gravity, such a space station needs to be a kilometer across, he argues. Yet squishing such a massive structure into a tiny space until it’s deployed poses a significant engineering challenge. In addition, to make their idea a reality, Manchester and Lipton ultimately need to figure out how to make the unfolding process not get jammed, despite the structure’s thousands of links and joints.

An artist's illustration of the Lunar Gateway in orbit around the moon.

Like packing for the biggest road trip ever, NASA will face similar challenges when fitting everything needed for moon or Mars structures onto rockets. To lighten the load, some scientists have suggested using Martian rocks as material for 3D-printing parts of structures. (A simulated lunar regolith is currently being test-printed aboard the International Space Station.) But Lynn Rothschild, an astrobiologist at NASA Ames Research Center in Mountain View, California, has a completely different idea: making structures out of mushrooms—or “mycotecture,” as she calls it. “The humble mushroom can provide an unbelievable building material. It’s completely natural, compostable, and the ultimate green building,” Rothschild says.

Although fungi could be used to grow the material for actual bricks and mortar that astronauts could use for construction, the best kind of space habitat would be assembled before they even arrive. Her team’s proposal involves launching a lander that would include plastic scaffolding and fungal mycelia, white filaments that make the root structure of fungi. (Like yeasts, mycelia can survive for a while without being fed.) The scaffolding would be a lattice of square hollow plastic cells, stitched into layers to make the shape of the final structure. On Mars, it would inflate to perhaps the size of a garage. Using water and oxygen—at least some of which would likely have been sourced or generated on Mars—the fungi would grow along those stitches and fill the cells, eventually turning a tent-like structure into a full-fledged building.

For strength and protection from space radiation, Rothschild thinks some kind of dark fungi could do the trick. “Black fungi—they make you say ‘Blecch,’ they look kind of disgusting. But the black pigment tends to protect from radiation, protecting the fungi and the people inside the habitat,” Rothschild says. She hopes to send a prototype to the International Space Station in the next few years.

Unlike the moon, Mars was once friendly to life . So Rothschild is designing the scaffolding to prevent any chance of renegade fungi escaping beyond the astronauts’ structures. (The last thing NASA wants is for a search for life on other worlds to turn up something that actually came from Earth .) In her team’s design, the fungi are essentially “double-bagged,” with an extra layer in the plastic lattice to ensure they all stay in.

To address those issues, space agencies have “planetary protection” experts like Moogega Cooper, supervisor of the Biotechnology and Planetary Protection Group at Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, who spoke at the NIAC conference. “Anywhere you are possibly interacting with liquid water that is inherent to the place, your exploring would definitely catch our attention. Where you find water you may find life,” she says. The United States is one of the original signatories of the Outer Space Treaty, which requires that every space agency or company that wants to send a mission to an alien world make sure the spacecraft and all the equipment aboard are sterilized.

While the NIAC program has a budget of just $8.5 million per year, it supports many exploratory projects. A few of the ideas presented at this week’s conference could go on to the next level, or could get picked up by other agencies or private companies, as in the case of an earlier proposal to propel a smartphone-sized spacecraft to another stellar system with lasers, which inspired Breakthrough Starshot, a privately funded enterprise. Among a few of the topics on the menu for the rest of Wednesday and Thursday: multiple presentations about moon-based radio telescopes , as well as one about personal rovers for astronauts (since Artemis astronauts will be carrying 220-pound packs) and one about planting mushrooms in space regolith to make a more Earth-like growing soil.

“All of the concepts that are awarded are pushing the edge of our understanding, and they really allow us to take science fiction and make it science fact,” Cooper says.

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Interstellar Travel: Magnetic Fusion Plasma Engines Could Carry Us Across the Solar System and Beyond

By Matt Williams, Universe Today October 22, 2023

Florian Neukart, an Assistant Professor at the Leiden Institute, has proposed the Magnetic Fusion Plasma Drive (MFPD) as a novel space propulsion method. This concept combines fusion propulsion, ionic propulsion, and more, promising high energy density and fuel efficiency.

Florian Neukart introduces the Magnetic Fusion Plasma Drive, a revolutionary propulsion method combining fusion and ionic techniques. Offering immense energy density and numerous advantages, it could redefine space exploration, although challenges in sustaining fusion reactions in space remain.

Missions to the Moon, missions to Mars , robotic explorers to the outer Solar System, a mission to the nearest star, and maybe even a spacecraft to catch up to interstellar objects passing through our system. If you think this sounds like a description of the coming age of space exploration, then you’d be correct! At this moment, there are multiple plans and proposals for missions that will send astronauts and/or probes to all of these destinations to conduct some of the most lucrative scientific research ever performed. Naturally, these mission profiles raise all kinds of challenges, not the least of which is propulsion.

Simply put, humanity is reaching the limits of what conventional (chemical) propulsion can do. To send missions to Mars and other deep space destinations, advanced propulsion technologies are required that offer high acceleration (delta-v), specific impulse ( I sp ), and fuel efficiency. In a recent paper, Leiden Professor Florian Neukart proposes how future missions could rely on a novel propulsion concept known as the Magnetic Fusion Plasma Drive (MFPD). This device combines aspects of different propulsion methods to create a system that offers high energy density and fuel efficiency significantly greater than conventional methods.

What will it take before human beings can travel to the nearest star system within their own lifetimes? Credit: Shigemi Numazawa/ Project Daedalus

Florian Neukart is an Assistant Professor with the Leiden Institute of Advanced Computer Science (LIACS) at Leiden University and a Board Member of the Swiss quantum technology developer Terra Quantum AG . The preprint of his paper recently appeared online and is being reviewed for publication in Elsevier .

Why the Need for Advanced Propulsion?

According to Neukart, technologies that can surmount conventional chemical propulsion (CCP) are paramount in the present era of space exploration. In particular, these technologies must offer greater energy efficiency, thrust, and capability for long-duration missions.

This is especially true for missions to Mars and other locations beyond the Earth-Moon system, which pose serious risks to astronaut health, safety, and well-being. Even when Earth and Mars are at their closest every 26 months (a Mars Opposition ), it can take up to 9 months to make a one-way transit to the planet. Combined with surface operations that could last up to a year and the nine-month return trip, missions to Mars could last up to 900 days! During this time, astronauts will be exposed to elevated levels of cosmic and solar radiation, not to mention the toll of long periods spent in microgravity will have on their bodies.

Hence, NASA and other space agencies are actively investigating alternate means of propulsion. As noted in a previous article, “ How Long Would It Take To Travel To The Nearest Star? ,” these concepts are also considered potential means for achieving interstellar travel for decades. They include fuel-efficient concepts like electric or ion propulsion, which utilize electromagnetic fields to ionize inert propellant (like xenon gas) and accelerate it through nozzles to generate thrust. However, these concepts generally produce low thrust and must rely on heavy power sources (solar arrays or nuclear reactors) to generate more.

Artist’s depiction of the IKAROS spaceprobe ( the first spacecraft to successfully demonstrate solar sail technology in interplanetary space) in flight. Credit: Andrzej Mirecki

Solar Sails are another option, which can generate continuous acceleration while requiring no propellant (thereby saving on mass). However, missions equipped with this technology are limited in terms of thrust and must operate closer to the Sun. A twist on the idea is to employ Gigawatt-energy (GWe) laser arrays to accelerate spacecraft equipped with sails to relativistic speeds (a fraction of the speed of light). However, this concept requires expensive infrastructure and tremendous amounts of power in order to be feasible.

Nuclear and Fusion Propulsion

Another popular concept is nuclear thermal propulsion (NTP), which NASA and DARPA are currently developing in the form of the Demonstration Rocket for Agile Cislunar Operations (DRACO). This method relies on a nuclear reactor to heat propellant (like liquid hydrogen), causing it to expand through nozzles to generate thrust. The benefits of NTP include very high energy density and significant acceleration, but it also comes with numerous technical and safety challenges involving the handling and launching of nuclear materials.

A spacecraft powered by a positron reactor would resemble this artist’s concept of the Mars Reference Mission spacecraft. Credit: NASA

There are also propulsion concepts that harness fusion reactions, like Deuterium-Tritium (D-T) and Deuterium-Helium three (D-He3) reactions, something that theoretical scientists have been working with for decades. These methods offer the potential for high thrust and extremely high specific impulse but also present technical challenges, not the least of which are related to handling the necessary fuel and achieving sustained and controlled fusion reactions. There are also more exotic concepts, like antimatter propulsion and the Alcubierre Warp Drive, but none of these will be available in the foreseeable future.

Neukart’s Revolutionary Concept

And there’s Neukart’s proposal, which combines elements of fusion propulsion, ionic propulsion, and other concepts. As he explained to Universe Today via email:

“The MFPD is a propulsion system for space exploration, utilizing controlled nuclear fusion reactions as a primary energy source for both thrust and potential electric power generation. The system is predicated on harnessing the immense energy output from fusion reactions, typically involving isotopes of hydrogen or helium, to produce a high-velocity exhaust of particles, thereby generating thrust according to Newton’s third law.

“The plasma from the fusion reactions is confined and manipulated using magnetic fields, ensuring controlled energy release and directionality. Simultaneously, the MFPD concept envisages the possibility of converting part of the fusion energy into electrical power to sustain onboard systems and possibly the reaction control system of the spacecraft.”

Artist’s concept of a Bimodal Nuclear Thermal Rocket in Low Earth Orbit. Credit: NASA

To develop this concept, Nuekart began with deuterium-tritium (D-T) fusion reactions since it is one of the most researched and understood reactions and offers a clear and familiar basis for elaborating the core principles and mechanics of MFPD. Furthermore, Neukart added, D-T reactions have relatively low ignition temperatures and a higher cross-section than other concepts, making it a good “starting point.” Therefore, they provide a useful benchmark for measuring and comparing the performance of this theoretical propulsion system.

However, the ultimate goal of MFPD is to harness aneutronic fusion (p-B11), where very little of the energy released by the reactions is carried by neutrons. Aneutronic reactions, in contrast, release energy in the form of charged particles (typically protons or alpha particles), thereby significantly reducing the level of neutron radiation produced.

Advantages of MFPD

The advantages of this system are immediately apparent, combining high specific impulse and immense energy density and providing both thrust and power from a single energy source. Other benefits, said Neukert, include the following:

• High Specific Impulse: The MFPD can provide a high-specific impulse, delivering substantial velocity change (delta-v) to the spacecraft, facilitating missions to distant celestial bodies.
• Energy-Dense Fuel:  Fusion fuel, like isotopes of hydrogen, is incredibly energy-dense, potentially enabling extended missions without needing vast amounts of propellant.
• Lower Mass Fractions: The spacecraft might be designed with lower mass fractions dedicated to fuel storage, affording more mass allocation for scientific instruments or additional technologies.
• Dual Utility:  The MFPD is not just a propulsion system; it is also envisioned to provide electrical power for the spacecraft’s systems and instruments, which is crucial for long-duration missions.
• Adaptability: The potential to adjust the thrust and specific impulse, offering versatility for different mission phases, such as acceleration, cruising, and deceleration.
• Reduced Travel Time:  The potential for higher continuous thrust may significantly reduce transit times to distant destinations, mitigating risks related to cosmic radiation exposure and onboard resource management.
• Radiation Shielding:  Although challenging, the inherent magnetic and physical structures might be engineered to provide some level of radiation shielding for the spacecraft and crew, utilizing the plasma and magnetic fields.
• Independence from Solar Proximity:  Unlike solar sails or solar electric propulsion, the MFPD does not depend on proximity to the Sun; thus, it is viable for missions into the outer solar system and beyond.
• Minimized Risk of Nuclear Contamination:  Compared to nuclear-thermal or fission-electric concepts, the MFPD could be designed to minimize the risk of radioactive contamination, given that fusion, in general, requires less radioactive material and potentially allows for safer reactor shutdown.

Implications and Challenges

As to the implications this system could have for space exploration, Nuekart emphasized the ability to traverse vast cosmic distances in reduced timeframes, expanding mission profiles (fast transits to other planets in the Solar System and interstellar missions), mitigating the risks of long-duration space missions (exposure to radiation and microgravity), revolutionizing spacecraft design by providing propulsion and electrical power simultaneously, and enhancing human exploration capabilities.

Beyond that, he also foresees the potential for technological spin-offs in materials science, plasma physics, and energy production that could have applications here on Earth. The development of this system could also foster international collaborations, bringing experts and resources from multiple fields together to realize common exploratory objectives.

Of course, no next-generation technology proposal would be complete without some caveats and addendums. For instance, said Nuekart, the main challenge for MFPD propulsion lies in achieving and maintaining stable fusion relations in space. On Earth, researchers have made considerable progress with magnetic confinement (MCF) and inertial confinement fusion (ICF). The former involves Tokamok reactors using magnetic fields to confine fusion in the form of plasma, while the latter relies on lasers to compress and heat tablets of D-T fuel.

However, similar experiments have not been conducted in space, leading to questions about how the system will handle heat caused by reactions, the resulting radiation, and the structural implications for spacecraft. Nevertheless, the ball is already rolling on nuclear tests in space (the aforementioned DRACO demonstrator). Given the benefits of fusion propulsion, it’s not likely to remain on the drawing board for long. Ultimately, says Nuekart, the research into MFPD aims to establish a pathway that will lead to interplanetary and (someday) Interstellar exploration:

“While the journey to realize the MFPD concept will undeniably be layered with challenges and scientific hurdles, the potential payoff is monumental. Achieving reliable, effective, and efficient fusion propulsion could redefine the boundaries of achievable goals, propelling humanity into a new era of exploration, discovery, and understanding of the cosmos. The hope is that the research seeds curiosity, innovation, and determination among scientists, engineers, and explorers across the globe, charting the course toward our future among the stars.”

Adapted from an article originally published on Universe Today .

Reference: “Magnetic Fusion Plasma Drive” by Florian Neukart, 20 September 2023, Physics > General Physics . arXiv:2309.11524

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15 comments on "interstellar travel: magnetic fusion plasma engines could carry us across the solar system and beyond".

What’s the difference between this and a fusion torch drive, which scientists have been discussing since at least the late 1960s?

An important development to MFPD and other variations would be to accelerate ionized plasma to relativistic speeds. This could be done by designing the craft to essentially being a particle accelerator in space. Generate ionized plasma, accelerate using magnetized array to near light speeds, then controlled release into space for propulsion. Configurations could be large rings (plasma in both clockwise and counter directions to equalize thrust), tighter helical cylinders, or other geometries that allow continuous and repeated acceleration of plasma. This may be why UAP (UFOs) are saucer or cylindrical in shape. Warp speed (Cochran) is another matter, but something that would make a Mars run in a day would be pretty cool and useful.

Polonium photonic 210 584004336573921005

Plenty of cool artistic depictions and nothing more. It’s a relief though ’cause mankind really NEEDS to stay grounded on this space rock. Once our filth and our greed and our utter disregard for the balance of nature gets scattered throughout the galaxy, it’ll be the end of the universe. We can’t restrain ourselves from destroying this planet…, how in the world will we exercise restraint when/ if we do succeed in interstellar travel?

We only have hydrogen and oxygen as a propellant. All other ionic propellants are science fiction at best.

Hydrazine, JP4, JP5, hydrogen peroxide and many others have been in use for years. And all of those are chemical reactions which don’t use much of the available energy. A fusion-based drive would kick things up a major notch.

It’s sad that you use DALLE3(AI) to generate your primary content image. Yes, it’s super obvious. It detracts from the credibility of the article and by extension the entire website.

I tend to agree with Alexander H&O are the most conventional propellants available for normal lenght/time movement. UFOs, if real, don’t use these materials, from what we’ve ever seen. They appear to ‘go’ by using field modification controlled by ? Electro-magnetics? and features of the physical world which we’ve only talked about. Things like ‘worm-holes’ or they artist’s depiction of the saucer sliding between the gravitational field lines. I’m sorry, at my advanced age, I cannot help to observe that time and distance are not absolutes. If I’m talking tensor lengths and time being speed depend, well then we are looking for methods for travel enhancement in the wrong intellectual place.

I understood about half of this article but could you use electromagnets for propulsion?

Adjusting the field strength to go faster.

Why are we still not looking in to creating our own magnet field as a shield for a space craft by spinning magnets with mercury..

I think we already have something like this in a black program. I witnessed a very large craft with 6 large ion or plasma engines fly right over my car one night Nov. 21, 2008, just east of Kingman AZ, on I40 near Exit 66 and the Pedco truck stop. Each engine was massive, about the size and shape of a drive-in movie screen. 3 across and 2 rows. They glowed purple blue and white. The haze stretched out behind it at least 50 yards. It seemed to be in trouble, it had sparks dripping from the front and electrical arcing across the bottom. It was only 200 feet or less above my car, based on the details I could see on the bottom and the size of the sparks. I also thought about the angle I was looking up, was like looking at the buildings in Los Angeles from the 110. So about 20 or 30 floors, 200 or 300 feet. I said to myself and laughed, “I hope its one of ours.” I have been looking for clues to how those engines could be made that big, I did see a NASA spokesman talking about stacking small ion engines together to make larger ones, just like they do to make jumbo TV screens for ballparks. Maybe that’s what I saw. A craft in trouble flying low to avoid radar and coming in for repairs. It was the biggest thing I have ever seen in the sky, and I worked on the C-17 in the 80’s. It was much bigger than that. If anyone else has seen anything like this with the glowing engines, pleasae reply.

I wonder about the possibility of multiple people having this information in their brain and not being important enough to be heard on the subject. I have neither the expertise nor the educational background to know any of this, yet I do. I have never known why… This question has plagued me. My design has never been developed publicly. Yet I have this knowledge and my design… of much of what is spoken of in this article. I have received a world of criticism (especially based upon my lack of knowledge in this/these fields… yet I know). I wonder if it’s time to collate all that is known on this field/area of knowledge, in the hope to reveal an answer to the simplest of quedtions: How?

Most of the comments here are wishful thinking but we need to start research in this direction or we’re never going to leave this solar system. As for U.F.O.s, government secrecy leads unwarranted speculation.

SciThechDaily keeps churning up articles about revolutionary inventions, game-changers and disruptors every day. If they all were true, we’d already be out there in the outer space, fighting Klingons.

Excellent literature above! THANK EVERYONE

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Top five technologies needed for a spacecraft to survive deep space.

Mark A. Garcia

When a spacecraft built for humans ventures into deep space, it requires an array of features to keep it and a crew inside safe. Both distance and duration demand that spacecraft must have systems that can reliably operate far from home, be capable of keeping astronauts alive in case of emergencies and still be light enough that a rocket can launch it.

Artemis Missions near the Moon will start when NASA’s Orion spacecraft leaves Earth atop the world’s most powerful rocket, NASA’s Space Launch System . After launch from the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, Orion will travel beyond the Moon to a distance more than 1,000 times farther than where the International Space Station flies in low-Earth orbit, and farther than any spacecraft built for humans has ever ventured. To accomplish this feat, Orion has built-in technologies that enable the crew and spacecraft to explore far into the solar system.

Systems to Live and Breathe

As humans travel farther from Earth for longer missions, the systems that keep them alive must be highly reliable while taking up minimal mass and volume. Orion will be equipped with advanced environmental control and life support systems designed for the demands of a deep space mission. A high-tech system already being tested aboard the space station will remove carbon dioxide (CO2) and humidity from inside Orion. Removal of CO2 and humidity is important to ensure air remains safe for the crew breathing. And water condensation on the vehicle hardware is controlled to prevent water intrusion into sensitive equipment or corrosion on the primary pressure structure.

The system also saves volume inside the spacecraft. Without such technology, Orion would have to carry many chemical canisters that would otherwise take up the space of 127 basketballs (or 32 cubic feet) inside the spacecraft—about 10 percent of crew livable area. Orion will also have a new compact toilet, smaller than the one on the space station. Long duration missions far from Earth drive engineers to design compact systems not only to maximize available space for crew comfort, but also to accommodate the volume needed to carry consumables like enough food and water for the entirety of a mission lasting days or weeks.

Highly reliable systems are critically important when distant crew will not have the benefit of frequent resupply shipments to bring spare parts from Earth, like those to the space station. Even small systems have to function reliably to support life in space, from a working toilet to an automated fire suppression system or exercise equipment that helps astronauts stay in shape to counteract the zero-gravity environment in space that can cause muscle and bone atrophy. Distance from home also demands that Orion have spacesuits capable of keeping astronaut alive for six days in the event of cabin depressurization to support a long trip home.

Proper Propulsion

The farther into space a vehicle ventures, the more capable its propulsion systems need to be to maintain its course on the journey with precision and ensure its crew can get home.

Orion has a highly capable service module that serves as the powerhouse for the spacecraft, providing propulsion capabilities that enable Orion to go around the Moon and back on its exploration missions. The service module has 33 engines of various sizes. The main engine will provide major in-space maneuvering capabilities throughout the mission, including inserting Orion into lunar orbit and also firing powerfully enough to get out of the Moon’s orbit to return to Earth. The other 32 engines are used to steer and control Orion on orbit.

In part due to its propulsion capabilities, including tanks that can hold nearly 2,000 gallons of propellant and a back up for the main engine in the event of a failure, Orion’s service module is equipped to handle the rigors of travel for missions that are both far and long, and has the ability to bring the crew home in a variety of emergency situations.

The Ability to Hold Off the Heat

Going to the Moon is no easy task, and it’s only half the journey. The farther a spacecraft travels in space, the more heat it will generate as it returns to Earth. Getting back safely requires technologies that can help a spacecraft endure speeds 30 times the speed of sound and heat twice as hot as molten lava or half as hot as the sun.

When Orion returns from the Moon, it will be traveling nearly 25,000 mph, a speed that could cover the distance from Los Angeles to New York City in six minutes. Its advanced heat shield , made with a material called AVCOAT, is designed to wear away as it heats up. Orion’s heat shield is the largest of its kind ever built and will help the spacecraft withstand temperatures around 5,000 degrees Fahrenheit during reentry though Earth’s atmosphere.

Before reentry, Orion also will endure a 700-degree temperature range from about minus 150 to 550 degrees Fahrenheit. Orion’s highly capable thermal protection system, paired with thermal controls, will protect Orion during periods of direct sunlight and pitch black darkness while its crews will comfortably enjoy a safe and stable interior temperature of about 77 degrees Fahrenheit.

Radiation Protection

As a spacecraft travels on missions beyond the protection of Earth’s magnetic field, it will be exposed to a harsher radiation environment than in low-Earth orbit with greater amounts of radiation from charged particles and solar storms that can cause disruptions to critical computers, avionics and other equipment. Humans exposed to large amounts of radiation can experience both acute and chronic health problems ranging from near-term radiation sickness to the potential of developing cancer in the long-term.

Orion was designed from the start with built in system-level features to ensure reliability of essential elements of the spacecraft during potential radiation events. For example, Orion is equipped with four identical computers that each are self-checking, plus an entirely different backup computer, to ensure Orion can still send commands in the event of a disruption. Engineers have tested parts and systems to a high standard to ensure that all critical systems remain operable even under extreme circumstances.

Orion also has a makeshift storm shelter below the main deck of the crew module. In the event of a solar radiation event, NASA has developed plans for crew on board to create a temporary shelter inside using materials on board. A variety of radiation sensors will also be on the spacecraft to help scientists better understand the radiation environment far away from Earth. One investigation called AstroRad, will fly on Artemis I and test an experimental vest that has the potential to help shield vital organs and decrease exposure from solar particle events.

Constant Communication and Navigation

Spacecraft venturing far from home go beyond the Global Positioning System (GPS) in space and above communication satellites in Earth orbit. To talk with mission control in Houston, Orion will use all three of NASA’s space communications networks. As it rises from the launch pad and into cislunar space, Orion will switch from the Near Earth Network to the Space Network , made possible by the Tracking and Data Relay Satellites, and finally to the Deep Space Network that provides communications for some of NASA’s most distant spacecraft. 

Orion is also equipped with backup communication and navigation systems to help the spacecraft stay in contact with the ground and orient itself if it’s primary systems fail. The backup navigation system, a relatively new technology called optical navigation, uses a camera to take pictures of the Earth, Moon and stars and autonomously triangulate Orion’s position from the photos. Its backup emergency communications system doesn’t use the primary system or antennae for high-rate data transfer.

Experts weigh in: 3 ways new spacecraft changes space travel

The exploration upper stage’s safety, functionality and co-manifested capability pushes the boundaries of exploration..

July 13, 2023 in Space , Technology

Boeing experts explore three reasons why Exploration Upper Stage (EUS) is a spacecraft of the future.

Meet the experts

Name: Steve Snell Title: Boeing’s Space Launch System (SLS) deputy program manager and Boeing site leader at Michoud Assembly Facility Years at Boeing: 25

Name: James Savage Title: Boeing’s EUS chief engineer Years at Boeing: 19.5 years

EUS will be certified to carry humans to deep space, so it is designed and custom built with safety in mind.

• “Crew safety is our top priority,” Snell said. “That’s why we built EUS with redundancies in our systems. These measures safeguard astronauts and ensure the vehicle can stand against any challenging conditions it may face in flight.”

2: Functionality

EUS can operate autonomously, but it can also be operated by the spacecraft crew or by the ground control team — adding unique functionality.

• “For example, when the spacecraft has separated from EUS but is still within proximity, the crew in the spacecraft can command EUS to help them with the task at hand — like extracting payloads,” Savage explained.

3: Co-manifested capability

EUS enables deep space exploration with meaningful payload capabilities. In fact, it’s expected to send 40% more payload to the moon compared to the rocket’s previous configuration. That means with EUS, we can send co-manifested payloads – meaning a combination of crew and equipment such as small habitation modules or other scientific resources bundled as one payload.

• If you plan to cultivate a long-term, sustainable presence on the moon, you have to take significantly larger payloads with each mission.” Savage said. “EUS has the capacity that makes deploying these larger payloads into deep space possible.”

Why It matters

With 60 years of space exploration experience, Boeing is focused on what’s next.

• We need to push the boundaries of deep space exploration by further exploring the solar system,” Savage said. “The ground-breaking ability to do that sustainably and safely — with the necessary crew and cargo capacities — will be made possible by EUS.”

NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket – the nation’s next-generation, human-rated rocket – will enable  NASA’s Artemis program  and will carry people and cargo to the  moon , Mars and beyond. Boeing was selected by NASA to design, develop, test and produce the core stages, upper stages, and avionics suite for the SLS fleet of rockets. The first SLS rocket – featuring the Boeing-built Core Stage – successfully launched at 1:47 AM ET on November 16, 2022, as part of the Artemis I Mission. Production is currently underway for the Boeing-built core stages, upper stages (including Exploration Upper Stage) and avionics for future Artemis missions.

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SpaceX launches Bandwagon-1 spacecraft 'rideshare' mission Sunday from Kennedy Space Center

SpaceX's noteworthy Bandwagon-1 mission soared skyward Sunday night from NASA's Kennedy Space Center, lifting a South Korean national-security satellite and 10 other spacecraft into orbit.

Described as "a new line of rideshare missions that will deliver spacecraft to mid-inclination orbits" during SpaceX's launch broadcast, the Bandwagon-1 Falcon 9 rocket lifted off at 7:16 p.m. EDT from pad 39A .

Primary payload atop the 230-foot rocket: a Korea 425 satellite for the country's Defense Acquisition Program Administration. SpaceX launched the Korea 425 project's first satellite into low-Earth orbit last December from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.  

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SpaceX's other Bandwagon-1 launch customers were HawkEye 360, Tyvak International, iQPS, Capella Space and Tata Advanced Systems Limited.

"Rideshare missions significantly increase access to space for small satellite operators around the world. To date, SpaceX has launched nearly 1,000 smallsats for 130+ customers across our entire Rideshare program," SpaceX officials tweeted seven minutes before Sunday's liftoff.

The Falcon 9 first-stage booster returned for a landing at SpaceX's Landing Zone 1 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, sparking sonic booms while wrapping up its 14th mission. The booster previously launched SES-22, ispace's HAKUTO-R MISSION 1, Amazonas-6, CRS-27 and nine Starlink missions.

National Weather Service radar from the station at Melbourne Orlando International Airport showed clear, cloud-free skies across the Sunshine State peninsula leading up to liftoff. The Space Force's 45th Weather Squadron had predicted odds of "go for launch" weather would exceed 95%.

Tuesday, United Launch Alliance officials now expect 85% favorable weather  for the Delta IV Heavy rocket's historic last flight at 12:53 p.m. Tuesday from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

Then early Wednesday morning — though SpaceX has yet to publicly confirm this mission's existence — a Federal Aviation Administration advisory shows  the Starlink 6-48 launch window will open from midnight Tuesday to 4:31 a.m. Wednesday  at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

For the latest news and launch schedule from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and NASA's Kennedy Space Center, visit  floridatoday.com/space .

Rick Neale  is a Space Reporter at FLORIDA TODAY (for more of his stories,  click here .) Contact Neale at [email protected] . Twitter/X:  @RickNeale1

Space is important to us and that's why we're working to bring you top coverage of the industry and Florida launches. Journalism like this takes time and resources. Please support it with a subscription here.

This article originally appeared on Florida Today: SpaceX launches Bandwagon-1 spacecraft 'rideshare' mission Sunday from Kennedy Space Center

The future of spaceflight—from orbital vacations to humans on Mars

NASA aims to travel to the moon again—and beyond. Here’s a look at the 21st-century race to send humans into space.

Welcome to the 21st-century space race, one that could potentially lead to 10-minute space vacations, orbiting space hotels , and humans on Mars. Now, instead of warring superpowers battling for dominance in orbit, private companies are competing to make space travel easier and more affordable. This year, SpaceX achieved a major milestone— launching humans to the International Space Station (ISS) from the United States —but additional goalposts are on the star-studded horizon.

Private spaceflight

Private spaceflight is not a new concept . In the United States, commercial companies played a role in the aerospace industry right from the start: Since the 1960s, NASA has relied on private contractors to build spacecraft for every major human spaceflight program, starting with Project Mercury and continuing until the present.

Today, NASA’s Commercial Crew Program is expanding on the agency’s relationship with private companies. Through it, NASA is relying on SpaceX and Boeing to build spacecraft capable of carrying humans into orbit. Once those vehicles are built, both companies retain ownership and control of the craft, and NASA can send astronauts into space for a fraction of the cost of a seat on Russia’s Soyuz spacecraft.

SpaceX, which established a new paradigm by developing reusable rockets , has been running regular cargo resupply missions to the International Space Station since 2012. And in May 2020, the company’s Crew Dragon spacecraft carried NASA astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken to the ISS , becoming the first crewed mission to launch from the United States in nearly a decade. The mission, called Demo-2, is scheduled to return to Earth in August. Boeing is currently developing its Starliner spacecraft and hopes to begin carrying astronauts to the ISS in 2021.

Other companies, such as Blue Origin and Virgin Galactic , are specializing in sub-orbital space tourism. Test launch video from inside the cabin of Blue Origin’s New Shepard shows off breathtaking views of our planet and a relatively calm journey for its first passenger, a test dummy cleverly dubbed “Mannequin Skywalker.” Virgin Galactic is running test flights on its sub-orbital spaceplane , which will offer paying customers roughly six minutes of weightlessness during its journey through Earth’s atmosphere.

With these and other spacecraft in the pipeline, countless dreams of zero-gravity somersaults could soon become a reality—at least for passengers able to pay the hefty sums for the experience.

Early U.S. Spaceflight

Looking to the moon

Moon missions are essential to the exploration of more distant worlds. After a long hiatus from the lunar neighborhood, NASA is again setting its sights on Earth’s nearest celestial neighbor with an ambitious plan to place a space station in lunar orbit sometime in the next decade. Sooner, though, the agency’s Artemis program , a sister to the Apollo missions of the 1960s and 1970s, is aiming to put the first woman (and the next man) on the lunar surface by 2024.

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Extended lunar stays build the experience and expertise needed for the long-term space missions required to visit other planets. As well, the moon may also be used as a forward base of operations from which humans learn how to replenish essential supplies, such as rocket fuel and oxygen, by creating them from local material.

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Such skills are crucial for the future expansion of human presence into deeper space, which demands more independence from Earth-based resources. And although humans have visited the moon before, the cratered sphere still harbors its own scientific mysteries to be explored—including the presence and extent of water ice near the moon's south pole, which is one of the top target destinations for space exploration .

NASA is also enlisting the private sector to help it reach the moon. It has awarded three contracts to private companies working on developing human-rated lunar landers—including both Blue Origin and SpaceX. But the backbone of the Artemis program relies on a brand new, state-of-the-art spacecraft called Orion .

Archival Photos of Spaceflight

Currently being built and tested, Orion—like Crew Dragon and Starliner—is a space capsule similar to the spacecraft of the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo programs, as well as Russia’s Soyuz spacecraft. But the Orion capsule is larger and can accommodate a four-person crew. And even though it has a somewhat retro design, the capsule concept is considered to be safer and more reliable than NASA’s space shuttle—a revolutionary vehicle for its time, but one that couldn’t fly beyond Earth’s orbit and suffered catastrophic failures.

Capsules, on the other hand, offer launch-abort capabilities that can protect astronauts in case of a rocket malfunction. And, their weight and design mean they can also travel beyond Earth’s immediate neighborhood, potentially ferrying humans to the moon, Mars, and beyond.

A new era in spaceflight

By moving into orbit with its Commercial Crew Program and partnering with private companies to reach the lunar surface, NASA hopes to change the economics of spaceflight by increasing competition and driving down costs. If space travel truly does become cheaper and more accessible, it’s possible that private citizens will routinely visit space and gaze upon our blue, watery home world—either from space capsules, space stations, or even space hotels like the inflatable habitats Bigelow Aerospace intends to build .

The United States isn’t the only country with its eyes on the sky. Russia regularly launches humans to the International Space Station aboard its Soyuz spacecraft. China is planning a large, multi-module space station capable of housing three taikonauts, and has already launched two orbiting test vehicles—Tiangong-1 and Tiangong-2, both of which safely burned up in the Earth’s atmosphere after several years in space.

Now, more than a dozen countries have the ability to launch rockets into Earth orbit. A half-dozen space agencies have designed spacecraft that shed the shackles of Earth’s gravity and traveled to the moon or Mars. And if all goes well, the United Arab Emirates will join that list in the summer of 2020 when its Hope spacecraft heads to the red planet . While there are no plans yet to send humans to Mars, these missions—and the discoveries that will come out of them—may help pave the way.

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Warp drives: Physicists investigate faster-than-light space travel

The closest star to Earth is Proxima Centauri. It is about 4.25 light-years away, or about 25 trillion miles (40 trillion kilometers). The fastest ever spacecraft, the now- in-space Parker Solar Probe will reach a top speed of 450,000 mph. It would take just 20 seconds to go from Los Angeles to New York City at that speed, but it would take the solar probe about 6,633 years to reach Earth’s nearest neighboring solar system.

If humanity ever wants to travel easily between stars, people will need to go faster than light. But so far, faster-than-light travel is possible only in science fiction.

In Issac Asimov’s Foundation series , humanity can travel from planet to planet, star to star or across the universe using jump drives. As a kid, I read as many of those stories as I could get my hands on. I am now a theoretical physicist and study nanotechnology, but I am still fascinated by the ways humanity could one day travel in space.

Some characters – like the astronauts in the movies “Interstellar” and “Thor” – use wormholes to travel between solar systems in seconds. Another approach – familiar to “Star Trek” fans – is warp drive technology. Warp drives are theoretically possible if still far-fetched technology. Two recent papers made headlines in March when researchers claimed to have overcome one of the many challenges that stand between the theory of warp drives and reality.

But how do these theoretical warp drives really work? And will humans be making the jump to warp speed anytime soon?

Compression and expansion

Physicists’ current understanding of spacetime comes from Albert Einstein’s theory of general relativity . General relativity states that space and time are fused and that nothing can travel faster than the speed of light. General relativity also describes how mass and energy warp spacetime – hefty objects like stars and black holes curve spacetime around them. This curvature is what you feel as gravity and why many spacefaring heroes worry about “getting stuck in” or “falling into” a gravity well. Early science fiction writers John Campbell and Asimov saw this warping as a way to skirt the speed limit.

What if a starship could compress space in front of it while expanding spacetime behind it? “Star Trek” took this idea and named it the warp drive.

In 1994, Miguel Alcubierre, a Mexican theoretical physicist, showed that compressing spacetime in front of the spaceship while expanding it behind was mathematically possible within the laws of General Relativity . So, what does that mean? Imagine the distance between two points is 33 feet (10 meters). If you are standing at point A and can travel one meter per second, it would take 10 seconds to get to point B. However, let’s say you could somehow compress the space between you and point B so that the interval is now just one meter. Then, moving through spacetime at your maximum speed of one meter per second, you would be able to reach point B in about one second. In theory, this approach does not contradict the laws of relativity since you are not moving faster than light in the space around you. Alcubierre showed that the warp drive from “Star Trek” was in fact theoretically possible.

Proxima Centauri here we come, right? Unfortunately, Alcubierre’s method of compressing spacetime had one problem: it requires negative energy or negative mass.

A negative energy problem

Alcubierre’s warp drive would work by creating a bubble of flat spacetime around the spaceship and curving spacetime around that bubble to reduce distances. The warp drive would require either negative mass – a theorized type of matter – or a ring of negative energy density to work. Physicists have never observed negative mass, so that leaves negative energy as the only option.

To create negative energy, a warp drive would use a huge amount of mass to create an imbalance between particles and antiparticles. For example, if an electron and an antielectron appear near the warp drive, one of the particles would get trapped by the mass and this results in an imbalance. This imbalance results in negative energy density. Alcubierre’s warp drive would use this negative energy to create the spacetime bubble.

But for a warp drive to generate enough negative energy, you would need a lot of matter. Alcubierre estimated that a warp drive with a 100-meter bubble would require the mass of the entire visible universe .

In 1999, physicist Chris Van Den Broeck showed that expanding the volume inside the bubble but keeping the surface area constant would reduce the energy requirements significantly , to just about the mass of the Sun. A significant improvement, but still far beyond all practical possibilities.

A sci-fi future?

Two recent papers – one by Alexey Bobrick and Gianni Martire and another by Erik Lentz – provide solutions that seem to bring warp drives closer to reality.

Bobrick and Martire realized that by modifying spacetime within the bubble in a certain way, they could remove the need to use negative energy. This solution, though, does not produce a warp drive that can go faster than light.

Independently, Lentz also proposed a solution that does not require negative energy. He used a different geometric approach to solve the equations of general relativity, and by doing so, he found that a warp drive wouldn’t need to use negative energy. Lentz’s solution would allow the bubble to travel faster than the speed of light.

It is essential to point out that these exciting developments are mathematical models. As a physicist, I won’t fully trust models until we have experimental proof. Yet, the science of warp drives is coming into view. As a science fiction fan, I welcome all this innovative thinking. In the words of Captain Picard , things are only impossible until they are not.

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May 10, 2021

A new era of spaceflight? Promising advances in rocket propulsion

by Gareth Dorrian and Ian Whittaker, The Conversation

The US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (Darpa) has recently commissioned three private companies, Blue Origin, Lockheed Martin and General Atomics, to develop nuclear fission thermal rockets for use in lunar orbit.

Such a development, if flown, could usher in a new era of spaceflight. That said, it is only one of several exciting avenues in rocket propulsion . Here are some others.

Chemical rockets

The standard means of propulsion for spacecraft uses chemical rockets. There are two main types: solid fuelled (such as the solid rocket boosters on the Space Shuttle), and liquid fuelled (such as the Saturn V ).

In both cases, a chemical reaction is employed to produce a very hot, highly pressurized gas inside a combustion chamber. The engine nozzle provides the only outlet for this gas which consequently expands out of it, providing thrust.

The chemical reaction requires a fuel, such as liquid hydrogen or powdered aluminum, and an oxidiser (an agent that produces chemical reactions) such as oxygen. There are many other variables which ultimately also determine the efficiency of a rocket engine, and scientists and engineers are always looking to get more thrust and fuel efficiency out of a given design.

Recently, private company SpaceX has been conducting test flights of their Starship launcher prototype. This vehicle uses a "full-flow staged combustion (FFSC) engine," the Raptor , which burns methane for fuel and oxygen for oxidiser. Such designs were tested by the Russians in the 1960s and the US government in the 2000s, but as yet none has flown in space. The engines are much more fuel efficient and can generate a much higher thrust-to-weight ratio than traditional designs.

Fission thermal rockets

The nucleus of an atom consists of sub-atomic particles called protons and neutrons. These determine the mass of an element—the more protons and neutrons, the heavier it is. Some atomic nuclei are unstable and can be split into several smaller nuclei when bombarded with neutrons. This is the process of nuclear fission , and it can release an enormous amount of energy. As the nuclei decay, they also release more neutrons which go on to fissure more atoms—producing a chain reaction.

In a nuclear fission thermal rocket, a propellant gas, such as hydrogen, is heated by nuclear fission to high temperatures, creating a high pressure gas within the reactor chamber. Like with chemical rockets, this can only escape via the rocket nozzle, again producing thrust. Nuclear fission rockets are not envisaged to produce the kind of thrust necessary to lift large payloads from the surface of the Earth into space. Once in space though, they are much more efficient than chemical rockets—for a given mass of propellant, they can accelerate a spacecraft to much higher speeds.

Nuclear fission rockets have never been flown in space, but they have been tested on the ground. They should be able to shorten flight times between Earth and Mars from some seven months to about three months for future crewed missions. Obvious drawbacks, however, include the production of radioactive waste, and the possibility of a launch failure which could result in radioactive material being spread over a wide area.

A major engineering challenge is to sufficiently miniaturize a reactor so that it will fit on a spacecraft. There is already a burgeoning industry in the production of compact fission reactors, including the development of a fission reactor which is smaller than an adult human .

Electric propulsion

A staple of science fiction , real ion drives generate charged particles (ionization), accelerate them using electric fields and then fire them from a thruster. The propellant is a gas such as xenon, a fairly heavy element that can be easily electrically charged.

As the charged xenon atoms accelerate out of the thruster, they transfer a very small amount of momentum (the product of mass and velocity) to the spacecraft, providing gentle thrust. While slow, ion drives are among the most fuel-efficient of all spacecraft propulsion methods, so could get us further. Ion drives are commonly used for attitude control (changing which direction a spacecraft is facing) and have been considered for deorbiting old satellites .

Current ion engines are powered by solar cells , effectively making them solar powered, and requiring very little propellant. They have been used on Esa's SMART-1 mission to the Moon and Bepi-Colombo mission en-route to Mercury. Nasa are currently developing a high power electric propulsion system for the Lunar Gateway , an outpost which will orbit the Moon.

Solar sails

While propulsion usually requires propellant of some description, a more "green" method relying only on light from the Sun itself.

Sails rely on the physical property of conservation of momentum. On Earth, we are used to seeing this momentum as a dynamic pressure from air particles blowing into a sheet when sailing, propelling a vessel forwards . Light is comprised of photons , which have no mass, but they do have momentum and can transfer it to a sail. As the energies of individual photons are very small, an extremely large sail size is needed for any appreciable acceleration.

The speed gain will also depend on how far from the Sun you are. At Earth, the power received from sunlight is about 1.3 kW per square meter. If we had a sail the size of a football pitch, this would equate to 9.3 MW, providing a very low acceleration, even to a low mass object.

Solar sails have been tested by the Japanese IKAROS spacecraft which successfully flew by Venus, and the Planetary Society Lightsail-2 , which is presently in orbit around Earth.

A way of improving efficiency and reducing sail size is to use a laser to propel the spacecraft forward . Lasers produce very intense beams of photons which can be directed onto a sail to provide much higher acceleration, but would require being built in Earth orbit to avoid loss of intensity in the atmosphere. Lasers have also been proposed as a means of de-orbiting space junk—the light from the laser can slow down a piece of orbital junk, which would then fall out of orbit and burn up in the atmosphere.

The development of nuclear fission rockets may excite some and concern others. However, as private companies and national space agencies are increasingly committing to a sustained human presence in space, these alternative means of propulsion will become more mainstream and have the potential to revolutionize our nascent space-faring civilisation.

Provided by The Conversation

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3 predictions for the future of space exploration — including your own trips

Alejandra Marquez Janse

Mary Louise Kelly

Tinbete Ermyas

Peggy Whitson says more widely available space tourism is realistic. Axiom Space hide caption

Peggy Whitson says more widely available space tourism is realistic.

If you've ever traveled somewhere that left you so enthralled that you wanted to go back over and over, then you get how Peggy Whitson feels about space.

She is a seasoned astronaut who has multiple achievements under her belt: She was the first woman to command the International Space Station, and in 2017 broke the record for most cumulative days in space of any American and female astronaut, with a count of 665.

Whitson retired from NASA nearly five years ago, but last month, at age 63, she packed up the necklace she wore on her wedding day, zipped her spacesuit one more time, and took flight in a SpaceX capsule as commander of the Ax-2 mission. It was sponsored by a private company, Axiom Space, where she now works as the director of human spaceflight. Three paying crew members traveled with her.

After returning to Earth, Whitson spoke with All Things Considered host Mary Louise Kelly and shared a few thoughts about the future of space exploration.

This interview has been edited slightly for clarity and brevity.

The Ax-2 crew in a training session. The group, composed of Whitson (far left) and three paying costumers, spent nine days in space last month. Axiom Space hide caption

The Ax-2 crew in a training session. The group, composed of Whitson (far left) and three paying costumers, spent nine days in space last month.

1. Space exploration will be a mix of public and private money

If you look at even the NASA missions returning to the moon, lots of different private space companies are involved in that process. And that includes Axiom Space, for instance, who are building the spacesuits that will be used by the NASA astronauts as they step on the moon again. So it's exciting to be part of this changing philosophy of space and the efforts of commercial companies like Axiom Space. We intend to build the first commercial space station initially attached to the International Space Station, but to undock before the space station is decommissioned.

I think it's a worldwide relationship between different companies and peoples, and that's what makes it such a special time to be a part of the [Ax-2] mission, because [space exploration] is changing flavor and it's exciting because there are going to be many more opportunities in the future.

The Ax-2 crew returns to Earth. Could this be you one day? Axiom Space hide caption

2. More people will be able to go to space

Obviously some of it will take time to make it not cost-prohibitive, but the fact that we are taking those initial steps is really important now. If you look back at commercial aviation and how that occurred and the development of that process, you know, it also started off to be only a few people could be involved and then later more and more, and so now it's pretty commonplace. I like to think that we're doing some of the same steps in commercial spaceflight now.

3. The goals depend on the person — and the country — that's traveling

Well, the objective of the mission is slightly different, obviously. My personal roles and responsibilities of taking care of the crew and ensuring their safety obviously are very similar. But our objectives were, we had one private astronaut, John Shoffner, who was trying to develop science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) outreach products for educators in the future, as well as doing research. And then we had two government sponsored astronauts from Saudi Arabia – the first female Saudi Arabian to fly in space and go to the International Space Station – and the second male to arrive.

SpaceX mission returns from space station with ex-NASA astronaut, 3 paying customers

So the objectives of the crew weren't all that much different necessarily than a NASA mission, which is outreach and scientific investigations, but these were with the specific goals of expanding outreach in specific areas for Saudi – which hadn't had a person in space for 40 years – and, you know, to inspire their youth as well as inspiring the youth in the United States.

In partnership with GREAT Britain and Northern Ireland

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Amplifying space’s

Potential with quantum, the uk’s space economy soars to newer heights, propelled by growing government support for emerging technologies like quantum computing..

The stars are aligned for accelerated growth in the UK’s space economy, thanks to an active venture capital community, close collaboration, and a government that’s increasingly cognizant of quantum computing’s potential. Already, startups in the home-grown space industry are pioneering research that demonstrates the sector’s cutting-edge and world-leading capabilities.

Just take aerospace Space Forge . The firm is developing a manufacturing hub that will travel in and out of Earth’s atmosphere to enable the novel production of semiconductors and alloys in microgravity. By working in space, it can benefit from a purified environment, lower pressure, and extreme temperatures. According to a BBC article , Space Forge is one of a number of companies worldwide vying to make valuable products in the weightless conditions experienced in space.

There’s also Eutelsat Group , which is the newly combined company of geostationary orbit (GEO)-operator Eutelsat and low-earth orbit (LEO)-operator OneWeb. The company operates the second-largest fleet of satellites in the world, making up 85% of all UK satellites in orbit. The company “is the world’s first GEO-LEO satellite operator with a satellite and ground network operations center based in London,” says Gareth Alston, director for UK government affairs at Eutelsat OneWeb.

To fuel growth of companies like Eutelsat Group in its space sector, the UK has committed £2.5 billion to developing quantum technologies, doubling its current investment as part of its new quantum strategy from 2024 to 2034. With quantum’s ability to exponentially increase computing power and revolutionize industries from health care to space, it offers countless possibilities that are yet to be explored.

The UK government has placed quantum technologies at the core of its mission to become a science and technology powerhouse. In its policy paper, National Space Strategy in Action , the government says it wants to build “one of the most innovative and attractive space economies in the world.”

The weight of space

Space technologies are critical in our everyday existence. Satellites orbiting 160 km above the Earth keep people connected, ensure national security, and allow scientists to analyze and forecast the impacts of climate change.

With the global space economy projected to reach £490 billion by 2030, the UK published its National Space Strategy in 2022 and the aforementioned National Space Strategy in Action in 2023. Both policy papers provide details of deliverable policies and products to nurture long-term confidence among commercial business and investors in the UK’s space industry.

Space: An ideal environment for quantum technologies

What can space offer quantum computers that earth cannot.

Compiled by MIT Technology Review Insights based on data from the Forbes Tech Council and NASA.

Worth over £16.4 billion per year, the space sector is a vital part of the UK’s economy, employing over 45,000 people across 1,590 companies. Its history stretches back to the 1940s when British engineers started exploring plans for a suborbital spacecraft. The UK is now globally renowned for its strengths in space manufacturing technologies, particularly spacecraft, highly complex payloads, and small satellites.

The UK’s space industry is backed by a strong scientific and academic community, with 23% of graduates in the country coming from STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) disciplines, according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Space research is a dynamic, multidisciplinary area, and having graduates with diverse expertise—from robotics to physics and semiconductors —is crucial, given the vast applications this sector covers.

A matter of social equality

Beyond its ability to boost the UK’s economic and technological power, the space industry also plays a crucial, societal role. “Satellite internet connections enable people in rural or isolated regions to access online education, telemedicine, and employment opportunities,” Alston says. “By effectively shrinking the digital divide, satellite technology ensures that individuals in previously disconnected areas can join the digital age, fostering economic growth, social development, and improved quality of life for countless communities.”

Being the world’s first GEO-LEO satellite operator, Eutelsat OneWeb’s technologies are being used to drive connectivity around the world. “From connecting the previously unconnected locations like Papa Stour, Scotland, and Lundy Island, Devon to launching LEO-enabled banking services in South Africa, the company’s LEO services are helping bridge the digital divide in some of the hardest to reach locations,” Alston explains.

Quantum boost

As companies like Eutelsat Group continue to push boundaries in the space sector, advancements in quantum computing could act as an accelerant. In the near term, quantum technologies could assist space R&D efforts such as mission scheduling, materials discovery, and studies on how space travel affects the space environment. It could also crunch vast datasets simultaneously to evaluate and forecast multiple scenarios, such as analyzing data from telescopes or the properties of black holes.

The UK is well-positioned to convert such possibilities into reality. It is home to a thriving quantum industry with companies working across the spectrum of technologies. It has the most quantum startups in Europe and recorded US$ 979 million of investment from 2001 to 2021, placing second behind the U.S.

All support systems engaged

The UK government has bolstered the space and quantum industries with strong financial support. It pledged £1.84 billion in 2022 to fund space programs and initiatives, such as the UK-built Rosalind Franklin Mars Rover, scheduled to launch in 2028. A collaborative initiative led by the European Space Agency , the UK has played an integral role beyond funding the project to search for life on Mars. According to a November 2023 report by the BBC, a scientific instrument built in Wales will be fitted to the rover to identify the most promising rocks to drill and test for evidence of ancient biology.

Various government departments also offer backing to companies looking to innovate in the UK. For example, UK Research and Innovation facilitates fellowships, grants, and loans for companies engaged in space science and quantum technologies. In addition, the Department for Business and Trade’s sector specialists and investment experts are tasked with helping investors seamlessly expand their businesses in the UK—they even offer support after landing.

Raising the quantum factor

The National Quantum Technologies Programme , a £1 billion partnership between government, academia, and industry, was established in 2014 to nurture and commercialize quantum technologies. The initiative has four hubs based in universities across the UK, specializing in different areas, including communications, sensors and timing, enhanced imaging, and computing. So far, it has funded over 470 PhDs, attracted 120 industrial partners, and supported over 50 quantum startups.

In 2023, an additional £2.5 billion was allocated to support quantum technologies for the next decade as part of the National Quantum Strategy. Under the strategy, the government plans to create a network of research hubs, nurture accelerator programs to spur development and commercialization, and drive investment toward talent and training schemes.

Government support in the UK is helping the space and quantum industries thrive. At the same time, a well-developed startup ecosystem enables investors to contribute to scientific advances and breakthroughs. Such innovations could reverberate across other industries, given that breakthroughs in both sectors have historically led to progress in others.

With a strong scientific community, a track record of collaboration, and a globally renowned manufacturing base added into the mix, the UK’s burgeoning space and quantum industries have a solid foundation in place to ensure its continued success.

Now is the time to invest in the UK. Find out about opportunities today.

If you are interested in this article and would like to learn more click here

More From Forbes

The five biggest space technology trends for 2022.

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The past decade has seen a resurgence of interest in space travel and the technological innovation driving it. Billionaire space tourists Jeff Bezos and Richard Branson made the headlines in 2021, while Elon Musk has his sights set on the colonization of Mars.

The Five Biggest Space Technology Trends for 2022

However, it's worth remembering that these high-flying schemes often end up affecting our lives in more down-to-Earth ways – scratch-resistant glass, GPS, LEDs, memory foam, and heat-resistant metals have changed the way we live and were all developed thanks to space exploration. Many of the principles of remote medicine – which has surged in popularity during the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic – were initially conceived to assist with space travel. And there’s no telling how many lives have been saved by smoke and carbon monoxide detectors – also first conceived as space technology!

So, where will space travel take us in 2022? Let's take a look at some of the most exciting implications of humanity continuing to venture beyond the final frontier …

Reusable rockets

Something of a holy grail for space travel at the moment, reusable launch systems for orbital vehicles are set to dramatically lower the cost of leaving Earth’s atmosphere, opening the doors to many exciting space initiatives which, while theoretically possible, are currently too expensive to be practical. It will also make routine space missions, such as launching satellites and resupplying the International Space Station, far more economical. SpaceX’s SN20 will attempt to launch the first successful orbital flight using a reusable rocket in early 2022, pending approval from the US FAA. SN20 is the most powerful rocket ever built, and is the craft that SpaceX hope will eventually take humans to Mars

Later in the year, Blue Origin will attempt to launch its reusable two-stage New Glenn rocket into low Earth orbit – this rocket is designed to be used up to 25 times and eventually will carry humans as well as cargo.

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Back to the moon!

Travel to the moon has not been top of the space exploration agenda for the past few decades, but that has changed as a number of strategic reasons to resume lunar landings have been identified in recent years. Mostly these will not call for humans to visit the barren satellite and will be conducted by autonomous landers and exploration vehicles. One key reason for the renewed interest is that it is thought it will be a good testbed for many technologies that will eventually help us make our way to Mars.

The focus of these missions will be on sending "small payloads," mainly autonomous instruments designed to locate, extract and process elements from the lunar surface. As well as the US, which is planning to launch its Commercial Lunar Payload Services mission – a collaboration between NASA and Astrobotic Technology, Russia, Japan, and India all plan to deliver robotic landers to the lunar surface during 2022.   

Satellite launches make up the majority of commercial space activity, and that won't change as we go into 2022. The big drivers of increased activity in this field are the ever-falling cost of putting satellites into orbit and the growing number of use cases for the data they can provide. GPS and satellite imagery is an essential tool for many aspects of day-to-day life, and new uses – for example, tackling pandemics – are emerging all the time.

Satellites are becoming smaller and lighter, meaning that even start-ups can now take advantage of the technological capabilities. In fact, reports in recent years have found that the cost to a business of launching a satellite is becoming comparable to launching an app . China's Galaxy Space has developed and launched 1,000 small satellites into space for its customers in industries including aviation, marine, and vehicle manufacturing. Meanwhile, another Chinese company, ADA Space , is planning a network of 192 satellites that will use artificial intelligence (AI) technology to provide live streaming satellite imagery of the Earth.

Another sign that satellites are becoming cheaper and more accessible can be seen in the world’s first fully 3D-printed satellites , that Australian manufacturer Fleet Space Technologies says it will launch into orbit in 2022. These satellites are primarily designed to provide communications and connectivity solutions for the internet of things (IoT) devices that are quickly being adopted in homes and businesses around the world.

Cleaning up our mess

One worrying side effect of space exploration is that we might end up making as much of a mess of the rest of the universe as we have done of our own home planet. It’s estimated that there are already up to 8,000 tons of debris from previous space missions and now-defunct satellites floating in Earth’s orbit. These potentially pose a hazard to future space missions, where collisions could be catastrophic, but also threaten to interfere with many of the space services we rely on, such as weather forecasts and GPS.

With that in mind, it’s reassuring that we are already starting to think about clearing up after ourselves as we explore beyond the boundaries of Earth’s atmosphere. Launched this year, the ELSA-d (End Of Life Services by Astroscale-Demonstration) mission aims to clean up debris that will be left in space by future space missions. It does this using magnets to grab floating debris and push them towards Earth, where it will burn up in the outer layers of the atmosphere. Another waste disposal spacecraft, called RemoveDebris, will use nets to capture floating junk, while the European Space Agency is working on plans to launch a “ self-destructing robot ” with the specific aim of destroying a 100-kilogram piece of space debris left behind from a previous mission.

Space technology vs. climate change

Space technology is specifically recognized as one of the keys to achieving the 17 Sustainable Development Goals for 2030 set out by the United Nations. A great example is the reflective materials originally developed to conserve heat in spacecraft, which are now commonly used to insulate buildings on Earth. This means that world governments are increasingly investing in space innovation with the primary purpose of tackling challenges caused by climate change on Earth. And with a growing awareness of the importance of decarbonization and limiting global warming among businesses, it's becoming an active focus of enterprise activity too.

One of these initiatives is MethaneSat , designed to identify and track sources of methane emissions on Earth. This is vital, as according to the IPCC, methane emissions alone are accountable for around half of the rise in global temperature since the start of the industrial era.

The UK space agency has recently announced funding for a number of projects that will get underway next year, including one spearheaded by Global Satellite Vu aimed at using infra-red cameras on satellites to monitor the level of thermal emissions from homes and businesses. Another project named TreeView , established by the Open University and funded by the UK Space Agency, will use satellite imagery to map tree cover and track deforestation, in relation to the ability of trees to assist with carbon sequestration and storage.

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Space is booming. Here's how to embrace the $1.8 trillion opportunity

Space technologies could revolutionize the global economy. Image:  Unsplash/NASA

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Stay up to date:, emerging technologies.

• The space economy is expected to reach $1.8 trillion by 2035 as space-enabled technologies advance.
• A new report, Space: The $1.8 Trillion Opportunity for Global Economic Growth , outlines key developments in the space economy.
• The space economy not only opens up commercial opportunities, but also promises to help tackle some of the world's greatest challenges such as climate change.

Space is approaching a new frontier. The space economy is expected to be worth $1.8 trillion by 2035 as satellite and rocket-enabled technologies become increasingly prevalent, according to a new report.

Already, space-enabled technologies drive everything from weather forecasts to the increasingly ubiquitous smart gadgets such as smart watchs. Yet space technologies are also delivering benefits to a wider range of stakeholders, with industries such as retail, consumer goods and lifestyle; food and beverages; supply chains and transport; and disaster mitigation all set to benefit from space innovations.

“Space technologies are delivering greater value to a more diverse set of stakeholders than ever before,” said Sebastian Buckup, Member of the Executive Committee, World Economic Forum. “As costs reduce and accessibility rises, these technologies could reshape whole industries, and have as much impact on business and society as smartphones or cloud computing.”

A new report from the World Economic Forum, Space: The $1.8 Trillion Opportunity for Global Economic Growth , developed in collaboration with McKinsey & Company, outlines key developments that will shape space and adjacent industries throughout the next decade.

The report brings together experts from across space and other industries to provide the most detailed picture yet of both space technology’s future trajectory and how it will impact other sectors, often indirectly, through rapidly improving and expanding technological capabilities.

Here’s what to know about the future of space until 2035.

1. Space will be a larger part of the global economy

By 2035, the space economy is set to reach $1.8 trillion, up from $630 billion in 2023 and averaging a growth rate of 9% per annum – a figure significantly above the growth rate of global GDP. Space-based and/or enabled technologies such communications; positioning, navigation and timing; and Earth observation services are expected to be the key drivers of this growth.

2. Space's impact will increasingly go beyond space itself

The share of the total space economy captured by traditional hardware and service providers will slowly decrease to the benefit of other services such as ride hailing apps, whose products rely on space-enabled technology such as satellites.

3. Space will become more about connecting people and goods

Five sectors – supply chain and transport; food and beverage; state-sponsored defence; retail, consumer and lifestyle; and digital communications – are forecast to generate 60% of the global space economy by 2035, although others will also benefit.

4. Space’s return on investment will be more than financial

Space will play an increasingly vital role in mitigating world challenges, ranging from disaster warning and climate monitoring, to improved humanitarian response and more widespread prosperity.

Expansion of the space economy

A decrease in launch costs and ongoing commercial innovation means more can be done in space than ever before.

The number of satellites launched per year, for example, has grown at a rate of 50%, while launch costs have fallen 10-fold over the last 20 years – with lower costs enabling more launches. The price of data, which is key to connectivity, has also dropped – a trend that is set to continue broadly across different sectors. Moreover, as mega-rocket technology becomes ubiquitous by the early-mid 30s, more opportunities will open for what can be placed in orbit and at what price.

In addition, a broader set of investors – including state and non-state actors – are investing in space, with investments reaching all-times highs of more than $70 billion invested in 2021 and 2022.

Meanwhile, applications like space tourism are no longer in the realms of science fiction. The market is expected to be capped at around $4-6 billion to 2035, with most revenues coming from in-orbit stays aboard space stations by ultra-high-net-worth individuals.

"The key enabler for the advancement of civilization is synergy between a supportive space policy framework, pioneering business models and the development of a vibrant space economy," said Michael Suffredini, CEO of Axiom Space. "The future of space is not just about the destinations we build but about the economic ecosystems we create along the way."

The report also notes that the reach of space technology is only going to increase by 2035 and could revolutionize the global economy. Supply chain and transport will benefit from more efficient and cost-effective logistics, for example, while food and beverage will see better efficiency in last-mile delivery of perishable goods.

Moreover, the report predicts that adjacent industries such as agriculture, information technology, insurance and construction all stand to benefit from the multi-billion dollar revenue, cost efficiencies and environmental benefits offered by space-enabled technologies.

“For decades, Earth observation (EO) satellites were a critical, but narrowly used tool," said Agnieszka Lukaszczyk, VP Government Affairs, EMEA, Planet Labs. "Now, the cloud computing, data and AI revolutions are enabling EO data to be routinely used in countless day-to-day decisions, in areas ranging from agriculture to ESG reporting.”

How space can change the world

Space has the potential to help the world solve some of its greatest challenges ranging from the impacts of the climate crisis to economic disparity.

Space technology, for example, already plays a vital role in disaster warning and management. This is expected to increase multifold with improved monitoring of climate disasters, increased access to resilient communication networks and optimized tracking through satellite positioning data.

Space technology can also support efforts to mitigate climate change through innovations like the monitoring of methane leaks from ageing industrial infrastructure, among other uses.

There will be socioeconomic benefits, too. Space is set to play a pivotal role in addressing inequality by improving access to education and economic activity, through bridging digital divides, widening access to education and healthcare, and enabling precise monitoring of agriculture, natural resources and environmental changes.

Embracing the potential of space

Looking to the future, the report notes that every sector can be a driver of the space economy.

“Businesses in a growing variety of sectors – such as agriculture, construction, insurance, climate change mitigation – can and will all be drivers of the new and expanding space economy,” said Ryan Brukardt, Senior Partner, McKinsey & Company. “By understanding and embracing the full potential of space, public and private industry players can position themselves as leaders in the space economy, unlocking long-term benefits.”

While the report forecasts the global space economy to reach $1.8 trillion by 2035, an upside estimate of $2.3 trillion could be in play based on improved access to data and reduced costs of space entry.

Conversely, if there is stalled access to space and significant Earth-based technological advancements, instead of those in space, the report forecasts a downside estimate of $1.4 trillion.

Either way, by understanding and embracing the potential for space, public and private players alike will be well placed to help unlock its myriad of potential applications – for the benefit of everyone.

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World Economic Forum articles may be republished in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International Public License, and in accordance with our Terms of Use.

The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone and not the World Economic Forum.

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Watch SpaceX launch a Starship to Mars in this gorgeous new animation

SpaceX has big plans for Starship, as the new video shows.

SpaceX's massive new Starship vehicle launches toward Mars in a stunning new video that captures the ambition of Elon Musk's deep-space vision.

The 5-minute animation, which SpaceX posted on YouTube Monday (April 10), begins with a flyover look at Starbase, the company's facility on Texas' Gulf Coast. About a minute in, a Starship lifts off from the seaside site.

The video then shows Super Heavy, Starship 's 33-engine first stage, come back for a landing atop its orbital launch mount. The booster settles in softly, supported by the launch tower's "chopstick" arms .

The 165-foot-tall (50 meters) Starship upper stage, meanwhile, meets up with a tanker in Earth orbit, loading up on fuel for the long trip to Mars .  

Related: SpaceX's Starship looks amazing stacked for launch in these photos

Starship gets there safely, at roughly the same time as three other vehicles, which together create four bright streaks in the dark Martian sky.

The animation ends with a view from inside the just-landed Starship. Its hatch opens, and four spacesuit-clad passengers look out upon a Red Planet landscape speckled with lights that surround a big domed habitat.

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It's humanity's foothold on Mars, which, in the animation's universe, was doubtless established thanks largely to the efforts of Starship. The enormous vehicle will be the most powerful rocket ever launched by nearly a factor of two, according to SpaceX. And it's designed to be fully and rapidly reusable, a breakthrough that Elon Musk believes will make bold spaceflight feats like Mars colonization economically feasible.

— Starship and Super Heavy: SpaceX's Mars-colonizing transportation system

— Elon Musk says SpaceX could launch a Starship to the moon 'probably sooner' than 2024: report

— SpaceX's 1st orbital Starship looks supercool in these fueling test photos

Starship has yet to fly more than a few miles above Earth's surface, but that should change soon. SpaceX is gearing up to launch the first-ever orbital test flight of the vehicle, which could lift off as soon as next week , Musk said recently.

If the orbital trial and further flights go well, SpaceX will start working to send the stainless-steel vehicle much farther afield. NASA chose Starship to be the first crewed lander for its Artemis moon program, for example, with an astronaut touchdown currently targeted for 2025.

SpaceX has also booked several private round-the-moon missions with Starship in the coming years. And we know that SpaceX's ambitions extend far beyond Earth's natural satellite; Musk has said repeatedly that he founded SpaceX back in 2002 primarily to help humanity settle Mars and become a multiplanet species.

Mike Wall is the author of " Out There " (Grand Central Publishing, 2018; illustrated by Karl Tate), a book about the search for alien life. Follow him on Twitter  @michaeldwall . Follow us on Twitter  @Spacedotcom  or  Facebook .

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Michael Wall is a Senior Space Writer with  Space.com  and joined the team in 2010. He primarily covers exoplanets, spaceflight and military space, but has been known to dabble in the space art beat. His book about the search for alien life, "Out There," was published on Nov. 13, 2018. Before becoming a science writer, Michael worked as a herpetologist and wildlife biologist. He has a Ph.D. in evolutionary biology from the University of Sydney, Australia, a bachelor's degree from the University of Arizona, and a graduate certificate in science writing from the University of California, Santa Cruz. To find out what his latest project is, you can follow Michael on Twitter.

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Fleet Space Technologies, a pioneering Australian space exploration company, has achieved a milestone by successfully launching its latest Centauri-6 satellite.

The satellite, part of Fleet Space’s ongoing efforts to break new ground in the space sector, was deployed as part of SpaceX’s Bandwagon-1 mission, launched from Kennedy Space Center in Florida aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.

The Centauri-6 satellite joins Fleet Space’s constellation, bolstering its capacity to meet global demand for its mineral exploration solution — ‘ExoSphere’.

The advanced technology promises to revolutionise mineral exploration and enhance satellite communication capabilities through microsatellite architectures.

The Bandwagon-1 mission, labelled a “rideshare program”, carrying a payload of 11 small satellites, including Centauri-6, was launched on April 7 from Kennedy Space Center at 7.16pm local time (9.16am, April 8 AEST).

Among the other passengers was a South Korean spy satellite.

The booster successfully landed at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

“On board this mission are 11 spacecraft including Korea’s 425Sat, HawkEye 360’s Clusters 8 & 9, Tyvak International’s Centauri-6, iQPS’s QPS-SAR-7 Tsukuyomi-II, Capella Space’s Capella-14, and Tata Advanced Systems Limited’s TSAT-1A,” SpaceX’s mission description states.

Flavia Tata Nardini, Co-Founder and CEO of Fleet Space said of the deployment: “Fleet Space’s successful deployment of Centauri-6 marks another significant achievement in our journey of exponential growth and innovation within the global space sector.”

The company’s recent advancements include Centauri-4 becoming the world’s smallest voice-enabled satellite, demonstrating Push-To-Talk (PTT) capabilities as part of the ASCEND2LEO program with the Australian Defence Force Joint Capabilities Division.

Additionally, Fleet Space’s SPIDER seismic technology is set to explore the Moon’s surface for water ice in 2026 as part of a NASA CLPS initiative in collaboration with Firefly Aerospace.

ExoSphere, Fleet Space’s mineral exploration solution, has been so successful that over 40 major exploration companies use it for critical mineral surveys across five continents.

“In leveraging the latest advancements in space technology, AI, and geophysics, Fleet Space is paving the way for more data-driven, scalable, and sustainable mineral exploration,” Ms Tata Nardini explained.

Centauri-6 boasts several upgrades to enhance its resilience and overall capacity to support Fleet Space’s satellite constellation.

These upgrades include greater uplink capacity and redundancy and an ion electric propulsion system powered by solar panels for manoeuvring in space.

The satellite also incorporates 3D-printed components, such as the metal patch antenna pioneered by Fleet Space.

“Innovation in microsatellite architectures is progressing rapidly, unlocking new possibilities across various sectors,” Matt Pearson, Co-Founder and Chief Exploration Officer at Fleet Space, said.

Fleet Space’s flagship mineral exploration technology, ExoSphere, combines satellite connectivity, edge computing, AI, and geophysics to deliver 3D sub-surface models of survey areas in record time, significantly accelerating mineral discovery processes.

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Its clients include miners, Rio Tinto, Core Lithium, and Canada’s Barrick Gold.

Headquartered in Adelaide, Australia, Fleet Space Technologies has expanded its global presence to the US, Canada, Chile, and Luxembourg, with a diverse team of over 120 employees representing 37 nationalities.

In 2023, Fleet Space was recognised as “Australia’s Fastest Growing Company” by the Australian Financial Review.

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Russia on Tuesday aborted the test launch of the Angara-A5 rocket from its Vostochny cosmodrome minutes before it was scheduled to lift off.

The first launch of the Angara A5 space rocket from Russia's Vostochny Cosmodrome will take place on Tuesday, the state space agency Roscosmos said on Monday, in what could be a milestone for President Vladimir Putin's space ambitions.

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Russia aborts planned test launch of new heavy-lift space rocket

Russian space officials have aborted a test launch of a new heavy-lift rocket from a far-eastern launch pad just two minutes before the planned blastoff

MOSCOW -- Russian space officials on Tuesday aborted the test launch of a new heavy-lift rocket from its far-eastern launch pad.

The Angara-A5 rocket was scheduled to lift off from the Vostochny space launch facility at 0900 GMT Tuesday, but the launch was aborted two minutes before.

Yuri Borisov, head of Roscosmos state space corporation, said the automatic safety system canceled the launch after registering a flaw in the oxidizer tank pressurization system.

He said the next launch attempt was set for Wednesday.

Tuesday's launch was to be the fourth for the Angara-A5, a heavy-lift version of the new Angara family of rockets that has been developed to replace the Soviet-designed Proton rockets.

The previous three launches were carried out from the Plesetsk launchpad in northwestern Russia.

After the 1991 breakup of the Soviet Union, Russia leased the Baikonur Cosmodrome from Kazakhstan and continued to use it for most of its space launches. The agreement with Kazakhstan allows Russia to keep leasing Baikonur for $115 million a year through 2050.

While Roscosmos has continued to rely on Baikonur, Russian authorities have developed Vostochny as the facility of choice for Angara launches. The construction of the new spaceport has dragged on for longer than planned and it has seen only limited use so far.

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