This course equips students to see space exploration not only as rocket science but also as a topic for social science.
Uncommon Courses is an occasional series from The Conversation U.S. highlighting unconventional approaches to teaching.
Riding on the shoulders of the Apollo generation, the Artemis missions will pave the way for humans to return to the moon, begin human exploration of Mars, and someday for humanity to reach the edges of our solar system and beyond.
While the exploration of deep space is critical to advancing our understanding of so many unanswered questions about the universe and our place in it, it is equally as critical that the United States government and private industry work together to lead the commercialization of Low Earth Orbit (LEO), and capture the resulting massive new space economy.
As I wrote in The Washington Post recently, the most profound chapter in human history is the industrial revolution happening in LEO, just 250 miles above our heads. We are at a turning point for our civilization, pivoting from 60 years of space exploration to a new era of unprecedented economic activity, manufacturing and growth in space. This burgeoning epoch is called the Orbital Age, and it will drive a new trillion-dollar industry.
“This platform can be for manufacturing, human habitation, military applications, and whatnot.”
In-space manufacturing will form a massive part of the future of space exploration as it massively reduces the cost of launching otherwise fully-built structures to orbit and beyond.
Not only that, one of its co-founders says it could be compatible with SpaceX’s in-development fully reusable Starship rocket, which could eventually take humans to Mars.
Editor’s Note: This story has been updated to reflect a schedule change for the launch.
A rocket scheduled to lift off in Virginia — that could be visible above at least a portion of New Jersey — has been rescheduled.
Rocket Lab USA’s first Electron rocket’s launch has now been moved, and will not happen earlier than Sunday, Dec. 18, officials announced Thursday night. A specific date and time was not announced.
SpaceX has offered its most dramatic view yet of a space vehicle’s engine test, placing a camera directly above the blast.
An alloy made of almost equal amounts of chromium, cobalt and nickel resists fracturing even at incredibly cold temperatures, which could make it useful for building spacecraft.
The Orion spacecraft will host a trio of astronaut-like payloads that will help NASA learn how best to protect real astronauts during future crewed Artemis missions to the Moon.
A gel made of a protein found in human cells can capture particles travelling at supersonic speeds without destroying them on impact, suggesting the material could be used in body armour or for collecting space debris.
The mission of the European Space Agency (ESA) is the peaceful exploration and use of space for the benefit of everyone. We watch over Earth, develop and launch inspiring and unique space projects, train astronauts and push the boundaries of science and technology, seeking answers to the big science questions about the Universe.
We are a community of scientists, engineers and business professionals from all over Europe working together in a diverse and multinational environment.
This page addresses some of the most frequently asked questions about becoming an ESA astronaut. If your question is not answered below, it may be answered in the Astronaut Applicant Handbook or vacancy notices.
If everything goes to plan, double SpaceX Falcon 9 launches are set to liftoff just minutes apart between 4 and 5 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 16.
