Space programmes are multiplying across the planet, with new players entering the field, including New Zealand. In the past there was an ideological/political push to it all. Now, it is acknowledged that space programmes are so expensive they need to be a partnership between countries or wealthy private companies in order to get off the ground. Here are comments from those I have spoken to associated with the University of Canterbury, NZ.
What’s ahead? The next giant leap
“The Moon Landing 50 years ago was long before I was born but it demonstrates just how curious the human race is, and always will be, about space. I see the future of science as a continuum of technology advances, with more and better space telescopes as well as larger global telescope networks, because telescopes in different countries observing the same objects increases the accuracy of the measured data. In the next 50 years I’d like to see solutions to greater efficiency of power use with handling the huge quantities of data that astronomy generates,” says Rosemary Dorsey, Master in Astronomy student.
Sarah Kessans, who has a PhD from Arizona State University has a very personal take on NASA ambitions.
“I applied to be a NASA astronaut in 2017 and was incredibly humbled to have made it through several rounds of selection to become one of the top 50 candidates,” says Kessans. “Whilst I wasn’t ultimately chosen as an Astronaut Candidate, it was an honour to take part in the process and to dream about potential missions with my fellow interviewees,” she says.
“We discussed whether we’d prefer a
Moon landing or a Martian fly-by if we had the opportunity. I would love to see Mars up close but I wouldn’t mind a quick stop on the Moon on the way home. We
still have a lot to learn before we send humans to Mars and we’re fortunate
that we can test systems via the Moon first.” “I’m still keen to be an astronaut so I’ll definitely be applying again, but beyond that, I’m pretty passionate about my research as a synthetic biologist,” she says.
“I’d like to develop microbial solutions to food, fuel and pharmaceutical needs for space colonies, whether they are on the Moon or on Mars. We’re pretty fortunately here at UC to have the support of the university in bringing together academics from across science and engineering disciplines to develop flagship projects focused on space research as well as space-related teaching programmes akin to Aotearoa New Zealand’s space industry. It’s early days but I’m really excited about where we’re headed,” says Kessans.
“We are explorers. There’s nothing that can replace the inspiration that comes from actually seeing another human set foot on the moon, or eventually another planet. Seeing man’s footprint on the Moon, that was very emotional for me,” she says.
“What I’d like in the future is to focus on in situ resource utilisation – making the most of what resources are available. Space colonisation will have organic problems that biosynthetic pathways might solve, such as food, fuel and pharmaceuticals," says Kessans.
“The issue with manned space exploration needs to solve the problem of exposure to radiation,” says Mt John Observatory retired superintendent Alan Gilmore.
“Normally our astronauts working on the international Space Station operate within the Earth’s magnetic field, which blocks a lot of radiation, but beyond that there’s radiation from the Sun, particularly during solar flares, and also cosmic high energy particles from galaxies. Nothing we have currently can block that. How do we protect our astronauts from radiation? It’s going to be difficult,” he says.
Dr Matthew
Hughes and Associate Professor Allan Scott from UC’s Civil and Natural
Resources Engineering department agree but say they are already working on
solving that crucial issue, with a focus on radiation shielding on planets. “We’re developing a new type of concrete based on a magnesium binder system,” says Scott. “This is important because we need to protect astronauts living beyond Earth from solar radiation, which is lethal. Three metres of concrete or sand is needed to minimise the effects of radiation so we may need to be underground most of the time or with regolith (soil) heaped on top. We’re making regolith.
Regolith is loose, broken rubble that covers the Moon and Mars as a result of meteorite impacts, along with weathering from wind abrasion on Mars. So right now we are using Earth rocks to simulate Martian rocks. Once we can produce a suitable regolith simulant we need to find a way to turn it into both a construction material and useable soil where, with water and oxygen, we can grow bacteria and ultimately plants. The Martian soil contains perchlorate, which is toxic to life. We are working with Chris Oze, a former UC Geology Professor, to find a way to remove that so we’ll be practicing with our simulants,” he says.
“To advance the science and engineering of habitation, new materials will need to be developed, new additives such as carbon fibre and nanotechnology may be involved. Artificial Intelligence (AI) will be harnessed to run autonomous refineries and factories, and all this will require efficient power systems. With a strong commercial push for space mining, many of these systems could be developed in the near future and be applicable to Moon and Mars colonisation,” says Matthew Hughes.
“I believe we will never live sustainably anywhere else until we learn to live sustainably on Earth,” says Hughes. “We depend on ecosystems so we need to live within our means. We take water and air for granted. In space that’s all you think about. We can care for Earth and develop space technologies at the same time. The amount of money spent on space exploration is negligible compared to what is spent yearly on weapons.”
“We won’t abandon Earth. Most will stay here because the Moon and Mars are death traps where we will be dependent on life support. We’ve always used technology to go to extreme environments,” he says.
“The concept of waste during space travel will not occur because it is a closed system. The resources are finite. Our technological, economic, and philosophical mind-set needs to change. Our abilities will be augmented by artificial intelligence and even modification of our own bodies in the future,” says Hughes.
“We can develop new construction materials, use 3-D printing or modular building options using our magnesium concrete, says Allan Scott. “ Once we get the soil sorted we can create a greenhouse for Mars and jumpstart an ecosystem. The environment on Mars is hostile so I see us being reliant on robotics in small factories that will produce the concrete and start the growth processes, AI machines will be self-directed, where possible.”
"The physical limitations bring us ‘back to Earth’ but it’s still inspiring. Matthew and I feel what we do is supporting wider human endeavours,” says Scott.
The Civil and Natural Resources Engineering Materials and
Ecosystem Design for Space Habitation (MESH) research team. From left to right:
Connor Cleland and Georgia Crosby (final-year undergraduate research students),
Associate Professor Allan Scott, Dr Matthew Hughes, Milap Dhakal (PhD
candidate). Left foreground: Martian regolith analogue derived from volcanic
rock. Right foreground: samples of concrete made with materials representative
of those found on Mars.
https://www.nasa.gov/feature/nasa-testing-method-to-grow-bigger-plants-in-space
Return to the Moon
“We are going back to the Moon by 2024 – this time to stay,” promises the Director of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
https://www.france24.com/en/20190619-interview-nasa-administrator-jim-bridenstine-space-moon-women-astronauts-mars-iss-tourists?fbclid=IwAR10jyiRTmu5zGZU8nMmXkNBDzKvaSEJnw8LnQ00T-yQpoLVy2HgQSklI9g
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FdbiIbaLj3o
The plan is
to land on the lunar South Pole. To get there, the biggest rocket ever built is
well into development. It’s called the Space Launch System (SLS). On board will
be the Orion spacecraft and the Gateway lunar command module. It is very possible that the work UC scientists, engineers and students are currently doing could contribute to this new bold human endeavour towards life and work on the Moon and beyond.
“This is the next chapter of human space exploration. Humans are the most fragile element of this entire endeavour, and yet we go for humanity. We go to the Moon and on to Mars to seek knowledge and understanding, and to share it with all. We go knowing our efforts will create opportunities that cannot be foreseen. We go because we are destined to explore and see it with our own eyes. We turn towards the Moon now, not as a conclusion, but as preparation. As a checkpoint toward all that lies beyond. Our greatest adventures remain ahead of us.” – NASA Science 2019. https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/resources/2446/we-are-going/
US Space Policy Directive
President
Donald Trump signed off on an integrated programme with private sector partners
for a human return to the Moon, followed by missions to Mars and beyond. The
goal is to “lead an innovative and sustainable programme of exploration with
commercial and international partners to enable human expansion across the
solar system and to bring back to Earth new knowledge and opportunities.”
For a view of the new Space Launch System under development for deep space missions view here (no commentary, bits and bobs) https://images.nasa.gov/details-SLS%20Resource%20Reel%2007-19-18.html
NZ’s new
place in Space
New Zealand is increasingly making its presence felt in the area
of satellite launches. Fifty years ago NZ had no space programme. These days we
are having regular commercial payloads launched.
The New Zealand Space Agency was set up in 2016 as the lead
government agency for space policy, regulation and business development. With
close ties to the US via Rocket Lab, NZ is proving its worth in launching
miniature satellites from the Mahia Peninsula.
Take a look back at the greatest rocket ever built my humans so far https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_oitgrvhPgI
Such a beautiful thing.
We await the new rocket system that will take us back to the Moon.
Such a beautiful thing.
We await the new rocket system that will take us back to the Moon.
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