ESA Astronaut Trials: And Then There Was Only 192 (Out Of 10,000)
After previously declaring that the “old continent” was looking for a few good astronauts, it looks as if the ESA has sifted the 10,000 individuals who applied to be astronauts, and after many trials have reduced that number to a mere 192.
(ESA) Following a first stage of psychological testing, there are now only 192 highly talented individuals still in with a chance of becoming the new astronauts in ESA’s European Astronaut Corps.
This first stage of computer-based psychological testing finished at the end of August and consisted of tests to evaluate the cognitive capabilities of the candidates, such as tests of memory, psycho-motor test, multitasking, linguistic skills, and various forms of visualisation-based tasks. [...]
Almost 10 000 people originally registered as astronaut candidates through the ESA website prior to the closing date of applications on 18 June 2008, of which 8413 fulfilled the initial application criteria. From these individuals 918 were chosen to take part in the first stage of psychological testing.
Despite the “small” number, the ESA plans on reducing the ranks again after a second round, with several more after to reduce the group of 192 to just four astronauts!
Hopefully the ESA will consider keeping the resume’s of the 192 (or at least 100 of them), as they are going to need more people if they are serious about conquering both the Moon and Mars.
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Good News! India And France To Militerize The Heavens
After the Chinese conducted their anti-satellite test, the world has debated about whether or not nations should develop the final frontier with weapons included or for purely scientific/economic reasons.
Even though India has previously expressed its desire that space be developed peacefully, it looks as if they, along with France (hat tip: Space Pragmatism) are seriously considered on militerizing the heavens above us.
(Financial Times) Paris, which today takes over the EU presidency, says Europe must counter threats from conventional military powers as well as terrorism. To do so it needs to add a “political and security dimension” to European space policy, according to documents sent to EU governments ahead of a meeting later this month in French Guiana, home to the European launch pad.“In Europe, space policy has always been motivated by scientific and technical reasons. The US, Russia, China and so on are motivated by politics. Even so, Europe is the second- or third-biggest space power in the world. Using political drive as well, it would be even more powerful,” said a European diplomat familiar with the plans.
(MSN India News) New Delhi: India needs to “optimise” the use of space for military applications to counter China’s rapid strides in the sphere, Indian Army chief Gen. Deepak Kapoor said on Monday. “We need to optimise the use of space for military applications,” Gen. Kapoor said at a seminar here on ‘Indian Military and Space’.
“China’s space programme is expanding at a exponentially rapid pace, both in its offensive and military content,” Kapoor added.
While conquer the final frontier in the name of science, business and “all that good stuff” sounds noble, the reality is that every country heading into space is going to have to ship their fleets as well (or at least defend their “aerial turf”), something both India and France have now realized.
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Europe: Human Space Flight Is Far From Dead
After seeking out future candidates interested in becoming Europe’s next generation of astronauts, the European Space Agency has been swarmed with applications–a health sign that Europe’s quest for the stars is not only alive and well, but it is just warming up.
(Space Travel) At the close of the application phase which lasted a month, 8413 aspiring astronauts provided a medical certificate and finalised the online application form. This qualifies them for the next step in the selection process. [...]
“We now have a large number of highly qualified applicants. I am confident that we will find the outstanding individuals we are looking for. This will be ensured by the next selection steps, starting with a first round of psychological testing,” said Michel Tognini, Head of the European Astronaut Centre.
Most of the applications were from France and Germany, although to the article the vast majority of them were from men (note: where are all of the ladies?). This is a good sign for Europe, as having their own space program will help keep NASA and China competitive (and perhaps help ease tensions between the two as well).
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Video: Europe Getting Serious About Moon, Mars
Not content at watching NASA and China claim the stars for themselves, it looks as if the European Space Agency (or ESA) is seriously considering sending their own representatives to visit the surfaces of both the Moon and Mars.
(Video: ESA promoting both humans and robots for space missions. Credit: ESA)
While their recent attempts at recruiting astronauts is a start, the Europeans need to figure out a way of launching their own citizens into space.
If Europe is to inherit the vast wealth our solar system has to offer our planet, then they seriously need to consider adding humans to the equation lest they find themselves looking to the past for their glory, instead of the future.
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Europe Looking For A Few Good Lunar Astronauts
(Image: ESA astronaut Paolo Nespoli inside the Station’s Quest Airlock during the STS-120 mission to the International Space Station (ISS). Credits: NASA)
After previously pondering the worth of sending humans into space, Europe has recently decided that not only do they want to send people to the Moon, they want to recruit “fresh blood.”
(New Scientist Space) ESA hopes to inject some young blood into its astronaut corps. Currently Europe has only eight astronauts, with an average age of 50. The agency wants to recruit four more, ideally aged 27 to 37.
“If we have a Moon programme and if Europe commits to participating in that, I anticipate that one of those who we are selecting now will walk on the Moon,” says Gerhard Thiele, head of ESA’s astronaut corps. [...]
The agency will target two key types of candidate. One is scientists and engineers; the other is pilots who fly sophisticated jet aircraft. Successful applicants must also have various personality traits, including high motivation and gregariousness.
The European Space Agency (or ESA) is accepting applications no earlier than May 19th. Qualified individuals can apply online, although their is no word on whether they will be accepting entries via snail mail (or even faxes).
Either way, this is a good sign for the ESA, although they need to find a way to launch their own astronauts into space, lest they become dependent upon NASA, Russia or China (which could affect their future in space).
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Can Plants Survive In Lunar Soil?
(Image: The marigold plants in the first two pots on the left were grown with bacteria, while the third was not. The soil was made to mimic that on the lunar surface. Credit: N Kozyrovska / I Zaetz, via BBC)
While for most plants, the answer to this is probably a “resounding no,” it looks as if one species may be able to brave the harsh lunar environment.
(BBC News) An Esa-linked team has shown that marigolds can grow in crushed rock very like the lunar surface, with no need for plant food. [...]
A team led by Natasha Kozyrovska and Iryna Zaetz from the National Academy of Sciences in Kiev planted marigolds in crushed anorthosite, a type of rock found on Earth which is very similar to much of the lunar surface.
In neat anorthosite, the plants fared very badly. But adding different types of bacteria made them thrive; the bacteria appeared to draw elements from the rock that the plants needed, such as potassium.
While marigolds may help make future space environments prettier, it will not “fill the tummies” of future colonists.
However if scientists can find a way to duplicate “this success” with other plants (perhaps in combination with certain bacteria), we may be able to establish permanent outposts on not only the Moon, but Mars as well.
Note: Also check out Ken Murphy’s article about lunar gardens, who briefly explores perfecting lunar soil and exporting it to Martian colonies.
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Russia And Europe To Team Up For Manned Mars, Moon Mission
With the United States determined to maintain its place in the cosmos, it seems that Russia has struck a unique partnership with Europe that may enable both of them to secure their place among the heavens.
(RIA Novosti) The Russian and European space agencies will develop a manned transport spaceship for flights to the International Space Station, the Moon and Mars, the head of the Russian agency said Tuesday.
“We agreed today with Jean-Jacques Dordain, the head of the European Space Agency, to form a working group to deal with developing a piloted transport system to fly to the International Space Station, the Moon and Mars,” Anatoly Perminov said after talks with Dordain on the sidelines of the MAKS-2007 air show in Zhukovsky, near Moscow.
While a partnership between the two may strike some as strange, both Russia and Europe could potentially benefit from relying on each others strengths. Russia currently lacks the funds for a lunar landing while Europe lacks the expertise.
Russia previously was attempting to partner with NASA for a lunar mission, although NASA was not too thrilled with that idea and seems to have chosen England instead.
Hopefully the nation that originally brought humanity to the cosmos is able to regain is “solar honor,” as it would be embarrassing for future historians to refer to Russia as a “former space power.”
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Galactic Suite Plans Space Hotels By 2012
Galactic Suite, a space firm located in Barcelona, Spain, is planning on creating space hotels by 2012, and populating these structures with space tourists from below.
(MSNBC) Galactic Suite’s Barcelona-based architects say guests would pay $4 million each for a three-day stay aboard the orbital equivalent of a three-bedroom boutique hotel.
Before the flight, guests would get eight weeks of intensive training at a space camp on a tropical island, company director Xavier Claramunt told Reuters. Then the tourists would ride an private shuttle into orbit. Hotel guests would see the sun rise 15 times a day and use Velcro suits to crawl around their pod rooms by sticking themselves to the walls like Spiderman. [...]
Claramunt, a former aerospace engineer, said the Galactic Suite concept began as a hobby. He told Reuters that a space enthusiast agreed to provide most of the $3 billion needed to build the hotel — but he declined to name the backer.
In order to help realize their vision, Galactic Suite has forged partnerships (or at least gained support) with several other space firms such as 4 Frontiers, Global Business Technologies and the Aerospace Research and Technology Centre.
They intend upon creating a “chain” of orbiting space hotels circling our planet, and it seems as if they have partnered with ADD+Xavier Claramunt to help construct their “molecule-look alike” space stations.
Europe’s entrance into the field is welcome, although they may have to play catch up to Bigelow Aerospace which has successfully launched two space stations in orbit.
Note: Galactic Suite has also launched several weblogs to compliment their young company, although their main one appears to be Galactic Suite News.
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Europe Constructs A Space Dump Truck
(Image: 20 Ton ATV developed by Europe, Credit: ESA via BBC)
With America and Asia taking most of the space glory, Europe has decided to make its mark in the industry by constructing a large “space truck.”
Although designed for transporting food, water, oxygen and technology to the International Space Station (aka ISS), this space craft can will also give the ISS a rocket boost–not to mention serve as a solar dump truck.
(BBC News) New oxygen supplies brought up by the ATV are simply vented into the station; water is carried out in bags; fuel is piped across to Zvezda.
The ATV will stay at the station for six months. At intervals of 10 to 45 days, the vehicle’s thrusters will be used to boost the platform’s altitude.
Over time, the ISS crew will use the vehicle as a refuse skip, filling the cargo section with all their waste. After undocking, the ATV will destroy all this material – and itself – in a controlled re-entry over the Pacific Ocean.
Although we often dream of space stations “reusing, reducing and recycling” 100 percent of everything they bring on board, the reality is that astronauts are going to need the option of throwing some items away.
Since transporting garbage back to Earth is expensive (and releasing it into space can cause future problems), storing space junk inside this ATV may help decrease the future supply of orbital garbage that dangerously circles our planet.
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Scientists Testing For Cabin Fever On Martian Trip
Although radiation, micro-gravity and tiny organisms can spell havoc for future explorers of the red planet, probably one of the biggest threats towards visiting Mars is “cabin fever.”
In order to find ways to thwart this issue, scientists are asking for volunteers to willingly isolate themselves with strangers in order to simulate a journey towards Mars.
(Physorg.com) The European Space Agency (ESA) on Tuesday called for applications for one of the most demanding human experiments in space history: a simulated trip to Mars in which six “astronauts” will spend 17 months in an isolation tank on Earth.
Their spaceship will comprise a series of interlocked modules in an research institute in Moscow, and once the doors are closed tight, the volunteers will be cut off from all contact with the outside world except by a delayed radio link.
They will face simulated emergencies, daily work routines and experiments, as well as boredom and, no doubt, personal friction from confinement in just 550 cubic metres (19,250 cubic feet), the equivalent of nine truck containers.
Communications with the simulated mission control and loved-ones will take up to 40 minutes, the time that a radio signal takes to cross the void between Earth and a spaceship on Mars. Food will comprise mainly the packaged stuff of the kind eaten aboard the International Space Station (ISS).
The psychological health of a crew can either make or break a mission. Although there have been few incidents (if any) aboard the ISS, simply being isolated from ones family, friends and country can literally push some people over to the breaking point.
As far as boredom goes, perhaps the ESA should consider shipping a few popular board games (like chess, monopoly or Chinese checkers) as they would not only help keep their mind off other things (like home), but help foster unity amongst the crew.
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Will French Ideas Kill The European Space Race?
(Hat Tip: Space Pragmatism)
With China, India, and NASA getting serious about returning humanity to the Moon (and beyond), France is trying to motivate its European neighbors to collaborate their efforts lest they be left behind in the space race.
(Space.com) Among the 50 proposals:
- Sanctions should be imposed on any European government that does not give preference to European launch vehicles for its government civil and military satellites.
- France should begin preparing nuclear-powered satellites to permit deep-space exploration, using expertise at the French Atomic Energy Commission and in French industry.
- Europe’s heavy-lift Ariane 5 rocket should be made capable of launching astronauts within five years.
Although it’s good to see France rounding up the Europe to take the space race seriously, penalizing nations for outsourcing their launch vehicles would probably do more to split the group than unify it.
What makes the alt.space industry great is the ability to choose where to do business from (e.g. Space Adventures, and American company launches from Russia).
If France tries to impose some sort of weird embargo on outside competition, they may be stuck with an undeveloped and expensive space industry that no one wants to ride in.
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Spaceport Sweden Launches
(Hat Tip: Space Ports)
With Space Port America being launched by Virgin Galactic, it was about time that the Swedish decided to enter into the space race with a port of their own.
(Space Port Sweden) The official inauguration of Spaceport Sweden was made today at Kiruna Airport by Mrs. Maud Olofsson, Minister for Enterprise and Energy as well as Deputy Prime Minister of Sweden. Spaceport Sweden is now open for business and starts off by signing an agreement with Virgin Galactic, the world’s first commercial space line that will give the general public the opportunity to become astronauts. [...]
Spaceport Sweden aims to be Europe’s first and most obvious place for personal suborbital spaceflight. The conditions are ideal as Spaceport Sweden is the combined expertise of several Kiruna-based Swedish companies whose successful development has earned them international respect: the Swedish Space Corporation (SSC), ICEHOTEL, LFV Group (Kiruna Airport) and Kiruna’s business-development company Progressum. Their reputation for service consistently attracts attention with regards to aerospace operations, testing and tourism.
Although in their infancy, commercial space ports should give humanity a taste of exploring the universe, thus encouraging us to (eventually) colonize the Moon and beyond. Spaceport Sweden is a collaboration of various companies, including the Ice Hotel, and the Swedish Space Corporation, (not to mention several other entities).
Hopefully their entry will encourage the commercial European space industry and provide some much needed competition against Space Adventures (as it brings about more innovation).
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Europe To Partner With China
Despite the red dragon’s recent flexing of the muscles, Europe seems eager to partner with China for human space flight.
(Space Daily) “I would like very much to discuss this with our Chinese partners, if they make the proposal,” affirmed ESA chief Jean- Jacques Dordain in the annual press briefing when referring to the potential cooperation in space exploration between the two parties.
“At the moment, we have a lot of cooperation with China in other space exploration domains, but not yet in the field of manned flights,” indicated Dordain.
Europe has recently been seeking partners for human space flight, although they probably are desiring someone “less American” (note: no bitterness over here).
Europe has the funds for sending humans off world, while China has demonstrated that it has the technology. Hopefully Europe will begin to develop technology of its own fairly soon, as it would be rather boring for America, China and (possibly) Russia to colonize the Sol System.
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Europe Considering Human Space Flight?
With their American friends (via NASA) getting most of the glory for exploring the cosmos, it looks as if our European brethren are starting to gain the courage to explore space for themselves.
(New Scientist Space) Digging on Mars and drilling on the Moon could become the main aims of Europe’s space effort. These were the enticing prospects discussed at a meeting this week in Edinburgh, Scotland, about the European Space Agency’s Aurora exploration programme. [...]
Sentiment is shifting in favour of human spaceflight, as some scientific goals might be all but impossible without people.
“Someone at the meeting pointed out that what a rover can survey in a year, a geologist could do in 20 seconds,” says space scientist John Zarnecki of the Open University in Milton Keynes, UK. “A 20-second mission to the Moon might not be cost effective, but if you can ask enough 20-second questions, it might be worth it.”
Although England is mulling about whether or not to send up humans to the stars, it looks like the rest of Europe is for the challenge. Despite the fact that America is leading the way towards the stars, the United States can not do this alone.
Space is for everyone and requires a global effort in order to not only be successful, but also peaceful. Europe’s involvement is critical, as it will give more voices a chance to decide the future fate of the human species.
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England Slowly Consideres Humans In Space
Ever since the UK entered the space race, England has been rather slow about sending humans into the cosmos. Despite the potential of colonizing other worlds (i.e. resources, international focus on exploring instead of war, etc.) Britain seems to have “delegate” this process to their American and Russian friends.
But all of that might change thanks to their brave new science minister who goes by the name of Malcolm Wicks.
(Times Online) “I think we need to think that through,” he said. “I think sometimes our understandable reluctance to fund British men and women going into space has come across wrongly as us being a bit cool about space. I think we should be hot and enthusiastic.
“It’s going to be this millennium’s great adventure. I’m not changing our position on this now, but I think it would be foolish to be dogmatic about these things.”
Successive governments have decided that the benefits of human spaceflight are not worth the heavy financial costs or risk to life.
Although England has had several astronauts fly into outer space, most of them have had to become American citizens in order to participate (with one flying under the EU flag).
If England does not seriously consider taking matter into their own hands by either partnering up with the US or EU or building their own space ports, they will have nothing to complain about when the US, Russia, India, China, Japan, South Korea, etc. begin importing minerals, Helium-3 and rare metals for their benefit (not to mention expanding their DNA off world).
It would be good to see the United Kingdom partner with NASA and land an astronaut on the moon. After all, if Canada sees the benefit of doing so, then why not our UK brethren?
Update (7/18): Added source link (which was foolishly left out).
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Seeing Mars With X-Ray Vision
Thanks to the Mars Express spacecraft, we are getting a whole different view of Mars which is revealing ancient secrets hidden beneath the red surface.
(Mars Daily) Scientists are finding an older, craggier face of Mars buried beneath the surface, thanks to pioneering sounding radar co-sponsored by NASA aboard the European Space Agency’s Mars Express spacecraft. [...]
The technique uses echoes of waves that have penetrated below the surface.
“It’s almost like having X-ray vision,” said Dr. Thomas R. Watters of the National Air and Space Museum’s Center for Earth and Planetary Studies, Washington. “Besides finding previously unknown impact basins, we’ve also confirmed that some of the subtle topographic depressions mapped previously in the lowlands are related to impact features.”
Although geologists will be excited about using the satellite to discover old Mars, hopefully scientists will use it to discover whether or not underground water tunnels exist on the red planet.
It could also prove quite useful in locating any valuable resources that may stimulate businesses to invest in a future quest towards Mars (after the moon of course).
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Europe Building Its Own "Hubble" Telescope
It looks as if our European friends have decided to build their own version of NASA’s Hubble.
(Red Orbit) We believe that the European Extremely Large Telescope is essential if we are to ensure the continued competitiveness of the astronomical community in ESO’s member-states, said Catherine Cesarsky, ESO’s director general.
The ESO said a baseline design is to be presented by the end of this year for a telescope with a primary mirror between about 100 feet to 200 feet in diameter and estimated to cost approximately $944 million.
I wish all the luck to them in this endeavor. Of coarse, nothing thus far has been able to compete with Hubble, although it would be good if another country was able to inspire some friendly competition. After all, it’s getting to be very lonely being the only space power on planet Earth.
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Alien TV, Anyone?
It appears that the Europeans are planning on funding the design for the worlds largest telescope. This telescope will not only be powerful, but it will be able to pick up any alien television stations on nearby stars.
(Spaceref.com) The “Square Kilometre Array” (SKA) will be an international radio telescope with a collecting area of one million square metres — equivalent to about 200 football pitches [...] Such a telescope would be so sensitive that it could detect TV Broadcasts coming from the nearest stars.
Although remarkably large this future telescope has the potential of revealing one of the Universes biggest secrets–and potentially disproving Einstein’s Theory of Relativity.
(Spaceref.com) The final design will enable the SKA to probe the cosmos in unprecedented detail, answering fundamental questions about the Universe, such as “what is dark energy?” and “how did the structure we see in galaxies today actually form?”.The new telescope will test Einstein’s General Theory of Relativity to the limit — and perhaps prove it wrong.
The telescope will not be built until 2020, although Italy may have built a telescope on the moon by that time period. Some may see this as a “waste of time” but the purpose of telescopes is not only to gaze at the stars but also find another world to colonize.
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Establish First Contact (& Subscribe)
Love of Lunar
Martian Delights
Interplanetary Essays
