Is Travel to Another Star an Immoral Enterprise?

In a recent Aeon article titled Would it be Immoral to Send Out a Generation Starship, Neil Levy brings up some interesting points about space travel, noting:

Those of us who worry that their doing so limits the children’s right to an open future should be even more worried by locking children in to a much greater extent than dreamt of by the Amish. After all, adults can, and do, leave Amish communities. But no one gets to leave the generation ship, and few or none will get to choose what role they play aboard.

One can argue that any exploration brings risk, and taking one's family drags them along into that risk.  The United States was a risk for enormous numbers of families, and children had little say in the voyage nor their role in the new world.  In fact, most the world's children are still locked into their parents circumstances.  Only in recent years has the choice for young adults been much wider, but we may need to narrow options in the future if we want to leave this third rock from the Sun.

This may be the twisted morality of species expansion and protection.  For instance, we need the non-democratic military to ensure a democratic society.  Does that make sense?  Such inconsistencies will be with us for some time.  That does not mean we do not try to find new ways to expand options, but of we may have to settle for a less perfect "world" if we want to settle another world. 

Great Image: The Dunes of Mars

While Bill Nye may see Mars as a barren wasteland, it can also be a beautiful and magical place.  The frost-covered dunes above show this to be true. 

Here is NASA's explanation of what we see in the image: 

Sand dunes cover much of this terrain, which has large boulders lying on flat areas between the dunes. It is late winter in the southern hemisphere of Mars, and these dunes are just getting enough sunlight to start defrosting their seasonal cover of carbon dioxide. Spots form where pressurized carbon dioxide gas escapes to the surface. 

NASA's High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HIRISE) aboard the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter captured this image on March 27, 2016. 

Image Credit: NASA/JPL/University of Arizona

Great Image: Statue of Liberty

Above is an impressive image of a nebula called the "Statue of Liberty." I guess we all see what we already know. Younger astronomers may see Harry Potter. 

Here is the story from NASA about Nebula 3576:

What's happening in the Statue of Liberty nebula? Bright stars and interesting molecules are forming and being liberated. The complex nebula resides in the star forming region called RCW 57.  This image showcases dense knots of dark interstellar dust, bright stars that have formed in the past few million years, fields of glowing hydrogen gas ionized by these stars, and great loops of gas expelled by dying stars. A detailed study of NGC 3576, also known as NGC 3582 and NGC 3584, uncovered at least 33 massive stars in the end stages of formation, and the clear presence of the complex carbon molecules known as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). PAHs are thought to be created in the cooling gas of star forming regions, and their development in the Sun's formation nebula five billion years ago may have been an important step in the development of life on Earth. The featured image was taken at the Cereo Tolodo Inter-American Observatory in Chile.

Image Credit & Copyright: S. Mazlin, J. Harvey, R. Gilbert, & D. Verschatse (SSRO/PROMPT/UNC)

Nye Will Not Pay $200,00 for a Barren Rock

“I’m open-minded but skeptical that anyone actually wants to live out his or her life on Mars any more than anyone wants to colonize Antarctica...Mars is an exotic place and in some ways very romantic. But it’s cold, barren and you can’t even breathe.”

--Bill NYE the Science Guy, head of The Planetary Society, discussing SpaceX's plan to settle Mars in the near future at a cost of about $200,00 per passenger, as quoted in the Huffington Post.

New Questions about the SpaceX Explosion

I was surprised to read a Washington Post piece stating the United Launch Alliance (UAL) was part of the investigation surrounding the September 1st Falcon rocket explosion 

The article, titled "Implication of Sabotage Adds Intrigue to SpaceX Investigation," stated investigators wanted access to a UAL facility:

As part of the investigation, SpaceX officials had come across something suspicious they wanted to check out, according to three industry officials with knowledge of the episode. SpaceX had still images from video that appeared to show an odd shadow, then a white spot on the roof of a nearby building belonging to ULA, a joint venture between Lockheed Martin and Boeing.

The piece also notes the ongoing rivalry between the firms. 

This is very odd, but hopefully just the results of a very wide investigation rather than real suspicions about a competitor.  We have enough issues with foreign spying and competition without any issues stateside.

One can understand frustration at UAL given SpaceX's rise, as noted in this story from April: 

United Launch Alliance plans to cut up to 875 jobs, or about one-quarter of its workforce, before the end of 2017 to better compete against rivals bankrolled by billionaire entrepreneurs including Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos, ULA's chief executive said on Thursday.

That said, we still need to see this as an American initiative if not an Earth initiative as we plans for a trip to Mars.  I expect all the competitors understand this and will play by the rules.   

The End of Rosetta

As the United States sends a spacecraft towards a distant asteroid, the European Space Agency was watching a different story as its explorer the Rosetta spacecraft came to an end.

Today the Rosetta spacecraft "crashed" into 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko at about 2 miles per hour. Okay, maybe it was a soft landing. So now the comet hosts two ESA spacecraft - Rosetta and the earlier probe Philae. 

The mission taught us more about both comets and the early development of our own planet. For instance, the theory that the Earth's water came from earlier comments bombarding the surface seems less certain since the water on the comet was not too dissimilar.  However, the question about the role of comets in the development of life was more positive.

Rosetta project scientist Matt Taylor promised the science was just beginning:

Inevitably, we now have new mysteries to solve. The comet hasn’t given up all of its secrets yet, and there are sure to be many surprises hidden in this incredible archive. So don’t go anywhere yet – we’re only just beginning.

Travel to Mars Will Be Routine

At this week's International Astronautical Congress in Mexico, Elon Musk gave us all a better idea of his plans for traveling to Mars.

Musk believes we can have a self-sustaining city on Mars in 40 to 100 years  by sending continuous rockets filled with about 200 passengers. Each passenger would pay about $200,000 apiece, and he promised the 80-day trip would be fun. 

And why stop there? Musk believes the same system can travel throughout the solar system. Hence, a vacation to Europa would be possible.

You have to admit the man has vision and great confidence. I like it and hope we can see his dream become a reality. 

You can watch his talk here.

New Movies: Arrival

On November 11th, Paramount will release its new film Arrival.  Starring Amy Adams, Jeremy Renner, and Forest Whitaker, it is the age-old tale of what do we will do with such visitors: 

When mysterious spacecrafts touch down across the globe, an elite team - lead by expert linguist Louise Banks (Amy Adams) - is brought together to investigate. As mankind teeters on the verge of global war, Banks and the team race against time for answers – and to find them, she will take a chance that could threaten her life, and quite possibly humanity.

It seems our fascination with such scenarios is endless, and in this case we have another Jodie Foster-like hero to show us the way.  We will soon learn if we looking at ET or War of the Worlds?  I am hoping for something similar to Contact, but I want to be surprised.

Chinese Space Station and More

Earlier this month China launched the Tiangong-2 ("Heavenly Palace") into orbit to replace the  Tiangong-1, which has been in orbit for the last 5 years and is expected to fall back to Earth late next year. These are really test missions that will lead to a permanent space station, planned for 2020.

Let's not forget that China has already placed a rover on the Moon (the Yutu shown above) and plans to send a rover to Mars in 2020 (see images below). All of which shows the nation is willing to find its own way of other nations do not wish to cooperate. 

Just as we have competition between the private sector entities in the U.S. space industry, maybe this competition between nations, which also includes countries such as India and Japan, is a smart way to allow different approaches and technologies to flourish. While I think an interstellar mission may need more centralization, we are far from that now (at least at the human level) and the competition in the meantime may help us to reach that goal more quickly. 

So best wishes to China and the other space-faring nations. 

Red Planet Radio

It never hurts to listen to another podcast while commuting or working around the house, so why not try The Planetary Society's Red Planet Radio?

Episode three covered a number of interesting topics including:

• Why SpaceX only reuses the first stage of the Falcon 9.
• What SpaceX Mars colonisation logistics may look like.
• Fuel options on Mars (Methane or Hydrogen) and tradeoffs between the two.
• Who might be the first people to go to Mars? SpaceX Engineers / NASA astronauts.
• Mars collaboration going forward with ESA, JSA, China, and others.
• Ion engines and “going the long way around” to Mars, to reach it outside of transfer windows.
• Why asteroid mining from Mars is more appealing than from Earth.
• Comparing the discovery of the Americas to Mars exploration.

Plenty to ponder. Check it out.

Massive Meteorite in Argentina

A 30-ton meteorite? That's right, and unearthed earlier this month in Argentina. Said to have hit the Earth between 4,000 and 6,000 years ago, the meteorite was named "Gancedo" after a local town. And it seems the locals have known about it for hundreds of years. 

You can read more about Gancedo in the Sky and Telescope story.

Quote: Clinton Supports Mars Mission

"Today, thanks to a series of successful American robotic explorers, we know more about the Red Planet than ever before...A goal of my administration will be to expand this knowledge even further and advance our ability to make human exploration of Mars a reality.” 

--Hillary Clinton in response to a question and released Sept. 13th by ScienceDebate.org. She also noted how she wrote to NASA as a child. 

Blue Origin Joins the Big League

It wasn't long ago Elon Musk was laughing about Blue Origin's successful return of the New Shepard reusable rocket because it was suborbital. Well, Elon, you may not be laughing now that Blue Origins is planning to go head-to-head with the United Launch Alliance and SpaceX by building its own heavy-lift rocket for major off-Earth missions.

The New Glenn rocket (playing on an astronaut's name again) at 313 feet will be almost as large of the workhorse Saturn V rocket at 363 feet, and pack quite a punch with multiple BE-4 engines.

Jeffrey Bezos is certainly looking towards a future beyond space tourism, stating: 

New Glenn is designed to launch commercial satellites and to fly humans into space...The three-stage variant—with its high specific impulse hydrogen upper stage—is capable of flying demanding beyond-LEO missions.

Of course, Mr. Bezos could still work with tourists, but now they can go to the Moon or Mars for a vacation.  This is a very big deal that shuffles the cards again in the private space industry.

Good Timing with Virgin Galactic Back Online

With all the discussion about the SpaceX mishap, it was just the right time for Virgin Galactic, another space pioneer, to show it was back on its feet (or, more to the point, back in the air).  The image above shows Virgin Mother Ship Eve carrying the Virgin Spaceship Unity for its first flight ever over Mojave, CA on Thursday September 8, 2016.  This represents the return on a Virgin Galactic spaceship after the crash two years ago in the desert that was ultimately blamed on human error. 

In its press release on this mission, Virgin Galactic stated,

Throughout the entire 3 hour and 43 minute test flight, the flight crew as well our mission controllers and ground crews did the hard work of supporting a crewed test flight of a spaceflight system—great practice for our eventual flights to space...With this flight in the books, our team will now analyze a mountain of flight data, learning what worked well and what could be improved for our next flight test. Only when that analysis is done, along with detailed vehicle inspections, some already-planned work, and potentially more captive carry flights, will we be ready to move into the next phase of test flight.

Just another sign that we need to learn from our mistakes and keep moving forward. 

SpaceX: Keep Pushing the Limits

"Despair is always the wrong response to a failure during exploration and it isn’t disciplined engineering. When the entire crew of Apollo was burned alive in a capsule test, President Johnson pushed our moon mission forward and engineers delivered. When Space Shuttle Challenger exploded, President Reagan proudly redoubled our commitment to space, we fixed the launch system and we built a great space station. When Columbia broke up on reentry we engineered work arounds and completed the Space Shuttle program with pride. Once again, America’s brightest engineers will collect the data, analyze the failure, improve the system and move us forward into the future."

--Statement by Greg Autry, Assistant Professor with The Lloyd Greif Center for Entrepreneurial Studies in the Marshall School of Business at the University of Southern California, in a Space News editorial.

SpaceX Leads Investigation of Rocket Explosion

It appears SpaceX will take the lead on the investigation of the Falcon 9 explosion on September 1, though NASA, the Air Force, the Federal Aviation Administration, and others will participate.  The fact that this was a commercial operation allows SpaceX to stay in the lead.  You may recall that last year's explosion involving a NASA mission was also investigated by SpaceX, much to the consternation of some in Congress. 

Elon Musk has a lot on his hands these days.  After so much praise earlier this summer, the explosion has set him back at a time he is struggling with cash problems at Telsa and SolarCity.  And even though the satellite destroyed in the recent explosion was insured, SpaceX may still need to pay another $50 million to satellite owner Space Communication Ltd. 

Even given such bleak news, SpaceX still remains an enormously innovative and successful company suffering some growing pains but still very much on the right track.  And such incidents are unlikely to shake the industry's faith in greater diversification of vendors, thought insurance rates are certain to go up.  In addition, some companies may start to wonder about the advantage of cheaper launches given the increased risk.  This can only help the industry stalwart United Launch Alliance.

The investigation should tell us more about whether this was a fluke or a design problem.  On Friday, Mr. Musk tweeted:

Still working on the Falcon fireball investigation. Turning out to be the most difficult and complex failure we have ever had in 14 years.

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 9, 2016

Star Trek: 50 Years Later

On the 50th anniversary of the first showing of Star Trek television series, it is worth reading the statements of scientists who carry out the real mission of exploring strange new worlds, seeking out new life and new civilizations, and boldly going where no one has gone before.  This piece from NASA's Exoplanet Exploration Program gives you a good cross-section of scientists impacted by the television series.

For instance, Marc Rayman, Director and chief engineer for NASA’s Dawn mission, states: 

I started watching the "Star Trek" original series when it was on in reruns, when I was a youngster. I was a very avid "Star Trek" fan. I’d already been a very serious space buff; I knew in the fourth grade that I wanted to get a Ph.D. in physics. I only ever wanted to work for NASA. I started writing to JPL when I was nine years old. Two of the missions I worked on at JPL were Deep Space 1 and Dawn, which I’m working on now. Those are NASA’s only two planetary missions to use ion propulsion. The first time I ever heard of ion propulsion was in a "Star Trek" episode called “Spock’s Brain.”

I am not sure how many television programs today are driving kids into science, unless it is a police lab, but hopefully we will find more hopeful tales in the future and lead more kids to dream about the wider world and universe.  

The Asteroid Mission Begins

Tomorrow is the planned launch date of the Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, Security and Regolith Explorer (OSIRIS-REx) mission, which has the goal of traveling to a near-Earth asteroid called Bennu.  Once there in 2018, it will retrieve a small sample so it can be studied back hear on Earth by 2023.

Why such a mission?  So we can learn about the origins of the solar system from a 4.5 billion year old rock.

Edward Beshore from the University of Arizona, who serves as the Deputy Principal Investigator for OSIRIS-REx, stated:

We are going to Bennu because we want to know what it has witnessed over the course of its evolution...Bennu's experiences will tell us more about where our solar system came from and how it evolved. Like the detectives in a crime show episode, we'll examine bits of evidence from Bennu to understand more completely the story of the solar system, which is ultimately the story of our origin.

The OSIRIS-REx mission will also be a step towards NASA’s Asteroid Redirect Mission (ARM).  The mission of ARM will be to capture and redirect a near-Earth asteroid to a stable orbit around the moon, at which point astronauts can investigate it. This is seen as a first step before sending humans to Mars. 

This video will explain more about the mission.  You can also learn more about the NASA mission here.

Update:  OSIRIS-REx was successfully launched on Thursday and has started its trip to Bennu.

Video: A Simple Star Wars Tale

And now for something completely different.  This paper animation Star Wars video from Eric Power uses Jeremy Messersmith's mellow tune Tatooine as the background music.  It all comes together well and does a nice job summarizing the original trilogy.  I am not sure the next three movies in the series would work so well - the story may be too complex with endless moving parts.

Below are the lyrics to the song (you should already know the movies) as well as information on the artist:

Twin suns of Tatooine
Taught me everything I know
Twin suns of Tatooine
Taught me everything I know  

There's room up there for second chances
Singles are fine but doubles are fantastic
I'd like to think that there's a star for me and you
Spinning round, falling for one another  

Twin suns of Tatooine
Taught me everything I know
Twin suns of Tatooine
Taught me everything I know  

Solos are fine but duets are romantic
A pair is grand but a trio'd be disastrous
I'd like to think that there's a star for me and you
Spinning round, falling for one another

New Images of Jupiter from Juno

Juno has sent back additional images showing Jupiter up close.  It includes the "never-before-seen perspective" on Jupiter's south pole, shown below.  Go here for more from NASA.