At 12:23 p.m. EDT on September 11, three new humans have been launched into space. Just a day earlier, on September 10, four commercial astronauts have launched into space. With that, a total of – and unprecedented – 19 people are in space right now: 12 on the International Space Station, 3 on the Chinese Space Station, and the 4 launched on a SpaceX Crew Dragon Resilience capsule/spacecraft. On Tuesday, I mentioned the number of 16 humans in space to someone, an executive in the space industry, and he responded: “Good, now let’s aim for 1600 [people in space at once]!” 1600 people against a global population of 8 billion is not a lot of people – but we’re not there yet to have that many in space at once. Indeed, only 700-something people have been to space in the history of all  of humanity. In fact, with Tuesday’s launch of mission called Polaris Dawn, an all-civilian crew of four: -          Scott Poteet became number 708 -          Sarah Gillis, number 709 -          Anna Menon, number 710 -          (Jared Isaacman, commander of, and founder of this mission is number 591 as he already flew to space in 2021 with the Inspiration4 mission) From Wednesday’s launch, the three men launched have also already been to space, hence, American astronaut Don Pettit and Roscosmos cosmonauts Alexey Ovchinin and Ivan Vagner are numbers respectively, 436, 556 and 579. I don’t know exactly what their experience will be like, but one thing I’m almost certain of, is that they will come back to Earth changed. There are now different types of astronauts, the traditional ones: trained by a government agency, like NASA or ESA or JAXA, or CSA, and going to space for a specific mission. And relatively newly – with the emerging suborbital branch of the space industry – a new class of astronauts who are not professionally trained, (the specific training varies by individual and what they choose to personally experience), who get to go to space for a short ride, a hop in space – either as tourists or as researchers - and still get to experience the awe of the ride as a whole, and more importantly, the incredible views of the Earth from above. But Jared, Scott, Sarah, and Anna, with their Polaris Dawn mission are in a class of their own: Already three days-into their mission, they have reached an orbit higher in altitude than has even been done before, except for the Apollo astronauts, and just earlier today (September 12), the first ever commercial spacewalk was done successfully by two of the crew, and with epic, sci-fi-like photos that are just stunning and mindboggling. The Polaris Dawn crew have not been trained by some government agency as traditionally that would be the case. But you can be sure they have had the adequate and specific training for what their mission entails. Whether a career astronaut or commercial astronauts though, one thing they all have in common is that they belong to a small club of humans against the rest of humanity, who got to leave our planet for some time, experience weightlessness, and see the Earth from above, surrounded by the vastness of space. That has got to change a person! The space industry and its various missions provide many benefits to life on Earth, mainly of all the science that gets done in an un-earthly environment, and where experts in their respective fields can advance their science with experiments and a perspective outside of their regular labs. But for a person to be in space is something so unique and special to the senses, and to the mind especially, as a human experience and of a contrast to all we’ve even known from life on Earth. From the ‘60s with the beginning of the Space Age and throughout the decades, just about every single astronaut has spoken about that otherworldly, one-of-a-kind experience that brought on a perspective change within them and a newfound appreciation for life on Earth. So, in that context, the benefits of space exploration with an individual involved is about this mindset shift experienced only once in space; that new understanding of the planet’s delicate nature, or humanities vulnerability, our globe being borderless and seeming tiny against the vastness surrounding us. May be corny, but we are united together on Earth, and we just must do the best we can everyday to make life on Earth good, healthy, kind and equal. Here on Earth, we take it all for granted. Nature’s nurture, gravity, the chemistry and physics that allows us to live as we do. We are used to the regular sights: trees that are taller than us, grass or pebbles at our feet, the Sun above bright and warming us, the Moon shining in the darkness in what we call nighttime – it’s all common sense to us, and what is our normal. It’s very different out there in space, even with just 100 kilometers in altitude (referred to as the Karman line, the conventional definition of the edge of space). The sights and views are not anything we are used to seeing as in the human experience (except from a screen, but obviously not the same). Now however, with all the newly become astronauts of late, especially with suborbital spaceflights provided by companies like Virgin Galactic and Blue Origin, more and more every-day people get to see those one-of-a-kind views – and that’s a good thing for humanity! Those spaceflights however, specifically the part of being weightless in space, is a short 4-minutes-hover. Yet that brief time brings so much excitement and a new way of seeing the world. So, imagine being out there longer! Just like on Earth we take the way we live for granted because we were in it from our birth and don’t know any other way, just image how much time it would take to be out there in space and absorb the immensity of that experience of being. Of all the 700-something humans that have been to space, I doubt anyone came back not feeling a profoundly new appreciation for our planet and everything in it. At the minimum, practiced more kindness with every new person they’ve met since their time in space. I personally have had the privileged to meet several former NASA astronauts, and they are some of the humblest people. They welcome your questions and are eager to talk about their experience (not about them), about our planet from space and its magnificence, and many since work with companies and organizations with a mission to help make this world good, healthy and sustainable. On a human experience level, that’s what the benefits of being in space brings to Earth. True, we can’t all go to space, not even a small percentage of the global population, not yet. But our world as we know it now, with all the uncertainties, wars and conflicts raging, tribe-like mindsets and cruelty to fellow humans, and even democracy’s fragility, could really use a profound experience filled with awe, wonder and humility, and spacefaring seem to deeply ingrain these lessons within every traveler. Until spaceflights with humans become more common, we need to find the inspiration in all those current missions and see how innovation (any tech-for-good) is uplifting, future-minded, good for humanity. Future generations are dependent on what we do now. “Per aspera ad astra”.

On this Juneteenth Holiday, I would like to acknowledge a special moment for a particular person and very deserving of it too. Juneteenth (June 19) is an event in history from 1865, when freedom finally came to enslaved people in Texas. This, two years after President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863. The proclamation declared "that all persons held as slaves" within the rebellious states "are, and henceforward shall be free." Since 1865, there have been many moments in history that advanced the cause of freedom and gave more and more justice to all facets of life in societies to the African American people, but injustice, prejudice, systematic racism, inequity (and more), have not ceased and sadly, even continue to this day. But this person I want to speak of, the one that so deserved what he recently experienced, a dream of his that had faded over the decades, but reignited just recently, is Ed Dwight. Although nothing to do with slavery, but more of the unfairness, and racism of the 1960s, one month ago today, on May 19, Ed Dwight, an African American, flew to space with a Blue Origin spaceflight. In the 1960s, he was supposed to be the first Black astronaut to go to space, selected by the Kennedy administration, but that never materialized back then. But exactly one month ago, Ed Dwight did go to space and officially became the oldest person to do so (beating William Shatner who held that title for a short time). Ed Dwight is not the first African American astronaut, by far... The first was in the 1980s - and many African American women and men got that opportunity too. So, this is not a "first in history" story. But a "long-time-waiting" story, and to a person so deserving of this. Nobody really knows the true story why he ended up not going to space back then, but it finally did happened for him, and Ed Dwight was 90 years young when he did fly to space! This spaceflight happened thanks to the sponsorship and partnership of Blue Origin and Space for Humanity! What a generous gesture. One for Ed but also, it has been so inspiring for so many! I can't make this story more interesting or emotional than it really is, but I strongly recommend the film 'The Space Race', which chronicles what happened in the 1960s to present time, and, "weaves together the stories of Black astronauts seeking to break the bonds of social injustice to reach for the stars, including Guion Bluford, Ed Dwight and Charles Bolden, among many others." And in that film, all about Black astronauts and their history, does not even speak of the future event where Ed Dwight gets to go to space!! It hadn't yet been announced! Juneteenth is a celebration not of the end of something that once happened in history, but the acknowledgment of it, the regular steps forwards taken to advance the cause of justice, fairness, equity for all. The celebrated launch and landing back on Earth of Ed Dwight on May 19, 2024, inspired so many, from industry leaders within the space industry to young people looking on, and that is a step forward! An impossible thought, but just imagine if those enslaved people back in the 1880 could see the future, not only of the sci-fi-like lives we lead on Earth and that we are able to venture out to space (!!), but more importantly, that their future generations will be free, equal and powerful, and able to do things like go to space and be celebrated for it.

“The Final Frontier”, not just a Star Trek film, but these days, a term referring to space exploration, as it is the last “place” for us, humanity, to explore now that we’ve explored our whole planet. Vannevar Bush wrote, almost 80 years ago, science and engineering are both enthralling and inspiring, truly the “endless frontier”. Indeed, applying the endless frontier to go to the final frontier is what is needed within the space industry, and for the future of humanity. The International Space Station is the ultimate example of applying the endless frontier; one of the most innovative engineering feats conceived, built, and functioning beyond expectations (for its 20+ years as a lab in space and for the collaborative partnerships between nations involved), but also, for all the incredible scientific data and breakthroughs it has brought us from its microgravity environment. So, you can think, great, we made amazing discoveries and gathered lots of interesting data up in space, but what does that have to do with benefiting us here, and of life on Earth? Well, from fundamental disease research (Alzheimer’s Disease, Parkinson’s Disease, Cancer, and more), to water purification systems, to studies on muscle atrophy and bone loss, monitoring our planet from a unique perspective, including simply inspiring young people into STEM-and-Space – those are just some of the work and discoveries produced in space that affect us here on Earth. For more specifics, here is a thorough article shared directly by NASA: “20 breakthroughs in 20 years”. I will emphasize on one example of a specific research done in space that benefits us on Earth: protein crystallization and drug development by studying crystal proteins. Proteins are not just a food requirement that we all think of when eating eggs, meat or the like. It is a complex compound essential for all living creatures, and is species-specific, organ-specific, and there are many forms/kinds of it, including hormonal proteins, enzymatic proteins, structural, defensive and storage proteins. When taking a medication for a certain illness, that medication binds to a specific protein in our bodies and that process changes that protein’s function, and if done right, is what consists of the healing process of that illness. Hence, to study and understand proteins is to give scientists so many answers about how our bodies work and how we can help fight diseases. Proteins are complex substances, and one way to study them is a process called “Protein crystallization”. Crystallization of protein molecules has been common knowledge among scientists for over a century, but it was during the Shuttle-Mir missions – just prior to getting the space station built, – in space, researchers found that they could produce higher quality (and purity) protein crystals in microgravity than on Earth. For over two decades now on the space station, more than 500 protein crystal growth (PCG) experiments have been conducted as of 2021. The above statement and to read more on crystal growth experiments, you can learn more in these links: Crystallizing Proteins in Space Helping to Identify Potential Treatments for Diseases - NASA Creating New and Better Drugs with Protein Crystal Growth Experiments - NASA Promising methods (still in trials or in development) of treating a variety of complex illnesses (Tuberculosis, Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD), breast cancer, lung cancer…) are the result of the studies done on the space station with PCG (protein crystal growth), but also, that research extends to the formulation of these drugs and in how to make them easier to store at room temperature (no need for refrigeration), and hence last longer. A separate research sponsored by ISS National Lab, focuses on some drugs that do not dissolve easily in liquid, and currently, are given intravenously (IV therapy) to patients, which can be a time consuming process, both, due to the lengthy time needing to spend in the hospital, and for the treatment to actually work (and some patients just do not have that time due to the late stage of their sickness.) But the high-quality crystalline of these same drugs developed in microgravity shows that the drug could potentially be given by injection instead. This method would be easier for the patient, caregiver, and faster in time to help heal that patient (and less costly too!). As can be seen, protein crystallization, along all the other research done in that microgravity environment, has brought researchers faster (or different) data, results, solutions, innovations and potentially cures, that were either not possible or too lengthy of a process here on Earth. And so, that is just one example of how space [research, exploration, etc.] benefits life on Earth. I didn’t know much about this prior to researching about it and following my phone conversation with Dylan Taylor. Dylan is Chairman and CEO of Voyager Space (Voyager). Voyager say on their LinkedIn page that they are a: “space exploration company dedicated to building a better future for humanity in space and on Earth.” Voyager is currently working on the next-generation space station, the Starlab. From a PR Newswire article describing this mission and of their joint venture with Airbus, they say they are doing it: “To support a continuous human presence in low-Earth orbit and a seamless transition of microgravity science and research opportunities in the post-International Space Station era”. Dylan explains to me how he believes going to space, and having a continuous presence there is very important for humanity and its future, But the question is: how to do it. For him, the answer was to found a company that will help make this happen: Voyager. (And by the way, in case you do know much about Dylan, he himself has been to space on a suborbital flight with Blue Origin in late 2021.) In our conversation, Dylan named some ways that space can benefit us here on Earth, from providing internet to population that still don’t have it, which can do anything from educating them and getting them out of poverty, to monitoring climate change, to researching specific drugs like Keytruda, a drug used for lung cancer. All those things and more, is why he strongly believes that space benefits life on Earth and is needed for the future of humanity. Researching on the subject of "protein crystal growth (PCG)" alone and all the array of new medicine and treatments that might come out of that is giving me a whole new appreciation for what happens in space, and is a huge inspiration, for the future of humanity, and even for the longevity of our individual lives.

"There's nothing more beautiful than this beautiful view (pointing behind her at an image of the Earth from space at a World Economic Forum panel) and all astronauts are transformed, we call it the #OverviewEffect. When you see Earth as in the background here, you get it. We are all astronauts - we're orbiting our Sun. And we are here to figure out how we can all work together, celebrate all our similarities, and our hope for humanity and spaceship Earth, rather than being divided of our differences. It's all about the human element, it's all about humans, how humans can thrive, and how we can train and have humans thrive when they're in very isolated, confined environments [about travelling to the Moon and beyond]." ~ Dava Newman, Director, MediaLab at MIT, who often speaks about the importance of the #humancondition and the #humanspirit in terms of her work in the space industry. Why do we need to invest in space (exploration, missions, spaceflights, space stations, satellites…), when there are so many pressing problems right here on Earth? Fair question I often read/hear. From a non-engineer/scientist, here is my perspective on the matter: For one, it is inspiring and informative, and with all the outreach programs available, meant to educate and inspire, you don't need to be an expert in this field to be mesmerized and in awe of what far-distance or closer to home mission have to offer. But my main interest in this sector is how it’s about [peaceful] collaborations (between people, companies, and nations), as well as it’s about innovating (versus destruction). Synonyms to “innovate”: invent, construct, pioneer, conceive, launch… It’s about futurism. With all the global geopolitical challenges and current conflicts affecting millions of people, where they face war, destruction, hunger, needing to flee (or stuck in a warzone), not able to attend school, or focus on the future – the last thing on their minds is to innovate. Wars are about destruction. To innovate is to work on the future. I am originally from a country still in ongoing conflict (and now so blessed to be Canadian) so this matter is a personal one to me and where lies my great interest in a thriving industry that inspires Hence for me, one of the benefits to space exploration, is how people unite and innovate for a better future (rather than destruction, wars, conflicts), for the betterment of Earth, by advancing science, learning about our existence, how we came to be, what's out there..., and for a safe, peaceful, healthy life here on Earth. But the benefits to space exploration are numerous, and for that I will share future posts with direct quotes I've collected from scientists, space executives and professionals from the industry. More to come soon in this series on The Benefits of Space Exploration.

Why do we invest in Space when there are so many pressing problems right here on Earth? (This is a several-parts series as the question is often asked, and the answers are so varied and numerous – last week I shared my personal take on this issue.) From the more technological of reasons to invest in space innovation to the inspirational, here are two answers. First is on satellites launched to low Earth orbit (LEO). Probably just about everyone has heard of SpaceX’s Starlink, a satellite constellation that provides broadband satellite internet, but there are many more applications to satellites, and many more organizations and companies with their own missions, and varied Earth observation purposes and satellites capabilities. From Wikipedia: Earth observation satellites are designed to monitor and survey the Earth, called remote sensing. Most Earth observation satellites are placed in low Earth orbit for a high data resolution. (You can read more here.) “Observing Earth from space is crucial in monitoring and protecting our environment, ecosystems, oceans, ice, atmosphere and changing landscapes – all elements that contribute towards a more sustainable future for us and our Earth. “Information gathered from Earth observation satellites doesn’t stop there. It also helps us to monitor infrastructure, manage emergency situations, monitoring farmland and efficient food production, protect public health, and ensure public safety.” (From CSA shared on Earth Day, April, 22.) Dr. Cathy Olkin, Planetary Scientist, former Deputy Principal Investigator for NASA, shared these words with me for this article: “Satellite remote sensing is a very powerful tool for shaping solutions to challenges here on Earth and for measuring outcomes from mitigations. Let’s consider one global problem, mega fires. These massive fires engulf large swaths of land with a fierce intensity leading to lost lives, destroyed property and smoke production that adversely affects people’s health. Current NASA and NOAA satellites have been detecting fires from space for decades. However, advances in sensors and reductions in launch costs open the opportunity to improve the spatial resolution and the frequency of observations from orbit which will provide actionable intelligence for first responders, incident commanders and land managers. In this way, remote sensing from space allows us to improve conditions on Earth.” You can learn more about Muon Space, where Cathy currently holds the Principal Scientist position, and read their latest announcement post on an initiative that "aims to transform global wildfire response and enhance climate resilience". Now to something more inspirational (the one above is pretty inspiring too!): On 16 September, 2021, four people were launched into space with SpaceX (yes, they indeed dominate many facets of this industry), but this was a private mission paid by an entrepreneur, Jared Issacman, CEO of Shift 4 payments, and with mission to raise money for St-Jude’s hospital. This mission was called Inspiration 4. The goal was to raise US$100 million to expand St. Jude's childhood cancer research. Isaacman and his wife personally donated US$125 million to the hospital, and contributions by SpaceX founder Elon Musk (US$55 million) and many others ultimately raised the total given to St. Jude to more than US$243 million, far more than initial target amount! Later this summer (2024), there will be another spaceflight, this mission called Polaris Dawn. Here are Jared’s words from a TODAY show, he was there with his three crewmates for that mission, talking about the upcoming spaceflight. “With Inspiration 4 and continuing on now, we’re trying to inspire people to think about this extraordinary world we could live in tomorrow were, you know, we have people living on Mars and, as SpaceX likes to say, making a world more interesting where everyone can journey amongst the stars. “But you can’t put all your energy towards that and not consider some of the real problems we have here on Earth, and St-Jude Research hospital, they have an incredible vision, which is “No child should die in the dawn of life”. “So, there are equally important parts of our mission, we’re continuing to raise funds and awareness for St-Jude. And Anna [Anna Menon, Mission Specialist and Medical Officer]'s book* is one awesome part of that.” *Anna’s book is called “Kisses from Space”, and she will be reading the book live from space to her kids, age three and six, as well as to the brave patients at the St-Jude’s Research Hospital. Yes, four people here got the amazing opportunity of a lifetime to go to space, but, huge money will potentially be raised for this mission and St-Jude's cause, and perhaps thousands of people following this will find inspiration and awe for space. These are pretty great benefits to space exploration, I would say.

Today (February 22) is ‘Introduce a Girl to Engineering’ day. This whole week (February 18-24) is ‘National Engineering Week’ (in the US). But a dedicated day within the week to introducing girls to engineering is such an important concept and cause! Women make up only 15% of the engineering workforce!! And engineers literally build our world as we know it. From computer technologies, to biomedical, mechanical, electrical, to civil engineering, and aerospace engineering, we would not live our lives as we know it without the innovations and creations of engineers of all kinds. Imagine if half the global population – women – were involved in more of all these projects, missions, and endeavors! Surely that would bring more diversity, different perspectives, and equality from an economy standpoint. From my personal experience and from my generation and background, I can say that when I was a young girl, I did not aspire to become an engineer (or even knew what they did!), nor did I have a mentor or source of inspiration, from teacher to some program on tv (I did have a math teacher in high school that believed in me and led me to liking math - the power of mentors!). But times have changed, and that is why I believe ‘Introduce a Girl to Engineering’ day is very important! The Discover Engineering organization, with their mentorship program on Girl Day, say that: 69% of girls consider a career in engineering. That’s through a specific organization and program, but I’m certain in everyday life, teachers, neighbors, family friends, … do it regularly, without really even trying; they simply talk to those young girls about what they do and inspire them. Mentorship matters. Representation matters. Inspiration really is profound. NASA also partakes in outreach programs, including NASA STEM to inspire the Artemis generation (the Apollo generation has inspired many into engineering and science fields!), and with their NASA’s First Woman graphic novel series (in English and Spanish), with a fictional engineer/astronaut, Callie Rodriguez. Apart from that, there are numerous programs, websites, organizations, and blogs on the subject. Share these with your daughters, nieces, students, neighbors, and who ever needs to be inspired to dream big. Allow them (girls and boys alike) too know they can be in STEM, and work on making our world here on Earth better, and maybe even on endeavors toward going to the Moon and Mars! A simple online search can yield to countless results, but I would also like to add here some of my friends' organizations and newer programs, that are working on this cause or in inspiring towards related fields pertaining to this cause. Women in Aerospace in Europe (WIA-E) - Space makes you dream and we dream of modern society with gender equality and inclusion Cosmic Girls Foundation - Launching Dreams in Girls - Launching Girls into Space Space4Girls - Supporting young women to become innovators in the fields of STEM and to become the next generation of leaders in the rapidly growing space industry Space For Humanity - Expanding access to space for all of humanity Women's Aerospace Network - Empowering women in space (magazine coming out soon, but for now, most posts to follow are on LinkedIn or Instagram) Enginnering Gals - *self-explanatory (link to Instagram) Your Female Engineer - *self-explanatory, with Joan Marie, Space engineer (link to Instagram) Iris Space Liaisons - And finally, my page where I aspire to inspire "space" for a better tomorrow Please, share the inspiration! "You can't be what you can't see." ~ Sally Ride

A group of 12 of us just returned from Alaska – a trip we took in the month of February! Why Alaska, (and more specifically, in the middle of nowhere in Delta Junction), and in the coldest time of the year? To “chase” auroras, the stunning dance of the northern lights! Alas, our trip was not a success in viewing much aurora (a slight show of a green hue of light only), but a fun trip, nonetheless. What is certain is that nature there, even if frozen solid in the month of February, is just so lovely and abundant, from the vast empty lands to the clear, crisp skies, where the stars are shining in all their glory, and even the Milky Way can be seen with the naked eye. Within the week of our stay, at the hotel first, the lodge for the aurora viewing, and (especially!) at the airport, I noticed (because it’s important to me, and I tend to notice these things), that in none of those places were there any recycling bins/system. In the lodge we stayed at, pretty much every plastic bottle or other plastic item, glass, and everything we consumed was simply thrown in the trash altogether. Worse (to me anyway), is not seeing bins separating paper, cans, glass…, at the airport, only trash cans. The actual percentage of what is in fact being recycled seem to range between countries, cities, and even websites of difference organizations, so it’s hard to say for sure how beneficial the practice of recycling is. But what is certain, is not having a system at all leads to zero items being recycled. Not recycling (or the practice of “reusing, reducing, and recycling”) is just adding to the tragedy of what is already accumulating in our oceans and landfills. But also, it is not showing a good example for youngsters looking on. The lack of being proactive on this matter is devastation for our planet and adding to the burden future generations will have to face. Although the population in Alaska as a whole and in all its cities and tiny towns is small, the state of Alaska is the largest state of all the United States. But there is a tourist market and crowd that come regularly to see and visit Alaska. Just think of all that is consumed…and then thrown away carelessly. There seem to be a direct correlation between states’ “political color”, and whether their cities, their airports, hotels, streets… have recycling bins or not – that is really such a shame! The health and beauty of our planet has nothing to do with which side of politics you lean towards, rather, it’s an important global issue that affects every single one of us, from the indigenous community in Alaska, to the farmers in Oklahoma, to big city living in New York, Dallas, and everything in between and from every continent! And now, with the new “space race” and humans venturing out to the new frontier, a couple of new terms emerged and are heard more and more frequently: “space debris” and “space sustainability”. Terms, unless you follow up on space news, many aren’t aware of. But indeed, an issue that is only growing in importance for us all, both on/for our planet, and, for continuing our exponential growth and activities in venturing out to low Earth orbit and beyond. The three main challenges of space sustainability (the 3Cs) are: * -  Congested (with active satellites), -  Contaminated (by space debris), -  Contested (by state and non-state actors alike). The overconsumption problem we face on Earth and our negligent ways of riding of materials, is not always known of seen by us, city folks, but our oceans and other bodies of water are affected greatly by it. Left: a post by The Ocean Cleanup Organization. Their IG account shows their remarkable work at cleaning oceans and other bodies of water. Strongly recommend to follow them! Just like on Earth, in space too it is starting to get congested with the increase of satellites and their various capabilities, the accumulation of debris from past rocket launches, and what is worse, is the millions of little bits of fragments and debris that is estimated to be in the millions (and can’t be detected and avoided due to their size). These objects as tiny as 1 mm to 1 cm can cause collision hazards to the increased activity, from active spacecrafts to human spaceflights, and that can potentially lead to a catastrophic situation. Many parallels here between the thorny sustainable issues on Earth and those in space: like those tiny fragments of debris in space, we have microplastics in our oceans, from the materials pollution we cause on Earth (land and water), to the congestion of debris in space. It is often said by actors in the space arena that we are going to space to make Earth a better place. So, let’s do better on Earth first! Let’s practice the concept of sustainable development on Earth: educate on overconsumption and reduction of single-use plastics. Let’s show a better example to youngsters looking on, and who will continue to live on Earth once we’re not longer here. We must do better in space too. We must have more conversations about space sustainability. Earth and its beautiful lands and oceans, the only place w call home. Let’s unite in the global effort of sustainability, conservation and increase the awareness of our carbon footprint. *Text from Room The Space Journal of Asgardia, Special Report by Peter Martinez, based on a keynote speech given a the 6th New Space Atlantic Summit in Portugal on 10 May 2023, organized by the Portuguese Space Agency with the theme ‘A Global Effort for Space Sustainability’.

To see this article in a listing format of each story as headlines only, click button below, or in the drop-down menu on top of the page, in tab "Space News & Sources Listing", select "Space in Canada": January 22, 2024 Reaching beyond - A $40 billion Canadian space economy by 2040 Article by Deloitte Canada (Excerpt from article:) A new report by Deloitte Canada, in collaboration with Space Canada, states that Canada is well-positioned to benefit from the significant economic opportunities that the space sector presents. However, to do so, the country needs to develop a smart, sustained, and well-executed strategy. The report, Reaching beyond: A $40 billion Canadian space economy by 2040, examines the current role of space in Canada’s economy and its potential for growth and further contribution to the country’s prosperity. (From the report, link below:) According to the CSA's (Canadian Space Agency) most recent calculations (2019). The Canadian space sector generates $5.5 billion in revenue annually and contributes $2.5 billion to the GDP. Space is one of the county's most R&D-intensive industries. The space sector supported a total of almost 23,000 jobs in Canada. SMEs account for more than 90% of Canadian space firms and about 30% of employment in the space sector. [But] as impressive as Canada's space sector may appear, it accounts for only about 1% of today's worldwide space economy. If Canada can create the conditions to capture a share of the worldwide space economy comparable to its share of the general economy, our space sector could be worth $40 billion by 2040. "40 by 40" is a goal world pursuing. Full article here: Reaching Beyond - A $40 billion Canadian space economy by 2040 (deloitte.com) January 16, 2024 Government of Canada selects 10 companies for SoCal-Canadian Space Accelerator, led by Mandala Space Ventures Article by Mandela Space Venture (Excerpt from article:) Mandala Space Ventures, a Pasadena-based venture studio and leader in supporting entrepreneurs and venture capitalists to successfully launch companies within the emerging new-space economy, announced today the selection of 10 Canadian space startups to take part in the SoCal – Canadian Space Accelerator. The companies selected are: Baune from Edmonton GALAXIA Mission Systems inc. from Halifax Magnestar from Toronto Obruta Space Solutions from Ottawa OroraTech Ltd. from Vancouver Reaction Dynamics from Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu SBQuantum – Reveal the invisible from Sherbrooke Wyvern from Edmonton Volta Space Technologies from Montreal Stealth Mode Company from Toronto Full article here: Government of Canada selects 10 companies for SoCal-Canadian Space Accelerator, led by Mandala Space Ventures – Mandala Space Ventures January 8, 2024 NorthStar Earth & Space announces the inaugural launch of the world's first commercial space-based SSA object tracking service Article by North Star Earth & Space (Excerpt from article:) NorthStar’s commercial, space-based SSA service will provide “always on” continuous monitoring of resident space objects (RSO’s) in near-Earth LEO, MEO, and GEO.  NorthStar’s unique services will include manoeuvre detection, conjunction warning, and anomaly detection at a higher level of speed and precision than previously available from conventional systems. The company’s planned flight of 12 satellites by 2026 will increase coverage to greater than 60% of the near-Earth orbital sky at any given time and up to 100%, when used in collaboration with other sensors. Full article here: NorthStar Earth & Space announces the inaugural launch of the world’s first commercial space-based SSA object tracking service - NorthStar Earth & Space Inc. (northstar-data.com)

(From the article:) MOLINE, Illinois (January 16, 2024) — Deere & Company (NYSE: DE) announced it has entered into an agreement with SpaceX to provide cutting-edge satellite communications (SATCOM) service to farmers. Utilizing the industry-leading Starlink network, this solution will allow farmers facing rural connectivity challenges to fully leverage precision agriculture technologies. This partnership, an industry first, will enable John Deere customers to be more productive, profitable, and sustainable in their operations as they continue to provide food, fuel, and fiber for their communities and a growing global population. Full article here: John Deere Announces Strategic Partnership with SpaceX In the tab "Space News & Sources Listing", in the top of the page, in the drop-down menu, find more on theme: "Space Tech-for-Good". Or click on Click Me on the right -->

As I write this, I am in the charming Hotel Encanto in Las Cruces, New Mexico. Just a drive away to Spaceport America, the chosen spaceport (yes, spaceport and not airport) for Virgin Galactic to conduct their spaceflights. With their upcoming 6th spaceflight this year, Virgin Galactic has been consistent, and on a roll with their monthly-scheduled spaceflights in 2023, and in a few days from now, on November 2, two researchers and one space tourist (future astronauts), will be launched into space on the VSS Unity — one of whom is Alan Stern. Why do I mention Alan specifically and what is my purpose at the launch? Well, Alan and I are together and have been so for the last couple of years. Alan is sharing a series of blogs prior, during and post his spaceflight. I wanted to share a piece myself from my perspective, as the life partner of someone who is not only going through an adventure of a lifetime, but a dream of a lifetime. (In case you don’t know this) Alan is a planetary Scientist, the PI (Principal Investigator) of NASA’s New Horizons — the mission that sent a spacecraft to Pluto, and a PI on many other missions — he’s also a space industry executive, and he’s passionate about all-things space, inspired by the Apollo era as many of his generation were. As if the above career path (and only a few things were mentioned), doesn’t sound fulfilling enough, Alan has also really wanted to be an astronaut all his life (he was close twice in selection, but it never materialized) — until now. Even prior to his current training happening this week at Spaceport America with the staff and crew from Virgin Galactic, Alan has been preparing for this for a long time: mentally, physically, and on all the details and logistics involved for this unique trip and experience. Training and preparation need to be done by all those who will experience spaceflight at some level, but more so by those doing an experiment(s) in a suborbital spaceflight, and that is what Alan, as well as his crewmate, fellow researcher, Kellie Gerardi, will be doing this upcoming week. So, along with this training and preparation, his passion for space, and career in the industry, he is knowledgeable of what to be anticipating: from the high acceleration and vibrations that the spacecraft will endure during launch, the period of weightlessness, and to “flying” around the cabin and conducting his experiments. But there is one unknown to him. That what his emotional response to seeing the Earth from space will be; to seeing the thin, delicate atmosphere encircling our planet (from his New Horizons mission to Pluto, once the spacecraft flew past Pluto and looked back and took a photo and captured the planet as an almost dark marble, but with a light blue hue of its atmosphere circling the planet, that is in fact Alan’s favorite photo form the mission). Then there’s the darkness of space beyond the horizon, separating Earth, and the vastness of space, which I have been told by former astronauts, is a shade of black like no other. Almost as if it has a velvety texture. That allows you to both, see how the Earth is connected to and within the cosmos, but also, how it stands out with its clear contrast of abundance of life, color, and all its fragility. There’s also seeing the curvature of the Earth like very few people in all of humanity have experienced with their own eyes. There’s something so beautiful and humbling to that unique view; the realization (even though already intellectually aware of it) that it’s all there on this floating blue marble. A perspective of the planet that can’t be seen from the Earth, or from a plane (maybe to some extent, could be seen partially with the type of high-altitude aircraft flights Alan has previously flown on, such as F-18s, WB-57s, F-104s), but none of these were anywhere near space, and none experienced weightlessness. Alan may even experience the Overview Effect, a term coined by space philosopher Frank White, and whom I now call a friend. About the “effect” experienced, it’s not some cutesy thing or something only non-professionals (space tourists) or the overly sentimental experience. It’s in fact (without having had an actual term prior to Frank White writing a book about it) been talked about by many astronauts that have been to space from the Apollo era to now. It’s a unique view that is overwhelming, breathtaking, humbling, and inspiring, and as a result, brings about a mindset-shift, or a new perspective of our existence, our fragility, and our uniqueness as creatures, especially one with the ability to perceive, and with a consciousness that can absorb and be changed by this new perspective. In fact, with Alan being in the industry so long, he has many astronaut acquaintances and friends, and indeed, some have reached out to him recently to congratulate him on the upcoming flight, but they are also telling him that he will see something beautiful and special, and that he will come back a changed man. I am thrilled that Alan will experience his life-long dream, and cannot wait to watch him, and his crewmates, be launched into space, but also, I can’t wait to see how he comes back a changed man. Ad Astra Galactic5! And, High Five! (Article originally posted on my Medium site and on 1 November.)

Last week (November 2) I attended a Virgin Galactic space launch, their 6th spaceflight in six months, where myself along guests and family got to see Alan Stern, PhD, Kellie Gerardi, and Ketty Maisonrouge, be launched into space – their spaceflight designated as Galactic 5. In the few days I got to spend onsite, I got to tour the premises, talk to many of the staff and crew, and I got to observe the highly complex operation that is needed to get people to fly to space. Throughout that week, there is a specific observation I made which inspires me and gives me faith for what is to come for the future within the space sector. The launch took place in the middle of nowhere almost, in the desert of New Mexico, at Spaceport America, the “first purpose-built commercial spaceport in the world”, and of course, that’s in the United States. But when you are there, you can notice the diversity in cultural backgrounds of all individuals, guests, and staff alike, being from all over the map (as was the food prepared for us)! Even the pilots and commanders of both spacecrafts are not only Americans, but from Canada and Europe. And the astronauts all wear flags on their spaceflight suits of where they come from and/or where they live, and that too makes it a global citizen-like affair. But here’s the focus of where I'm bringing all this and my main observation being there: the women! Women were literally part of every execution needed to make such an endeavor and venture happen. Let me list them: To begin, there was of course Kellie Gerardi, now astronaut 21, a researcher on that spaceflight, and who certainly inspired many, from her followers to new admirers. Ketty Maisonrouge, also onboard that spaceflight, now astronaut 22, is considered a tourist astronaut. Ketty went through all the necessary training involved (and it’s not for everyone). Ketty has also waited almost 20 years for this spaceflight – her enthusiasm proved she wanted this as much now as when she first signed up. Kelly Latimer was the pilot of the VSS Unity, and this was her third spaceflight. She is the world’s first commercial spaceship female pilot. Kellie, as researcher on the flight, sponsored by the International Institute for Astronautical Sciences (IIAS), and as such had a tech team with her, two of which were women (Aaron Persad, the third in the team is just as incredible!), and Kellie could not have done it without them. Yvette Gonzalez, MPH, is Senior Atmospheric Researcher with the IIAS, but also, a humanitarian leader and strategist who has lived all over the world and a true global citizen, and that’s to say the least about her professional background. Shawna Pandya, MD, also a member of the tech team, a rockstar in her domain, a physician and director of the Medical Group of the IIAS – and more! This quote by Helen Keller sums it up: “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” As I got to tour the hangar, many of the engineers and technical staff there were women, including one handling the monitors of the Virgin Galactic spaceplane flight simulator. Many of the staff and senior directors with Virgin Galactic are women. A few of them have even flown themselves to space, including Beth Moses, Chief Astronaut Instructor, Sirisha Bandla, VP of Government Affairs, and Jamila Gilbert, Internal Communications Manager. And as bonus, to add to all these amazing and inspiring women, working and pioneering in their respective fields, Alan Stern, now astronaut 20, a scientist and industry leader in the planetary sciences, had a few guests from his work team (not spaceflight tech team, but Dan Durda, being on that team rocks!), and that is Kelsi Singer, project scientist, and Co-Investigator on the New Horizons mission (the robotic mission that had a flyby to Pluto). Also there, from the Southwest Research Institute (SwRI), which sponsored Alan Stern’s flight was Erika Barth, also a senior research scientist in the planetary field. There is a lot to say on the subject of diversity and its importance for overall corporate culture and values, for big and small companies; here are a couple of quick summary phrases from McKinsey and Company’s featured insights: “Diversity brings multiple perspectives to the table during times when enhanced problem-solving skills and vision are needed”, and “The business case for diversity is robust, and the relationship between diversity on executive teams and the likelihood of financial outperformance has gotten stronger over time”. Those are from the business perspective. But in general, having more women in STEM and Space, as representatives within their fields and professions, simply inspires a new generation of young women. And that is so important! “You can’t be what you can’t see”, Sally, Ride, first American woman to fly in space.

Watching a video of the Galactic-04 crew, weightless in the VSS Unity (Virgin Space Ship Unity), up in space at the apogee point, (goal of a suborbital flight before coming back down to Earth), just short of the 100-kilometers-height (known as the Karman Line), and there, a clear pattern could be seen: at some point, as the astronauts look out their windows at the unique views of the Earth (unlike any human can see from the ground), a specific gaze can be seen by all three astronauts, like they just spotted the most beautiful thing their eyes have ever seen, transfixed by the sight, mesmerized by the views. Sometimes, you can even see the reflection of the Earth in their eyes. They seem to be close to tearing up, but almost like they refuse to allow it, as if shedding a tear will blur their vision or that if they blink their eyes, the experience will be all over and behind them. Ron Rosano, Trevor Beattie, and Namira Salim – the now new astronauts 017, 018 and 019 respectively – with Virgin Galactic, shared a beautiful moment together but alone at the same time. Alone with their views, their thoughts, and their obvious new-found perspective of what our precious planet is about. That is the magic of spaceflight, and that is why space is awe-inspiring. I talk of these three individuals/astronauts because they were the last crew to experience a suborbital spaceflight with their October 6 launch, but the same thing could have been seen with all past astronauts. And today, a new crew was just announced: scientist Dr. Alan Stern, researcher Kellie Gerardi, who together combined, plan to conduct five scientific research experiments, as well as private astronaut of Franco-Italian nationality (one who purchased their ticket years ago and has been waiting for this moment for a long time!) The image to the right is: GALACTIC 05 Mission patch design courtesy of Virgin Galactic Suborbital flights are kind of like the edge of where Earth’s blanket ends and space begins; the very first steps to the “Next Frontier” which is a very, very vast and wondrous place. Suborbital flights are not an orbit around the Earth, or going to cislunar, to the Moon or anywhere far in space, but it’s the beginning of space exploration for regular people – and those lucky few who have experienced it don’t come back the same. They experienced the Overview Effect! That’s because space inspires like nothing else. Dream big! Ad Astra GALACTIC05 crew!