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The Cape Canaveral Barrier Island, home to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)'s Kennedy Space Center and the United States (U.S.) Space Force's Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, is situated in a unique ecological transition zone that supports diverse wildlife. This study evaluates the recent changes in vegetation cover (2016–2023) and dune elevation (2007–2017) within the Cape Canaveral Barrier Island using high-resolution optical satellite and light detection and ranging (LiDAR) data. The study period was chosen to depict the time period of a recent increase in rocket launches. The study objectives include assessing changes in vegetation communities, identifying detectable impacts of liquid propellant launches on nearby vegetation, and evaluating dune elevation and tide level shifts near launchpads. The results indicate vegetation cover changes, including mangrove expansion in wetland areas and the conversion of coastal strands to denser scrubs and hardwood forests, which were likely influenced by mild winters and fire management. While detectable impacts of rocket launches on nearby vegetation were observed, they were less severe than those caused by solid rocket motors. Compounding challenges, such as rising tide levels, beach erosion, and wetland loss, potentially threaten the resilience of launch operations and the surrounding habitats. The volume and scale of launches continue to increase, and a balance between space exploration and ecological conservation is required in this biodiverse region. This study focuses on the assessment of barrier islands' shorelines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Outer space is often described as a frontier – an unsettled, mysterious or wild place that should be explored and eventually inhabited. The metaphor evokes a pioneer spirit and a sense of freedom, but it is also bound up with violent histories of settler colonialism and social injustice. Although the frontier narrative remains prevalent in political, commercial and media discourses in the United States and elsewhere, we know little about whether the public understands space exploration in this way. We also lack studies about how those working to popularise space exploration and make it comprehensible to a global audience understand and apply the frontier narrative. A long-term ethnographic study of their work shows that their understandings of the space frontier are refracted through everyday forms of sociality and experience that they cultivate near Boca Chica in South Texas, where SpaceX builds and tests Starship prototypes. The labour of imagination performed by SpaceX fans and space creators upends the problematic myth of the frontier and points towards alternative ways of understanding space exploration. • We lack studies that analyse whether the public really understands space as a frontier. • Their labour of imagination rather than the frontier narrative binds space creators. • The work of SpaceX fans points to alternative ways of imagining space exploration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides a Christian philosophical and theological response to the moral imperative of human advancement through multiplanetarism as emerging from the Great Filter theory. First, it explains the Fermi paradox that underlies the Great Filter theory. Next, it explores this theory itself and its motivational power in driving advancement toward multiplanetarism. In particular, we explore two motives behind the multiplanetary efforts that are (in part) guided by the Great Filter theory, analyzing the relevant statements of SpaceX founder and chief engineer Elon Musk. Finally, we assess these motivations (and the accompanying normative assumptions) behind space exploration and multiplanetarism from the perspective of Reformational philosophy, using Herman Dooyeweerd's theory of ground motives as a lens. Thus, the paper's leading research question is this: How can we assess the current attempts at securing a multiplanetary existence for humankind in the light of Dooyeweerd's theory of ground motives? [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

National security in space has long focused on the threat posed by potentially offensive capabilities or behavior of nation-states. However, there is a huge shift in the type of dominant actor in space and this may result in instability, caused by ripple effects disrupting the existing governance structure and demonstrating the slipping rank of Russia as a space superpower. As a result, the fundamental nature of space is changing, and with that change comes disruption as to how the domain has been governed to date. If international governance does not evolve along with the domain, then we run the risk of seeing inadvertent escalations or even conflict between countries as a result. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The kind of advances in spaceflight envisioned in the mid-twentieth century have largely failed to materialize, thereby limiting space exploration to relatively small areas of a very large galaxy. That will change with the advent of directed energy technologies, specifically laser propulsion. The privately funded Breakthrough Starshot program is already working on such a propulsion system to carry nanosatellite Star Chips to the nearest star system, Alpha Centauri. But powerful lasers – a dual-use technology much like rocketry, nuclear energy, and cyber technology, which have both security-related and civilian uses – have been largely stigmatized as weapons. While security concerns about the use of large lasers are certainly justified, the development of Starshot and other big, multinational science programs can have positive national and international outcomes. Therefore, the use of a large laser array as a propulsion system will require, much like other large multinational cutting-edge science programs, a negotiated, cooperative governance system. Those negotiations should begin soon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aerospace industry has undergone significant changes in the past few decades due to industrial impact. Technological advancements like Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, and the Internet of Things have led to the development of more efficient and sustainable aerospace systems that have had a profound impact on the industry in the long run. This article aims to explore the industrial impact of the aerospace industry from a future perspective. It examines the various technological advancements that have been made and their impact on aerospace system design, fuel efficiency, and overall operational costs. This work also discusses the role of government regulations and policies in promoting sustainable aerospace practices and the need for continued research and development of new technologies, policies, and practices that can lead to a more sustainable aerospace industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Space has fascinated humans for centuries. However, a new era has begun sixty years ago when the first engine was launched into outer space, the Russian satellite Sputnik. This event participated to trigger a space race between the two leading countries of the time, opposed in the Cold War, the United-States and the USSR. It had direct consequences on international relations at the time and was also at the origin of significant scientific improvements in the space field. This paper aims to analyze how space activities have developed and changed after the end of the Cold War. While competition dominated space and its few governmental actors until the end of the 1980’s, a new model of international cooperation has appeared subsequently and continues to govern most of space activities today. The variety of actors operating in the space field has also considerably increased. On the one hand, developing countries have tried more and more to play a significant role, using space as a means to exist on the international stage. On the other hand, the role of the private sector has also risen a lot. These new actors may constitute a threat for the global cooperation that has been set up after the Cold War, as well as for the future of space. Over the years, an international and national regulation has developed to frame and control space activities, with the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs as a leading actor. Today, space law seems to suffer legal gaps that need to be addressed to ensure the safety of all. In addition, new challenges have arisen with the increasing number of space actors, such as space debris or space tourism. In order to anticipate potential irreversible damages in outer space, as has happened on Earth, it is now crucial to take seriously these legal needs.

Private commercialization is making broadband internet accessible through a new frontier: space. Space Exploration Holdings, LLC (SpaceX), is launching a mega-constellation of thousands of small-satellites into low-Earth orbit to provide fixed-satellite service across the globe. In order to do so, SpaceX was required to receive a license from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). The licensing regime is part of a larger international regulatory framework based on five governing treaties – the Outer Space Treaty, Rescue Agreement, Liability Convention, Registration Convention, and the Moon Treaty. Compliance with these treaties is managed through the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) an agency of the United Nations. In this instance, the FCC's domestic licensing processes ensure compliance by the United States to the ITU's procedures and the treaties. The role of the FCC in maintaining these regulatory operations may, however, introduce risks to consumer privacy. This paper explores the tension between government regulation of information and communication technologies, specifically, small satellite mega-constellations and the right to privacy under the Fourth Amendment of the United States Constitution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Goals: To win first place at the SpaceX Hyperloop Pod Competition in both overall point total and speed. To accelerate the development of a fast, economical, and sustainable transportation system. Objectives: Design and build a 1:2 scale Hyperloop pod that utilize air based levitation and is optimized for a one mile test track. Educate and train students in simulation and advanced manufacturing. Collaborate with industry partners and students from many disciplines.HyperXite.com Primary Advisor: Roger Rangel, Secondary Advisors: Jack Brouwer, Kenneth Mease, Mahshid Fardadi, Khalid Rafique,Lorenzo Valdevit, Farzin Zareian, Manuel Gamero, Daniel Mumm, James Bobrow

A tecnologia espacial é um dos setores que mais investe em automação e integração de estruturas e equipamentos. Envolvendo um enorme número de empresas diferentes, sempre apresentou um desafio entre integração de software e hardware das mais diversas áreas. Os computadores necessários para controlar e processar toda essa estrutura necessitam ser ágeis, confiáveis e capazes de executar todos os desafios propostos por esta tecnologia. Controlando estes computadores, o sistema operacional Linux mostrou-se capaz de realizar esta missão, sendo atualmente utilizado nos grandes foguetes reutilizáveis ou em drones sob solo marciano. Este estudo exploratório, realizado como revisão bibliográfica, destaca a aplicação do Linux, assim como a tecnologia espacial e seus desafios. Os dados obtidos durante a pesquisa possibilitaram afirmar que a NASA e a SpaceX mudaram a forma como equipes e empresas atuam nas missões espaciais. O Linux vem permitindo que equipes de cientistas em universidades ou empresas de tecnologia de pequeno porte atuem de forma importante para o sucesso da nova era espacial. A missão espacial DM-2 ocorrida em maio de 2020, é a prova do sucesso da utilização do Linux.

• This article discusses the safety contribution of a public administration scholar specialised in space policy, Howard McCurdy. • First, it contends that McCurdy's research on NASA and (post) bureaucracy has been overlooked in the field whereas it provides a valuable lens to the understanding of reliability, safety and performance of safety–critical systems. • Second, the article argues that McCurdy's research brings novel and valuable insights to important safety debates. • The relevance of McCurdy's lens is then illustrated using SpaceX as a case study, an example of the new developments in organising space exploration with their safety related challenges, moving from public to private initiatives. • In " Reinterrogating the past ", it is argued that McCurdy's research provides a bridge between what was once framed as two opposite theses, normal accident versus high-reliability organisation. • In " challenging the present " it is argued that more recent debates and controversies triggered by the " new view " might not be as new as currently thought and advocated. This article discusses the safety contribution of a public administration scholar specialised in space policy, Howard McCurdy. Its aim is twofold. First, it contends that McCurdy's research on NASA and (post) bureaucracy has been overlooked in the field whereas it provides a valuable lens to the understanding of reliability, safety and performance of safety–critical systems. This contention requires bringing to the fore McCurdy' extensive study of NASA and his rationale over several decades. Second, the article argues that McCurdy's research brings novel and valuable insights to important safety debates. Following a methodological section, the article explains his analysis of the engineering, organisational, and political complexities and challenges experienced by NASA's employees over more than sixty years of the agency's lifetime, developing a unique longitudinal and multilevel study of reliability, safety and performance. The relevance of McCurdy's lens is then illustrated using SpaceX as a case study, an example of the new developments in organising space exploration with their safety related challenges, moving from public to private initiatives. In the discussion, the article explores the value of this author for past and contemporary debates on reliability, safety and performance of safety–critical systems. In " Reinterrogating the past ", it is argued that McCurdy's research provides a bridge between what was once framed as two opposite theses, normal accident versus high-reliability organisation. In " challenging the present " it is argued that more recent debates and controversies triggered by the " new view " might not be as new as currently thought and advocated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The US space activities from their inception have been closely connected with the private sector. However, only in 2010s private space companies have come to play a prominent role not only on the global market of space services but in the field of international security as well. At the same time, this trend towards commercialization of outer space use and the growing role of the private space sector in ensuring national security is still understudied. This paper aims to partially fill this gap by assessing approaches to these issues adopted by the administration of D. Trump. In the first section the author notes that both conceptual and legal frameworks of private space activities lack clarity and proposes an operational definition of the phenomenon. The second section provides a brief overview of the key strategic policy documents of the Trump’s administration including those on commercial use of space in general and its implications for the US national security in particular. The third section identifies the trend towards the institutionalization of the US Space Forces as one of the priorities of the Trump’s administration military policy. The fourth section thoroughly examines key forms and areas of the public–private partnership in commercial use of space, including launch services, communication services, intelligence gathering, as well as production and maintenance of satellites. Finally, the fifth section assesses the prospects for private space activities given the current tightness of the space services market and growing competition. The author concludes that private space plays a subsidiary role within the US national security and is still heavily dependent on state support. Nevertheless, the scope of public–private cooperation is expanding and the models of interaction are changing. The Trump’s administration has contributed to the development of the industry through liberalization of regulations and involvement of private sector in the new large-scale projects, such as the Artemis program. The other important outcome of the space policy of the 45th President of the United States is anchoring of private space activities in the US national security strategy documents.

Background:  To win first place at the SpaceX Hyper-Loop Pod Competition in both overall point total and speed. Design and build a 1:2 scale Hyperloop pod that utilizes air based levitation andis optimized for a 1 mile test track.Educate and train students in simulation and advanced manufacturing Collaborate with industry partners and students from many disciplines Faculty Advisors: Roger Rangel         rhrangel@uci.eduDr. Jacob Brouwer -  Department of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering             jbrouwer@uci.eduLorenzo Valdevit                    valdevit@uci.eduFarzin Zareian             zareian@uci.eduDaniel Mumm             mumm@uci.eduGeorge Meier              gdmeier@uci.eduAlexander McDonald                         alexander.mcdonald@gmail.com

This article studies the issues of international space law and analyses the reasons for its occurrence. At the moment, space law actively develops, and space exploration has become increasingly popular and demanded. Nevertheless, this field’s legal regulations were drawn up in the mid-20th century and are now partly obsolete. Moreover, the set of space-related legal relations in regard to the exploration and use of outer space and celestial bodies undergoes significant changes. Therefore, it is of sufficient importance to seek new possible areas and improve existing means of resolving current legal issues to ensure the progress of international and national space law. Every year problems related to unregulated actions of private companies in the sector increasingly occur. This topic requires analysis to provide ways to address those gaps in international space law.

In stellar bodies, its gravitational force pushes atoms together fusing them, causing Nuclear Fusion to occur, so that the extra mass is converted into pure energy by Albert - Einstein's E = mc2 mass-energy equivalence formula. On Earth, temperatures around 150 million degrees Celsius (average particle kinetic energy around 10 keV) are required to overcome Coulomb's law, the force between two charged particles, so that the fusion can occur. The preferred fuel source is Helium-3, found in abundance on the moon, due to its clean nature and energy output. In the future, Nuclear Fusion could play a role as the main form of electricity production once the proper infrastructure is built. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using Social Representations Theory, the current study modeled different information sources, "anchoring" of space travel, "objectification" of space travel and their influences on attitude towards, support for, and attractiveness of space travel using data from 474 respondents. PLS‐SEM revealed that negative anchors related to space travel influence negative attitude while the objectification of SpaceX, Virgin Galactic, and Tesla influence the positive attitudes. Organizations with an interest in space tourism need to use scientific knowledge and scientists, documentary broadcasts, and serious news media for broadening their appeal, as more tangible scientific messages derive the higher response and impact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article traces Canada's early interest in space, before turning to its late 1960s decision to focus on a domestic, commercial/civilian communications satellite system in geostationary orbit and the subsequent decline in Canada's military space efforts. It then highlights the wake-up call of the 1991 Gulf War, which demonstrated the critical importance of military communications satellites to future operations, and the steps Canada has taken to gain assured access to such satellites in the decades since. The final section outlines recent advances in low Earth orbit satellite communications (LEO satcom) and the ways in which these systems can address shortfalls in their geostationary cousins. Drawing reference to a new international security environment, it concludes that Canada should move expeditiously to incorporate LEO satcom into efforts to address the growing imperative of military satellite communications in the Canadian Arctic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The SpaceX company has introduced a reusable first stage rocket that lands on a floating barge. In the event that the first stage rocket falls off the platform, the investigation of landing location on the seafloor may help to increase the salvage efficiency. This paper deals with the application of experimental and numerical techniques into locating a model rocket freely falling into the towing tank with various initial drop angles. The floor of the towing tank represents the ocean floor with regards to the landing position of the model rocket. The landing position is of interest to recover the fallen rocket. The University of New Orleans Towing Tank facility has been used to release a model first-stage Falcon 9 rocket at initial drop angles from 0° to 90° with a uniform increment of 15°. The landing point distribution at each drop angle is recorded using a landing grid on the bottom of the towing tank. First, a deterministic model based on the Dropped Objects Simulator (DROBS) is used to calculate an ideal landing point, which is compared with the experimental results. It is found that one single simulation by the deterministic model cannot reasonably explain the random landing point distributions observed in the experiment. Therefore, the Monte Carlo method based on a stochastic model is used to numerically consider the effects from various random disturbances. The landing point distribution obtained by stochastic process analysis is close to the experimentally obtained distribution for each drop angle case. The stochastic modeling shows more advantages and advancements in subsequent analysis, such as the calculation of landing velocity/speed. The findings from stochastic modeling of the dropping process is also discussed. Finally, the drop angle is found to significantly affect the trajectory, landing points, and landing speed in both the deterministic and the stochastic model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article studies the issues of international space law and analyses the reasons for its occurrence. At the moment, space law actively develops, and space exploration has become increasingly popular and demanded. Nevertheless, this field’s legal regulations were drawn up in the mid-20th century and are now partly obsolete. Moreover, the set of space-related legal relations in regard to the exploration and use of outer space and celestial bodies undergoes significant changes. Therefore, it is of sufficient importance to seek new possible areas and improve existing means of resolving current legal issues to ensure the progress of international and national space law. Every year problems related to unregulated actions of private companies in the sector increasingly occur. This topic requires analysis to provide ways to address those gaps in international space law. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Elon Musk and SpaceX are central to the profound change underway in the space industry, opening up the sector to entrepreneurship and innovation by non-traditional new entrants. We employ the emancipation perspective on entrepreneuring as a theoretical lens to describe, explain, and interpret the entrepreneuring activities of Musk to launch and grow SpaceX. Applying an event study approach that combines case methods and process theory methods on publicly-available sources, we develop six examples of seeking autonomy, seven examples of authoring, and four examples of making declarations—the three core elements of the emancipation perspective on entrepreneuring. Our work contributes to the theory and practice of innovation by adding to the corpus of descriptive case studies that examine entrepreneuring as an emancipatory process. Our results and our method will also also be of interest to space industry entrepreneurs, investors, analysts, managers, policy-makers, and officers at governmental space agencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Electrodynamic suspension (EDS) relies on the repulsive force created by eddy currents in a stationary conductive body (rail) and a magnetic field generated by an excitation system on a moving vehicle (pod). The excitation system in this paper consists of permanent magnets in a Hallbach array. EDS generates lift forces that levitate the pod reliably at high speeds of the vehicle since no mechanical suspension is required. Therefore, it gains interest for high‐speed transportation applications such as the Hyperloop project, driven by the Space Exploration Technologies Corporation (SpaceX). Electrodynamic fields and forces have been analysed in detail in the literature; however, the sophistication and/or limited applicability of analytical approaches or the computational burden of FEM/numerical methods render those impractical for the initial design of EDS systems. Therefore, power and loss scaling laws for EDS systems are derived in this study. A 3D simulation for a design example shows that the scaling law is within 10% deviation. Finally, the drag coefficient of EDS systems is compared with other forms of commercial high‐speed ground and air transportation systems. A pod with EDS running in vacuum has the potential of decreasing energy consumption significantly above the cruising speeds of modern subsonic airliners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The launch of SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket delivered Taiwan's FORMOSAT‐5 satellite to orbit from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California at 18:51:00 UT on 24 August 2017. To facilitate the delivery of FORMOSAT‐5 to its mission orbit altitude of ~720 km, the Falcon 9 made a steep initial ascent. During the launch, the supersonic rocket induced gigantic circular shock acoustic waves (SAWs) in total electron content (TEC) over the western United States beginning approximately 5 min after the liftoff. The circular SAWs emanated outward with ~20 min duration, horizontal phase velocities of ~629–726 m/s, horizontal wavelengths of ~390–450 km, and period of ~10.28 ± 1 min. This is the largest rocket‐induced circular SAWs on record, extending approximately 114–128°W in longitude and 26–39°N in latitude (~1,500 km in diameter), and was due to the unique, nearly vertical attitude of the rocket during orbit insertion. The rocket‐exhaust plume subsequently created a large‐scale ionospheric plasma hole (~900 km in diameter) with 10–70% TEC depletions in comparison with the reference days. While the circular SAWs, with a relatively small amplitude of TEC fluctuations, likely did not introduce range errors into the Global Navigation Satellite Systems navigation and positioning system, the subsequent ionospheric plasma hole, on the other hand, could have caused spatial gradients in the ionospheric plasma potentially leading to a range error of ~1 m. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mars Sample Return is the highest priority science mission for the next decade as recommended by the 2011 Decadal Survey of Planetary Science (Squyres, 2011 [1] ). This article presents the results of a feasibility study for a Mars Sample Return mission that efficiently uses emerging commercial capabilities expected to be available in the near future. The motivation of our study was the recognition that emerging commercial capabilities might be used to perform Mars Sample Return with an Earth-direct architecture, and that this may offer a desirable simpler and lower cost approach. The objective of the study was to determine whether these capabilities can be used to optimize the number of mission systems and launches required to return the samples, with the goal of achieving the desired simplicity. All of the major element required for the Mars Sample Return mission are described. Mission system elements were analyzed with either direct techniques or by using parametric mass estimating relationships. The analysis shows the feasibility of a complete and closed Mars Sample Return mission design based on the following scenario: A SpaceX Falcon Heavy launch vehicle places a modified version of a SpaceX Dragon capsule, referred to as “Red Dragon”, onto a Trans Mars Injection trajectory. The capsule carries all the hardware needed to return to Earth Orbit samples collected by a prior mission, such as the planned NASA Mars 2020 sample collection rover. The payload includes a fully fueled Mars Ascent Vehicle; a fueled Earth Return Vehicle, support equipment, and a mechanism to transfer samples from the sample cache system onboard the rover to the Earth Return Vehicle. The Red Dragon descends to land on the surface of Mars using Supersonic Retropropulsion. After collected samples are transferred to the Earth Return Vehicle, the single-stage Mars Ascent Vehicle launches the Earth Return Vehicle from the surface of Mars to a Mars phasing orbit. After a brief phasing period, the Earth Return Vehicle performs a Trans Earth Injection burn. Once near Earth, the Earth Return Vehicle performs Earth and lunar swing-bys and is placed into a Lunar Trailing Orbit-an Earth orbit, at lunar distance. A retrieval mission then performs a rendezvous with the Earth Return Vehicle, retrieves the sample container, and breaks the chain of contact with Mars by transferring the sample into a sterile and secure container. With the sample contained, the retrieving spacecraft makes a controlled Earth re-entry preventing any unintended release of Martian materials into the Earth’s biosphere. The mission can start in any one of three Earth to Mars launch opportunities, beginning in 2022. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: On May 24, 2012 SpaceX's Dragon capsule was launched and in doing so became the first commercially built vehicle to berth with and carry cargo to the International Space Station (ISS). It successfully completed its mission and returned to the Pacific Ocean on May 31, 2012.1 The docking of Dragon represented a historic moment where a commercial enterprise managed to achieve that which had previously only been accomplished by governments. “In the history of spaceflight – only four entities have launched a space capsule into orbit and successfully brought it back to Earth: the United States, Russia, China, and SpaceX”.2 While this is a monumental accomplishment for private industry, we cannot ignore the value of public–private partnerships and the role that government played in enabling this incredible achievement. In this paper I will examine how public–private partnerships are enabling the development of the commercial space industry, viewed through the lens of the Rethinking Business Institutional Hybrid Framework put forward by University of Oxford professors Marc Ventresca and Alex Nichols in their Rethinking Business MBA course. I intend to demonstrate that the NASA versus Commercial Space argument is a false dichotomy and that only by working together can both sectors continue to push the boundaries of space travel and exploration. I plan to do this by first discussing how the NASA-SpaceX partnership came about and the reasoning behind it. I will then explore what a public–private partnership (PPP) is, as compared to other government privatization schemes, and explain why Space Act Agreements are significantly different from anything done previously. I will then analyze the impact of these agreements and outline their benefits in order to demonstrate the value they create, especially in areas of mutual value creation and economic development. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A main goal of human space exploration is to develop humanity into a multi-planet species where civilization extends beyond planet Earth. Establishing a self-sustaining human presence on Mars is key to achieving this goal. In situ resource utilization (ISRU) on Mars is a critical component to enabling humans on Mars to both establish long-term outposts and become self-reliant. This article focuses on a mission architecture using the SpaceX Starship as cargo and crew vehicles for the journey to Mars. The first Starships flown to Mars will be uncrewed and will provide unprecedented opportunities to deliver ∼100 metric tons of cargo to the martian surface per mission and conduct robotic precursor work to enable a sustained and self-reliant human presence on Mars. We propose that the highest priority activities for early uncrewed Starships include pre-placement of supplies, developing infrastructure, testing of key technologies, and conducting resource prospecting to map and characterize water ice for future ISRU purposes., Competing Interests: No competing financial interests exist., (© Jennifer L. Heldmann, et al. 2022; Published by Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.)

• Space colonization justifications employ the same logic that oversaw Earth's ruin. • Capitalism's persistence is taken for granted in these justifications. • Space colonization is untenable if social alternatives to capitalism are considered. We apply the concepts "irrational rationality," a term condensing the Frankfurt School's assessment of the contradictions of capitalist rationalization, and Fisher's (2008) notion of "capitalist realism," the termination of the ability to imagine alternatives to capitalism, to sociologically analyze the case for space colonization as a means to preserve the human species from a catastrophic ecological future. Along with failing to make a convincing instrumental case for space colonization as an effective means to preserve the species, justifications for space colonization are irrationally rational because they employ the same logic and inversion of means and ends that oversaw the degradation of Earth. Capitalist realism underpins the contemporary case for space colonization as the continuation of capitalism is not only taken for granted, but, further, capitalist priorities are used as justification. The case for space colonization is untenable when social alternatives to capitalism, the driver of the ecological crisis, are considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Years of health information system investment in many countries have facilitated service delivery, surveillance, reporting, and monitoring. Electricity, computing hardware, and internet networks are vital for health facility-based information systems. Availability of these infrastructures at health facilities is crucial for achieving national digital health visions., Objective: The aim of this study was to gain insight into the state of computing hardware, electricity, and connectivity infrastructure at health facilities in Sierra Leone using a representative sample., Methods: Stratified sampling of 72 (out of 1284) health facilities distributed in all districts of Sierra Leone was performed, factoring in the rural-urban divide, digital health activity, health facility type, and health facility ownership. Enumerators visited each health facility over a 2-week period., Results: Among the 72 surveyed health facilities, 59 (82%) do not have institutionally provided internet. Among the 15 Maternal and Child Health Posts, as a type of primary health care unit (PHU), 9 (60%) use solar energy as their only electricity source and the other 6 (40%) have no electricity source. Similarly, among the 13 hospitals, 5 (38%) use a generator as a primary electricity source. All hospitals have at least one functional computer, although only 7 of the 13 hospitals have four or more functional computers. Similarly, only 2 of the 59 (3%) PHUs have one computer each, and 37 (63%) of the PHUs have one tablet device each. We consider this health care computing infrastructure mapping to be representative with a 95% confidence level within an 11% margin of error. Two-thirds of the PHUs have only alternate solar electricity, only 10 of the 72 surveyed health facilities have functional official internet, and most use suboptimal computing hardware. Overall, 43% of the surveyed health facilities believe that inadequate electricity is the biggest threat to digitization. Similarly, 16 (22%) of the 72 respondents stated that device theft is a primary hindrance to digitization., Conclusions: Electricity provision for off-electricity-grid health facilities using alternative and renewable energy sources is emerging. The current trend where GSM (Global System for Mobile Communication) service providers provide the internet to all health facilities may change to other promising alternatives. This study provides evidence of the critical infrastructure gaps in health facilities in Sierra Leone., (©Emeka Chukwu, Lalit Garg, Edward Foday, Abdul Konomanyi, Royston Wright, Francis Smart. Originally published in JMIR Medical Informatics (https://medinform.jmir.org), 03.02.2022.)

In challenging environments such as forests, valleys and higher latitude areas, there are usually fewer than four visible satellites. For cases with only two visible satellites, we propose a dual-satellite alternate switching ranging integrated navigation algorithm based on the broadband low earth orbit (LEO) constellation, which integrates communication and navigation (ICN) technology. It is different from the traditional dual-satellite integrated navigation algorithm: the difference is that it can complete precise real-time navigation and positioning without an altimeter and continuous observation. First, we give the principle of our algorithm. Second, with the help of an unscented Kalman filter (UKF), we give the observation equation and state equation of our algorithm, and establish the mathematical model of multipath/non-line of sight (NLOS) and noise interference. Finally, based on the SpaceX constellation, for various scenarios, we analyze the performance of our algorithm through simulation. The results show that: our algorithm can effectively suppress the divergence of the inertial navigation system (INS), in the face of different multipath/NLOS interference and various noise environments it still keeps good robustness, and also has great advantages in various indicators compared with the traditional dual-satellite positioning algorithms and some existing 3-satellite advanced positioning algorithms. These results show that our algorithm can meet the real-time location service requirements in harsh and challenging environments, and provides a new navigation and positioning method when there are only two visible satellites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Elon Musk has sought to position his private aerospace company, SpaceX, as the future of space exploration, even as the feasibility of its initiatives remains to be seen. Although the level of support for public space programs has been well established by previous research, we know less about how people perceive private space travel initiatives, particularly those—like the SpaceX Mars colonization proposal—that involve civilian participation. Today's young people are the first generation who may find themselves or their children deciding whether to leave Earth for another planet. In this study, we compare the case Musk is making for the SpaceX colonization plan to young adults' perceptions of that plan, using data gathered from 81 college students who participated in interviews and focus groups on this topic. We argue that the rhetoric of private space initiatives has the potential to create new visions of our spacefaring future, but also new points of resistance for the civilians needed to support these initiatives. Our analysis revealed doubts regarding feasibility, concerns related to cost, and an individualized sense of risk that outweighed more generalized benefits. We conclude with implications for those seeking public support for private space initiatives, as well as plans for tracking public sentiment regarding private space travel as it changes over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]