Category Archives: Newspace

Will Elon Musk make it to Mars?

By now, you’ve undoubtedly heard that SpaceX founder Elon Musk hopes to establish a colony on Mars. Eric Mack of Cnet argues that the plan is insane but not impossible, while TheVerge’s Elizabeth Lopatto finds Musk’s plans implausible, but notes that they may lead to other important discoveries.

Assuming the first flights ever get off the ground, they’ll be dangerous one-way trips.

Who wants to sign up?

Or ask additional questions?

Newspace

In May, a Russian telescope received a distinct and unusual signal, possibly from the sunlike star, HD 164595, which is known to have at least one planet. Information is now reaching the press. I’m not saying it’s aliens, but It’s the kind of signal that deserves and is receiving further investigation. Stay tuned.

Juno completed its first orbit of Jupiter this weekend, while NASA’s year-long simulation of a Mars mission ended with much learned and no one dead from annoying their close-quarters roommates. In fact, the six participants are confident a Mars mission would succeed, at least in terms of the human factors. It is the longest such experiment since a Russian one that ended in 2011.

Also from Russia, with love if a bit belated: Some video has been posted to Youtube of St. Petersburg’s StarCon, earlier this summer.