Brazil and Africa share deep historical, social, and cultural roots. They have also faced similar challenges in their development path. As it strived to become one of the world's largest economies during the second half of the 20th century, the South American giant confronted many of the problems African nations encounter today. Space activities took off during that period, initially motivated by national security and prestige. Civilian applications and, more recently, commercial businesses, gained momentum over time. Drawing from Brazil's experience, this article offers reflections for nations in Africa and elsewhere seeking to promote space as part of a development strategy.

Commercial space transportation must address air quality on flights in the same way that the commercial aircraft transportation industry has worked to ensure a standard of air cleanliness and breathability. There are multiple scenarios for future space transportation, ranging from multiyear exploration missions to suborbital flights on the order of minutes, and space tourism excursions with durations somewhere in-between these extremes. Written air quality standards do not exist for these scenarios at this time, but they will differ based on the mission duration and the level of life support equipment within the space vehicle. Once standards are written and implemented, the quantitative assessment of air quality must be communicated to the crew, without requiring interpretation and active management of this information. A tool to summarize pollution levels for spaceflight participants and crew members is of high importance. The most common approach for characterizing air pollution is the air quality index (AQI). The AQI system has been developed in different countries around the world, mainly for outdoor environments, based on the results of risk assessments, epidemiological studies, and current local air pollution standards. Earth-based AQIs cannot be extrapolated to microgravity indoor environments, so the objective of this work was to explore what will be required to formulate a space air quality index for future commercial spacecraft.

Due to the lower production costs, maturity of commercial off-the-shelf technologies, and flexibility to adapt to technological change cycles, Smallsats are rapidly gaining in importance, in particular in the New Space Economy. Several new applications such as mega-constellations and clusters of Smallsats contribute to this trend. The average mass of Smallsats has been increasing over recent years as technology demonstration satellites move toward commercial technology deployment using larger platforms and more power supply, and it is forecast that this trend will continue to increase. This leads to an increased interest in dedicated Micro-launchers, avoiding the disadvantages of shared piggyback launching, in particular in terms of launch delays. Several of these launchers are under development, and this article is intended to qualify the market for such Micro-launchers allowing to launch up to 500 kg in low Earth orbit. At the same time, the launch site location needs to be taken into account to allow for the required high launch cadences demanded by NewSpace business models as well as optimal orbit insertion and maximal launch window flexibility with minimal interference on air and maritime traffic. The example of a launch site in the southern hemisphere, in particular in Southern Australia, is presented, describing its features to comply with these requirements.

Extravehicular activity (EVA) space suits are complex, expensive, and difficult to operate and manage. However, EVA is all but required for any human spaceflight operation in orbit or beyond. Final Frontier Design (FFD) has developed and is currently in beta testing of a commercially focused and complete EVA space suit system. This article presents the research and development, testing, and preliminary validation of FFD's EVA space suit enclosure (ESSE) systems, including the liquid cooling garment, pressure garment, bearings, hatch, outer garment, life support system, interfaces, support equipment, and test procedures. The ESSE leverages a decade of work with National Aeronautics and Space Administration and a career of engineering with Zvezda. FFD has developed ground support equipment for laboratory testing and is partnering with Integrated Spaceflight Services to create an immersive test protocol for validation of the systems including a 2 degree gravity offset system. The introduction of a complete commercial EVA system is unique and unprecedented. Although multiple companies have developed intravehicular activity space suits alone, the EVA suit system is massively more complex and traditionally has been assembled using multiple contractors. FFD aims to offer a complete system in-house with ESSE.

New SpaceVol. 8, No. 4 Guest EditorialDemocratizing Access to Space: Cocreating a Star Trek UniverseEmeline Paat-Dahlstrom and Eric DahlstromEmeline Paat-DahlstromAddress correspondence to: Emeline Paat-Dahlstrom, SpaceBase Limited, P.O. Box 26, Christchurch 8140, New Zealand E-mail Address: emeline@spacebase.coSpaceBase Limited, Christchurch, New Zealand.Search for more papers by this author and Eric DahlstromSpaceBase Limited, Christchurch, New Zealand.Search for more papers by this authorPublished Online:15 Dec 2020https://doi.org/10.1089/space.2020.0050AboutSectionsView articleView Full TextPDF/EPUB Permissions & CitationsPermissionsDownload CitationsTrack CitationsAdd to favorites Back To Publication ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditEmail View articleFiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsCited byIndia's Launch Into New Space: Leveraging the Constellation of Information Technology, Pharma, and Biotech Anjali Gupta, Navika Sharma, and Christian Maender16 March 2022 | New Space, Vol. 10, No. 1 Volume 8Issue 4Dec 2020 InformationCopyright 2020, Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishersTo cite this article:Emeline Paat-Dahlstrom and Eric Dahlstrom.Democratizing Access to Space: Cocreating a Star Trek Universe.New Space.Dec 2020.166-170.http://doi.org/10.1089/space.2020.0050Published in Volume: 8 Issue 4: December 15, 2020PDF download

Human–systems integration (HSI) is progressively becoming a central discipline. HSI is grounded on the coconstruction of technology, organizations, and people's activities and jobs. HSI also requires the association of physics, cognitive engineering, and arts. Physics provides necessary knowledge, rules, and constraints that an engineer needs to build a system that works. Cognitive engineering provides knowledge, rules, and constraints that are necessary to safely, efficiently, and comfortably use a system. However, neither physics nor cognitive engineering provides insights or methods that support creativity. Consequently, arts should be integrated into science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) to make STEAM (with an “A” for arts ). In this article, integration will be presented as creativity and abduction. Visualization supports integration by making abstract constructs more tangible and facilitating effective learning. We will see how during the design of what became NASA Space Exploration Vehicle, we worked with artists and cartoonists, who helped us visualize possible scenarios. They first drew cartoons that were displayed around a room and developed animations. We used them not only as tangible visualizations of our concepts but also as mediating representations that integrated multiple participants' views. This article is also based on the experience of International Space University Space Studies Program 2012 where we carried out a project on “what space can contribute to global STEM education,” which clearly anticipated the shift from STEM to STEAM. We will advocate that space leaders of tomorrow should physically, cognitively, and creatively investigate a specific planet, that is Earth in addition to the other planets. This development is true for both governmental and commercial space activities. We will conclude on the fact that HSI is both a technique and an art, and qualifies for being a STEAM discipline.

Abstract The article is a short overview of a proposal of a CubeSat type nanosatellite designed to conduct biopharmaceutical tests on the low earth orbit. Motivations behind the emerging demand for such solution nowadays and in the close future are emphasized. The possible objectives and challenges to be addressed in the planned biopharmaceutical CubeSat missions are discussed. In particular, it is hard to imagine progress of the space tourism and colonization of Moon and Mars without a wide-ranging development of pharmaceutics dedicated to be used in space. Finally, an exemplary layout of a 3U type CubeSat is presented. We underline that, thanks to recent development in both nanosatellite technologies and lab-on-a-chip type biofluidic systems, the proposed idea becomes now both feasible and relatively affordable.

Abstract An analysis of cost savings that could be realized on active debris removal (ADR) missions through the use of reusable launch vehicles (RLVs) has been performed. Launch vehicle price estimates were established for three levels of RLV development, based on varying levels of technological development and market competition. An expendable launch vehicle (ELV) price estimate was also established as a point of comparison. These price estimates were used to form two separate debris removal mission cost estimates, based on previously proposed debris removal mission concepts. The results of this analysis indicate that RLVs could reduce launch prices to levels between 19.6% and 92.8% cheaper than ELVs, depending on the level of RLV maturity. It was also determined that a RLV could be used to realize total ADR mission cost savings of between 2.8% (for a partially RLV in an uncompetitive market) and 21.7% (for a fully RLV in a competitive market).

Abstract This article describes a formalized commodities exchange that lets all market participants in the space economy better visualize and predict market opportunities and risks, by enabling them to trade standardized and reliable space commodities to be designed, supplied, or necessary in the near future. Such an exchange would enable commercial and government organizations to identify quantifiable surpluses, gaps, valuations, and destinations for space commodities that economically and scientifically achieve and sustain their space exploration and development goals faster, cheaper, and safer. Such organized market transaction data and analysis would also let potential suppliers better understand market demand and justify capital investment and valuation. Inspired by the commodities futures trading exchanges that exist today terrestrially, an adaptation is suggested through which a similar trading exchange would be established to support the emerging space economy by offering five groups of space commodities, including futures contracts for standardized in-space services to financial derivatives for risk transfer and liquidity. This article will also consider how growth of the space economy could be slowed or investments misallocated in the absence of such a trading exchange for space commodities.