MichSpace

If you haven't heard already, SEDS@UM is sponsoring a talk by Jonathan Goff CEO of Altius Space Machines and Founder of Selenian Boondocks this Friday, February 11th. Goff is no stranger to entrepreneurial space and has founded three New Space companies himself. Now, he's coming to Michigan to give you tips on how to get started in the space industry! Don't miss out! The event begins at 5pm in Boeing Auditorium, FXB.

Excerpt from Selenian Boondocks:
Imagine a future where transportation to and from orbit has become so common that there are dozens of vehicles going to and from orbit every day, from countries all over the globe.

Imagine a future where orbital rendezvous and docking has become so simple and reliable that dozens of such events occur on a daily basis, with some facilities handling multiple events at the same time.

Imagine a future where every cellphone on the planet uses LEO satellite platforms for “roaming” when outside of cities, where such systems are competitive enough with terrestrial cell towers, that rural cell tower have been dismantled because they aren’t cost-competitive.

Imagine a future where you can get custom facilities constructed for you on-orbit, with lead-times measured in single-digit years, not decades.

Imagine a future where beyond earth orbit spaceflight is affordable enough that space exploration enthusiasts stop arguing over people vs. robots.

Imagine a future where orbital debris is a concern that sounds as anachronistic as worries about the Soviets coming through the Fulda Gap.

Imagine a future where microgravity science is a common major at most universities.

Imagine a future where orbital propellant transfer is so common that all spacecraft are designed from the start for refueling.

Imagine a future where transportation costs to the lunar surface are low enough that lunar tourism is the new playground of the rich. And where transportation costs from the lunar surface back to earth are getting low enough that mining companies are beginning to mount prospecting expeditions, in the hopes of returning PGMs to the earth.

Imagine a future where there are daily flights departing from earth to the Moon.

Imagine.

If you happened to miss Rick's talk on the 27th, the video podcast is online and available for download. Click here to visit the SEDS Talks page.

Cheers,
-Harvey

If you are a student at UM, you know last Thursday we had a special speaker come to campus: "Reverend" Rick Tumlinson. If you want to learn more about Rick please go to the wikipedia article. I definitely went into this talk with high expectations, tried to push through my lab that evening faster than normal (not just for the free food). I'm pleased to say that for what I was expecting, I came away very impressed with his talk, and it will definitely be one that stays with me for a while.

Everyone always says you have to balance talks from visionaries, which I definitely consider Rick, with your own knowledge. This is true, but it never hurts to dream big and that's exactly what the Reverend was trying to impress on those in attendance. Buried underneath all of the optimistic views and his thoughts on the human potential, the one thing that truly came through in his talk was just how much he cared about space. It was pretty incredible for me, I've never seen anyone over 30 who was so dedicated to spreading awareness of space and what we can do in it. This is the motivation that all in the industry should keep with them for as long as they can, whether they be in a large corporation, a smaller firm, or most likely their own start-up.

Another thing that stood out to me was Tumlinson's desire to stay connected with the audience. It was the collection of small things that kept me focused on what he had to say, whether it was making a Battlestar Galactica reference casually in passing, or the excellent track selection he hand-picked for that night. He definitely felt more in tune with the younger audience that was there than many speakers I've seen in the past.

Bottom line: I really liked this talk, it's great to have those moments in your life when you are re-inspired about what you do, and this was one of those nights. I felt like I had to go back to my hometown and give a speech at my high school with some of the phrases and points he used. Keep going Reverend, I can safely say that the space industry is better because of your involvement in it.

-Michael

[A little bit of background, Brice Russ is the Assistant Director of Yuri's Night - the national Yuri's Night - and chair of the Social Media Committee at National Space Society. He's studying linguistics at Ohio State University, and other than his choice of schools is a pretty good guy by my account. I met him while at the University of Illinois last fall for the Space Vision Conference. Sweet. --The Harv]



You could make the case that right now is the most exciting time in a generation to be young and interested in space. The Space Shuttle is preparing for its final flights, soon to be replaced by a new era of launch technology. "NewSpace" companies like SpaceX and Virgin Galactic are lowering launch costs, paving the way for large-scale space exploration. Incentive competitions such as the Google Lunar X PRIZE are both spurring research and development and creating dozens of new groups for young graduates to bring their skills to.

These are indeed heady times for the young and starry-eyed (of which, incidentally, your author counts himself as one), and these future space leaders aren't just sitting in class, waiting to join in. At college campuses and high schools around the world, students are actively preparing for a future in space, using weather balloons to photograph the curvature of the earth, engaging in rocketry competitions, and even designing orbital space settlements. Read more at ars technica...

A Canadian company, Microsat Systems Canada Inc., is developing a 78 satellite constellation for high-speed internet access called CommStellation. Most of the less-developed world lacks the infrastructure to support internet access so this system would grant those with the means access. This problem has been tackled by many different companies and organizations (Strato for AOSS 582/583 is working on something similar right now!). The satellites will be placed in 6 orbital planes in LEO. Best of luck to them!