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- Ex-astronaut plans to get us to Mars, fast
Ex-astronaut plans to get us to Mars, fast
Ex-astronaut plans to get us to Mars, fast
Plus: Swedish company unveils world’s first airbag jeans for motorcyclists.
Feb 23, 2023
At least that’s what Franklin Chang-Díaz and Ad Astra Rocket Company have planned, anyway.
The ultimate goal for Costa Rica and U.S.-based Ad Astra is to make faster, safer spaceflight possible. To do that, it's developing the VASIMR VX-200SS plasma rocket engine, which it hopes will one day be powered by a small nuclear fission reactor designed specifically for spacecraft.
But before you start packing your bags for that, take a look at the packing on display in this video. It shows packaging machines being used for unbelievable purposes.
Good morning. I’m Alice, an Editor at IE.
This is The Blueprint. Let’s dive in.
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VIDEO OF THE DAY
This video packs a lot in.
MUST READ
Because, firstly, there's no abort system that could safely return astronauts to Earth from deep space, meaning a relatively minor malfunction could prove catastrophic.
Then there's the mental health toll of space exploration as well as the long-term effects of radiation exposure. Gnarly.
It's an issue NASA has grappled with across numerous studies, and it's the reason why Franklin Chang-Díaz and the Ad Astra Rocket Company are on a mission to drastically cut travel times to Mars.
Ad Astra (with a little help from its very experienced astronaut friends) wants to make faster, but also much safer, spaceflight possible. Which is why it came up with the VASIMR VX-200SS plasma rocket engine. It hopes this will one day be powered by a small nuclear fission reactor explicitly designed for spacecraft... and then the sky really isn't the limit anymore.
→ That reactor will provide enough electricity to power the Vasimr engine, which will fire burning plasma out of a nozzle, blasting the rocket through space at speeds of up to 123,000 mph (197,950 km/h).
READ MORE
INNOVATION
Since motorcycles don’t usually come with airbags, some inventors have come up with an ingenious solution for protecting riders. They have put airbags in their jeans.
Swedish brand Mo'cycle has developed a world-first pair of jeans that inflate within seconds of a fall in order to provide protection for the lower body in case of an accident.
READ MORE
SCIENCE
Using the HIRES (High-Resolution Echelle Spectrometer) of Keck Observatory in combination with a high-resolution spectrograph, scientists were able to discover the traces of Aurora on Jupiter's Moons- Io, Callisto, Europa, and Ganymede.
The Aurora Borealis is considered one of the most mesmerizing natural phenomena, which occurs when charged solar wind particles move around in the magnetic field.
The phenomenon is not just a common occurrence on Earth but could also be observed on the surface of planets like Mars, Venus, Uranus, and Neptune.
READ MORE
CULTURE
Russian military bomber engineer who claims to have worked on the TU-160 White Swan or Blackjack, one of Russia's most sophisticated strategic bombers, has promised to expose military secrets to the U.S. government.
An unclassified Customs and Border Protection (CBP) report states that the man and his family arrived at the US-Mexico border in late December and requested asylum.
READ MORE
MAIL & MUSINGS
Ex-NASA Space Shuttle astronaut plans to get humans to Mars, fast.
Do you think travel to Mars is actually going to be a viable option?
YESTERDAY'S RESULTS
Yesterday, we asked if you think we’ll be able to find many more lost sunken vessels with ever-evolving technologies, and it was essentially a resounding yes, according to 93 percent of you.
93%
Yes, it could happen
3%
It’s possible, but not yet
2%
I am unsure either way
2%
No, this was chance
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“Mars is there, waiting to be reached.”
Buzz Aldrin.
THINGS WE LOVE
AND ANOTHER THING
From Gaza to NASA: Journey of an engineer who helped build Ingenuity Mars Helicopter.
The US’s first grid-connected wave energy test facility is coming. (Electrek)
Transforming future healthcare technology in the U.S.
The amazing ways electricity in your body shapes you and your health. (New Scientist)
Robot-tax: Bernie Sanders backs Bill Gates to kill automation impact on humans.
Sleep helps AI models learn new things without forgetting old ones. (SN Explores)
Aspirin: The evolution of a 'wonder drug' that changed medicine.
Prepared by Alice Cooke
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