Techfastly September 2021 by Techfastly

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w w w. t e c h f a s t l y. c o m

In Conversation with

RAJIV JAYARAMAN Founder-CEO, KNOLSKAPE

In conversation with

Darpan Inani

INDIA’S HIGHEST RATED

Visually Impaired Chess Player Bronze Medalist, World Junior Championship (2013)

SPAC E SPECIAL EDITION

MISSIONS C O M M U N I CAT I O N S AT E L L I T E L AU N C H E R S

T EC H N O LO GY S PAC E T R AV E L AND SO MUCH MORE..

What’s Inside MISSIONS

SATELLITE LAUNCHERS

p.4 Space Travel: A Giant

p.49 How Artificial Intelligence

Leap of Mankind

Is Helping With Space Exploration

by Apurva Minchekar

p.14 Europa Clipper Mission to

Determine Whether Icy Moon Has Signs for Life

by Rehan Husain

p.55 The Impact of AI in

Satellite Imagery

by Rehan Husain

p.22 Richard Branson’s

Virgin Galactic

by Toulika Das

p.63 The Superpressure

Balloon-borne Imaging Telescope (SuperBIT)

by Vibha Soni

p.30

In Conversation With Rajiv Jayaraman, Founder-CEO, KNOLSKAPE

p.42 Small Sat Launcher: The

Future of New Space Age by Johnson Cherian

by Ragini Agarwal

p.68

In Conversation With Darpan Inani, India’s Highest Rated Visually Impaired Chess Player

TECH - COMMUNICATION p.74 Inspiration4: The First

All-Civilian Mission To Orbit by Shantanu Trivedi

p.82 Role of Space-Based

Communications in 5G Era by Umar Nabi

p.90 SpaceX, The Future

Lies Here

by Utsav Mishra

p.95 Sputnik’s Legacy by Barkha Sheth

Editor’s note

Dear Readers July marked a pivotal time in the private sector’s push to commercialize space travel. With the sub-orbital flights made by Richard Branson and Jeff Bezos, the privatization of the space industry has gained irreversible momentum. This edition takes a peek at Virgin Galactic and Blue Origin’s space venture and what this means for the space tourism industry. Know this, the concept of sight-seeing in space isn’t new by any means. In fact the idea has been in the making from the ’90s, at least for Richard Branson. He trademarked “Virgin Galactic Airways” in 1999 and licensed the SpaceShipOne technology. Mr Branson hoped that a more extensive version could begin commercial flights within three years. But it took 17 years instead. While we are on the subject of sub-orbital flights, go ahead and delve further into a swelling ecosystem of start-ups that are attempting to build everythingfrom small-sat launchers to satellite data applications infused with the next-gen of AI and ML. An exciting time indeed for the space industry and science on the whole. Could AI-powered imagery help us glimpse into the far recesses of the universe that have remained mainly in the dark until now? Moving away from all the technical bells and whistles of space science, we take an inspirational (no pun intended) trip alongside the crew of Inspiration4 – The first all civilian crew of astronauts who plan to spend

three days in orbit come September. Speaking of Inspiration4, did you know that the spacecraft being used is developed by SpaceX and will be launched into space atop a 215-ft.-tall SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. Read more on Space X’s plans and how Elon Musk intends to see his glorious plan to reach Mars to fruition, on Page 90. And finally, we take a step back into time, when it all started - with Sputnik, the first satellite to be launched into space. Sputnik’s legacy forms a part of our ongoing series ‘Story of Machines’, where we roll back the curtains and explore the innovations that form the backbone of today’s advances in science and tech. In our interview series, we spoke with Rajiv Jayaraman, Founder-CEO, KNOLSKAPE. KNOLSKAPE has grown into a leading player in the corporate learning space under his leadership. He talked about his journey, the concept of digital BLUR, and how leadership skill has evolved over the years. During our conversation, he explained about the award-winning solution ‘Digital Transformation Champions’ and how companies are adopting it. Finally, he gave some great advices for young entrepreneurs. We also spoke with the India’s strongest blind chess player, Darpan Inani. He spoke about his struggles, life-journey and the impact of technology in his life. As always, we would appreciate your feedback, and if there were a topic you would love for us to cover, do let us know. Here is your edition. Read it, enjoy it, and nourish in the knowledge. Happy reading!

Srikant Rawat

Chief Operating Officer, Techfastly

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Space Travel A Giant Leap of Mankind by Apurva Minchekar Over the years of science and technology development in history, scientists and researchers have made space travel possible for consumers other than astronauts.

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ne of the exciting industries for consumers is the combination of space and tourism. Over the years of science and technology development in history, scientists and researchers have made space travel possible for consumers other than astronauts. As a kid, everyone would dream of what space looks like outside their science textbooks, and a few privately-owned companies have taken a step forward to explore more about space —one of them being- Blue Origin, owned by Jeff Bezos. Once asked about his future plans in 2000 in an interview, he jokingly mentioned how he would want to explore space if not his dotcom business. Twenty years later, in 2020, Jeff Bezos travelled to space in the first ever civilian crewed spacecraft, and now the primary focus of the company is space tourism. Recently, NASA announced the appointment of Blue Virgin’s team for their

Artemis mission to the moon that includes Lockheed Martin, Draper and Northrop Grunnman on the board.

Other privately-owned companies working towards going to the space are:

SpaceX

Orion Space

SpaceX founded by Elon Musk that has launched its Crew Dragon spacecraft to International Space Station.

Orion Space founded by Frank Burger that aims to build a space station and hotel accommodation- Aurora Space Station.

Virgin Galactic

Sierra Nevada Corporation

Virgin Galactic owned by Richard Branson who is the first civilian to travel to space and aims to begin its paid passenger service soon.

Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) that has worked with US Air Force and NASA in building space aircrafts and its components.

Existence Beyond the Earth Outer space exists beyond the Earth and between celestial bodies consisting of low-density particles, plasma of hydrogen and helium, electromagnetic radiation, magnetic fields, cosmic rays and more. It is a near close definition of the perfect vacuum that allows stars and planets to move freely in the orbital direction. According to researchers, outer space has condensed forms of stars and galaxies. The galaxy has 90% of mass that is made from unknown matter and is called Dark Matter that usually functions with gravitational force only. The outer space has no definite altitude; however, the Kármán line is used as a start of outer space in the space treaties. The altitude is 100 km above sea level. The Outer Space Treaty was established on October 10, 1967 that states outer space cannot be claimed by any nationality and permits all states to freely explore outer space. However, because of vacuum dangers and other particles present in outer space, humans’ exploration of outer space is limited and challenging.

The outer space has no definite altitude; however, the Kármán line is used as a start of outer space in the space treaties.

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What Does Big Bang Theory State About Outer Space? According to Big Bang Theory, about 13.8 billion years ago, the early universe was dense and hot that rapidly expanded. It cooled down about 380,000 years ago, allowing the fusion of protons and electrons that formed hydrogen. When this fusion took place, matter and energy decoupled that allowed protons to move freely throughout the space. The remaining matter from the initial expansion created stars, galaxies and other astronomical objects through gravitational force. This theory also stresses on the size of the directly observable universe.

The History of Space Tourism Talking about space tourism without its history is very complicated to understand. In the 1930s and 1940s, Nazi Germany saw the possibility of rockets as a destructive weapon. Later after World War II, The Soviet Union of Russia and the United States of America started investing in making their own missiles. Since then, space tourism has been an interesting topic in human mankind, taking leaps over exploring space. Here are a few significant incidents in the history of space exploration:

1957

First Artificial Satellite- Sputnik 1 Soviets launched its first-ever artificial satelliteSputnik 1 on October 4, 1957, into space. This step of Soviet was not only a reflection of its technical leadership but also reflected its capability to make missiles. Later in 1961, on April 12, Lt. Yuri Gagarin became the first human to orbit Earth in Vostov 1. Gagarin travelled in his space flight for 104 minutes and reached up to the height of 327 km. His flight from the Earth started at 9:07 am Moscow time and ended at 10:55 am. After the Sputnik 1 fame, the United States of America launched its first satellite- Explorer 1 in January 31, 1958, with Alan Shepard, the first American to fly into space.

1969 8

The First Man to Walk on the Moon According to the officials, “Landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to Earth within a decade” was a national goal set by President John F. Kennedy in 1961. Neil Armstrong, on July 20, 1969, became the first man to walk on the Moon. Between 1969 and 1972, the Six Apollo Mission was sent to explore the Moon. Later by the early 1970s, orbiting communication and navigation satellites were used, and the Mariner Space was prepared and sent to map Mars. By the end of the 1990s, Voyager Spacecraft was launched that sent detailed images of planets such as Jupiter and Saturn.

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Image source: flickr.com www.techfastly.com

1990

Hubble Space Telescope Named after Edwin Powell Hubble, Hubble Space Telescope was launched on April 25, 1990. The telescope was placed in orbit by the crew members of the Discovery Space Shuttle that had advanced optics that photographed the stars and planets flawlessly and stirred up the astronomy field.

2000

The International Space Station The International Space Station is a designated laboratory for all spacerelated research in low Earth orbit. The Space Station has contributed to space exploration and has worked with several aerospace firms. The station started functioning in 2000 after the arrival of Expedition 1. It has served to many visiting aircrafts such as Russian Soyuz and Progress, Japanese H-II Transfer Vehicle, The American Dragon and Cygnus.

2004

First Private Spacecraft Space Ship One is the first private spacecraft to take a flight on June 21 , 2004. Developed and designed by Scaled Composites of Mojave, California, Burt Rutan designed the aircraft, and the spacecraft took flight with Mike Melvin, becoming the first commercial astronaut pilot.

Image source: wikimedia.org 9

The Vehicle Behind The Mission’s SuccessSub-Orbital Flight When spaceflights are launched and reach outer space, it intersects the gravitating body from which it is launched and does not complete one orbit revolution. For any space flight to reach outer space, speed plays a crucial role. However, a suborbital flight does not need speed as high as others; instead, it requires speed to reach 100km above the Earth’s surface. Unlike other

rockets that require a speed of 28,000 KMPH, sub-orbital flights only require 3,700 KMPH. Once the sub-orbital flight reaches the trajectory intersection, the engines shut off and fall back to the Earth. According to the scientist, sub-orbital flights at their highest point experiences weightlessness in the process while falling back to the Earth.

BLUE ORIGIN

VIRGIN GALACTIC

Image source: wikimedia.org

Image source: flickr.com

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Two of the most trending sub-orbital flights are Blue Origin and Virgin Galactic. Here is what you need to know about the sub-orbital flights:

Blue Origin

Virgin Galactic

Blue origin launched New Shepard after the name of the first American Astronaut Alan Shepard. The flight carried its founder Jeff Bezos and three other passengers. The sub-orbital aircraft is divided into six parts: Crew Capsule, Ring and Wedge Fins, Drag Brakes, Engine, Aft Fins, and Landing Gear. The flight is reusable and can take the astronauts and passengers past the Karman line in 11 minutes.

Virgin Galactic was founded in 2000 by Richard Branson. The company aims for Space Tourism allowing consumers other than astronauts to travel to outer space. It aims to allow paid passengers to travel to space by the end of 2022. The first trial of the flight in 2009 failed at execution. However, on July 11, Virgin Galactic’s Richard Branson became the first civilian to travel to space. Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo System can carry six passengers with community access to space for affordable and repeatable high-quality microgravity.

Space Tourism:

Blue Origin Vs. Virgin Galactic Space Tourism is one of its kind niches. Many tech-giants are working towards making their name in the Space Tourism industry. Blue Origin and Virgin Galactic are some of the names that rose to fame in this industry. Both, with their extraordinary impression, have given a lifetime experience to its consumer. However, here are a few differences between them for you to know about: Blue Origin’s New Shepard flight could reach at the altitude of 66 miles above the surface while Virgin Galactic’s VSS unity flight was able to fly 53.5 miles above the Earth’s surface.

The VSS flight of Virgin Galactic is similar to NASA’s Space Shuttle while New Shepard of Blue Origin is more traditional.

Blue Origin’s trip lasted for 1o minutes while Virgin Galactic’s trip lasted for 90 minutes.

The landing of the VSS unit is on a runway in a very traditional way while New Shepard opens three parachutes and thrusted fired to cushion during the touchdown blow of landing.

The cost of Virgin Galactic is $250,000 while of Blue Origin is $200,000.

How Space Tourism is Harming Environment With advanced technologies and the dream to reach outer space, scientists have completely steer cleared the effects of space flights on the environment. The energy at which the space flight is used to launch in outer space, exhausts CO₂ emission and soot gets trapped in the environment resulting in global warming. The cooled down atmosphere formed water vapor that reflects the sunlight back to space. According to scientists, rockets during launch emit nitrogen oxides between three to four times more than Drax (Europe’s biggest polluters). Other harmful gases emitted in the process of making space flights and its launch includes CFCs- one of the major reasons for Ozone hole.

Rockets during launch emit nitrogen oxides between three to four times more than Drax (Europe’s biggest polluters).

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The Future of Space Tourism Modern Space Exploration in several forms today plans to allow human beings to take flight in outer space. The primary focus of the NASA scientists today is mapping Mars and aims to send humans on the planet by 2023. NASA and its collaborators have experimented knowing more about the Red Planet by sending landers, orbiters, and rovers.

Space Tourism is an interesting chapter in the history of humankind. No one centuries ago would have ever thought of stepping on the moon. With everything documented by the scientist till date, there are high possibilities that the space is yet to be explored at its fullest.

One such rover is the Curiosity Rover that gathers radiation data to protect the astronauts and MARS 2020 Rover will learn more about the planet and resources availability on the planet.

Europa Clipper

MISSION to Determine Whether Icy Moon Has Signs for Life by Rehan Husain

We believe the environment is just perfect for the potential development of life.

he discovery by Galileo of four brilliant moons circling Jupiter in 1610 shattered the long-standing belief that all celestial bodies revolved around the Earth, which had been maintained for centuries prior. The Europa Clipper spacecraft, which is scheduled for launch in 2024, is expected to discover data that will profoundly change our view of the solar system.

In terms of distance from Jupiter, Europa is Jupiter’s sixth closest moon and has a similar size to our own. Europa’s surface is salty, liquid ocean is nearly certain to exist according to data gathered by the Galileo space probe— launched in 1989 and named after Italian astronomer Galileo—and the Hubble Space Telescope.

The Dimensions of Europa Geologically, Europa’s surface is just 60 million years old, indicating that it has been constantly resurfaced, potentially via a mechanism similar to Earth’s changing plate tectonics. This heat is necessary to keep an ocean liquid on Europa because of its eccentric orbit and Jupiter’s strong gravitational pull. From the moon’s creation, hydrothermal energy may have been stored in the moon’s core, which may be used to heat the ocean below.

solar system to locate present-day conditions that may support life.” But water and energy aren’t enough to sustain life. Hydrogen, carbon, and oxygen are also important compounds. Europa appears to meet the first two criteria, but its composition is still unknown. Europa’s habitability will be determined by confirming that all three of these life-sustaining elements are present.

Scientists have prompted NASA to declare Europa “the most potential site in our

Europa’s surface is salty, liquid ocean is nearly certain to exist according to data gathered by the Galileo space probe—launched in 1989 Image Source: solarsystem.nasa.gov 15

Europa Clipper Haje Korth, a space physicist at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab and deputy project scientist for the Europa Clipper mission, says, “Life on Europa is a $4 billion question.” He and his colleagues at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California are currently preparing to examine if Europa’s huge ocean has the elements essential for life.

The orbiter will be launched in late 2024 from Cape Canaveral, where it will begin its five-and-a-halfyear trip to Europa.

It will slingshot itself 484 million kilometers toward Jupiter as it passes Mars and Earth, where it will arrive in 2030. Dr. Kate Craft, a mission’s project crew member, says there are more obstacles ahead. Observations by Hubble suggest that Europa’s ice geysers erupt periodically, creating plumes of water that extends into space. With the use of its thermal and ultraviolet cameras, the Clipper spacecraft will be able to locate places where ocean water may have landed after breaking through the ice, and examine the water’s chemistry to see if it contains any critical ingredients for life. While flying through a geyser plume in space, it may potentially pick up particles from the plume. To establish if the plumes are coming from subterranean pockets of water or an ocean below, the craft’s radar will be used.

Image Source: solarsystem.nasa.gov 16

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Mission Europa Clipper is an ambitious project. It will be equipped with an amazing array of 9 instruments as large as a basketball court. One other challenge, adds Korth, will be getting all of those gadgets to operate concurrently in the cold conditions of deep space. Maps of the moon’s surface will be created in color and from numerous angles using two cameras that are so strong they can detect objects as small as a few feet in length. They also want to use spectrometers to examine the chemical composition of Europa’s surface and the particles that float in front of it. It will be possible to measure the depth and salinity of Europa’s ocean using a magnetometer. Using a thermal emission imaging equipment and an ultraviolet spectrograph, two additional sensors will search for regions where Europa’s ocean may have poured over onto the surface via eruptions.

Without ever touching Europa’s surface, scientists would be able to examine the ocean’s composition.

The chosen

Last year, NASA received the selected nine sensor proposals for the Europa Clipper. 33 of them were examined by the Europa panel, which ultimately narrowed the field down to nine. The following are some of them:

Europa Imaging System (EIS): These wide and narrowangled cameras will be capable of providing videos mapping the surface of the moon at 50m resolution and photographs up to 10 times that. 18

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Plasma Instrument for Magnetic Sounding (PIMS): By monitoring the magnetic inductions signals caused by the plasma currents around the moon, this instrument will identify the thickness of the icy shell and the depth and salinity of the ocean itself.

Interior Characterization of Europa Using Magnetometry (ICEMAG): As well as monitoring the magnetic field of Europa, this machine will work in tandem with the PIMS to work out the depth and salinity of the ocean. www.techfastly.com

7 Europa Lander, the next logical step if Europa Clipper finds the moon habitable, will be launched in more than three years.

8 9

Mapping Imaging Spectrometer for Europa (MISE): This tool will identify the distribution of acid hydrates, salts, organic compounds, water ice phases and other substances to give a better idea of Europa’s constitution. Radar for Europa Assessment and Sounding- Ocean to Near-Surface (REASON): This radar will detect undulations in the moon’s icy shell, thus shedding light on its hidden structure and the potential size of the water beneath. Europa Thermal Emission Imaging System (E-THEMIS): Using thermal imaging, this detector will attempt to pinpoint potential ventilation sites where plumes of water may be ejected into space for analysis. Mass Spectrometer for Planetary Exploration/Europa (MASPEX): Mass spectrometry has long been a useful tool in NASA missions – in this particular one, it will analyze any material ejected into space and attempt to identify the compositional makeup of the ocean and surface core. Surface Dust Mass Analyzer (SUDA): By capturing any small, solid particles ejected from the vents of the icy crust, this tool will enable scientists to analyze the samples directly. Ultraviolet Spectrograph/Europa (UVS): The spectrograph will investigate Europa’s atmosphere and detect smaller plumes of water, if necessary. 19

A flyby of Europa every two to three weeks from as near as 16 miles away will be performed by Clipper every two to three years, transmitting back observations that will reach Earth in only one week. A plume, for example, or a need for additional research will prompt scientists to examine this data between flybys, and they will alter their observations if they find something that catches their attention. However, if money is available, the mission crew may extend the journey to include more flybys.

Sky crane-delivered landers like Mars Perseverance might be used to send cryobots to Europa for drilling through the ice shell and into the water below. APL is interested in exploring other seas in outer space, besides Europa’s subsurface waters. A spacecraft planned to circle and land on Saturn’s sixth-largest moon Enceladus to seek for indications of life hidden in its ocean will be presented to NASA in October 2020.

Possibility of Life If a world is to support life as we know it, liquid water, the appropriate chemical balance, and an energy source for life are all required. In terms of those elements, here’s how Europa does:

Chemistry

Water Europa’s global ocean may contain twice as much liquid water as Earth’s ocean, according to recent estimates. We believe Europa’s salty ocean lies under its ice outer crust, which measures between 10 and 15 miles (15 and 25 kilometers) in thickness. In Europa’s icy shell, there is also a good chance that there is liquid water.

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Energy All life needs a source of energy to function. Europa’s exuberance for life may come from chemical processes on its surface and seafloor.

Many vital chemicals are required to produce lifegiving molecules, including carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen and oxygen; phosphorus and Sulphur are also necessary. When comets and asteroids slammed onto Europa over its history, they may have taken some of these compounds with them. As the moon formed, it is possible that more substances were deposited or produced.

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There are three primary aims or phases that scientists are pursuing as they try and figure out how the elements for life on Europa interact to create livable environments:

Scientists are trying to calculate Europa’s ice shell thickness, which covers the moon’s whole surface. Water content will be tested within and beneath the shell.

Oceanographic measurements will be made to determine the size, salinity, and other sea characteristics.

They will also determine how the ocean’s top interacts with the ocean’s bottom: The shell is filled with water.

Conclusion Scientists will examine Europa’s ocean’s composition and chemistry to see if it contains the components necessary for life to exist and flourish. Scientists want to find out how the characteristics on Europa’s surface came to be and any evidence of current activity, such as moving tectonic plates or plumes of water that are erupting into outer space. In addition, they will identify critical places on the surface that require more scientific investigation. Europa Clipper can explore landing locations for future missions as well as investigate Europa’s potential habitability. The backyard telescopes may one day be able to peer toward Jupiter, giving us a new perspective on where life may have originated in the cosmos.

Richard Branson’s

VIRGIN GALACTIC Start of A New Era For Space Tourism by Vibha Soni

dreamer can only dream of going to space in childhood. Richard Branson, an American Billionaire businessman, one of those dreamers, accomplished his dream by building a company, Virgin Galactic. He founded Virgin Galactic by collaborating with the British Virgin Group. Virgin Galactic is a space tourism company that intends to offer commercial suborbital flights to space tourists in 2022.

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During an interview, Richard Branson said,

“

I really hope that there will be millions of kids all over the world who will be captivated and inspired about the possibility of them going to space one day. Recently, he made history by experiencing the feel of weightlessness in space with his team. This success led to a sudden rise in the commercial space tourism industry. This article will talk all about how Virgin Galactic came into existence, the spacecraft, flight plans, and passengers.

History of Virgin Galactic The popularity and success of entities always make people curious to know their past. Let’s discuss the history of Virgin Galactic. The story of Virgin Galactic begun when its founder watched the Apollo moon landing with his father. Branson told his father, “One day, I and many other young people would be able to go to space”. After a long waiting, the moment came when Branson registered the name “Virgin Galactic Airways”. It was the first initiative to bring the concept of commercial space flight.

At the same time, the arrival of SpaceShipOne encouraged the dream of a personal space flight experience. The SpaceShipOne, an award-winning spacecraft (winner of Ansari X Prize in 2004) has been known for being the first non-government human-crewed spacecraft to cross Earth’s atmosphere. In 2004, Richard Branson decided to partner with Burt Rutan, the creator of SpaceShipOne, to create Virgin Galactic. He acquired SpaceShipOne’s designs and technology licenses to develop two main vehicles/ spacecraft (WhiteKnightTwo or WK2 and SpaceShipTwo or SS2) for Virgin Galactic. In 2005, Branson started working operations on the dream spacecraft.

The announcement of space tourism in 2005 led to passenger bookings, and in next few years, the company received most of its investments from these bookings. The initial investment was about $250 million for developing two WK2s and five SS2s spacecraft. The speacecrafts were scheduled to be developed in three years. Branson originally predicted that he would be able to fly customers to space in 2007. However, a fatal accident at the Scaled

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Composites plant during the cold flow test halted the spacecraft developments. The accident led to the death of three and several others were injured. In 2008, the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) permitted the world’s first commercial spaceport and granted Spaceport America a license for vertical and horizontal space launching. The New Mexico Space Authority (NMSA) declared it in 2008. The Virgin Galactic took permission from both these government organizations later in 2010. SpaceShipTwo made its first glide flight in 2010. Also, George Whitesides was named the first CEO of Virgin Galactic in the same year. In 2016, they thought about developing a floating cabin experience with zero gravity. The team worked tirelessly on this mission, and on July 11, 2021, Virgin Galactic began its ascent to the edge of space, carrying Richard Branson and his crew members.

Virgin Galactic Spacecraft: WK2 and SS2 Virgin Galactic has ordered 5 SpaceShip2 (SS2) and 2 WhiteKnight Two (WK2) spacecrafts to be designed and built by Space Composite, a spaceship company formed in 2005. Virgin Galactic unveiled the first of its SS2 craft on December 7, 2009, at the Mojave Air and Space Port in California.

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WhiteKnight Space Composite designed a customized four-engine and duel fuselage jet aircraft known as WhiteKnight Two (WK2) to airlaunch SS2 up to an altitude of ~50,000 feet. The 140-foot main wing of WK2 houses large speed brakes that permits it to mimic SS2’s aerodynamics characteristics in the gliding portions of SS2’s flight. It provides an affordable, safe, and repeatable way to train Virgin Galactic’s pilot for the SS2’s final approach. The aircraft could be used as a Zero-G aircraft for passenger training, handle high-altitude mission testing, microgravity science flights, and launch payloads other than SS2.

Image source: wikimedia.org

The open architecture design is a prominent feature of WK2. The first WK2 spacecraft was unveiled in July 2008, and on December 21, 2008, it took it’s first successful maiden flight. It is powered by four Pratt & Whitney PW308A turbofan jet engines. The carrier aircraft is flown by two pilots and is similar to a Boeing 737 with an estimated take-off weight of 65,000kg.

SpaceShipTwo The construction of SS2 started in 2007. In May 2009, the first phase of rocket motor test flight was completed. On December 7, 2009, the SS2 craft was unveiled to the public. Here are its major features:

SpaceShipOne made the history of becoming the first privately funded spacecraft to leave earth’s atmosphere.

The cabin is approximately 1,100ft³, about the size of a Gulfstream G550 cabin. It can accommodate two pilots and six passengers.

Since it carries people thus its cabin requires high security along with comfort. And, the customized and articulated cabin seats made it happen where people feel safe when SS2 exposes to G-forces. The spacious cabin has enabled technologies to provide the experience of out-of-seat zero gravity.

The spacecraft is built using lightweight composite material.

The integration of solid and liquid rocket engines to build a special hybrid rocket motor to assist carrying SS2 to space. The hybrid aims to combine the controllability of a liquid with the simplicity of a solid motor.

Another interesting fact is that you can easily shut down the rocket motor without impacting the security during flight.

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The Virgin Galactic can carry up to six passengers.

The spacecraft is equipped with distinctive wings and tail rotations. The design allows stability and deacceleration being in control due to aerodynamic forces. Re-entry to the earth’s atmosphere is a great risk; the feathered wings reduce it to a great extent.

The feathering design of SS2 is one of the disruptive innovation of Virgin Galactic. The designer has taken the concepts of traditional capsules and winged space vehicles to make this design look like a badminton shuttlecock.

WK2 and SS2 Flight Plans The parabolic flight path has been designed for this flight system to go into low earth orbit slowly.

The four steps of Spaceship journey

1 TAKEOFF Any flight journey starts with a launch before climbing. The Virgin Galactic spaceship and its mothership takeoff together and climb up to cross multiple layers of the atmosphere. The Virgin Galactic’interesting feature is that it does not need a large amount of fuel at higher levels of the atmosphere; making it energyefficient.

3 APOGEE

Next stage is apogee that converts the spaceship’s cabin to the playground where passengers can unbuckle themselves to experience weightlessness at approximetly 300,000 feet above the Earth.

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2 LAUNCH

After takeoff, the next step is air-launch. The pilot releases the spaceship from the mothership by igniting its rockets and sending it into space. It happens when WK2 gets to an altitude of 50,000 feet. As soon as it reaches space, the color outside the window changes from blue to indigo to midnight black. At last, the rocket motor is switched off (one of the unique feature of the spacecraft and mission).

4 RE-ENTRY

The last stage is re-entry, where the ship’s wings rise up to 60 degrees, and the spaceship moves down towards the thick atmosphere. It lowers the wings and follows the same runway used for takeoff. The boom lowers and SpaceShipTwo guides home. www.techfastly.com

Richard had scheduled testing of its suborbital space fight system in 2020. The testing includes ground testing, in-flight testing, and crewed flight testing. Ground testing is compulsory before and after each flight. In-flight testings is to ensure the safety of communication systems in space flight systems and other non-commercial flight testing helpes pilots become familiar with WK2 aircraft. The testing are crucial for successful execution of the flight plans.

The Virgin Galactic can carry up to six passengers that unbuckle their seats to feel weightlessness and enjoy Earth’s view from the space. According to the flight system plan, it takes passengers approximately 62 miles or 100 km in the sky. The company started passenger bookings in 2005, as mentioned earlier. In one year, 500 passengers are expected to experience the space adventure and can book their seats at 200,000 dollars for a suborbital flight lasting four minutes. 600 tickets have already been booked until today. According to sources, in the future, there will be 400 flights per year. The first ticket was sold for $250,000. The next 100 passengers paid $200, 000. The next set of passengers would be pioneers who fly in the first year. They will need $100, 000- $175, 000 to book tickets with a deposit amount of $20,000. The company had stopped taking booking in 2018. The flight duration is 2.30 hours, including the four minutes passengers will get to experience weightlessness. The company provides 3 days of training to passengers. The physical exams are also conducted, and passengers need to clear that exams.

The company also provides training on zero-gravity flights to understand the weightlessness experience. The safety design of the space flight system provides surety of passengers’ security. The company has already declared the commercial flight to begin from 2022 after more test flights have been completed. According to a recent update, the company made the announcement of reopening ticket sales with starting price of $450, 000 per seat, which is too high compared to the first set.

Final Thoughts Aerospace entrepreneurs are registering their names through continuous development in the space tourism industry. Virgin Galactic has finally announced the offering of suborbital spaceflights to people who love space, from 2022. The partnership with SpaceShipOne was a turning point for Virgin Galactic. This is the best example that proves never stop high dreaming and always imagine its executions. Richard Branson has done the same and made his imagination into reality.

In Conversation with

RAJIV JAYARAMAN Founder-CEO, KNOLSKAPE A TEDX SPEAKER AND A LEADING THOUGHT LEADER IN THE SPACE OF DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION AND LEARNING

Rajiv Jayaraman is the FounderCEO of KNOLSKAPE and serves on its board of directors. He has played a pivotal role in creating an award-winning portfolio of experiential learning products and is responsible for KNOLSKAPE’s global business strategy and growth. Under his leadership, KNOLSKAPE has grown into a leading player in the corporate learning space.

A TEDx speaker and a leading thought leader in the space of digital transformation and learning, Rajiv has keen interest in the psychology of learning, design and technology. He works with CXOs and senior leaders of leading organizations to help them transform talent for the digital age. He trains and coaches senior leaders across many Fortune 500 companies on leading innovation, change and risk. Prior to KNOLSKAPE, he worked at Oracle USA in the server technologies division, where he led numerous product development efforts from the ground-up.

An INSEAD MBA, Rajiv earned his bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from BITS, Pilani. Rajiv has been widely quoted and featured in Economic Times, Business Standard, Live Mint, CNBC Young Turks, ET Now, Digital Learning magazine, Entrepreneur magazine and Yourstory.in.

Tell us a little about your journey with KNOLSKAPE. How did it begin and what are your plans now for further growth?

The corporate learning business model of KNOLSKAPE started in 2013. In the last eight years, KNOLSKAPE has been working with more than 375 leading enterprises across 75 countries. We have touched close to a million users or learners worldwide across all of these organizations. This journey has been an exciting one, where I’ve been able to see from close quarters, the talent challenges faced by various industries across geographies and across various career levels within the organization. KNOLSKAPE essentially is an experiential learning provider. Our mission is to help organizations and employees become future-ready through experiential learning. Why experiential learning? Experiential learning is important in today’s context because, in the digital age, where disruption is becoming the norm, the rapid transformation of mindsets and skillsets is an order. We need a methodology that helps organizations, leaders, individuals to quickly unlearn and relearn new mindsets and skillsets. The traditional learning models are falling apart, and that’s why we need a technology-enabled experiential learning methodology coupled with talent analytics.

When it comes to future growth plans, KNOLSKAPE intends to become a dominant player globally. As a technology-led experiential learning platform, today, KNOLSKAPE is present in four countries, physically headquartered in Singapore. We have presence in Malaysia, India and US. We work through partners across multiple countries worldwide. Our ambition is to become a lot more global, with significant presence in the US, UK and other parts of the world. We also intend to grow our partnership network significantly. We want to expand our product portfolio substantially over the next few years. To give you an idea of the experiential learning products that I am talking about, these are simulations that mimic real-world situations. The idea is to immerse the learner in these virtual environments and see how they respond to these situations. It’s similar to a flight simulator for a pilot. KNOLSKAPE has one of the largest simulation portfolios in the world, and it has one of the most sophisticated talent intelligence platforms behind all of these simulations. In a nutshell, our growth model is to go global, significantly expand our partner network, and rapidly expand our product portfolio.

Cultural elements play a crucial role in digital transformation. How does the experiential learning process help people in an organization to accept the changes?

There’s a popular saying, ‘culture eats strategy for breakfast’. Now, while many organizations today, in response to the

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disruption happening in the digital age, have come up with digital strategies, new ways of configuring their business, new business models and the ability and capabilities for the same. One of the most important aspects to be successful is having the right culture that allows you to be successful over a long period of time. In a sense, strategy, capability and culture, all three are very important for an organization to succeed and thrive in the digital age. Today, you find a lot of focus and attention going towards strategy and building new capabilities, but culture and rewiring an organization for the digital age is not happening as much. That’s a big threat for organizations using experiential learning. KNOLSKAPE helps organizations embrace the new cultural pillars that are needed to succeed in the digital age. For example, today organizations have to be a lot more open, transparent and boundaryless compared to the industrial age. They have to take decisions in a data-enabled fashion, moving away from power and hierarchy and the traditional pyramid base model. They have to be diverse and inclusive, not just from an HR agenda perspective, but also when they are operating as a digital platform. Organizations have to learn to be inclusive, to be diverse, representing multiple stakeholders on the same platform. They also have to be agile, because changes are happening at a very rapid pace. They have to relentlessly iterate and be open to experimentation and smart failures. These are the essential cultural pillars that KNOLSKAPE helps organizations embrace using our experiential learning products.

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Your solutions take a new approach in developing leadership skills. Could you tell us how the skills of the future leaders would be different than that of today’s, if at all? And how does your solution address this?

Leading in the digital age is significantly different from leading in the industrial age. At KNOLSKAPE, we speak about four leadership personas that are required to excel in the digital age. The four leadership personas are: Network leader, Sense-making leader, Design leader, and Agile leader. Now, networking leader is a person who is able to operate in a self-organized network, both within and outside the organization. Because that is emerging as a new structure of work going beyond the command and control, and the hierarchical way of working.

Sense-making leader is one who is able to understand and connect the dots, the various dots that are around us in our ecosystem.

Sense-making leader is one who is able to understand and connect the dots, the various dots that are around us in our ecosystem. Derive insights, narrate compelling stories about these insights, and mobilize people towards execution is what a sense-making leader does. A design leader is a person who is able to carefully orchestrate the business in an ecosystem where there are multiple parties involved suppliers, vendors, partners, employees. How one element impacts the other, understanding those aspects requires a person to be a great design thinker and a systems thinker. And finally, an agile leader is somebody who is able to build a hypothesis, build a prototype measure, the impact, learn from the impact and keep going in iterative steps towards the finish line. This is markedly different from what we used to do in the industrial age, where there was a lot more certainty in our environment. Using experiential learning products, simulations and gamified tools, KNOLSKAPE helps leaders in these various organizations embrace these leadership mindsets. We are also able to create intense analytics that help individuals get their self-assessment on where they stand.

We have heard a lot about your award winning solution known as ‘Digital Transformation Champions’. Tell us about it and how companies are adopting it?

It is common knowledge that more than 52 percent of organizations on the Fortune 500 list have disappeared in the last 20 years, mainly because of digital. If you think about what sort of companies fell by the wayside in the last 20 years, you will realize that these companies were once upon a time, a dominant 34

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force in their industry segments. Be it Nokia, Blackberry, Blockbuster, Kodak to name a few. If you think about these organizations, you will realize that they had deep pockets, they had a great brand, they had one of the best leadership teams in town. They had a long legacy that established them in the worldwide arena. But all of these strains that we usually talk about did not help them cut over to the digital age. So why did that happen? Why did so many companies lose their plot? You will realize that these organizations did not adapt themselves well to the changing circumstances. More importantly, this is a leadership failure, the failure to understand that the playground was shifting, and the failure to build a critical mass of change champions within the organization. That’s where KNOLSKAPE’s product called ‘Digital Transformation Champion’ comes in handy. The objective of this simulation product that places the learner in the shoes of a transformation agent in an organization is to help individuals align the strategic capability and the culture of the organization. On the path towards the digital future, companies across various industries, from healthcare to agriculture, to banking, to retail, to aviation, all are going through a digital transformation process one way or the other. How KNOLSKAPE helps these organizations is by building a critical mass of digital champions internally that understand the why, what, and how of the change. These individuals within the organization, and they could be across any career level in the organization, become the cheerleaders for the introduction of new technology, tools, processes, business models and so on. These people eventually become the flag bearers for digital transformation within the organization. www.techfastly.com

AWARDS

Without this critical mass of people cheerleading the transformation process, organizations cannot shift rapidly to the new ways of working. And that’s where KNOLSKAPE is helping organizations.

You already have more than 370 clients in 25 countries. Tell us something that worked for you in terms of growth?

KNOLSKAPE helps organizations by building a critical mass of digital champions internally that understand the why, what, and how of the change.

KNOLSKAPE has a global footprint. We are headquartered in Singapore. We have presence in India, Malaysia, and the US. Over the last few years, we’ve worked with more than 375 clients across many countries. What has allowed us to grow rapidly globally is the fact that number one, we have one of the world’s largest simulation portfolios. This is a key differentiator for us because simulations allow learners to have an immersive experience, durable learning experience and one that is extremely effective for mindset changes, skill set changes, and behavior changes. Alongside this immersive experience, organizations also get talent intelligence reporting and dashboarding capabilities that can potentially feed into their talent strategy process. This is big reason why we were able to grow rapidly because of the sheer volume of products we have and using which we are able to cater to various learning needs within the organization. The second important element in our growth model is the fact that we work with large enterprises across multiple countries. It allows us to scale along with them. The fact that we have a strong network of partners around the world who add tremendous value to our products and take off products to market in various countries. And of course, all of this will not be possible without a strong committed team. I’m really proud of the fact that KNOLSKAPE employees are super committed to helping others succeed. 35

I think that’s our growth mantra. In the future, you will see a lot more action happening at KNOLSKAPE, where we bring tremendous value to organizations that are becoming future ready.

What role does machine learning and artificial intelligence play in making your solutions and products better and how?

There’s a significant role that machine learning and artificial intelligence can play in talent development. Traditional learning models are broken, where there is no coherent feedback mechanism, there is no clear path forward, which is personalized to my learning means. That’s where AI + ML can play a big role. Imagine a situation where I am immersed in a business situation through simulations; I take different decisions. The algorithm in the product figures out my learning styles, the maturity of my learning, my sophistication of understanding a concept, and my ability to apply that in the real world. If the system can figure this out, firstly, it can report this back to the individual and the organization to determine readiness. More importantly, using this information, future steps can be charted out. This data, when fed into the talent strategy of an organization, can help the organization determine the overall readiness for strategy execution. It can help

the organization figure out what it needs to further invest in to build significant capabilities and can also inform strategies on build versus buy. Should I be building my talent, or should I be hiring talent from the external world? That’s an area where AI and ML can play a significant role in helping both the learner and the organization. The other area where I see significant progress is in the use of AI and ML in conversational topics or themes. If you want to train somebody on crucial conversations, or if you want to train somebody on coaching or performance appraisal-related conversations. One is to do this in a static self-paced fashion. The other is to make it completely interactive through AI, where you’re talking to this virtual character, a coach, a customer, and you are having a live, real conversation. You’re getting instantaneous feedback on your performance. I’m quite excited about the possibilities of this. The next generation of learning products will not be hopefully static, but it will be immersive, real-time, interactive, and very actionable.

Can you tell us a little about your book ‘Clearing the Digital Blur’

In 2019, I published a book called ‘Clearing the Digital Blur’, through Wiley. This book was a culmination in many ways of the research I was doing with top-tier organizations across many countries. I was able to see from close quarters, the kind of talent challenges that organizations were facing in the digital world. One of the key codes that inspired me at that time is from Pierre Nanterme, former CEO of Accenture, who said more than 52 percent of companies on the Fortune 500 list have disappeared, mainly because of digital. So, that intrigued me to understand, why is it that well-established companies, market leaders in

their respective domains are losing the plot? What my research revealed is that many lines that we were used to from the industrial age have started becoming less relevant. In other words, these lines are blurring away. When I dug deeper and try to understand what these lines are, a pattern emerged. There were four significant lines that we’re blurring away. In fact, blur is an acronym that stands for these four different dimensions: ‘B’ in blur stands for boundary-less organizations, ‘L’ stands for limitless digitization, ‘U’ stands for unbounded innovation, and ‘R’ is relentless iteration. Now, looking at each of these four elements in a little bit of detail. In boundary-less organizations, the line that’s blurring away is the organizational boundary, both within and outside. Within 37

seven billion. We are already outnumbered. One of the consequences of this is that we are going to be dealing with a lot more data, a lot more intelligence in the environment we live in. Physical things, processes, business models; everything is getting digitized.

the organization, the traditional functional silos are getting dismantled. And because organizations today are operating as a platform, as an ecosystem; the line that separates the organization from the rest of the world is also becoming a lot more porous.

Moving on to limitless digitization. The line that separates the physical, digital, and biological is blurring away. Every physical object that you see around can potentially take on a ‘digital avatar’ just by slapping a sensor on it and connecting it to the cloud. As a result, today we are surrounded by digital objects that are expanding at a furious pace. Gartner says, there are 22 billion connected devices on the planet, whereas the human population is only 38

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The third element is unbounded innovation. The industry boundaries are blurring away. When we work with banks, one realization that popular banks are coming to is that the word ‘bank’ doesn’t make sense anymore. The business model of issuing deposits and collecting loans is passe; it is rooted in the industry needs. Today, banks are realizing that they are actually lifestyle partners, that they need to be present whenever and wherever an economic transaction is taking place. So to an extent, you find organizations moving beyond the traditional industry definitions to be wherever the customer is. To do this, organizations have to transcend industrial boundaries. The fourth element is relentless iteration, which is all about the time dimension blurring away. From the now, the new, the next, the different time horizons that you deal with in an organization’s evolution; all of them seem to be happening in the ‘now’ right now. Because product innovation cycles are compressing, we need to go faster to market, we need to be a lot more innovative, we need to be faster than our competitors, we need to rapidly iterate. Because of all of these reasons, everything seems to be happening in the ‘now’. These are the four dimensions of BLUR. When you apply this to different industries, you will www.techfastly.com

realize that some industries are way more blurred than the others. But these changes are very systematic. They are happening. And in fact, these are the four dimensions across which disruption is happening today. So, what KNOLSKAPE does is we take this framework, and we help organizations embrace this framework and build mindsets, leadership skills and behaviors that will help organizations successfully transform.

Which of the few (three of four) emerging technologies do you find the most promising and why?

I’m personally fascinated by the following three emerging technologies. The first one is blockchain. When you look at the evolution of computing, from the computer era, where things got digitized to the whole idea of websites, where we started getting into the internet of information and internet of exchange of information to now proceeding into the internet of value where you have smart contracts, you can distribute your work across multiple nodes on the internet, and have a safe, reliable system that doesn’t have a single point of failure, where trust is placed right in the center of the system. I am quite excited about the possibilities with blockchain from retail to government to supply chain. You find various use cases that are fascinating. Not to mention this whole movement behind cryptocurrencies and Bitcoin, all powered by blockchain. Obviously, this will have farreaching consequences for financial systems around the world. The second technology that I am personally excited with is mixed reality. Due to the ongoing pandemic, we see ourselves

becoming a lot more virtual with our ways of living and working. The interface between the physical and digital world, from a simple meeting that we attend to the transactions, or other online experiences we share with others on the online medium; have certain limitations. But in the future, I think we will have an environment where the line between the physical, digital, and biological will be blurred significantly. We will be able to share these experiences with millions of people around the world. I am quite excited with mixed realities, of course, about the impact on the space of learning. Today. learning is either virtual or in classroom, physical learning.

I think vocational training is going to get significantly improved through augmented reality and mixed realities.

Can there be a blended approach where we can use AR and VR in a very effective manner to help learners learn in real-time? I think vocational training is going to get significantly improved through augmented reality and mixed realities. The third area that I am personally tracking is healthcare. The use of technology wearables can significantly change how care is delivered to patients worldwide. If you look at the space of wearables, or even embedded chips and devices inside a human body, they can make healthcare become 24*7 on-demand and predictive. So in a way, analytics is a big thing to watch out. With sensors and the cloud, we are able to produce massive amounts of information. But what do we do with that information? How do we derive value from it? I think that’s the key question.

Five points of advice to young entrepreneurs.

First, I would recommend entrepreneurs to pick an area that they are deeply passionate about, that they truly care about, irrespective of the financial rewards or anything else. Are they deeply motivated intrinsically to make a difference in the chosen domain to solve the problem that they have picked for their venture? So this has to be an inspiring problem to solve. It has to be a source of energy by itself; when everything else could potentially break down, can this mission provide the energy for you to move along? Number two is recognizing that you cannot do everything by yourself. You need a strong team around you, a group of people who are equally passionate, if not more, about the problem that you’re trying to solve or the

mission that you’re on. That collective energy is very important to achieve great outcomes. So pick a great team. Third is that there are plenty of ideas. It’s all comes down to the right execution. Can you pick the sources of value for your customers? Can you focus on articulating the value that customers understand and are willing to pay for? Or, in other words, finding the product that fits the market. And then taking this on to scale. Point number four is around changing your ways of working depending on the evolution of your organization. In the early days, while you are still trying to figure out the problem statement, the way you would operate is very different from the time when you have a product or the solution. When you want to find at least some initial adoption for the product when you’re trying to scale it globally or scale it to become a large enterprise, each stage requires you to operate in a different mindset and operate with a different working style. So,

the ability to change gears according to the needs of the situation is very important. And the fifth one is the ability to take care of your own health, both physical and mental, and the ability to manage your energies and time. Ultimately, entrepreneurship is hard, right? You’re going after a hard problem to solve something that may not have been solved in the past. You’re likely to face a lot of No’s in the process. Customers, partners, or employees saying no to you till you hit the market. And then your journey continues. So, do you have the physical and the mental strength to push forward? Are you able to take care of your own energies and stay in the positive or enthusiastic zone for a very, very long time. Even when the payoffs are not happening, are you able to take care of your own motivation? That is probably the most important thing in all of this. It is connected to the first point I made earlier, which is about choosing a mission, a problem statement that you deeply care about, which becomes the source of energy for you.

Your five book recommendations.

One of the recent books that I read was ‘The Almanack of Naval Ravikant’ and was blown away by the clarity of his insights, the richness of his wisdom, and how he applies it in the domain of business. I think it’s a mustread for many of us. Apart from that, I really enjoyed reading ‘Factfullness’ by Hans Rosling. It brings out the usual stereotypes that we have around the world. It busts a lot of myths and makes you think in terms of data and facts. How do you derive the right insights from them? So that you develop the right mental models? I found that very fascinating. Apart from that, I have been an avid reader of a lot of academic literature from the Blue Ocean strategy, a lot of these books comes out of B-schools. I am a big fan of Clayton M. Christensen’s work on disruptive innovation. I think these are great books that gives you a good mental model to work with. 41

Small Sat LAUNCHER THE FUTURE OF N E W S PA C E A G E by Johnson Cherian What is a Small Sat Launcher? According to NASA classification, a small sat launcher (small-lift vehicle) is a class of rocket orbital launch vehicle capable of lifting up to 2000 kg (4,400 lbs.) of payload into low Earth orbit. The Sputnik 1, the first small-lift launch vehicle, was developed by the Soviet Union, and it was successfully launched on October 4, 1957, into the Low Earth Orbit. There is a growing demand for small sat launchers as they are not only less expensive than their larger counterparts, but they can also meet the requirements of some spacecraft. These lightweight vehicles also take less time to build and launch, making them cost-effective and saving a lot of time.

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Upcoming Rockets and Their Unique Features Below are some of the upcoming rockets and some of the unique features they present.

Orbex Prime Diameter: 1.3mtrs Payload Capacity: 150kg Height: 19mtrs

Orbex Prime is a small commercial orbital rocket developed by the UK-based aerospace company Orbital Express Launch Ltd. Prime is a rocket with innovative design. The main structures are made of carbon fibre/graphene composites, and it has a 3D printed engine. This is a unique launch vehicle in the industry as it uses bio-propane, which is expected to reduce 90% emissions versus traditional rocket fuels. The Prime is designed to not leave any post-launch debris either in the ocean or in orbit. In July 2018, Orbex secured £30 million ($39.6 million) in public and private funding to develop its orbital rocket system named Prime. The European Space Agency (ESA) has also awarded £7.45 million ($8.8 million) contract to Orbex through ESA Boost! Program. Chris Larmour, Orbex CEO, says that they are working towards the launch of Prime by the end of 2022 from their new Space Hub Sutherland spaceport in Scotland. The Prime rocket is a two-stage micro-launcher with a diameter of 1.3 meters and a height of 19 meters and is capable of launching payloads up to 150 kg to Sun-synchronous orbit (SSO).

Skyrora XL Diameter: 2.2mtrs Payload Capacity: 315kg Height: 22.7mtrs

Skyrora XL designed by the Scotland-based startup Skyrora, headquartered in Edinburgh, is a three-stage orbital launch vehicle. The rocket is in the development phase and is planned to launch from a UK spaceport by the end of 2022. The upper stage of the rocket was successfully tested for a full static fire test. In April 2021, the company successfully tested the upper stage of the Skyrora XL rocket and completed a static fire test in its engine development complex in Fife. The Edinburgh Report states, “Skyrora has received €3 million of co-funding from the European Space Agency (ESA), ensuring that the company can complete at a pace the development of its rocket technology.” The XL measures 22.7 meters in height and center diameter of 2.2 meters and weighs 56-tonnes and will be capable of carrying 315 kg payload into Polar and SSO orbits.

The rocket is in the development phase and is planned to launch from a UK spaceport by the end of 2022.

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Small Sat Launchers

Rocket Lab’s Electron Diameter: 1.2mtrs Payload Capacity(SSO): 330kg Height: 18mtrs Cost Per Launch: $7.5 million

Electron is a two-stage orbit launch vehicle that provides launches for small satellites to Earth orbit. It is developed by the American aerospace company Rocket Lab, with a wholly-owned New Zealand subsidiary. The Electron has made 21 launches so far and succeeded in 18 attempts and three failures, with the first launch on May 25, 2017, and the latest on July 29, 2021, which was a success. The cost per launch is about $7.5 million.

Electron is partially recoverable, and its main body is constructed with lightweight carbon composite material and is propelled with RP-1/ LOX propellant. The vehicle height is 18 meters and has a diameter of 1.2 meters with a liftoff mass of 13,000 kg. It is designed to carry a payload of 330 kg into SSO.

Virgin Orbit’s LauncherOne Diameter: 1mtrs Height: 21mtrs

Payload Capacity(SSO): 300kg Cost Per Launch: $12 million

LauncherOne is an affordable and flexible launch service built by the US-based company Virgin Orbit for both commercial and government-built satellites.

CubeSats into orbit. The first attempt on May 25, 2020, failed due to an anomaly shortly after release. The first successful flight was on January 17, 2021.

The LauncherOne is unique as it is carried up into the upper atmosphere and released from a specially adapted Boeing 747-400 called ‘Cosmic Girl’ into orbit. On its second operational mission, June 30, 2021, LauncherOne successfully launched seven

LauncherOne is a two-stage orbital launch vehicle that measures 21 meters in length to carry smallsat payloads of up to 300 kg (660 lb) into the SSO. The cost per launch is about $12 million.

Astra’s Rocket Diameter: 1.32mtrs Height: 11.6mtrs

Payload Capacity(SSO): 150kg Cost Per Launch: $2.5 million

The American launch vehicle company ‘Astra’ was incorporated in October 2016 by Chris Kemp and Adam London. The California startup has manufactured launch vehicles for both commercial and military customers. The company has named its rocket, ‘Rocket’. Astra focuses on creating affordable launches with automated rockets that can be shipped anywhere based on customer needs and can be controlled remotely.

but the vehicle just missed orbital velocity. However, the company claims this attempt was successful and can fix the issue with appropriate upper-stage propellant mixtures to achieve the extra velocity. Astra hopes to have a successful launch of its Rocket at the earliest. Rocket 3 is a two-stage launch vehicle and measures 11.6 meters tall, and has a diameter of 1.32 meters has a payload capacity of 25 – 150 kg to low Earth orbit. The cost per launch is about $2.5 million.

On December 15, 2020, Astra launched its second test flight, Rocket 3.2, to space,

Firefly’s Alpha Diameter: 1.82mtrs Height: 29mtrs

Payload Capacity(SSO): 600kg Cost Per Launch: $15 million

Firefly Alpha, developed by the American aerospace company Firefly Aerospace, is a two-stage orbital expendable launch vehicle targeting the commercial smallsat launch market. Alpha is also intended to be a direct competitor to India’s (Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle) PSLV.

The estimated cost per launch is $15 million.

Firefly Alpha’s targeted launch in 2020 was derailed partly due to the coronavirus pandemic, but it is confident to launch its Alpha rocket in 2021.

Alpha can launch 600 kg payload to a 500 km sun-synchronous orbit and up to 1000 kg payload to a 200 km low Earth orbit.

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The main body of Alpha is made of advanced carbon fibre composites and is fueled with RP-1/LOX propellant; Alpha measures 29 meters tall and 1.82 meters in diameter.

ABL Space Systems’s RS1 Diameter: 1.8mtrs Height: 27mtrs

Payload Capacity(SSO): 1000kg Cost Per Launch: $12 million

ABL Space Systems was founded in 2017 by former SpaceX and Morgan Stanley employees to develop low-cost launch vehicles focusing on the small satellite industry segment.

payload of 1,350 kg to the low Earth orbit, 1,000 kg to synchronous sun orbit, 400 kg to geostationary transfer orbit, 250 kg to trans lunar injection, and 125 kg to trans Mars injection.

RS1 is a two-stage launch vehicle developed by ABL. The launch vehicle would be fueled by kerosene (RP-1) and liquid oxygen (LOX). The first stage will be powered by nine E2 engines, and a single E2 vacuum engine powers the second stage.

The RS1 is expected to be launched in 2021. The company has received contracts from the Pentagon’s Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) and Lockhead Martin. It is estimated to be priced at $12 million per launch, a competitive price in its weight class.

The RS1 is 27 meters tall and 1.8 meters in diameter and is capable of carrying a

Relativity Space’s Terran-1 Diameter: 3mtrs Height: 35mtrs

Payload Capacity(SSO): 900kg Cost Per Launch: $12 million

The Terran-1 is a small launch vehicle developed by the American aerospace manufacturing company Relativity Space by combining technologies such as 3D printing, artificial intelligence, and autonomous robotics. The 3D printed alloy used to build the Terran-1’s engine and structure will reduce the part count by 100 times, thus reducing overall operating cost and increasing reliability. It is a two-stage launch vehicle powered by nine Aeon 1 engines in

the first phase and a single AeonVac engine in the second stage. The rocket would be 35 meters tall and 3 meters in diameter. The rocket will be capable of carrying a maximum payload of 1,250 kg to 185 km low Earth orbit, a payload of 900 kg to 500 km sunsynchronous orbit (SSO), and a high-altitude payload of 700 kg to 1,200 km SSO. Although the Terran-1’s debut launch was originally scheduled for 2020, it is now planned for the end of 2021. The cost per launch is expected to be $12 million.

SpaceX’s Falcon-1 Diameter: 1.7mtrs Height: 21mtrs

Payload Capacity(LEO): 1000kg Cost Per Launch: $7 million

The Falcon 1 is an expandable orbital launch vehicle developed by the US-based company SpaceX. After three unsuccessful attempts, Elon Musk’s Falcon 1 achieved orbit on September 28, 2008, on its fourth attempt. Its first successful commercial launch was on July 14, 2009, delivering the Malaysian RazakSAT satellite to orbit. The two-stage small liquid-fueled orbit launch vehicle used LOX/RP-1 for both stages.

Summary: The race for a small lift launch vehicle is stiff, with many aerospace companies joining the competition. The challenge today is to deliver reusable vehicles, thereby reducing production cost and time and reducing rocket debris in orbit. This could also reduce the cost per launch. Terran-1’s 3D printing technology used is a game-changer as it reduces the number of parts considerably and reducing human interference too. Rocket Lab’s Electron has over 20 successful launches proving their reliability, and LauncherOne has shown its flexibility by releasing the payload from its Cosmic Girl.

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A single Merlin engine powered the first stage, and the second was powered by a single Kestrel engine. Falcon 1 was designed to be reusable, minimize price per launch, and increase reliability. The rocket stands 21 meters tall and is 1.7 meters in diameter, and is capable of carrying a payload of 1,000 kg to the low Earth Orbit. The cost per launch is about $7 million.

The challenge today is to deliver reusable vehicles, thereby reducing production cost and time and reducing rocket debris in orbit.

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How

Artificial Intelligence Is Helping With

Space Exploration by Rehan Husain

rtificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly vital in space operations and exploration, from evaluating the landscape on Mars to boosting communications between satellites and ground stations. It has a capacity that has a plethora of uses and holds enormous potential for the data-dense and complex environment of space. Despite broad unfamiliarity, artificial intelligence is a technology that is revolutionizing every aspect of life. It is a versatile tool that helps people to reconsider how we combine information, evaluate data, and use the ensuing insights for better decision making.

Our goal with this thorough overview is to educate policymakers, opinion leaders, and interested observers about artificial intelligence and to highlight how it is already affecting the world and raising critical questions about society, economy, and governance. The huge amount of data presently being given in real-time by Earth observation assets (e.g., the Copernicus sentinel network) and astronomical missions (e.g., the Kepler Space Telescope) provides intriguing new datasets and necessitates the use of novel machine learning techniques. Indeed, remote sensing is driving deep learning innovation for largescale image processing tasks, whereas AI is being applied in a wide range of astrophysical applications, including planet discovery, galaxy classification, and cosmological modelling. AI usage is also aiding less theoretical applications in the space sciences. Machine learning techniques are being used by mission planners to optimize spacecraft trajectories, conserving fuel and increasing mission lifespan. Closer to home, scientists are increasingly finding space junk and possibly hazardous near-Earth objects. Solar physicists are using artificial intelligence to anticipate the magnitude and direction of solar flares, which may cause billions of dollars in damage to satellite constellations, power grids, and telecommunication networks throughout the world if they go undetected.

Today’s space environment is congested, complicated, and contested—no longer a safe haven for US or partner space assets. 50

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AI has the ability to dramatically improve domain awareness and command and control decisionmaking, as well as to boost the resilience of satellites and their networks. To realize the full potential of these prospective improvements, however, we must strengthen the security and trust in AI technology. Consider the assessments made by AI that assist humans in making decisions. Can commanders and operators have confidence that the algorithms that underpin these analyses were developed objectively, using suitable data and without bias? Can they be certain that the data they are utilizing has not been tampered with or modified by adversaries? These are key questions to address to ensure safety and mission-critical assets are not jeopardized. Let’s discuss the potential applications of AI in the space sector one by one.

Accelerate Command and Control in Decision Making 1

Another area in which AI has significant potential is command-and-control decision-making, particularly when assets are threatened with little time to react. Consider a scenario in which an operator must defend space assets from an anti-satellite (ASAT) attack launched from direct ascent. The operator may have only minutes to decide what to do in such a case. AI and data analytics have enabled decision-makers to accomplish a previously

near-impossible task: efficiently analyzing massive volumes of data and rapidly arriving at a set of probable actions. The AI system analyses ASAT trajectory data in order to determine potential targets. It then rapidly develops a variety of alternative courses of action, which may involve navigating, employing countermeasures, or engaging in offensive or defensive operations. The system sifts through several different courses of action using machine learning, taking into account connected effects and downstream repercussions. Operators and commanders are then presented with a timely menu of optimum options, accelerating command-and-control decision-making and strengthening space defense in missioncritical scenarios.

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Operators can reduce these dangers and strengthen the resilience of space networks and constellations by integrating AI into their systems. www.techfastly.com

Accelerating command-and-control decision-making and strengthening space defense in mission-critical scenarios.

Strengthening Resilience Through Machine Learning and Automation 2

Satellite constellations and the networks that connect them are growing in size and complexity in response to business demands for worldwide communication and data transportation. Additionally, these networks are growing more susceptible to sophisticated kinetic and non-kinetic threats.

response, ensuring that all network nodes are reconnected. Additionally, organizations can incorporate self-learning algorithms into satellites to make them more self-sufficient and durable in the event that up-link and down-link contacts with ground operations are lost.

Operators can reduce these dangers and strengthen the resilience of space networks and constellations by integrating AI into their systems. Organizations can employ artificial intelligence to rapidly examine data for network vulnerabilities. They can then use AI algorithms to “heal” or “self-adapt” in

Additionally, artificial intelligence (AI) can automate the monitoring of a satellite’s “health status,” the resolution of anomalies, and the execution of defensive operations against threats. By automating these processes on satellites, operators may focus on more difficult, mission-critical tasks.

Building Trust Through Algorithm Development and Operator Training 3

As with any new technological use, whether in space or elsewhere, security and trust are critical to acceptance and effectiveness. The development of AI algorithms is the first step toward AI security. Organizations must assure the provenance of the data used to train the algorithms, that algorithms are built with as little bias as possible, and that security is maintained throughout the software development and data storage processes. Furthermore, enterprises owning space assets and systems will need to train operators in AI and machine learning, which involves knowing how AI systems are

constructed and designed. Operators must also be fully aware of the capabilities and limitations of their AI-powered systems. Only via extensive training and education, as well as the implementation of safe processes, can operators and decision-makers have enough confidence in AI systems to employ them to better their missions.

Organizations must assure that algorithms are built with as little bias as possible

Conclusion Deterring and defending our space assets has become both a requirement for national security and a significantly more difficult undertaking as the space environment rapidly evolves and proliferates with new users, new capabilities, and increasingly sophisticated threats. AI solutions offer a transformative opportunity for protecting, improving, and enhancing space missions and assisting the United States in maintaining space dominance by improving space domain awareness, accelerating command-and-control decisions, making satellites and their networks more resilient, and more. To realize AI’s immense promise, we must also ensure that AI systems are built and maintained safely, and that commanders and operators have the necessary training and expertise to trust this disruptive technology.

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The Impact of AI in

Satellite Imagery by Toulika Das

hat do we know about satellite imagery? The most basic definition of satellite imagery is that it is a mechanism by which we receive photos of the Earth taken from space with the help of certain technology. These satellites are like eyes in the sky. With the advent of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML), satellite imagery has evolved into something far more exciting and valuable. Scientists receive a lot of data from these satellite images daily. When this data is tested properly and evaluated, it can provide valuable insight into strategic initiatives, problem-solving, and disaster relief efforts.

Satellite Imagery can provide valuable insight into strategic initiatives, problemsolving, and disaster relief efforts.

Uses of Satellite Imagery There is an ever-increasing number of satellites orbiting the planet Earth. They take millions of photographs from space every day and send them back to the scientists on Earth. Satellite imaging allows for unprecedented distant surveillance of our environment while also generating crucial data on existing conditions on the surface. They also help scientists detect changes in the Earth’s climate, any kind of resource scarcity, the extent of urbanization, etc. Satellite imagery is also used to measure agrarian and industrial growth, human expansion in certain areas and other worldwide developments.

The number of climatological photos available for human analysis is increasing at an exponential rate.

Environment surveillance Detect changes in the Earth’s climate Detect resource scarcity Measure agrarian and industrial growth Measure worldwide developments

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AI Applications for Satellite Imagery In terms of technology, the world is moving at a breakneck speed. The amount of data sent from satellites for processing and analysis has increased significantly. The number of climatological photos available for human analysis is increasing at an exponential rate. Now the problem arises when the number of climate researchers and meteorological data analysis professionals cannot be increased at the same rate. Under such circumstances, automation is required. Herein comes the uses of AI and machine learning.

Artificial Intelligence allows for the analysis and correlation of a vast number of climate variables. Satellite imagery AI applications have been broadened to numerous levels. This is primarily for machine learning research to extract critical information for AI model development in the same fields. There is a need to recognise diverse things from high altitudes for field surveys or urban development. In these conditions, AI models produced through machine learning or deep learning are required for usage in space surveillance via satellite photos. Satellite imaging, in combination with aerial images and AI, could be used to observe and measure events like topmost tree thinning,

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loss of undergrowth native vegetation, etc. Applications of AI through machine learning can also be used to measure alterations in water levels. Furthermore, the development of new vegetation in areas that are being revived can also be tracked by artificial intelligence technology. Artificial Intelligence allows for the analysis and correlation of a vast number of climate variables. The use of both terrestrial and geographical data is critical for establishing connections between all these parameters. This is to gain a better awareness of global

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Application of ML Models and Algorithms in Satellite Imagery

challenges and offer solutions. It gives crucial aspects for interpreting the trajectory of the environment and its influence on our existence to all policy-makers (NGOs, governments, and regular citizens).

Satellite imagery technology has advanced significantly in recent years, mainly due to advances in machine and deep learning. Machine learning approaches enable engineers to enhance picture data in addition to image editing. Machine Learning algorithms have shown to be an effective technique for interpreting satellite data at any resolution and providing more nuanced insights. There are a few hurdles in applying Machine Learning to satellite photos in its early phases, along with the extremely huge file size of satellite imagery and the file formats being specifically built for georeferenced photographs, which makes Big Traditional data Processing applications challenging. However, analyzing the concept of the time value of a solution and building a powerful framework facilitates the construction of programmes to solve these restrictions.

Machine Learning is also used heavily for satellite pictures by Earth Observation companies like DigitalGlobe and Planet.

Machine Learning is also used heavily for satellite pictures by Earth Observation companies like DigitalGlobe and Planet. Planet Analytics is a specialized Machine Learning system that employs Machine Learning algorithms to scan regular satellite images, recognize and classify structures, locate topographical and geographic characteristics, and reliably observe even just the smallest changes that occur. The data feed is readily incorporated into procedures and provides remarkable insights into

practically any location on the planet. There are two groups when it comes to the application of ML models in satellite imagery. They are: • One-level Satellite Data Applications • Multi-level Satellite Data Applications We will discuss them one by one along with examples of each category.

One-level Satellite Data Applications Machine learning algorithms are used directly in satellite imagery in “one-level” applications. This type of satellite data is used to observe small objects and detect changes through the use of AI. For example, change detection algorithms heavily depend on machine learning in satellite imagery. Agriculture, farmland use, public development (e.g. road segments), environmental (deforestation, water reserves), and global disaster monitoring are all examples of change detection use cases. Change detection derived from remote sensing (RS) data is a widely used way of identifying alterations on the Earth’s surface.

A Change Detection

Algorithms

The practice of finding differences in the condition of an object or phenomenon by watching it at different times is known as

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change detection. Satellite images are used to detect digital changes. In simple words, a change detection algorithm is the ability of a system to correctly perceive external input, learn from it, and apply what it has learned to fulfil specific goals and tasks. This is achieved through flexible adaptation. Several AI techniques are inspired by biological phenomena. They mainly concentrate on the advent of modern deep learning methods, innovative network topologies, and sophisticated machine learning methods.

B Computer Vision

Techniques

The fundamental use of satellite data is to enable computer vision to detect diverse objects. Computer vision is a branch of artificial intelligence (AI) that allows machines and programs to extract useful data from virtual photos, videos, and other sensory inputs. Computer vision can also participate in executing certain measures to make predictions based on that data.

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Municipalities, government bodies, emergency crews, the armed forces, and other civil authorities require reliable information on structures, route sections, and urban area boundaries. A variety of integrated, fully prepared workflows using convolutional neural nets (eg. FasterRCNN, YOLO) have made object detection easier. However, there are several difficulties with satellite images that make this job more difficult. The potential for adapting these technologies to various scales and important assets in satellite photography is enormous.

Multi-level Satellite Data Applications Information retrieved from satellite data is only a sequence of parameters in a more complicated ML system in multi-level applications. It can range anywhere from recognising cars in parking lots to predicting crop yields, detecting oil inventories, etc. With the help of multi-level satellite data applications, scientists can also track the economic activities of several countries throughout the world. It is especially applicable for those areas that are difficult to reach, such as China.

As an example of a multi-level satellite data application, we can take into account agricultural field mapping from the air. Data from satellite photos can aid the AI model in predicting crop productivity and prices.

The AI model, which is based on satellite imagery, has shown to be a very effective tool for yield estimation.

Final Thoughts The ability of scientific and commercial communities to evaluate satellite images is still far outpacing its accessibility. While AI has made tremendous progress in satellite imaging, there is still a long way to go. Satellite imaging data obtained due to machine learning is an invaluable resource for addressing several problems. These problems can be as diverse and essential as assessing the effects of global warming, forecasting agriculture yields, etc. The impact of artificial intelligence in satellite imaging can also be seen in measuring environmental development toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). AI, particularly the fast-evolving sub-disciplines like a machine and deep learning, offers the key to rendering satellite photo processing smoother, more robust, and more universally accepted.

SuperBIT The Super Pressure Balloon-borne Imaging Telescope by Ragini Agarwal

NASA’s SuperBIT Telescope is ready to fly! Super Pressure Balloon-borne Telescope, i.e., SuperBIT, is all set to take its first test flight. Scientists have stated that SuperBIT is a potential successor of NASA’s Hubble Telescope. Researchers from Durham University, UK; Princeton University, USA; Toronto University, Canada, teamed up with NASA and Canadian Space Agency to build this highly stabilized, highresolution, and environmentally friendly astronomical telescope. SuperBIT is expected to make its operational debut in April 2022. Mohamed Shaaban, a doctoral student from the University of Toronto, described the telescope and its findings at the virtual RAS National Astronomy Meeting (NAM 2021) on July 21. One of the expected advantages of SuperBIT is that it will be immune to weather fluctuations because it would be located in the stratosphere, 40 kilometres above the Earth. Most of the weather events take place in the troposphere layer of the Earth’s atmosphere. The primary goal of this telescope will be to capture high-resolution pictures of objects in space.

How Would It Work? The telescope will be in the stratosphere, which is above 99.5 percent of the Earth’s atmosphere. SuperBIT features a 0.5-meter diameter mirror and is carried by a helium balloon with a volume of 532,000 cubic meters, roughly the size of a football stadium.

after filling it with air, it is firmly sealed. The pressure of the inner air is so high; the balloon will never be able to descend. This will eventually prevent the balloon from entering or approaching the hotspots, which would be harmful to them.

It can stay in space for several weeks or months. SuperBIT can be brought down for any sort of repair. In conventional scientific balloons, the sun warms the balloon during the day, causing the gas to heat up and the vents to blow out. The gas shrivels up as the sun sets, and the balloon begins to fall. As a result of this, the balloon’s height changes dramatically throughout the day and at night. When the balloon is flying at 120,000 feet during the day, it will descend to 90,000 feet at night. Because zero pressure balloons have such a large altitude variation, polar locations such as Antarctica can be a hotspot for them, inflicting significant damage and perhaps resulting in their destruction. This may not be the case in the overpressured balloon of NASA’s SuperBIT telescope. Its pressure never decreases, regardless of day or night. This is because

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A comparable telescope, dubbed James Web, is also set to deploy alongside SuperBIT. Northrop Grumman Ball Aerospace & Technologies built this telescope, which has a 10-year mission lifespan on average. SuperBIT, like Hubble, will work with light frequencies, whereas James Web will deal with infrared radiations. It’s worth noting that the Hubble Space Telescope has already outlived its usefulness. It was supposed to last only for ten years, yet it’s been taking pictures for three decades. However, its latest failure indicates that it is nearing the end of its life cycle.

The average cost of SuperBIT telescope is around $5 million, whereas the cost of the Hubble Telescope was approximately $1.5 million.

James Web Telescope

Why Is It Environment-Friendly Mohamed Shaaban, a doctoral student at the University of Toronto, said in an announcement that “New balloon technology makes visiting space cheap, easy and environmentally friendly”. According to the experts, this balloon technology may be the secondbest thing ever developed in the world of astronomy.

sponsored by the Canadian Space Agency and CNES.

This incredibly amazing telescope is environmentally friendly since, unlike other telescopes, it does not require rocket fuel.

It will use solar panels built into its frame to charge its batteries. It will take off from Wanaka, New Zealand, and will go around the world many times, taking photos of the planet’s surface. The SuperBIT team started developing it in the summer of 2012, and it took the first test flight in 2015. The launch, which took place from Timmins, Ontario, was co-

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Following this success, SuperBIT was renovated and relaunched in the summers of 2016 and 2018, with more advancements and refinement of overall instrument performance. SuperBIT’s most recent scientific qualification flight occurred in 2019, and it was the first flight to use space-qualified telescope optics for science imaging as well as improved cameras.

The SuperBIT’s flight with CNESCSA from Timmins, Ontario, demonstrated its ability to conduct wide-field, geometric distortion imaging from the stratosphere in optical, near-infrared, and nearultraviolet bands utilizing SuperBIT’s flight-tested stabilization system.

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What Is Its Main Purpose? According to a post on the University of Toronto’s website, the main purpose of the Superbit Telescope is

“

to provide insight into the distribution of dark matter in galaxy clusters and throughout the large scale structure of the universe”.

The Hubble telescope, as previously stated, is old and no longer capable of performing properly. It must be replaced with an innovation that is more sophisticated than the old one and has fresh and exciting characteristics. According to the reports, a new telescope, GigaBIT, which is three times the size of SuperBIT’s optical system, will be launched in September 2022. The Euclid Telescope is also expected to be launched next year by the European space agency.

Conclusion Astronomy and discoveries in the field are always intriguing. But all of this would not be possible without the tireless work of everyone engaged in making it a success. While NASA has succeeded in surprising us with its innovative innovations regularly, there is still a lot more to learn about space. One of these instances is the SuperBIT telescope. But this raises a slew of new issues, such as whether it could perform as well as Hubble. Is the new balloon technology going to succeed or fail? Will this initiative be a success?

There is still a lot more to learn about space.

In conversation with

Darpan Inani INDIA’S HIGHEST RATED VISUALLY IMPAIRED CHESS PLAYER

Bronze Medalist, World Junior Championship (2013)

arpan Inani is the highest rated blind chess player in India and the youngest to have ever won the National blind chess championships. He is the strongest blind player in India. He has been a bronze medalist at the World Junior Championship in 2013. At the age of 16, he became the youngest player to win the National Blind Championship, a record which still stands. Darpan talks about his journey as a chess player, his struggles and his future goals. Darpan Inani is a player whose story is inspirational. Read on to know more about him and his achievements.

Let’s begin with our first question:

How did you get acquainted with chess? Who taught you, and how did your journey begin?

I was studying in a regular school and was the only blind student. Everybody could play during the physical education classes, except me. My parents thought if he is studying like a normal kid and doing well, what could we do for him to play like normal kids? We went to a local Blind Welfare Association, found a specially designed chessboard, and got it at home. My father taught me the basics, like, these are the pieces, and this is how they move. I started participating in some Blind V/s Sited tournaments. The format was to have 10 of both blind and sited participants. In the first round, I was paired with Zaheer Bhatkar and lost against him. I don’t know what he saw in me, but he was very inclined for me to take chess professionally. Through him, I got to

If you have faced challenges in the early stage of life, you already have that mindset that either you can be a victim or you can be a victor. know about professional coaches who could help boost up my career. He himself is an amateur player; he plays whenever he gets time. I am glad to have him as my mentor in the early stage of my career.

How difficult was it to improve at chess? Tell us about the struggles you faced to become better at the game.

I think initially, accessibility and managing the clock was the major issue. While playing chess, you have to manage your time and position on board simultaneously. Being

visually impaired, it was challenging to manage time initially, but things became more manageable with practice. I started using chess software like Fritz. I learned how to use this software using only a keyboard (I can’t use a mouse). It was challenging because the software is not designed primarily for the blind. I had a hard time figuring out how to play using the keyboard and how to find the games of different players. Although, after spending a considerable amount of time, I was able to use at least 80% of the software’s features through the keyboard only. For managing the time pressure, I think practice was the key. I started practicing online games for 5-10 minutes rounds. My mother use to sit next to me, and I would dictate to her the moves. These were some of the biggest challenges, but I think I am getting better at time pressure as well.

Is there software designed especially for visually impaired professionals?

Not really. There are some software like TALK 64 and WinBoard designed specifically for visually impaired professionals. Still, those are not at par with Fritz or ChessBase, which are absolutely necessary for a professional chess player.

There might be a few accessibility issues when reading, analyzing chess books or practicing on the engine. How do you manage to train in such circumstances?

Most of the chess books are in PGN formats, i.e., they have diagrams on almost all pages. The screen reading software would read the

text, but it doesn’t read the diagram, such as the positions of the chess pieces. Although, with the combination of Fritz and ChessBase, I can access it to a great extent. For chess books in PDF format, it is complicated to access and understand. I am able to read the evaluations of the positions. I analyze the game on software like Fritz. Let’s say my opponent played a move; I play that move using keyboard and check the evaluation. Also, suppose I have some other move in mind; I also enter the alternate move and then compare the evaluation.

Would you please tell us how technology has helped you?

It would not have been possible for me to read those voluminous books without someone’s assistance. I never had to learn Braille; this defines how much technology has enabled me to be more independent and unconventional and help me pursue chess professionally. Whenever I am back from a tournament, immediately after coming home, I enter those moves into the Chess software and analyze them. The computer also plays the role of a coach in my chess profession. With the help of cell phones, I can stay connected with people worldwide. Technology has played an enormous role in gaining success both academically and professionally.

How has playing chess impacted your life? What are the key points you learned from this game?

The unique thing about this game is it offers me or any visually impaired person to play at par with sighted people and even beat them.

There are no dispensations, no compromises with the rules, and everything is the same, just different boards.

You can play with the sighted people and beat them. This gave me a lot of satisfaction. It has also given me a sense of self-esteem and independence. Barring the preparation part, when you are playing, you don’t need any assistance. And even during the preparation, I think you need 10-20 % assistance. It also helps you in your education as well. I was good at mathematics initially. So maybe that would have helped me in chess or vice versa. Most blind people face a lot of difficulties while dealing with geometry, but I love geometry; chess helped me with it. 71

You have also spoken on various platforms as a motivational speaker. Can you talk about these events?

Well, as of now, I don’t consider myself a professional motivational speaker. Whenever I’m able to carve out time, I try to deliver lectures at motivational events. I want to scale those up now and give more time towards motivational speaking and seminars. I get to meet a lot of people at these events that create a network effect.

You have recently become a chartered accountant. How did you manage to balance chess playing and preparing for one of the toughest competitive exams?

I think prioritizing is the key. Whenever there was an exam, I stopped playing for 3-4 months. Chess took a backseat because I was not able to devote much time while preparing for CA. I think in the last three years, I could participate in six-seven tournaments only. I aim to get back at chess and become the First International Master (IM) from Asia.

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I aim to get back at chess and become the First International Master (IM) from Asia. There was not much room to play tournaments. I don’t play in Rapid tournaments, and the classical tournaments last for four-seven days. If it involves travelling, you need at least 13 days for the tournament and an additional fortnight for preparation. But, even with five matches, I was able to propel the rating from 1950 to 2135 (with a KA factor of 20).

Almost all professional sportsmen work on their mental game. How do you retain your mental toughness during tournaments?

I think, in my case, I had to face challenges right from the very beginning. So somehow, that mental toughness was very much instilled since childhood. I lost my eyesight completely at the age of three; I was absolutely normal

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taking chess professionally. They are also succeeding in gaining sponsors to support themselves, which is very crucial. I am excited to see them excel in their carrer.

Finally, could you talk about your future goals and ambitions?

I have two milestones to achieve in my life: 1. Become a CA: I have already accomplished this goal. In future, I am hoping to start my own CA firm. 2. Become an International Masters (IM): I aim to be the first IM from Asia. It would be great if I can find some corporate sponsors to support my chess carrier and help me achieve this milestone.

before that. If you have faced challenges in the early stage of life, you already have that mindset that either you can be a victim or you can be a victor. I had to decide from childhood that I want to be a victor and not the victim. I think this is what helped me to retain my mental toughness. Also, I read a lot of selfhelp books.

Technology has enabled me to be more independent and unconventional and help me pursue chess professionally.

Who are your inspirations from the very beginning?

Vishwanathan Anand and Garry are my inspiration for my professional life. For life, in general, I follow Stephen Hawking and Warren Buffet.

The Indian new generations of Chess players like Nihal and Pragg are doing very well. Do you see them as possessing potential to become the world champion in the future?

Yes, of course. Many youngsters are making their debut these days and are excited about 73

I N S P I R AT I O N 4

The First All-Civilian Mission to Orbit by Shantanu Trivedi This marks the beginning for people like us, flying to space. Yes, you read that right! Now, with the growing ambitions and accomplishments of SpaceX, it has become possible for civilians to get a chance to live the dream of visiting space.

SpaceX has proved with examples, over time, that they can successfully take up numerous space missions with perfect launches and landings. Additionally, with NASA’s approval, not just cargo but humans can also take a seat in the crafts going to space. One such mission is Inspiration4. Read ahead to learn everything about this mission.

The Mission: Goals and Records Usually, space missions are tied to goals like scientific explorations and experiments, like finding traces of water on celestial surfaces, checking the atmospheric conditions, and more. But, this one is special, as it is a privately funded mission with a revolutionary set of goals:

1 2 3

Raise awareness and $200 million for St. Jude Children’s Hospital, Tennessee to help find cure for life-threatening diseases in children. Democratize space, extending the space travel opportunities to individuals other than professional astronauts. In a nutshell, it is an initiative to allow common people to go to space. Conduct microgravity research and other scientific experiments (details not yet disclosed) while flying through space. A young billionaire businessman, Jarred Isaacman, is the man behind the mission and the one funding it. He is the one to bring the noble fundraiser idea and has donated $100 million that covers half of the intended $200 million fund. SpaceX has successfully completed 3 manned missions with NASA that include Crew Dragon Demo-2, Crew-1, and Crew-2.

The Inspiration4, being a privately funded all-civilian mission, sets the record of being the first of its kind.

How Will It Get to Space? The mission crew will be on-board the SpaceX Resilience Crew Dragon capsule mounted atop the SpaceX Falcon 9 Block 5 rocket, which is a partially reusable, medium-lift launch vehicle. Here are some details you should know about the launch. The rocket will be launched from the Kennedy Space Center, Florida.

It is estimated that the mission will be 3 days long starting from liftoff to landing.

It will reach an altitude of 365 miles in the Low Earth Orbit (which is beyond the altitude where the Hubble Telescope flies).

On completion, the Crew Dragon capsule will have a splashdown landing in the Atlantic Ocean and then be carried over by SpaceX boats to rescue the crew.

In case of emergency, Isaacman and others will be able to take control of the spacecraft.

The mission will be autonomously controlled from the SpaceX Mission Control Center in California.

Some Lesser Known (Fun) Facts: The Resilience Crew Dragon spacecraft doesn’t have much room for the crew to roam around. There are no sleep pods like other space missions, so the crew will need to nap on their seats. Isaacman and his team can also alter the route to see the Grand Canyon (just a hypothetical example) from up there if they wish to (according to what Elon Musk says).

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Inspiration 4:

The Timeline Let us have a look at the timeline of the mission and how far has it gone yet. SpaceX announced the mission on February 1, 2021.

As the crew has been finalized, they are currently under rigorous training, preparing for their first ever flight to space in just about a month.

A Super Bowl commercial video rolled out on February 7, 2021 inviting people to visit the Inspitation4 website and register to get a chance to be on-board. SpaceX announced the final list of crew members on March 30, 2021 after the longrunning competition got them the two final members. The mission is set to launch on September 15, 2021 and return on September 18, 2021 (subject to change).

All About the

Mission Crew Before you get into the details of who will be on-board, you need to know that the Resilience Crew Dragon capsule only has seat capacity of four. All four seats in this mission will be filled by civilians who have been selected in different ways. Let us find out who these lucky people are:

Jared Isaacman

Hayley Arceneaux

The Spacecraft Commander of the mission and he symbolizes Leadership

The Chief Medical Officer and she symbolizes Prosperity

“Genius Billionaire Playboy Philanthropist” - I bet you got that! A 38 year old billionaire and the CEO of a New York based payments company called Shift4 Payments. He is a highly experienced aviator and adventurer, with an astounding 6000 fighter jet flight-hours in his bucket.

She is a child cancer survivor and a physician assistant at the St. Jude Children’s Hospital. In the search for the best suited employee from the hospital, Hayley was the most recommended one and hence she bagged the lucky seat. Her 29 years of age makes the entire crew more exciting and young altogether.

This man is the reason this mission and the idea of having civilians on-board exists. He bought all 4 seats of the Crew Dragon capsule to fulfil his vision of having civilians from different walks of life through various modes of selection. However, Isaacman wanted one member from the St. Jude Children’s Hospital and that is who our next member on the list is.

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She believes her cancer made her way to this mission and space. She also believes that having a prosthetic body part (a metal rod in her leg) doesn’t stop her from the mission, rather it sets an example that such people can also reach where she will be soon.

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The idea was that the selected members will represent 4 particular qualities –

Leadership Hope Generosity Prosperity

Christopher Sembroski

Sian Proctor

the Mission Specialist and he symbolizes Generosity

The Pilot and she symbolizes Hope. She and Isaacman will be in charge of the spacecraft’s flight operations

A 41 years old american data engineer, Iraq war Air Force veteran, and now a commercial astronaut. He contributed to the fund-raiser for the hospital, but couldn’t get the seat as the prize. Apparently, his best-friend won the prize but declined it and later recommended Sembroski for the mission. He definitely is lucky to be there! He currently works at Lockhead Martin, an american aerospace company. He has always wanted to go to space and could not believe getting selected for the mission.

A 51 years young entrepreneur, an accomplished scientist, a geosciences professor and an explorer. She was also a part of the astronaut-selection process at NASA, but couldn’t get through. She is also the author of a book “Meal for Mars” and has been a part of several space research missions. She was selected in a competition similar to Shark Tank where she flared her entrepreneurial skills and bagged the seat on the trip to space. She has always been a SPACE fan and her experience in the field makes her one of the most experienced people on board.

Preparation and Training Selections are over and it’s time to get prepared for Space! Before they began with the space related training, Isaacman wanted the crew to have a taste of climbing a mountain. The crew is undergoing various training schedules as rigorous as 60 hours a week. During the process, they undergo medical tests, classroom lectures, and practical training sessions. They are undergoing Centrifuge Training at the NASTAR centre and the Altitude Chamber Training at the Duke Health in North Carolina.

Other training schedules at SpaceX include orbital mechanics, familiarizing with microgravity, and zero gravity environments, emergency preparedness training, stress testing, mission simulations, and learning about the Falcon 9 launch vehicle and Dragon spacecraft.

Conclusion By now, you know the necessary details of the mission. As it is evident, this is a very special mission, not just for the crew members but for humanity as it opens doors to new possibilities and dreams. It’s time you and I can dream of going to space one day. These missions, even if they will be open to the public, will be very expensive. But, it’s time to be excited about this mission and look forward to witnessing the first space flight launch with non-professional astronauts on board.

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”

I wanted them to get comfortable with being uncomfortable, because not everything about space will be comfortable. – says Isaacman about the team hiking at Mount Rainier at an altitude of 14,400 ft.

Role of Space-Based Communications in

5G Era by Umar Nabi

he mobile industry has entered the era of 5G communications. New standards are being finalized, testbeds are proving technology worldwide, and the first commercial services have recently been launched. 5G will enhance mobile services for consumers and enable new application to serve a wide range of sectors, from healthcare to education and manufacturing to transportation. 5G gives the satellite industry the ultimate opportunity to get out of its place and offer a wide range of services to satellite service providers while enabling mobile and fiber operators to take advantage of its satellite connectivity to expand coverage areas and offload their network through critical functionalities like multicasting, backhauling, and mobility access where the satellite has better access technology. The evolution of 5G is potentially important for the mobile industry. But the highlight of the big technological change is the hype surrounding 5G, which promises to provide extremely fast internet connection. This article provides a clear overview of the 5G market, explains why 5G networks will be networked and examines how space-based communication systems are a key component of mobile network operators 5G strategy.

5G quality is changing with lightning speed connections and smart routing.

Evolution of 5G 5G is the fifth generation of cellular networks. Each generation has been improving with latest skills and services since the early 1990s:

1990 Digital • Text messaging • Voice • 60 4Kbps

2000 Mobile Data • Basic Internet • Multimedia • Smaller phones • 2Mbps

2010 Mobile Broadband • Hi speed data • Smartphones • 1 GBPS

2020 Networks of Networks • A platform for future innovation • 10+ Gbps

services provided us with digital voice communications, paid coverage and text messaging.

generated mobile internet and multimedia content

targets high network connectivity, high traffic results, energy-saving and cost-efficiency, as well as maximum device connectivity. The device not only caters to the growing level of mobile data traffic but also supports new revenue-generating services such as healthcare, transport, public services and the automotive industry.

delivered mobile broadband, high-speed data, and smartphone

Key Statistics of Mobile Data Traffic

31%

Growth annually over the past five years to reach 136 exabytes per month by the end of 2024. (Ericsson Mobility Report)

25%

Mobile Data While 5G network will carry 25% of mobile data traffic globally.

(Ericsson Mobility Report)

more consumption By 2024, smartphones will consume more than 4 times more data on average than they do today.

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The Role of Satellites in the 5G Networks Satellites have a critical role to play in these categories. The advanced communication of 5G is transformed into three major use cases:

Mobile 1 Enhanced Broadband: With 5G comes the opportunity to offer a wide range and faster broadband connectivity such as voice, video, data to wide area networks, hotspots for mobile or fixed networks.

and 2 Ultra-Reliable Low-Latency Communication:

Another set of 5G use cases are URLLC applications that are especially important for mission critical and pseudo real-time applications. Let’s look at the issue of autonomous cars, where delays are important. In order to operate successfully, autonomous cars must be able to talk to each other and their surroundings for seconds. Until the introduction of 5G, no network could handle the scale and minimal delay required to make autonomous driving a reality. 5G quality is changing with lightning speed connections and smart routing.

3 Massive Machine-Type Communication:

The third set of usage cases is mMTC for M2M or IoT devices and sensors. The functionality of SDN will play an important role here as it allows a given UE to serve with very few resources, in return several UEs will be served with the same resources as the same 4G UE. It already shows the promised scale that comes with 5G. 5G architecture needs to scale dramatically as it will integrate and backhaul data from millions of smart devices and sensors within homes and urban infrastructure, as they become commonplace in the smart cities of the future.

Advanced Space-based Platform for the 5G Era Today, satellite networks consist of a variety of platforms, including Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO), Medium Earth Orbit (MEO), Low Earth Orbit (LEO), and High Altitude Platform (HAPs).

Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO) The GEO platform covers a large geographical area from a fixed point above the Earth’s equator and corresponds to the Earth’s orbit. This platform provides predictive and effective coverage to a specific area. This platform requires only small stationary directional antennas, which are cheaper than tracking antennas.

Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) MEO space-based platforms are nonstationary and orbiting the earth. Because this platform is closer to Earth with a faster orbit than the GEO platform. This platform is used to provide us with continued coverage and positioning information such as GPS.

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Low Earth Orbit (LEO) LEO space-based platform orbit is closer to Earth than MEO or GEO. It provides us with continued coverage and also provides a faster connection than MEO and GEO platforms.

High Altitude Platform (HAPs) HAPs are platforms in the shape of balloons or airships that operate at a fixed location. They cover small areas and can be quickly deployed to specific locations to provide flexible broadband connectivity. They can also provide a variety of usage issues such as remote monitoring such as weather conditions and earthquake activity or disaster recovery efforts.

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TYPES OF

SPACE-BASED PLATFORMS

LEO

HAPs

MEO

GEO

Space-Based 5G Use Cases Early 5G deployments are likely to be in the case of the use of eMBB in densely populated areas. But with the addition of space-based networks, operators can extend 5G services beyond city centres and support widespread use. The following highlights some key spacebased 5G usage cases.

IoT Service Continuity Having billions of IoT devices is a major operational challenge. To address ongoing security threats, devices need constant updates and future 5G devices will need efficient data distribution globally. With extensive coverage and broadcast capabilities, the satellites are well-positioned to support IoT. They can offer shared uplink connectivity and data collection for a large number of IoT devices. With an integrated satellite-terrestrial solution, the extra capacity can be used as an IoT backup or to complement dense data traffic. This allows higher peak rates and higher reliability in large-scale machine communication.

Fixed Backhaul to Remote Locations Satellite communications have a long history of providing secure networks for high-speed and mission-critical environments such as air navigation systems. With large towers and end-to-end delays, satellite networks can provide the desired backhaul for high-speed services. 88

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The satellite can complete 5G broadband connectivity in insecure areas where it is difficult to deploy land infrastructure, such as remote villages, islands or mountainous areas. One problem with 5G is the backhaul demands in a large number of small cell networks. Satellite networks can be used as a solo centralized backhaul for commerce loading, boundary processing, and resource sharing.

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With the right combination of economic features, satellites can provide more services in high-speed network environments that are difficult to manage on land systems such as airplanes, connected cars and drones.

Hybrid Networks Space-based platforms can provide highspeed direct connectivity to homes and offices to stream multicast content in large geographic areas, or make content unprotected to devices or users. Hybrid networks also support the collection of IoT data in large-scale machine-type communications. High-capacity satellite links provide direct connectivity to users as well as complement the ground network.

Multicast Streaming The traditional core market for satellite communications is the media broadcast. Now, with the accumulation of mobile devices, media content trends are shifting away from live linear television broadcasts, to low latency on-demand streaming.

With 5G, users will use better mobile broadband (eMBB) applications such as 8K video streaming and online VR/AR gaming.

Media streaming arguably the most successful 4G service will become one of the key issues in the use of new satellite technology. With 5G, users will use better mobile broadband (eMBB) applications such as 8K video streaming and online VR/ AR gaming. With the help of 5G-enabled satellites, these in-depth experiments can transmit higher data rates globally to help mobile devices with smoother transmissions and less delays.

Conclusion Space-based communication platforms play a major role in mobile network strategies in the 5G era. Different cases of users with diverse requirements, as well as the desire to connect everyone and everything makes space-based solutions providers the ideal partners for providing 5G network strategies. Smooth connectivity in technologies in the 5G era, enabled through a network of networks that include space-based communications, opens new vertical doors for mobile operators to expand their markets and explore new revenue streams.

Image source: flickr.com

SpaceX

THE FUTURE LIES HERE by Utsav Mishra

Heard about the name? Heard about the man behind it? You must have. And if you haven’t, just Google about upcoming Mars missions or Dogecoin or Elon Musk, or just keep reading this article and you will get acquainted with all of these. Should I start with how one man’s dream of getting to Mars led us to a company that is now capable of sending people to space? Or should I explain the Musk phenomena? Let’s start with what an exceptional achievement SpaceX is.

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paceX is a privately funded spaceflight business that launches satellites and, more recently, people to the International Space Station (ISS). It was the first commercial firm to deploy a cargo ship to the International Space Station in 2012. The firm sent its first two people to the International Space Station aboard the SpaceX Crew Dragon on May 30, 2020, and followed that test mission with the successful launch of four astronauts on November 15, 2020. It is the only commercial spaceflight firm capable of transporting people to space as of early 2021. Musk, a South African-born businessman and entrepreneur, created SpaceX. According to The New York Times, Musk acquired his initial fortune at the age of 30 by selling his two successful companies: Zip2, which he sold for $307 million in 1999, and PayPal, which was purchased by eBay for $1.5 billion in 2002. He determined that his next big project would be a privately funded space corporation. Originally, Musk planned to send a greenhouse to Mars, named the Mars Oasis. His objective was to pique public interest in space travel while simultaneously establishing a research station on Mars. However, the cost proved to be prohibitively expensive, and Musk instead founded Space Exploration Technologies Corp., or SpaceX, which is currently located in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Hawthorne, California. There was doubt about his ability to succeed, which lingered throughout SpaceX’s early years.

He paid $100 million, or one-third of his total fortune, to get SpaceX up and running. After working privately on a spaceship for 18 months, SpaceX debuted it in 2006 as the Dragon. Musk allegedly called the spaceship “Puff, the Magic Dragon,” a 1960s folk song by Peter, Paul, and Mary. He explained that he picked the term because detractors thought his spaceflight goals were unrealistic. The first project of SpaceX was to develop the first-ever liquid-fueled private spacecraft that would make it into orbit. Musk called the spacecraft Falcon 1. Falcon 1 flew twice successfully, on September 28, 2008, and July 14, 2009. The Malaysian RazakSat satellite was also sent into orbit during the 2009 launch.

The Growth of SpaceX SpaceX had intended to launch the spacecraft in 2008 or 2009, but the construction process took years longer than expected. The Falcon 9 made its first flight on June 4, 2010, with a simulated Dragon payload. The rocket successfully launched, however, the landing attempt failed due to a malfunctioning parachute. On December 8, 2010, SpaceX followed up by launching the Falcon 9 and Dragon spacecraft together. The launch was successful once more, satisfying NASA’s COTS standards, however, the rocket’s landing failed. The delivery of the space station was the next and most important milestone. In May 2012, Dragon, flying a Falcon 9 rocket, carried its first cargo to the space station as part of a COTS test flight. The launch was postponed for a few days due to an engine malfunction, but the rocket successfully launched on the second attempt. Spaceflight experts praised SpaceX’s ability to deploy a cargo ship to the International Space Station. When the space station was designed in the 1980s and 1990s, private spaceflight was not even envisaged. In October 2012, SpaceX completed the first of its scheduled commercial trips to the space station. Most of the flight’s objectives were met, however, there was a partial rocket failure during launch. The failure stranded a satellite, Orbcomm-OG2, in an unusually low orbit, resulting in the mission’s failure.

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Musk and the Mars Dream Customers from the business sector, the military, and nonprofit organizations pay SpaceX to launch goods into orbit. Although SpaceX generates money by providing launch services, the business is equally focused on creating technologies for future space travel. And Musk’s ambitions to go to Mars remain unabated. He informed delegates at the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) in San Diego in 2011 that he hoped to transport people to Mars within 10 to 15 years. Three years later, at the International Space Development Conference, he stated that the reusable rocket stage would be a step toward reaching Mars. Musk presented his technical concept for Martian transportation in 2016, as part of his tThe rocket, known as the

Interplanetary Transport System, is essentially a bigger version of the Falcon 9. The spaceship, on the other hand, will be far larger than the Dragon, carrying at least 100 people every voyage. Musk stated in 2018 that Yusaku Maezawa, an artist and billionaire founder of the Japanese e-commerce company Zozo, and a group of artists will embark on a voyage around the moon aboard the BFR in the 2020s. Maezawa’s payment for the trip was not disclosed by SpaceX. In September 2019, Musk revealed an upgrade to his Mars ambitions, renaming the first BFR Starship Mk1 and replacing its exterior covering from costly carbon fiber to stainless steel. Photos of the gleaming, sci-fi-looking craft being built at SpaceX’s South Texas facility in Boca Chica surfaced on the internet.

Elon Musk ambition is to establish a self-sustaining Red Planet colony within the next 50 to 100 years.

Future Plans of SpaceX SpaceX has many future goals and Musk has been really vocal about them since its founding mission. There are many future prospects on which SpaceX has been working. A trip to another planet is a pretty logical next step in space research. Elon Musk has made it clear that he does not intend to die in an accident on Mars. SpaceX has been preparing for this step for years, not just by developing a thorough plan.

called into question. Over the next ten years, he aims to create 1,000 Starships, which are totally reusable transport systems capable of transporting 100 people to Mars. That equates to 100 Starships each year. Musk intends to launch 12,000 internet satellites into orbit by 2027, where Starlink customers will be able to access broadband internet.

Elon Musk also intends to ‘warm-up Mars,’ however it is unclear what technologies would be utilized. The plan calls for the vehicle to be refueled twice. First, following launch, the spacecraft will be in Earth orbit, preparing for the voyage to Mars. The second refueling will take place on Mars, using native resources like water and carbon dioxide. This will allow the vehicle to return to Earth. The firm intends to land the first human on Mars by 2024. Musk hopes to transport humans to Mars by 2026, however that timetable has been

Tasmanian estimates that if SpaceX acquires 25 million Starlink customers, it will produce around $30 billion per year. This is ten times what the firm makes as a launch provider, according to the company. If the Mars dream of Musk comes true, then the future is going to be really exciting and we must note that part down. Till then, let us all hope for the best.

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Sputnik’s Legacy How the space race changed the world… by Barkha Sheth

ore than 60 years ago, on October 4, 1957, hundreds of Americans could be seen raising their heads and peering through binoculars in rapt amazement. The object that had captured everyone’s attention was a brand new entry into our constellation. It would disappear from sight and reappear every 90 minutes or so, and with every pass, newspapers seemed to have a newer headline to stun the nation with. The moving star was Sputnik, the first manmade satellite launched into space by the Soviet Union. That day, humanity climbed out of its earthbound well and crossed the threshold into a new dimension. The dictionary could now add a more realistic meaning to the word ‘spacefarers’. Not since the first flight in which man finally took to the skies had humans understood the potential of science. To comprehend the implications, consider this – a person 75 years of age in 1957 would have been born in the era of horses and buggies. To that person, the mere mention of a rocket that could launch an object high up into

At the time of Sputnik, John F. Kennedy, Yuri Gagarin, and Neil Armstrong were just individuals busy in their life with no indication of wanting anything to do with space. 95

the heavens beyond the Earth’s gravitational pull would have seemed nothing short of an imaginative tale. Yet there they were, listening on a ham radio to the incessant “beep beep beep” of an orbiting sphere.

individuals busy in their way of life with little to no indication of wanting anything to do with space. But their lives were soon to be changed, as were those of hundreds of thousands of engineers, technicians, workers and ordinary people everywhere.

In fact, at the time of Sputnik, John F. Kennedy, Yuri Gagarin, and Neil Armstrong were just

The Beginnings Sputnik’s story began on April 5, 1950, in Silver Spring, Maryland, where a small group of scientists gathered to discuss the latest theories on Earth’s atmosphere. Hoping to use the collective prowess of some of the best minds in the world, they planted the seeds of what would eventually be called the International Geophysical Year (IGY). The “year” ran from July 1, 1957, to December 31, 1958, because that was expected to be a period of maximum solar activity. By July 1955, the Eisenhower administration announced that America would contribute to the effort by launching several small, earthorbiting satellites. Four days later, the Soviets, too, announced that they would launch a satellite soon. Little did anyone know then that the space race had just begun.

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The International Geophysical Year While the American announcement had been made with much fanfare, the Eisenhower administration considered the satellite launch a purely scientific affair and proceeded to fund it accordingly. In parallel, the presidency was very keen on maintaining an edge in the military application of rocket science, given the cold war. Significant research and manpower were invested to that effect. With tensions between the two countries high, America proceeded with caution regarding its own satellite launch. Instead of using military rockets, the administration chose the untried Vanguard rocket to avoid giving Russia any pretext for causing a provocation. The Soviets, in contrast, prioritised the launch using a military-grade rocket. They devoted significant resources to the project and made the space program a closely guarded state

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secret. With the geophysical year being just around the corner, the initial design for a more ambitious satellite was set aside. The Soviets moved toward developing the simplest possible satellite. The original launch for Sputnik was scheduled for April 1958. But when it became known that the Americans were expected to make public a paper titled “Satellite Over the Planet” at the International Geophysical Year conference in Washington on October 6, 1957, the Soviets assumed that the Americans would launch their satellite a few days ahead of the gathering. With a great sense of urgency, the Kremlin expedited the launch. On October 4, despite some nerve-racking malfunctions, the Soviet rocket lifted off and placed the

first artificial satellite into the Earth’s orbit. Sputnik (“fellow traveller” in Russian, for it orbited the sun alongside the Earth) was a small ball about two feet in diameter. Equipped with a radio transmitter that made an unmistakable beeping sound, it immediately drew the attention of the entire planet. Perhaps the most shocking thing about Sputnik for U.S. scientists was its weight - 184 pounds. The U.S. space program was working on satellites that weighed a fraction of that. In essence, this meant that the Soviets had far more advanced rockets than what American scientists had to contend with. It also suggested that other conquests of space might be within reach of the Russians - achievements beyond the dreams of U.S. scientists.

The Space War Heats Up Within a month, the Soviet Union launched another Sputnik with a passenger: a dog named Laika. Sputnik 2 was six times heavier and flew higher than the first satellite. The second Sputnik appeared over New York City early on a cold fall morning as “a tiny spot of yellow-white brilliance.” By then, the Eisenhower government was under immense pressure to catch up. On December 6, 1967, the first Vanguard rocket lifted off from Cape Carneval but lost thrust in two seconds and fell back disgracefully. The administration eventually settled on a military rocket, and the first American satellite made its way to space on January 31, 1958. The satellite weighed about 1/5th that of the soviets, and at 30 pounds of weight, it flew higher - 2,000 miles up. The space race lasted almost 12 years- from the wake-up call to the first walk on the Moon. It was a thrilling time - infused with mind-boggling science and stupendous engineering. The Soviet Space program resulted in Yuri Gagarin becoming the first man to visit space. The Americans answer to that achievement? John F Kennedy’s promise to put a man on the Moon by the end of the ‘60s. For the world, from the hundreds of launches that followed, perhaps three voyages are most sharply etched in memory.

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Picture: Laika. First dog in space

The Apollo-8 launch in December 1968, whose astronauts became the first to reach the Moon. From their windows, they saw the image synonymous with the picture that comes to mind when someone mentions seeing the Earth from space - mystical blue and green under swirls of white clouds. Then there was Apollo-11. On July 20, 1969, as the whole world watched on television, Neil Armstrong stepped down the landing craft’s ladder and took “one giant leap for mankind.” Buzz Aldrin joined him for the first walk on the Moon Post Apollo-11, public interest was beginning to wane. With the devastating events that unfolded for Apollo 13 in April 1970, Americans were reminded of the perils of space travel. By the end of 1972, the last 12 men to walk on the Moon had packed up and returned home, and no one has been there since.

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And The Race Continues While the official space race has long been dismissed from memory, the will to conquer space has only strengthened with time. There is no denying that today, satellite applications are woven into the fabric of everyday life. From communications to weather monitoring and defence to scientific exploration, the space program has brought remarkable transformation to our existence. The global coverage of satellites offers a unique, fact-based perspective to help us overcome our most significant challenges. Modern satellites are, of course, a far cry from the Sputnik or the Explorer. Today these satellites can help us improve agricultural yields and protect habitat loss and stop deforestation. We discovered the hole in the ozone layer through these satellites, and their data remains key to fighting climate change. When Sputnik 1 was launched almost 60 years ago, it was only to win a political space race. But the legacy it has left behind has fostered collaborative explorations that have yielded remarkable advancements for the whole of humanity.

Modern satellites are, of course, a far cry from the Sputnik or the Explorer. Today these satellites can help us improve agricultural yields and protect habitat loss and stop deforestation.

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Articles inside

INSPIRATION4: The First All-Civilian Mission to Orbit