| Issue 12 | Volume 147 | Tuesday, April 25, 2017 | theavion.com |
Students Soar into NASA Competition Final Phase
Claudia Ehringer Lucas Professor of Engineering Fundamentals
Madaline Eitniear and Emily Rickel/The Avion Newspaper
OA-7 Launch to ISS Henry Neiberlien News Editor On Tues. April 18, Cape Canaveral Complex 41 shook and trembled under the power of an Atlas V 401 blasting off towards the International Space Station. The United Launch Alliance Atlas V carried an Orbital ATK Enhanced Cygnus resupply vessel destined for the Unity module of the International Space Station (ISS). This launch is significant as it honors a legendary astronaut and American
hero, first human to orbit the Earth and former US Senator John Glenn. The S.S. John Glenn carried over 7,400lbs of pressurized cargo including food, water, EVA gear, computer equipment, and scientific research equipment. The Cygnus spacecraft arrived at the ISS on April 22. This is the seventh of ten flights to the ISS that Orbital ATK is contracted for and they hope to return to their Antares vehicle for future launches, as the company was forced to contract Atlas V flights after the inci-
dent on Wallops Island in October of 2014. The Cygnus was reeled in using the Station’s Canadarm2 robotic arm and berthed to an open common berthing mechanism. The Cygnus spacecraft will spend several weeks attached to the ISS, then it will be loaded with waste and deorbited. The spacecraft will burn up in the atmosphere on reentry. Orbital’s next ISS mission is scheduled for October aboard an upgraded Antares 230 rocket from Wallops island., VA.
A few weeks ago the Avion ran a story about a team of students that has been excelling in the NASA Revolutionary Aerospace Systems Concepts - Academic Linkage (RASC-AL) competition. This team, comprised of four students from an Introduction to Engineering (EGR101) Honors section, has now moved past the mid-project review stage of the competition. They are now in the final phase of the competition, which is the RASCAL forum in Cocoa Beach from May 31 to June 2. This team is one of just fourteen selected to present at the forum. They are among teams from engineering powerhouses such as MIT, Columbia University, and Virginia Tech, and will present their research to a panel of NASA and industry judges. Each team accepted to this phase of the competition receives a travel stipend to cover the costs of going to the final competition. The Embry-Riddle team is comprised of students Jack Grant, Cheyenne Reed, John Lacey, and Jesus Ferrand, and is advised by Professor Claudia Ehringer Lucas. The team from Embry-Riddle is competing in the "Lightweight Exercise Suite" theme. For this theme, the team had to
design an exercise suite for extended duration space missions with a mass limit of 500 kg and a space limitation of a module of 3 to 5 meters in diameter. Beyond these initial restrictive requirements, the design envelope was further reduced by additional needs of reducing power usage, consideration of vibration mitigation, analysis of health benefits of the proposed systems, and being able to provide the system to NASA by 2025. In the initial stage of the competition, the team developed a high-level concept of a multi-machine exercise suite that would use primarily Commercial Off The Shelf (COTS) technology, modified for the rigors and durations of space missions. Use of COTS parts is considered essential to the team, as it allowed for the use of technology that is already proven, at costs much closer to those observed in mass production, and a definitive timeline for acquisition. However, the initial concept for the exercise suite had the diameter of the proposed design at the maximum of 5 meters in diameter, so for the mid-project report, the team worked to reconfigure their system to achieve the preferred 3meter diameter envelope. The current design iteration includes four different exercise machines –
a treadmill, a stationary bike, a rowing machine, and a modified OYO Fitness DoubleFlex®. The proposal has the stationary bike and rowing machine powering generators, helping to offset the power requirements for the treadmill and health monitoring system that NASA uses to track astronauts during workouts. These machines have been selected to give the astronauts a combination of exercises that will work all the major muscle groups and provide a cardiovascular workout. Each machine's design has been modified to use lightweight, high strength materials, and high durability lubricants have been selected to prevent excessive wear of parts. For the RASC-AL Forum, the team will have to present their concepts three ways – through a written paper, a formal presentation, and a less formal poster session where they will discuss in depth their concepts with conference attendees. The forum includes a tour of the Kennedy Space Center and a formal awards ceremony dinner. This is an exciting opportunity for a team of freshman engineering students and will be a great opportunity for networking. The team is currently hard at work in preparation for this final challenge of the competition.
Photo Courtesy: Daryl Labello From left to right: John Lacey, Cheyenne Reed, faculty advisor Claudia Ehringer Lucas, Jack Grant, and Jesus Ferrand
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Executive Board Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor News Editor Business Manager Photography Editor Advertising Manager
Jaclyn Wiley Micah Knight Henry Neiberlien Sariah Adviento Zach Fedewa Devin Edwards
Page Editors Front Editor Campus Editor Student Life Editor I&T Editor
Sports Editor Comics Editor Copy Editor
Jaclyn Wiley Keenan Thungtrakul Collin Anderson Trey Henderson Jack Taylor Micah Knight Nick Hernandez Zachary Fedewa Andy Bronshteyn Sariah Adviento Payton Muglia Nicole Drevlow Payton Muglia
Staff Contributors Reporters
Photographers
Henry Neiberlien Keenan Thungtrakul Nick Hernandez Michael Weinhoffer Jaclyn Wiley Madaline Eitniear Emily Rickel Zachary Fedewa Chaz Pokracki Jack Taylor Trey Henderson Daryl Labello
Correspondents Claudia Ehringer Lucas, Justine Amado, Kirra Tavary
Contact Information Main Phone: (386) 226-6049 Ad Manager: (386) 226-7697 Fax Number: (386) 226-6016 Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor News Editor Business Manager Photography Editor Advertising Manager
editor@theavion.com managing@theavion.com news@theavion.com business@theavion.com photo@theavion.com advertising@theavion.com
Website: theavion.com
The Avion is produced weekly during the fall and spring term, and bi-weekly during summer terms. The Avion is produced by a volunteer student staff. Student editors make all content, business and editorial decisions. The editorial opinions expressed in The Avion are solely the opinion of the undersigned writer(s), and not those of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, the Student Government Association, The Avion, or the student body. Letters appearing in The Avion are those of the writer, identified at the end of the letter. Opinions expressed in the “Student Government” and “Student Life” sections are those of the identified writer. Letters may be submitted to The Avion for publication, provided they are not lewd, obscene or libelous. Letter writers must confine themselves to less than 800 words. Letters may be edited for brevity and formatted to newspaper guidelines. All letters must be signed. Names may be withheld at the discretion of the Editor-in-Chief. The Avion is an open forum for student expression. The Avion is a division of the Student Government Association. The Avion is a member of the Associated Collegiate Press. The costs of this publication are paid by the Student Government Association and through advertising fees. The Avion distributes one free copy per person. Additional copies are $0.75. Theft of newspapers is a crime, and is subject to prosecution and Embry-Riddle judicial action. This newspaper and its contents are protected by United States copyright law. No portion of this publication may be reproduced, in print or electronically, without the expressed written consent of The Avion. Correspondence may be addressed to: The Avion Newspaper, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, 600 S. Clyde Morris Blvd., Daytona Beach, Florida 32114. Physical office: John Paul Riddle Student Center, Room 110. Phone: (386) 226-6049. Fax: (386) 226-6727.
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An Evening with Congressman Ron DeSantis
Kennan Thungtrakul Senior Reporter
The IC Auditorium was packed Monday night as Embry-Riddle SpeakER Series host Marc Bernier sat down to interview Republican Congressman Ron DeSantis, the local representative for Florida’s 6th congressional district. This district stretches from the Canaveral National Seashore to up past St. Augustine. DeSantis ran for reelection in the 2016 general election and won it via a simple majority vote. As Bernier conducted the interview, supporters in the Auditorium would sometimes give a vocal reaction to some of the comments DeSantis made during the program. Despite Bernier having to tell the audience to save their applause until the end, the interview featured some interesting yet current discussion topics, including healthcare, tax reform, student loan debt, term limits and the growing issue of North Korea’s nuclear capabilities. Unfortunately, Monday’s discussion only featured a small segment on the future of space exploration. Even so, the long-held notion that the representative is the “voice of the common people in the government” remained strong as both Embry-Riddle students and members of the public came up to ask questions for Congressman DeSantis. On the growing issue with North Korea, DeSantis described the country as a “slow-motion prison,” a place run by an “immature, irrational thinker” of a totalitarian dictator. Every time the North Koreans try to conduct a test of one of their new weapons, the major superpowers would implement sanctions on the small country. Now, as new military actions are taken to keep the North Koreans in check, leader Kim Jong Un has issued a threat of nuclear war if further actions are taken. However, this comes as more pressure is being exerted on the dictatorship by a second world superpower: China. With the US, China, and Japan keeping a close eye on the regime, hopefully, the added pressure will eventually get the dictator to realize that he is severely outgunned. DeSantis cited the recent bombing of ISIS targets that took out nearly 100 fighters with a single
weapon as proof that the North Koreans should “not want to mess with us.” The strike demonstrated the power of the US military, and while no one wants war, if it comes down to it, the superpowers will be willing to do whatever is necessary to bring the North Korean regime to its knees. Back on the domestic side, one of the key issues discussed that evening was healthcare. One of the promises of President Trump’s campaign is to completely replace Obamacare, but when Congress was not able to follow through, people started to think that the administration may have dug themselves in too deep. From what DeSantis said, the plan was to essentially write a bill behind closed doors and pass it in three weeks, but the bill that came out was very inadequate. It did not fulfill the Republican Party’s campaign promises. The number one issue with Obamacare, DeSantis said, was the promise of reduced premiums and deductibles. This promise was never realized: premiums and deductibles went up and the number of affordable choices went down. The Republican replacement had nothing to say about it. The bill was more of a rushed “pick and choose” bill that kept some elements of Obamacare in place and changed other aspects. If you are going to devise a practical replacement for something like healthcare, you have to do it in a way where everything is addressed, not just some hodgepodge deal devised over a short term period. No one is going to like the idea of the cost of insurance being the equivalent of a mortgage payment. And with a reduced number of insurance companies, there is no way one can get a good rate on even a decent policy. DeSantis wants to see insurance companies competing and offering lower rates for customers rather than a few big conglomerates monopolizing the business. Regarding student loan debt, DeSantis described the growing number of students with loan debt as equivalent to “paying a mortgage without a house.” With rising tuition prices, the question was asked whether controlling this rising debt is within Congress’ power. DeSantis
seemed to think that it is possible, but it will require actions that some may consider bad moves. One option is to forgive the loan, which places an increased burden on the taxpayers while relieving the student of the debt.
Another is simply spreading out payments, but that would mean a longer time to pay off the principal and thus more interest to be paid, which is more money going into the lender’s pocket. Continued on A4 >>
Poem: “It Comes in All Forms” by Justine Amado
NO, WE ARE NOT SATISFIED, AND WE WILL NOT BE SATISFIED. You see, for it comes in all forms, hate. The ugliness to dislike, loathe, an unacceptance of what mankind, has decided to judge and create on his own. An unnatural f l a w e d sentiment, of the human heart, a type of impairment, momentary insanity, turned everlasting, at times. For it is a kind of smeared, blurred darkness. A lingering shadow, not well understood. Its duty, to entrap the purity of goodness, the taking of life, right out of the soul. THERE IS NOTHING GOOD ABOUT IT Hate. Its signature, is of a continuous effort of remembrance, to a matter that cannot seem to go away. Leaving the soul, tormented by the unwillingness to forgive. Unremorseful to understand, what it cannot explain. Hate. But, listen America, listen. For we mustn’t forget, nor repeat, our history. The changes of the generations past, have taught us unequivocal lessons,
of God’s redemption of his people. For our leaders fought so hard, fought so hard for us. Their lives sacrificed, sacrificed for change, and we mustn’t forget, the continuation of their fight. Remember, the Selma to Montgomery marches, the Stonewall riots, in Greenwich Village, the Women’s Movement. Today, hate has reemerged in a very visible way, and the ugliness of its face is just the same, as it continues to chant the songs of bigotry. That is why, WE ARE NOT SATISFIED, AND WE WILL NOT BE SATISFIED. For across the nation, a chant will drum, a beat that cannot be shoved away, as the people will sing, I AM THE FUTURE, AND I AM NOT SATISFIED, UNTIL CHANGE IS ON OUR SIDE. For the shadow of hate, is nothing more but a shadow, THEY WILL SAY, waiting to be unclothed by, the sunlight of moral justice. And only then, will the ringing of the church bells, truly ring, BING! BING! BING! Across the nation, they will ring. Inspired by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
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ERAU Students Preserving Pieces of Military History
A little-known Embry-Riddle student organization called Riddle Redeemers has been hard at work preserving aviation history at the Deland Naval Air Station Museum in Deland, Florida. Their collection includes famous and influential aircraft from the US Navy's history such as the F-14 Tomcat and a Grumman TBF Avenger. Also included in their collection is a Korean War era Sikorsky S-52 helicopter and a USAF Lockheed T-33 (Training variant of the P-80 shooting star). The museum also hosts the restoration of the "Fast and Nasty" PTF-3 PT boat from the Vietnam War that reportedly took part in the Gulf of Tonkin incident. Riddle Redeemer's members have been concentrating their efforts
DeSantis Continued from A2>> While opportunities for gainful employment are plenty, DeSantis says that there needs to be a reevaluation of our higher education system to see if there is any way to attain a postsecondary education without such a significant financial burden. One alternative is considering skilled labor and artisan trades. Embry-Riddle's AMS program is an example of a skilled labor profession. The program runs for two years instead of four
on the F-14 and the TBF Avenger, and both these aircraft have come a long way from the troubled state they were upon arrival. The F-14 had been sitting for almost a decade, and the Floridian weather is not too kind to a fragile warbird. Fortunately, today it looks much better than when I first saw it while working with Riddle Redeemers on its restoration last spring. It has been repainted, cleaned and resealed from the elements to protect the star aircraft of "Top Gun" from the humid and rainy weather of Florida. Hopefully, this beloved aircraft will be preserved for decades to come to be appreciated by all who visit. The aircraft that has had the greatest restoration journey, however, is the TBF Avenger. This particular airframe crashed in Lake Michigan and sat rotting on the bottom of the
great lake. All was not lost as the World War II torpedo bomber was fished out from the bottom of the lake and began its restoration back to its former glory. Seeing it today it is hard to imagine that the aircraft was even submerged at all; it looks like the aircraft just rolled off the Grumman assembly line. Even though the NAS Deland museum is small, it has a dedicated group of veterans and students who volunteer their time working to preserve the history of Deland Municipal Airport, formerly Deland Naval Air Station. If you are looking to help work on these historic aircraft, there is no mechanical experience required, look up Riddle Redeemers on connections. If you just do not have the time but would like to help, feel free to visit the museum at 910 Biscayne Blvd in Deland right
and trains students to become aircraft mechanics. That is one option, but with students going into STEM fields, DeSantis wants to see them succeed while not worrying so much about financing their education.
is still important to America's future. Any STEM research that achieves a breakthrough can potentially save trillions of dollars in long-term expenses. While the bulk of the discussion centered around mainstream societal issues, DeSantis and Bernier reminded the audience that it is important to speak up. There is nothing wrong with writing a letter to your local representative, senator, or local official if you want to see change. Remember that these officials represent your voice, so do your best to have it heard.
“
... DeSantis and Bernier reminded the audience that it is important to speak up.
“
Henry Neiberlien News Editor
While Trump's campaign centers around the "forgotten" blue-collar workforce, STEM
Photo Courtesy: Riddle Redeemers ERAU students has been working tirelessly every weekend for the past 2 years to help restore WWII aircraft
next to the Deland Airport and think about making a donation. It is inspiring to
see students here at Embry-Riddle not only looking toward the future with
innovating ideas and news technologies, but also helping to preserve our past.
Zachary Fedewa/The Avion Newspaper Congressman Ron DeSantis spoke about many subjects, including the situation in North Korea and student debt.
Alpha Xi Delta Taking Steps for Autism Acceptance Kirra Tavary AXiD Publicity Chair The Theta Omicron chapter of Alpha Xi Delta Women's Fraternity has raised over $8,000 for Autism Speaks just in time for April, World Autism Month, and the number is still growing. Autism Speaks is Alpha Xi Delta's nation-
al philanthropy. Per their mission, "Autism Speaks is dedicated to promoting solutions, across the spectrum and throughout the lifespan, for the needs of individuals with autism and their families through advocacy and support; increasing understanding and acceptance of autism spectrum disorder; and advancing
research into causes and better interventions for autism spectrum disorder and related conditions. Autism Speaks enhances lives today and is accelerating a spectrum of solutions for tomorrow." Throughout the school year, the Theta Omicron chapter runs several fundraisers for Autism Speaks, ranging from
simple bake sales to their biggest fundraiser of the year, the Xi Man pageant. Xi Man is a male pageant which consists of representatives from each fraternity on campus who compete to take the crown for that year's Xi Man. Winners are determined via several categories including fundraising for Autism Speaks. The
individual fundraising amounts, combined with ticket sales, resulted in raising a record-breaking amount this year. In 2015, Alpha Xi Delta nationally became the official sponsor for the Walk Now for Autism Speaks, officially changing the title of the walks to "Walk Now for Autism Speaks Sponsored by
Alpha Xi Delta." These walks, which occur throughout the country multiple times a year, are the largest autism walk program as well as being the signature fundraising event for Autism Speaks. As the academic year comes to a close, Alpha Xi Delta continues to fundraise and promote autism awareness campus-wide.
A composite image of SpaceX’s Falcon 9 launching SES-10 from historic space launch complex 39A, the same that supported dozens of launches of the massive Saturn V and the now-retired Space Shuttle. The shot is merged with an artistic star trail photo representing approximately one hour of star motion. This photo represents sentimental value to The Avion as the foreground photo is provided by senior photographer and previous Editor-in-chief, Trey Henderson, and the background was photographed by senior photographer and previous photo editor, Jack Taylor, both of which are graduating this semester.
Photo Credit: Trey Henderson / Jack Taylor
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Reality Check: Robots With Guns Henry Neiberlien News Editor
Many of us grew up watching “Terminator” or “Stealth” and developed a great fear that one day civilization may be destroyed by machines we built. Fortunately, the world has not come to an end by the hands of robotics and artificial intelligence. So, as we march forward through the twenty–first century what is the status of the robotic killers we feared as kids? Where do we draw the line between modern warfare technology and science fiction scenarios? After much research, it turns out reality is much scarier than fiction; robot killers already exist, in fact, they have existed for decades and claimed thousands of lives. The most famous of the unmanned weapons is the UAV, also known as the drone. The United States has widely deployed unmanned aerial vehicles like the MQ-1 Predator and MQ-9 Reaper since the early 1990s, and uncontrolled drone warfare was a heated topic of the Obama administration, as it seemed there was another drone strike every day. The Predator may be robotic, but it does not think for itself.
UAV are remotely piloted from the ground, and a human being still makes the decision whether to pull the trigger and let a Hellfire missile free itself from its rail and fly towards an unsuspecting target that had no idea he was being watched for hours from above. While man may still make the decisions for the robots in the sky, they may soon be elimi-
nated from the robots on the ground. The United States’ military and police forces use remotely operated robots, both armed and unarmed, to secure buildings and disarm bombs, saving lives. They also are currently experimenting with robotic ground vehicles to carry cargo to keep our soldiers supplied in the field. While western defense manufacturers try and
stay away from autonomous ground vehicles, Russia has been hard at work building them anyway. Russia and China are quickly becoming a leader in Unmanned Ground Vehicle development. Russia has a wide range of fully armed war robots. This assortment ranges from very small vehicles armed with infantry weapons to fully operational battle
tanks with a computer in place of a crew. Russia even recently tested a humanoid robot that can dual wield handguns and accurately fire them at targets downrange. Humanoid robots are not feasible at the moment as their bipedal walking systems are slow, unresponsive and often lead to the robot to fall over as seen during the DARPA Atlas robot com-
petition. While “Terminator-style” robots may still be over the horizon, combat robots are here right now, and their influence over the battlefield will only increase. UGV will include some level of autonomy due to the fast-paced nature of modern combat, and Russia and China will not hesitate to export these weapons on the defense market. Unmanned armored vehicles like the Russian Uran-9 will most likely find their way onto battlefields across the globe in the next few years. A future we hoped to avoid is already a reality, and it is only a matter of time before machines fight wars, not man. An unimaginable danger will emerge if we continue or drive to remove human bloodshed from warfare, yes we are saving soldiers’ lives, but at what cost. Without death, war will become a more acceptable outcome for international arguments, and the destruction these weapons are capable of is unimaginable. However, there is still hope, as we can pass new legislations making these weapons illegal. It is bad enough our fellow man chooses to end the life of another, but what happens when a machine comes to the same conclusion?
Virtual Reality takes Flight
A Continuation of “VR, Commercialized and Weaponized,” from Issue 10 Nick Hernandez Staff Reporter Virtual reality has been a social craze since it became readily available to the public via their smartphones. But the public is not the only ones who have access to Virtual reality. The Russian military is working on VR compatibility with its drones. The upgrade for pilots would allow a first person view from a camera mounted inside the cockpit while they are still on the ground. The pros to this upgrade create fewer pilot deaths, with safer and easier training. The cons to this upgrade are that while the camera shows up to 180 degrees forward there are no rear cameras, so the rear of the plane is entirely
susceptible to attacks. Another is that where the pilot looks, the aircraft follows. This feature was meant to create ease of flight, and easier identification of enemies. While this system is still in the works, the United States Air Force has created a similar version of the virtual combination. As of now, this “pilot immersion” system is still in the testing phase. The Virtual Reality Society reports that the system has only been used as a simulator. The system still has a VR headset the pilot wears, but the camera is attached to the bottom of the aircraft and allows a 360-degree view of the pilot’s surroundings. The key difference between the Russian and the American systems are
that the American system has a flight control surface in front of the pilot. The pilot is placed in a “Ground Control
Station,” or GCS. This GCS allows the pilot to feel what the aircraft is going through, simulating 6 degrees of motion,
weather, and turbulence. The flight controls also have force feedback to simulate what it would feel like if you were in
the cockpit of the aircraft. While VR is being applied in many different forms, the potential it carries is phenomenal.
Photo Courtesy: Chris Heigren The Russian Virtual Reality headset codenamed SVAROG, is the newest creation for the 6th generation fighter jet.
Space
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Who Owns the Moon?
Michael Wienhoffer Senior Reporter
Perhaps the most common question asked by someone when you begin discussing the laws of outer space is "who owns the Moon?" According to the Article II of the United Nations Outer Space Treaty, "Outer space, including the Moon and other celestial bodies, is not subject to national appropriation by claim of sovereignty..." The answer seems straightforward: no nation can claim the Moon as sovereignty, so the Moon belongs to all nations of the world. Despite this common explanation, several companies claim to legally sell plots of land on the Moon and other planetary bodies through a "loophole" in the Outer Space Treaty that allows for individuals to own anything in outer space. So, what is the argument of such planetary real estate entities? Most importantly, what does the law say about them? Now, let us dive into the exciting world of celestial property rights! There are three major entities involved in this business: The Lunar Registry, the Lunar Land Company, and the Lunar Embassy. All three claim that they have legal authority to sell territories on any object in outer space besides Earth. The Lunar Embas-
sy certainly is the most noteworthy of the three. Through their website, you can (apparently) buy acres of land on the Moon, Mars, Venus, Mercury and Jupiter and Saturn's moons. You can also buy all of Pluto for $250,000! The primary spokesperson for the Lunar Embassy is Dennis Hope, so-called "Head Cheese" of the Lunar Embassy and "President of the Galactic Government." In 1980, Mr. Hope filed a claim in San Francisco for the lunar surface and the other seven planets in our solar system. He then contacted the United Nations, the U.S. federal government and the Russian government to document his claim, but never received a response from any of them. After filing for copyright, Mr. Hope established the "Galactic Government" in 2004 and drafted a lengthy constitution. He declared himself President of the Galactic Government and claimed that he is the authorized ruler of the solar system, so any outer space missions must be approved by him. Does this all sound just a bit fishy? Mr. Hope has invested a lot of time into supporting his claims, but international law is not on his side. Mr. Hope's Lunar Embassy, as well as The Lunar Registry and the Lunar Land Company, cite Article II of the Outer Space
Treaty as the legal basis for their claims. While Article II does not explicitly prohibit individuals from claiming extraterrestrial territory, Mr. Hope and the rest have ignored, or not comprehended, additional articles of the Outer Space Treaty. Article VI of the treaty reads "States bear international responsibility for national activities in outer space...whether such activities are carried on by governmental agencies or by non-governmental entities" and "for assuring that national activities are carried out in conformity with the provisions set forth in the present Treaty." Dr. Diane Howard, the space law expert on campus, referred me to a statement published by the International Institute of Space Law (ISIL), which discusses Mr. Hope's claims regarding the treaty. The statement reads, in part, "...the activities of non-governmental entities [such as the extraterrestrial "real estate" companies] are national activities." This means that extraterrestrial real estate claims are national activities and therefore are under the jurisdiction of the nation. Any nation that has signed the Outer Space Treaty and any person within that nation, cannot claim any territory in outer space. Regarding the property "deeds" these extraterres-
trial real estate companies sell, the ISIL affirmed that "the deeds they sell have no legal value or significance, and convey no recognized rights whatsoever." Since the ISIL is a recognized institute by the United Nations, this is an official statement, and the stance of the institute is very well supported by practically every space lawyer, including Dr. Howard. Just as I had suspected, Mr. Hope and all companies that sell extraterrestrial real estate are fraudulent and ignorant. So, in short, who owns the Moon? No one. Not the U.S., the U.N., any compa-
ny, and certainly not Mr. Hope. The Moon and all other celestial bodies of the universe belong to all of us. No one can claim any territory in outer space, and that is the way it should stay. With regards to the Lunar Embassy, it is unclear if Mr. Hope is intentionally fraudulent, or just completely ignorant of the other pages of the Outer Space Treaty, but it is irrelevant. Please, never trust websites or companies who claim that they have the legal right to sell you Pluto because of a "loophole" in an international treaty! Most international treaties are full of
ambiguities, but trust the space lawyers' words that there are no gaps. It is the duty of outer space enthusiasts like myself to shame these fraudulent companies for slandering the treaty that has kept space peaceful and beautiful for over fifty years. No treaty is perfect, but there shall be no tolerance for quacks like Mr. Hope who sputter complete nonsense. The Moon and the rest of the universe is free for the entire world to explore and develop, and anyone who tells you otherwise should be referred to the beautiful law that is the Outer Space Treaty.
Jack Taylor /The Avion Newspaper
Replacing the RD-180 - Drama and Intrigue Jacyln Wiley Editor-In-Chief The RD-180 is a rocket engine that was originally designed in the 1990s by the Russian company NPO Energomash. These engines are widely used in space endeavors both governmental and commercial by multiple countries. The United States and its associated launch vehicle builders were customer of the RD-180, until 2014. The reason why the US government restricted the usage of the RD-180 rocket is the contentious relationship between the United States and Russia following the aggressive Russian actions in the Ukraine. One group that was particularly dependent upon the RD-180 was the United States Department of Defense. The Department of Defense launches many defense payloads on rockets
that use the RD-180 engine, and has been particularly affected by the ban. In order to reduce the reliance on foreign engines, the Department of Defense enacted a private-public partnership with two companies to create a new, American-made engine. There are two private-public partnership teams that are currently competing to create a replacement engine. These two teams are Aerojet Rocketdyne and partnership between ULA and Blue Origin. Aerojet Rocketdyne is developing the AR-1 engine and the ULA-Blue Origin partnership is developing the BE-4. The BE-4 engine has made a lot of progress recently, and is now the frontrunner in the race. Aerojet Rocketdyne and their allies have not reacted particularly positively to this fact, with two Con-
gressman pushing the Air Force to basically interfere with the BE-4’s production in March of 2017. The lawmakers are US Representatives Mike Rogers (R-AL) and Mac Thornberry (R-TX). In late February, they sent a letter to high-ranking air force officials, including the acting secretary of the US Air Force, Lisa Disbrow. Two lawmakers are now pressing that ULA gives the US government “full access, oversight of, and approval rights over decision-making" concerning the choice of the RD-180 replacement engine, specifically for use on the Vulcan launch vehicle. This letter also encourages Pentagon officials to be skeptical about the BE-4. Though safety is important, it is unusual for members of the government to go against an untested engine so early. The government has taken the
position that the American commercial space industry should be promoted, facilitated and encouraged, so this letter is a departure. This attack against the BE-4 is also an attack against the commercial space industry in general, which is dependent on foreign engines. Another troubling aspect of the action by these particular Congressmen is that one, Rep. Mike Rogers is from Alabama, where Aerojet Rocketdyne said it would produce the AR1 rocket engine, creating 100 new jobs near NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center. Job creation is always a valuable resume builder for a politician. Earlier this April, a group of 20 House of Representatives asked the Department of Defense to maintain the current Air Force plan for the development of new launch vehicles and launch vehicle systems. The House
Members that asked the DoD to stay the course in funding are trying to keep the meddling to a minimum, at least in Congress. The replacement for the RD-180 engine will be a very valuable thing to produce, especially if the com-
pany wants to go forth with their own launch endeavors while not under the yoke of the Russians. The race to make that replacement has had its fair share of intrigue so far, and probably will see even more before the end of the year.
Photo Courtesy: NPO Energomash The RD-180 engine that powers the first stage of ULA’s Atlas V rocket
Zachary Fedewa/The Avion Newspaper
Sports
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Upcoming Games: Tuesday
Baseball at Armstrong State Savannah, Ga.; 3 P.M.
Wednesday
Baseball vs. Webber International Daytona Beach; 6 P.M.
Thursday
No games this day
Friday
Softball vs Eckerd (DH) Daytona Beach; one game at 3 P.M. and another game at 5 P.M.
Saturday
Softball vs Eckerd Daytona Beach; 10 A.M.
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Eagles Baseball Swept by Nova Southeastern
Ryan Mosher ERAU Athletics
The defending NCAA II champs won both games of a Saturday doubleheader in two very different ways against the Embry-Riddle baseball team, wrapping up the three-game sweep of the Eagles over the weekend. Nova Southeastern (28-15) pushed across two unearned runs and then held the Eagles (13-31) to just one run over the course of nine innings in the day's opener, claiming the series with a 2-1 win. In the finale, the Sharks pounded out 17 runs on 20 hits en route to a 17-4 blowout in which they scored in every inning except one. ERAU hits the road for its final away contest of the season on Tuesday, taking on Armstrong State in Savannah, Georgia for a 3 p.m. first pitch. The Eagles return home on Wednesday for a 6 p.m. senior day game against Webber International. Game 1: NSU 2, ERAU 1 In one of the most wellpitched games of the year, Aidan Brady and Austin Lee combined to hold the potent Shark offense to just five hits, but three Eagle errors in the game led to a pair of NSU runs and the only Eagle tally of the contest came on Luis Olivier's fifth homer of the year in the bottom of the seventh. Brady, starting for the seventh time in eight weekend games, allowed a single and walk with one out in the first, but after getting a fly out that put runners on the corners, a stolen
base led to an errant Eagle throw, allowing the runner from third to score the go-ahead run for an early 1-0 lead for the visitors. ERAU put men on first and second with no outs and then had runners on the corners with one out, but a double play ended the Eagle threat as Derek Beauprez got out of the jam with a 1-0 lead. Brady and Beauprez worked scoreless innings in the second and third, and Lee took over for Brady to start the fourth, getting two quick outs with a runner at second before another ERAU error allowed the second Shark run to touch home as NSU doubled its lead, 2-0. ERAU threatened in the fifth with two on and no outs, but a failed sac bunt was followed by another double play to keep the Sharks in front. Olivier launched his fifth long ball of the season in the seventh with one out, a laser to left that cut the deficit in half, 2-1. After keeping the Sharks off the scoreboard in his final five frames, Lee kept the Eagles in it and the Blue and Gold once again threatened in the last of the ninth, getting a single and walk from Zach Howard and Olivier with one out. However, the Sharks turned their third twin killing in the game to end the game with the one-run win. Brady (2-3) took the loss in three innings, despite not allowing an earned run, while both he and Lee struck out five batters each. Olivier was 2-for-3 and
vs Nova Southeastern: 2
ERAU: 1
Chaz Pokracki/The Avion Newspaper Pitchers Aidan Brady and Austin Lee worked hard to keep the Sharks from getting hits off. In the first game, the Sharks were only able to hit 5 times.
scored the only Eagle run on his solo homer. Game 2: NSU 17, ERAU 4 The finale proved to be all Nova Southeastern as the Sharks reached the 20-hit plateau for the second time in the series, scoring in every inning except the sixth to secure the sweep. NSU hit four more home runs in the finale, bringing its total for the series to nine. The Sharks got to Kenny Burkhead for 10 runs in the first four innings as the hosts could man-
age just single runs in the second and third on RBI singles from Kyle Guttveg and Olivier. ERAU would add a run in the fifth when Logan Malphurs singled through the infield, and Malphurs accounted for the final Eagle run of the day with a double in the ninth, but the 17 Shark runs were too much for the Eagles to overcome. Malphurs finished 3for-4, while both Robbie Hanlon and Olivier each had a pair of hits for the Blue and Gold.
Sunday
No games this day
Zachary Fedewa/The Avion Newspaper
Zachary Fedewa/The Avion Newspaper
Chaz Pokracki/The Avion Newspaper
Zachary Fedewa/The Avion Newspaper
Monday
No games this day
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