Abstract We don't know what gravity levels humans need for sustained good health. If Mars gravity is enough, we can settle there and become multiplanetary. But whatever gravity we need, we can also live in spinning facilities, in earth orbit and then in interplanetary space. We can test our response to Mars gravity by trying Read More

Abstract A space elevator connecting a sea-based platform on Earth with a space anchor in geosynchronous orbit is the inevitable solution for sustainable space lift and an equitable space economy. The realities of the "rocket equation" mean that cargo will always be prohibitively expensive to lift out of the gravity well, limiting the scope of Read More

Abstract (Re-)entry represents one of the most critical phases for space exploration missions. The safety of the expensive payload and/or human crew strongly depends on the spacecraft survival to the harsh conditions which are experienced during the hypersonic descent into the target planetary atmosphere, involving high thermal loads on the vehicle surface. In addition, at Read More

Abstract The space movement from 1923 to 1933 was primarily a cultural phenomenon in Germany during the Weimar Republic. Neither the universities nor industry recognized the potential of space travel at the time. Often ridiculed as dreamers, the space pioneers pursued their visionary goals, founded the famous "Verein für Raumschiffahrt" in 1927 and carried out Read More

Abstract The talk is focused on "Astropolitics: The Human Relationship to the Space Enterprise". In this context, an overview of how the on-going space revolution is essential to the future of humanity is discussed. This entails how the space revolution advances a connected worldview versus a disconnected one, and addresses energy and resources needed for Read More

Abstract As long as humanity has dreamed of other worlds and how we might get there, artists have been inspired to imagine and depict these worlds and what such amazing journeys might look like. Before the age of modern photography, explorers were frequently accompanied by artists who created drawings and paintings of the unknown regions. Read More

Abstract Sustainable development is about meeting the needs of the present without compromising future generations' ability to do the same. When we think of sustainable development, the future of society, or what we will leave behind for the next generations, nearly all of us picture the future of Earth. But with countries, companies, and individuals Read More