This mission is put together by Axiom Space, a private space company based in Texas. Axiom is at the forefront of promoting a future for humans in space. The company is part of a growing list of private space firms that are making the journey to space a lot more accessible to private individuals.

Michael Lopez-Alegria, who is now the vice president of Axiom Space, disclosed that this particular trip will be a trend-setter, blazing the trail for the future of space missions. He noted that the team in charge of the journey intends to exceed all expectations.

Larry Connor, one of the private citizens participating in the ride, is the managing partner of a real estate investment company in Ohio – the Connor Group. Mark Pathy is the CEO of Mavrik Corp – a Canadian Investment company. Eytan Stibbe is a former Israeli Air Force fighter pilot but now a businessman.

What the three have in common is that they’re extremely wealthy, with the finance to fund this exotic trip. Axiom Space revealed the identities of the three men on Tuesday morning. Axiom revealed that the trip to the ISS will take two days, and the passengers will spend about eight days in the orbital laboratory, taking part in a broad range of research and charity projects, Washington Post reports.

NASA had initially banned missions to space by private citizens. Wealthy citizens who desperately wanted a space trip experience had to make do with the Russian Soyuz craft that allowed private citizens.

However, the US space agency reversed its decision in 2019 to promote the growing commercial space industry. It was also a way for NASA to make money. The agency charges $35,000 a day for each passenger, providing them with essentials such as food, storage, and communication while on the ISS. So, for the eight-day duration, NASA will be making about $1 million from four individuals.

With the entrance of commercial players such as SpaceX, Boeing, Axiom Space, Virgin Galactic, and Blue Origin, space tourism has turned into a thriving industry, attracting the super-rich. Elon Musk, the founder and CEO of SpaceX, said he is on a mission to make space travel a routine affair. He has promised to colonize Mars and make it habitable for humans.

Most of Axiom Space’s top management team are NASA veterans. The current CEO of the company, Mike Suffredini, was NASA’s ISS program manager. He left NASA to form Axiom in 2016. Training programs have already commenced for the three space tourists, with Lopez-Alegria coordinating the training.

Many of the photographs capture historic moments, such as the first humans in space, the first spacewalk and the first moon landing. Commenting on the works in the sale, Ania Hanrahan, Dreweatts Autographs and Ephemera specialist says, “These iconic images are sure to draw interest from around the globe, from historians, space and photography aficionados, private collectors and those wanting to obtain a true piece of history”.

Amongst the highlights is the first still photograph of a human in space, which is a vintage chromogenic print of American astronaut Ed White during the first U.S. spacewalk. The image shows him taking his historic 23 minute space walk on June 3, 1965, attached to the Gemini 4 spacecraft by a 7.6 metre tether line.

As well as being the first still photograph of a human in space, the shot is also the first taken by another human (James McDivitt), as up until that moment all images released, were taken by television or monitoring cameras. This photograph, estimated to fetch £1,000-£2,000 is the first in a series of photographs taken by McDivitt of Ed White, during the first US spacewalk, several of which are included in the sale.

Another momentous image is the world’s first image of the earth rising above the moon’s horizon, captured and sent back by Lunar Orbiter 1, the first U.S. robotic spacecraft to orbit the moon. The famous image, titled Earthrise was taken on August 23, 1966 Each of the five orbiters subsequently sent 200 photographs, which helped NASA select safe landing sites for the Apollo missions. It is estimated to fetch £800-£1,200.

NASA astronaut William Anders illuminated the world (quite literally) on Apollo Mission 8, when he took the first ever photograph by a human from beyond the earth’s orbit. The photograph featured on the cover of Time Magazine in January 10, 1969 and became one of the 20th century’s most iconic space images. During the Apollo 8 mission the earth appeared as a ‘disc’, which is what Anders captured on December 21, 1968 at 13:06 GMT. Commenting on this Anders said: “We came all the way to see the moon and the most important thing is that we discovered the earth”. The photograph is estimated to fetch £2,000-£4,000 at auction.

Also on the Apollo 8 mission a near-full moon was captured in all of its’ glory during the crew’s homeward journey. Just after the trans-earth injection the crew were afforded the opportunity to view different aspects of the moon never visible to terrestrial viewers. This astonishing image is estimated to fetch £1,000-£2,000.

One of the most prized and highly sought-after images in history is the Apollo 8 ‘Earthrise’ image, which shows the earth rising above the lunar horizon. Taken by William Anders on December 24, 1968, it is the most famous view of planet earth and is the first photograph of ‘earthrise’ taken by human hand. It was the view observed by the Apollo 8 crew during the fourth orbit of the moon. It has been given an estimate of £3,000-£5,000 but due to its’ popularity may well exceed this.

Elsewhere in the sale is a vintage photograph of Buzz Aldrin, taken by fellow astronaut Neil Armstrong. The photograph taken in 1972, is one of the most iconic images from the Apollo 11 mission. The reflection of Armstrong in this image makes it exceptionally rare. It was so breath-taking that it featured on the front cover of Time Magazine. It is estimated to fetch £2,000-£3,000.

According to the Ministry of Science and ICT, the country will also invest 52.6 billion won on space exploration, which includes its lunar orbiter project that is currently preparing for a launch next year.

The 200-ton Nuri rocket to be launched later this year will have a mock payload, while the launch of another carrying a real satellite is slated for May next year.

In 2013, South Korea sent its 140-ton Naro rocket into space after two failed attempts. However, the main rocket on that launch was Russian-built.

The ministry plans to launch a mid-sized observation next-generation satellite next month in Kazakhstan and is working on developing a new public communications geostationary orbit satellite.

The mission has not paused because Mars won’t, either. Owing to planetary alignment, the only time to launch a large payload to Earth’s second closest planetary neighbor occurs just three weeks out of every 26 months. If Perseverance doesn’t make it off the launch pad before the end of this launch opportunity, the project will have to wait until September 2022 to try again. Perseverance is the only NASA mission in the next several months with such an orbital constraint.

The women and men of Perseverance will tell you that their efforts pale in comparison to the inspiring work being performed by our frontline healthcare workers and first responders fighting COVID-19 across the globe. Like all of us, they worry about their families and communities.

However, by staying focused on the challenge at hand, preparation for the launch of Perseverance — humanity’s first step in returning samples from another planet — remains on track. Getting to this point has required the team to be nimble, adhere to necessary health precautions, and gather support across the agency.

Persevering at Home

Based at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California, the project has transitioned 90% of the team to telework. In this new mode, the team has continued to mature its software, mission planning and operations procedures, and systems engineering readiness for launch. Like many Americans, they are persevering from home.

The team created a community page to share thoughts on best practices and provide moral support to each other. They’ve changed their meeting cadence, making time for “hallway conversations.” They’re also making time for “virtual walk-ins” and one-on-one virtual exchanges with project management.

But for some critical spacecraft tasks, a physical presence in a laboratory setting is required. Just last week at JPL, mission-essential staff successfully completed the assembly and cleaning of the sample tubes that will hold Martian sediment and rock for return to Earth on a future mission. Other mission-essential personnel will continue to go to the Lab for the foreseeable future, running assessments on critical rover systems and computer programs that must be completed before launch.

The Lab instituted a suite of safe@work procedures — based on the guidance of occupational safety medical personnel — to ensure those working on-Lab are social distancing, wearing protective equipment, and have ready access to hand sanitizer and other cleaning supplies. Limiting the number of personnel on-Lab to the minimal critical set has allowed the Mars 2020 Perseverance team to continue to focus on their work while the Lab’s support network focuses on their safety.

“NASA has determined that Perseverance is the science program that has the agency’s highest priority and the project has responded superbly to this challenge,” said Michael Watkins, director of JPL. “When we realized the pandemic would affect Lab access, we were quick to define their chief objective as being workplace safety for team members and their families, and then built a plan around that providing the clearest path to the launch pad.”

Persevering at Cape Canaveral

Another 80 mission-critical team members are performing final processing and checkout of the spacecraft components at Kennedy Space Center in central Florida. Adhering to strict cleanliness guidelines and working in personal protective equipment is second nature to this team, since they adhere to strict cleanliness protocols with all spacecraft going to Mars.

More challenging was figuring out how key personnel could travel from Southern California to Florida and back while minimizing their risk of exposure to coronavirus.

“These are people with a very special skillset — they know how to put all the pieces together,” said JPL’s Matt Wallace, deputy project manager for Perseverance. “While this team has done a remarkable job in a very difficult time for our nation and the world, we would not have been able to continue through this global emergency without the support of colleagues across the agency.”

A great example of commitment to the agency mission is the critical work of personnel in the Flight Operations Office at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California. The agency approved use of its C-20 aircraft at Armstrong for transport of mission-critical JPL staff from California.

“Getting the Perseverance team and gear safely where they need to go is just the latest in Armstrong’s affiliation with Mars exploration,” said Wayne Ringelberg, chief research pilot from NASA Armstrong. “We hosted Mars Exploration Rover evaluations at Roger’s Lake in 2003, and in 2011 we tested the descent radar used on Curiosity’s landing in 2012 as well as Perseverance’s next year. “

Trips would begin at sunrise, with Armstrong’s flight surgeon performing health screenings and protective equipment fittings. By sundown in Southern California, the aircraft crew would return home with team members whose work at the Cape was complete.

“We refer to it as One NASA,” said Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator of the Science Mission Directorate. “It means any part of the agency and its 19 facilities will lend a hand and come together to push back the limits of technology and increase our knowledge of the universe. One of the best demonstrations of One NASA I’ve seen in a while is playing out right now with our Perseverance rover. Together we are persevering.”

In addition to NASA, personnel from across the U.S. aerospace industry and the Department of Energy have performed critical activities in preparing Perseverance for launch.

Preflight by Smartphone

While the direct flights have been indispensable, some members have not been able to take them, despite being essential to inspections.

“Just like a pilot does a preflight inspection before going up, we have a ‘walkdown’ of the spacecraft, where subject matter experts who are most intimate with the workings of a particular spacecraft system get one last chance to spot anything that might be wrong or could be made better,” explained Wallace. “We would not launch without the ability to complete these inspections.”

So the project’s imaging scientist, Justin Maki, brought the spacecraft to them. Maki is an expert at obtaining pristine HD-quality images from the surface of Mars. Working with the JPL Communications and Public Engagement teams, who are well-versed with providing terrestrial footage, Maki and the clean room team in Florida set up a plan for the first live video walkdown of a Mars rover.

On March 31 and April 1, six Perseverance senior engineers watched from their home offices in Southern California as a technician in the rover’s clean room at Kennedy maneuvered his smartphone into every accessible nook and cranny of the rover. The walkdown’s crystal-clear video feed gave them the confidence that their part of Perseverance was ready to go.

The completed spacecraft (rover, descent stage, aeroshell and cruise stage) is scheduled to be mated with its Atlas V rocket at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 41 in June.

“While we still have our sights set on Mars, our feet are firmly planted here on Earth,” said NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine. “We see the strain this pandemic is placing on our families, our healthcare workers and our livelihoods. We hope that when we leave Earth this summer, and when the Perseverance rover lands on Mars next February, our collective efforts to persevere through these challenging times will inspire the nation.”

The Perseverance rover is a robotic scientist weighing about 2,260 pounds (1,025 kilograms). The rover’s astrobiology mission will search for signs of past microbial life. It will characterize the planet’s climate and geology, collect samples for future return to Earth, and pave the way for human exploration of the Red Planet. No matter what day Perseverance launches during its July 17-Aug. 5 launch period, it will land at Mars’ Jezero Crater on Feb. 18, 2021.

The Mars 2020 Perseverance rover mission is part of a larger program that includes missions to the Moon as a way to prepare for human exploration of the Red Planet. Charged with returning astronauts to the Moon by 2024, NASA will establish a sustained human presence on and around the Moon by 2028 through NASA’s Artemis lunar exploration plans.

For more information about the mission, go to:

https://mars.nasa.gov/mars2020/

For more about NASA’s Moon to Mars plans, visit:

https://www.nasa.gov/topics/moon-to-mars

Sadly, most people don’t even realize what is happening, and that is because the mainstream media only emphasizes stories that fit with the particular narratives that they are currently pushing.

But it has gotten to the point where nobody can deny that really weird things are happening.  The following are 7 major earth changes that are happening right now that everyone needs to know about…

#1 According to NASA, solar activity has dropped to the lowest level in 200 years.  The following comes from the official NASA website…

The forecast for the next solar cycle says it will be the weakest of the last 200 years. The maximum of this next cycle – measured in terms of sunspot number, a standard measure of solar activity level – could be 30 to 50% lower than the most recent one. The results show that the next cycle will start in 2020 and reach its maximum in 2025.

Of course NASA insists that everything will be just fine, but others are wondering if this lack of solar activity could potentially spawn another “Little Ice Age”…

When solar activity gets really low, it can have the effect of a “mini ice age.” The period between 1645 and 1715 was marked by a prolonged sunspot minimum, and this corresponded to a downturn in temperatures in Europe and North America. Named after astronomers Edward Maunder and his wife Annie Russell Maunder, this period became known as the Maunder Minimum. It is also known as “The Little Ice Age.”

#2 When solar activity gets very low, it has traditionally meant very cold and very snowy winters, and right now we are seeing snow in places that are extremely unusual…

The Egyptian capital, Cairo, was also turned white at the start of the month, despite the city not having snow in 112 years, and experiencing less than an inch of rain each year.

Many parts of Greece were covered in snow in early January, with low temperatures and strong frost.

The cold front named ‘Hephaestion’, after an Ancient Greek army general, thrashed the Greek landscape, bringing rain, sleet and ice in the east.

#3 Meanwhile, the oceans of the world just keep getting hotter and hotter.  In fact, ocean temperatures off the California coast have been setting new all-time record highs.  It is odd that this is taking place at a time of such low solar activity, but according to NBC News this is definitely happening…

The world’s oceans hit their warmest level in recorded history in 2019, according to a study published Monday that provides more evidence that Earth is warming at an accelerated pace.

The analysis, which also found that ocean temperatures in the last decade have been the warmest on record, shows the impact of human-caused warming on the planet’s oceans and suggests that sea-level rise, ocean acidification and extreme weather events could worsen as the oceans continue to absorb so much heat.

#4 There have always been wildfires, but we have never seen anything like this.  During the summer, countless catastrophic fires burned millions upon millions of acres in the Amazon rainforest, and this winter Australia’s fires have actually been a total of 46 percent larger than the fires that we witnessed in the Amazon.  Australia has never seen anything like this before, and according to NASA the smoke from these fires will completely circle the Earth…

Once was bad enough, but smoke from Australia’s devastating bushfires is set to return to the country to complete a round-the-world trip that has seen it impact on air quality as far away as South America.

By Jan. 8, the smoke had made its way halfway around the world and will make at least one full circuit, according to scientists at NASA, citing satellite tracking data. New Zealand experienced severe air quality issues, while hazy skies and colorful sunsets and sunrises were seen in parts of Chile and Argentina.

#5 During the first half of 2020, volcanoes all over the world have been roaring to life and have been shooting giant clouds of hot ash miles into the sky.  For example, in the Philippines the Taal volcano shot ash nine miles into the air on Sunday, it has also been shooting scorching hot lava half a mile into the air, and the ground around the volcano is starting to crack wide open.

But even after all the devastation that we have already seen, authorities are warning that it could “re-explode at any moment”…

The gray ash is knee-deep. It covers the homes, the bloated cadavers of cows and horses, their limbs protruding at unnatural angles in the shadow of a sulking volcano that could re-explode at any moment.

“My home is now gone,” said Melvin Mendoza, 39, a boatman who returned on Tuesday to Taal, the volcanic island in the middle of a freshwater lake just 40 miles south of Manila, which erupted on Sunday like an atomic bomb mushroom cloud.

Let us hope that this volcanic activity does not spread throughout that general area, because the largest super volcano caldera in the entire world has been discovered not too far from the Philippines…

A team including members from GNS Science have identified an ancient mega-volcano that could have the largest known caldera on Earth.

The 150km (93.2 miles) wide feature is on the crest of Benham Rise, an oceanic plateau off the Philippines coast. In comparison, the caldera at Taupō is about 35km (21.8 miles) wide, and that at Yellowstone about 60km (37.3 miles).

#6 All of this is taking place while the north magnetic pole is moving toward Russia at a very rapid pace.  The following comes from CNN…

The north magnetic pole has been slowly moving across the Canadian Arctic toward Russia since 1831, but its swift pace toward Siberia in recent years at a rate of around 34 miles per year has forced scientists to update the World Magnetic Model — used by civilian navigation systems, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, and US and British militaries — a year ahead of schedule.

#7 On top of everything else, the Earth’s magnetic field has been steadily weakening over time, and this has some experts extremely concerned…

In a forum on Quora, science fiction writer and journalist C Stuart Hardwick revealed that satellite data, such as those collected by the European Space Agency’s SWARM mission, revealed that the magnetic field has been weakening for about 5 percent each century. He noted that currently, the strength of the magnetic field is at 29.5 microteslas, which is 14 percent weaker than its previous state three centuries ago. According to Hardwick, the SWARM satellites detected increased deterioration within regions of the magnetic field over North America. He said these regions weakened by about 3.5 percent over the span of just three years.

Without our magnetic field, life on Earth could not exist for long.

And it doesn’t have to disappear completely to be a massive problem.  If it simply gets weak enough, dwelling on the surface is going to become exceedingly difficult.

As I keep warning, our planet is becoming increasing unstable, and what we have experienced so far is just the beginning.

The demands of life can often cause us to focus on things that don’t really matter.  Hopefully, we can get more people to wake up while there is still time, because the clock is ticking for humanity and for our planet as a whole.

The two largest planets in the solar system have fascinated astronomers for hundreds of years. But the gas giants will do something later this month not seen since the Middle Ages — they will look like a double planet.

The rare occurrence will happen after sunset on Dec. 21, 2020, the start of the winter solstice.

“Alignments between these two planets are rather rare, occurring once every 20 years or so, but this conjunction is exceptionally rare because of how close the planets will appear to one another,” said Rice University astronomer Patrick Hartigan. “You’d have to go all the way back to just before dawn on March 4, 1226, to see a closer alignment between these objects visible in the night sky.”

As Robert Felix mentions in his book Not by Fire but by Ice:

According to studies by Rhodes W. Fairbridge and John E. Sanders of Columbia University, these alignments cause what is known as the solar retrograde cycle. This cycle involves changes in both solar spin rate and solar output (solar output declines abruptly). The retrograde motion itself is produced by the gravitational pull of the planets; primarily Saturn and Jupiter. When Saturn and Jupiter are both in the same quadrant of the solar system they exert a greater pull on the sun. The cycle is undeniable. “Solar cyclicity must now be considered as being a fact of life,” said the two Professors Emeritus. (Both Fairbridge and Sanders were Professors Emeritus of Geology at Columbia University. Each of them published extensively in geology and astronomy)

Below is a longer excerpt from Not by Fire but by Ice concerning the solar retrograde cycle:

Previously, I mentioned the Little Ice Age, which began in the early 1600s. What I didn’t mention, is that little ice ages recur in cycles. Pioneering studies by Rhodes W. Fairbridge and John E. Sanders of Columbia University show that our climate oscillates – warm to cold, cold to warm – in a dependable, predictable cycle, becoming much cooler and wetter every 178.73 (±0.27) years.

The cycle is caused by the sun’s retrograde, or clockwise, motion around the center of mass – the barycenter – of the solar system. Called the solar retrograde cycle, this cycle involves changes in both solar spin rate and solar output (solar output declines abruptly). The retrograde motion itself is produced by the gravitational pull of the planets; primarily Saturn and Jupiter. When Saturn and Jupiter are both in the same quadrant of the solar system they exert a greater pull on the sun. The cycle is undeniable. “Solar cyclicity must now be considered as being a fact of life,” said the two Professors Emeritus. (Both Fairbridge and Sanders were Professors Emeritus of Geology at Columbia University. Each of them published extensively in geology and astronomy.

Probably the most important figure in solar retrograde field was the late Dr. Theodor Landscheidt, founder of the Schroeter Institute for Research in Cycles of Solar Activity in Waldmuenchen, Germany. Dr. Landscheit began publishing his results in 1976.

On earth, the solar retrograde cycle triggers fluctuations in geomagnetic-field intensity while causing abrupt – and extreme – changes in climate. The changes are so severe that at every other beat of the cycle – approximately every 360 years – the earth plunges into a Little Ice Age.

This cycle has plagued our planet for hundreds of millions of years.

“The 360-year Little Ice Age cycle shows up in the Morrison Formation clear back in the Jurassic,” says research geologist Jack Sauers. “It correlates with the fall of the Roman Empire. It correlates with the fall of the Sumerian Empire. It correlates with the fall of the Ottoman Empire (when Ghengis Kahn swept out of the north). It correlates with the fall of the Greek Empire. And it is now coinciding with the collapse of several modern-day empires.”

Unfortunately, the last beat of the Little Ice Age cycle occurred almost exactly 360 years ago. “If this pattern holds,” said Fairbridge and Sanders, “then a comparable Little Ice Age can be expected to begin . . . early in the twenty-first century.”

But wait. It gets worse. Multiply the Little Ice Age cycle by four, and you get a 1440-year cycle of even harsher climate conditions. This cycle, discovered in the Greenland Ice Sheet, was reported by Paul Mayewski et al. in 1997. (Journal of Geophysical Research, 30 Nov 1997)

The 1440-year cycle brings with it “dramatic and rapid” changes in climate (dry in some areas, wet in others) and worldwide glacier expansion. The cycle appears to be related to internal oscillations in the ocean-climate system, says Mayewski (which I attribute to underwater volcanism, triggered by changes in geomagnetic intensity, triggered by the changes in the sun).

Whatever causes it, a similar 1440-year cycle has been found in North Atlantic deep sea cores (Bond et al., Science, 14 Nov 1997). Our climate plunged into frigid conditions about 4200 years ago, said Bond. Similar declines occurred about 2800 years ago and 1400 years ago, which means – you guessed it – that the next beat of the 1400-year cycle is due.

As if that weren’t enough, multiply the 1440-year cycle by eight, and you come up with 11,520, which is suspiciously close to the 11,500-year ice-age cycle.

So here we sit. The next beat of the 179-year solar retrograde cycle is due. The next beat of the 360-year Little Ice Age cycle is due. The next beat of the 1440-year ice-age cycle is due. The next beat of the 11,500-year ice-age cycle is due. The next beat of the 100,000-year ice-age cycle is due . . . and we’re worried about global warming?

It’s ludicrous to be worried about global warming.

We must prepare for an ice age. As Fairbridge and Sanders put it, “Nature’s dice really are somewhat loaded.” If we can heed the lessons of history writ so clearly in the geologic record, maybe we can reload those dice in our favor.

–By Robert Felix, Not by Fire but by Ice

The COLD TIMES are returning, the mid-latitudes are REFREEZING in line with historically low solar activity, cloud-nucleating Cosmic Rays, and a meridional jet stream flow.

Both NOAA and NASA appear to agree, if you read between the lines, with NOAA saying we’re entering a ‘full-blown’ Grand Solar Minimum in the late-2020s, and NASA seeing this upcoming solar cycle (25) as “the weakest of the past 200 years”, with the agency correlating previous solar shutdowns to prolonged periods of global cooling here.

Furthermore, we can’t ignore the slew of new scientific papers stating the immense impact The Beaufort Gyre could have on the Gulf Stream, and therefore the climate overall.

 

At the same time, our interest and technological capacity to push the boundaries of space exploration in the physical sense through manned and unmanned missions is beginning to boom.

Somewhat paradoxically, one of the most interesting observatories to keep an eye on over the 2020s does not ‘look’ at the universe at all.

Evolution of the Universe

The Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) is a huge, international, multi-billion-dollar collaborative effort which seeks to detect ripples in spacetime caused by the interactions of very massive objects by measuring changes in distances smaller than 1/10,000th the width of a proton.

After enduring silence in the first decade of the 2000s, LIGO detected its first of several inspiralling black hole events and also a neutron star collision.

Although these detections are a solid nod to Einsteinian physics, they also represent major advances in instrumentation, modelling, engineering, collaboration and our understanding of the evolution of the Universe.

In the past three weeks, another detection has been announced, with signals seeming to suggest a merger of two unexpectedly massive neutron stars – potentially a new class of neutron star object. Planned upgrades and expansions to LIGO should give us an exciting decade of more discoveries with a much higher quality of data.

Understanding Dark Matter

In keeping with the theme of ‘non-visible’ astronomy, astronomers will push forward into the 2020s, trying to address some of the most fundamental questions about our Universe which have so far evaded answers.

In particular, the nature of dark matter – thought to comprise up to 85 per cent of the matter of the Universe, yet still evades satisfactory categorisation (for example cold, warm or hot), despite it having been somewhat vaguely proposed in the late 1800s.

This field combines cosmology and particle physics in experiments that are either focussed on direct or indirect detection.

In the past week, evidence from a recent project using the Hubble Space Telescope suggests that dark matter can form in much smaller clumps than previously expected, providing strong evidence for the cold (or slow-moving) dark matter scenario.

Closer to home, in a collaborative initiative of which the University of Melbourne is a part, the Stawell Underground Physics Laboratory (SUPL) is a planned one kilometre-deep laboratory intended to detect seasonal variations in dark matter signals.

Space Travel

This coming decade will likely see the beginnings of the true commercialisation of space travel.

For example, private companies, such as Boeing and SpaceX, have formed partnerships with government space agencies and organisations such as via NASA’s Commercial Crew programme with the aim of developing safe, reliable and economically-viable options for reaching low earth orbit.

This will enable NASA to end its reliance on the Russian Soyuz rockets and in turn allows for private enterprise to begin selling seats on their vehicles such as Boeing’s Starliner and SpaceX’s Crew Dragon, coupled with accommodation in the ISS to privately paying customers.

Both have experienced teething problems and are undergoing improvements, but one can reasonably expect to see them operational over the next few years.

Although difficult to get a clear idea of progress, other countries such as China, India and Russia are pursuing their own human spaceflight programmes, whilst NASA continues to also work on its own vehicles to be launched from US soil, in addition to the partnerships with private enterprises, aiming to get men and women back to the Moon by 2024.

The early 2020s will see other companies such as Virgin Galactic and Blue Origin effectively ignite the space tourism market by enabling paying customers to purchase trips to suborbital space.

The successful floating of Virgin Galactic on the New York Stock Exchange in October 2019 hints at the commercial interest in point-to-point transportation on Earth via suborbital space.

Life Outside Earth

As our technological capabilities increase, so too does our obsession with the search for life outside of Earth.

NASA’s Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) has already kicked off 2020 with the discovery of its first Earth-size planet in a star’s ‘habitable zone’, which is the range of distances from a planet’s host star where the temperature potentially allows liquid water to exist on the planet’s surface.

Scientists are already producing different 3D atmospheric and climate models for the planet in question, known as TOI 700 d, waiting for new data to emerge over the coming decade to help narrow down important modelling parameters.

At least six missions are already at work or planned to launch, mostly by NASA and ESA like Cheops, the James Webb Telescope and Ariel, which will add to the over 4,000 confirmed exoplanets and will also give us more accurate and detailed information on sizes, compositions and conditions of the planets and their host stars.

Probing Our Solar System

While we whet our voracious appetites for detecting planets around star systems far beyond our own via a vast number of surveys and programmes, missions involving physical probes for life on other planets and moons within our Solar System are being planned and implemented.

NASA’s Mars 2020 Rover, which will be formally named by a winning public entry in March this year, is set to search for evidence of life on Mars with a planned touch down in early 2021, while separate flyby missions to Jupiter’s ice-covered moon, Europa, and Saturn’s atmospherically hazy moon, Titan, are due for launch in 2025 and 2026, respectively.

Although not approved within budget as yet, there is potential for a lander-based mission to Europa, potentially enabling scientists to test for the existence of a salty brine beneath its frozen crust.

Not to be outdone, ESA also has plans to revisit Mars, having launched an orbiter in 2016, delivering the ExoMars 2020 which will also focus on chemically and mineralogically analysing drilled samples for traces of past microbial life.

Finally, our attempts to both listen for and reach out to any existing extra-terrestrial life will continue throughout the 2020s and beyond.

For example, initiatives such as Breakthrough Listen, a ten-year, US$100,000,000 programme begun in 2016, continually survey the Universe for signals of extra-terrestrial life.

Meanwhile, Breakthrough Starshot is a proof-of-concept project involving sending a fleet of tiny centimetre-sized light-sail spacecraft to our nearest neighbouring star system, Alpha Centauri. This project could lead to the development of Earth-based steerable lasers.

These continuing and developing enterprises will inevitably deliver new technological advancements, meaning that the 2020s will be an exciting decade, indeed.

If you happen to know a space enthusiast, you probably know they might’ve even considered trips to outer space! Luckily, they can still explore these mysteries here on earth, because we’ve curated a list of space-themed gifts and collectibles that are every space hobbyist’s dream.

Moon Lamp

Any space guru would be delighted to have a moon lamp in their space collection. This lamp will have them marvel at the beauty of the moon regardless of the weather outside or the moon’s cycle. Some lamps accurately look like the moon with their planetary body and PLA material. They can also have a rough texture that resembles this wondrous star. This device with its pits and craters can be a space enthusiast reading lamp or serve as a soothing nighttime glow.

Artemis Program Themed Items

The Artemis program has left space lovers on edge and created an overall excitement for them. Through the program, NASA will be using the most advanced technologies in 2024 to explore the lunar surface of the moon. The first woman and man who’ll land there in 2024 will leave quite a mark in today’s modern world. That’s why Artemis space program patches and clothes are common memorabilia for space lovers. If your friend won’t stop talking about the program, surprise them with an Artemis-themed t-shirt or hat.

Night Lights

This collectible idea especially works best for kids who are obsessed with space. You can get them a light that carries the solar system into their rooms by hanging it on the ceiling. These cool tools come with batteries, a light pointer, and remote control. Any space fanatic would be glad to have these colorful views of the planets in his/her room.

Planet Mugs

A planet mug sounds like a great addition to space lover’s collection because they get to carry it around anywhere and show off their designs. This type of mug will have them sipping on their coffee while revealing the secrets of the solar system. Their cup of tea or morning coffee will feel like an adventure in outer space.

Apollo Lego

Your space geek was probably fascinated by NASA’s Apollo Lego set, which is enormous and has 1,969 pieces. Astronomy lovers can build this gigantic rocket and keep them in their rooms as a great memory. This creative collectible is bound to be appreciated by its recipient.

Whether you are a space enthusiast or know someone who is, there are plenty of ideas for collectible and memorabilia that will easily become any space guru’s favorite possessions. Explore your thirst for knowledge with today’s awesome tools and gifts, and enjoy the beauty of the universe from the comfort of your home. Next time you’re confused about what to get for yourself or your space geek friend, use this guide for inspiration.

Orange County Executive Steven Neuhaus said the main facilities will likely be at the Kennedy and Johnson space centers, but monitoring locations would be established in various parts of the country.

Neuhaus said Stewart would be an ideal location because of the New York Air National Guard Base there, having one of the longest runways in the nation – it was rated as an auxiliary landing site for the space shuttle program, coupled with a lot of adjacent property and a qualified workforce between the National Guard personnel and aviation consultants at the airport.

Congress created the U.S. Space Force in December 2019 at President Donald Trump’s request. It is the newest of 11 combatant commands and separate from the U.S. Air Force and NASA, the civilian space agency.

By 2026, U.S. Space Force plans to build a $1 billion headquarters and employ 1,400 staffers to serve as a contracting nexus for high-tech businesses engaged in the multibillion dollar aerospace industry.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has endorsed nine Florida sites for Space Command headquarters: Jacksonville, Pensacola, Miami-Dade County, Pinellas County, Orange County, Tampa-Hillsborough County, Seminole County, and Brevard County.

DeSantis, Florida U.S. Sens. Marco Rubio and Rick Scott, all 27 of Florida’s U.S. House representatives and business leaders are lobbying the U.S. Air Force aggressively to put the new command in the Sunshine State.

The Air Force left Florida sites off a short list of headquarters candidate locations in December. In March, however, the U.S. Space Command headquarters competition was reopened, and, in May, the Pentagon set criteria: be within 25 miles of a military base and a top-150 most populous metropolitan area, and score at least 50 on AARP’s 100-point Livability Index.

Bids from municipalities in 26 states have been received, the Air Force said, with Brevard County individually, or with Orange and Seminole counties as the Space Coast, ranking highly in the Pentagon’s criteria.

All Florida applicants benefit from the state’s aerospace development background, lack of an income tax, capacity to host military commands – three are headquartered in the state – and the 2006 creation of Space Florida, which operates five “spaceport” special districts dedicated to, as DeSantis vowed, make Florida the “Silicon Valley of space.”

The Space Coast features those state advantages, but as the epicenter of Florida’s growing aerospace industry, it also has the requisite talent, with 17,144 commercial space companies employing more than 130,000 people in high-tech, high-wage jobs.

Military launches already are conducted Cape Canaveral Air Force Station and the Kennedy Space Center. Patrick Air Force Base – soon to be renamed Patrick Space Force Base – is “literally right next door,” U.S. Rep. Mike Waltz said.

Including Orange and Seminole counties, the area offers ample available real estate for residential and commercial development within easy drives of three universities and recreational amenities.

Among other contenders: Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif.; San Antonio, Texas; Huntsville, Ala.; Dayton, Ohio; and Colorado Springs, Colo.

All have historic aerospace links and high-tech infrastructure, but Colorado Springs enjoys advantages, most notably Peterson Air Force Base is Space Command’s provisional headquarters through 2026 and a $800 million space operations complex is being built at nearby Schriever Air Force Base.

“I think it could come down to Florida and Colorado,” DeSantis mused in May. “I think even the Air Force is looking more favorably to Florida even though they have a strong preference for Colorado.”