Space is for everyone
The nonprofit organization SpaceKids Global aims to bring space to kids everywhere and get youth excited about careers in space.
Founder and Board Chair Sharon Hagle returned to space once again, flying on Blue Origin’s New Shepard spacecraft. This time, however, she had a special audience watching her back on Earth.
Eight kids from across the U.S. were selected for the SpaceKids Global Press Squad, where they traveled to Florida to watch Sharon launch and tour Blue Origin– all as space reporters.
Among all the activities planned, Hagle said the Press Squad had journalism training and they were able to experience a launch simulation.
“We had an NBC journalist come to the hotel and train them, because it takes a special way to interview people on camera,” Hagle said. “So, they had like, an hour of training before all this started. Then to top it off, they got to go over to KSC for the day. They were able to do the simulator, the Blue Origin capsule, which is very realistic. I've done it myself, and you get to feel the rush.”
The Press Squad took three years to plan and execute. Hagle said she hopes that by allowing the youth to see people working in the space industry, it will inspire the next generation to become interested in space-related career opportunities.
“There were a lot of logistics -- bringing these children in from all over the country, the timing of all of their flights landing,” Hagle said. “It was challenging, but saying all that and seeing what change it's made on their lives is just overwhelming. It it's very emotional, because these kids, that experience has changed them.”
On her second mission to the edge of space, Hagle conducted two science experiments. One of the experiments was a Bio Button, a medical device worn by a person to track vital signs and responses in the body.
“Then we were asked for NASA to tie rope in zero gravity,” Hagle said. “Because when astronauts get in zero gravity on other planets like the moon or in space travel, they need to tie down the payloads and there's no tension on their rope. So, you have to figure out how to tie the rope and secure both ends. It was really interesting, especially in zero gravity.”
Sharon Hagle was joined by her husband, Marc Hagle, on the launch. The mission made them the first married couple in history to return to space together. Over the 30 years they have been married, Sharon said Marc continues to inspire her and push her out of her comfort zone.
Moon RACER
NASA is aiming to launch humans in 2027 to explore the Moon’s South Pole region as part of the Artemis missions. But because gravity is about a sixth of Earth’s gravitational pull, walking around on the moon can be difficult. During the Apollo missions, the Lunar Roving Vehicle was used.
But now, over 50 years later, NASA has selected Intuitive Machines, Lunar Outpost, and Venturi Astrolab to create a vehicle for the Artemis missions so the crew can cruise along the lunar surface and conduct scientific research.
In Houston Texas, Intuitive machines unveiled its lunar rover called Moon Racer and Robert Perlman, the founder and editor of collectSPACE.com was able to witness the vehicle and its capabilities.
While the rover is meant to be driven by the crew, the vehicle can also drive autonomously. The rover can also be told to go collect material all on its own.
“It can be autonomous, but it has a manual driver’s mode. While the astronauts are there, they can drive it themselves if they want, or they can leave it on the ground and they can just be riders. Or, they can be completely autonomous, or it can be controlled by the controllers on Earth.”
Perlman said the Moon RACER looks almost like a golf cart. On the top of the rover, solar panels are installed so it can recharge. Perlman said NASA hopes to use one of the vehicles from the three companies to be operating on the moon until 2039.
“This electric vehicle was built for Intuitive Machines by Roush, which is a high-performance car manufacturer,” Perlman said. “They actually do mostly race cars, but that is why this is sort of a cross between the Lunar Rover of the 70’s with a either a Mario Kart or a… souped up golf cart.”
Perlman said these rovers are a model for what could be used on Mars when humans step foot on the red planet. Although the vehicles would likely need to be more pressurized and there would be some changes, vehicles like Moon RACER set the example.
“That’s the ultimate goal of the Artemis program,” Perlman said. “That's the ultimate goal of the Moon RACER, and everything that we're doing now is to learn on the moon how to operate vehicles and bases and just learn how to operate as a as cruise.”
