Cognitive Labs

The human mind and its moods is one of the limiting factors on space travel.

Even on the ISS, inter-crew psychological relations is a mission success determinant along with objective measures like focus and attentiveness.

How can this emerging problem be solved?

We believe through proactive awareness and neuro-intervention through situation-based games...taking it far beyond booster stage offerings.

Time will tell as consumer space takes shape, from delivery systems like Richard Branson and Elon Musk to hotelier Bob Bigelow.

Labels: bigelow, branson, musk, spacex

Here is the latest blast on space for people (and poets) from the ineffable Richard Branson.

Labels: branson, virgin

From the Business world and the GLOBE is getting smaller dept...Virgin Mobile, the mobile virtual network operator(MVNO) kicked off by spacefarer and record promoter Richard Branson, is set to go public. While initially the company planned to sell $100 million worth of securities, over the past 3 months this has been revised upward to $500 million, which will make the company's market cap over $1 billion. It will start trading under the symbol "VM" on the NYSE

Labels: branson, MOBILE, NYSE, virgin, VM

carrie-ann moss and val kilmer in 'red planet'


'Drunken Astronauts' became one of the top searches on Google today, leading us into perhaps, a Consumer Space Status Report. Who are the players? Who has an interesting take on the field, who has the bet hedged to lessen the risk? Who (if any) are the wildcard players?

- Branson: successful trial (despite today's accident)
- Musk: progress towards successful launch vehicle
- Bezos: launch vehicle with alternate design
- Diamandis: zero G corp, giving a feeling zerograv to the masses
- Bigelow: successful trial of 'hotel in space' model, hedged approach

red planet capital:
venture capital firm focused on low-budget space, funded partially by nasa, with a wild card strategy

in contrast, NASA itself has had 3 scandals this year, all relating to people:
- astronaut love triangle/attempted assault
- drunken astronaut story
- sabotage on the Shuttle?

Now, look at the budget for the aggregate 6 ventures/projects above (modest) compared to Nasa's annual manned spaceflight budget - the difference is an exponential multiple, with less achieved.

Labels: allen, bezos, branson, diamandis, drunken astronauts, musk, nasa, vallee, x prize

Stephen Hawking, who asked Richard Branson for a ride to the stars (or at least near-earth orbit) now has a second offer from Zero-gravity Corp., which operates 727's that let experiencers enjoy 30 seconds of weightlessness. He's considering the offer, according to Cosmic Log.

He also will be among the notables who get their DNA sequenced in the Genomics X-prize. For now, take this test, combining some recent pics of Hawking with a memory algorithm that tests your mental acuity, that is whether you can acknowledge something you have just seen. To signify that, you will need to press the spacebar. In the meantime, here is what Dr. Hawking says - as this is a "talking" memory test

Labels: branson, cosmiclog, hawking

Humans must colonize planets in other solar systems traveling there using "Star Trek"-style propulsion or face extinction, renowned British cosmologist Stephen Hawking said on Thursday.


Try the Stephen Hawking test (right here)

Referring to complex theories and the speed of light, Hawking, the wheel-chair bound Cambridge University physicist, told BBC radio that theoretical advances could revolutionize the velocity of space travel and make such colonies possible.

"Sooner or later disasters such as an asteroid collision or a nuclear war could wipe us all out," said Professor Hawking, who was crippled by a muscle disease at the age of 21 and who speaks through a computerized voice synthesizer.

"But once we spread out into space and establish independent colonies, our future should be safe," said Hawking, who was due to receive the world's oldest award for scientific achievement, the Copley medal, from Britain's Royal Society on Thursday.

Previous winners include Albert Einstein and Charles Darwin.

In order to survive, humanity would have to venture off to other hospitable planets orbiting another star, but conventional chemical fuel rockets that took man to the moon on the Apollo mission would take 50,000 years to travel there, he said.

Hawking, a 64-year-old father of three who rarely gives interviews and who wrote the best-selling "A Brief History of Time", suggested propulsion like that used by the fictional starship Enterprise "to boldly go where no man has gone before" could help solve the problem.

"Science fiction has developed the idea of warp drive, which takes you instantly to your destination," said.

"Unfortunately, this would violate the scientific law which says that nothing can travel faster than light."

However, by using "matter/antimatter annihilation", velocities just below the speed of light could be reached, making it possible to reach the next star in about six years.

"It wouldn't seem so long for those on board," he said.

The scientist revealed he also wanted to try out space travel himself, albeit by more conventional means.

"I am not afraid of death but I'm in no hurry to die. My next goal is to go into space," said Hawking.

And referring to the British entrepreneur and Virgin tycoon who has set up a travel agency to take private individuals on space flights from 2008, Hawking said: "Maybe Richard Branson will help me."

Labels: brain, branson, colonizing, hawking, planets, test