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With an expected global revenue exceeding 1 trillion USD by 2040, the space industry is one of the world's fastest-growing sectors. Given the booming investment in the space industry and the anticipated space tourism era, it is crucial to assess the impact of already operative launch assets as well as to adopt design-to-sustainability strategies for the under-development and future launchers. This paper discloses an integrated methodology to estimate nitrogen oxides emissions of a hydrogen-fuelled air-breathing concept. The proposed strategy combines multi-fidelity propulsive system modelling with 0D chemical-kinetic air/hydrogen combustion numerical simulations to define a high-fidelity emissive database representative of various on-ground and in-flight operative conditions. The propulsive and emissive databases are then used to suggest an analytical formulation able to predict nitrogen oxides emission indices in any in-flight conditions, perfectly fitting the conceptual design needs. Throughout the paper, the Skylon spaceplane and its Synergetic Air Breathing Rocket Engine are used as case study. The methodology disclosed allows proving the high competitiveness of this air-breathing space launchers with respect to famous past and current competitors, as the Space Shuttle and the Falcon 9. [Display omitted] • Integrated design methodologies can support NOx estimations in conceptual design. • 0D chemical-kinetic simulations with Z24 scheme provides reliable E I N O x estimation. • Air-breathing launchers prove to be environmentally friendlier than conventional ones. • Upgraded P 3 T 3 method can support E I N O x estimation for hydrogen-fuelled launchers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A long-duration microgravity environment has numerous detrimental effects on the human physiology. The most obvious solution for this problem related to long duration space exploration missions is to remedy the lack of gravity. This could be done using short arm human centrifuges but they do not seem to be sufficiently effective, perhaps because of the short duration exposure of this countermeasure and/or the huge body gravity gradient. New views have to be investigated, such as to see if a (very) long-arm rotating system generating a continuous 1 g or partial gravity field might resolve this issue. Besides the expected benefits regarding astronauts' microgravity pathologies, additionally the spacecraft itself, its on-board (sub-)systems and procedures might benefit from a rotating configuration. In this paper we address very briefly the medical issues, but the work is mainly focused on the advantages regarding engineering, operations, life support, safety and budget of having a constantly rotating spacecraft first in Low Earth Orbit and later for long duration missions to Mars. A large rotating spacecraft is feasible and affordable to build, operate and maintain. It has advantages for governmental and commercial use but also in light of the expected increase in space tourism. It will also save crew time and billions of dollars now being spent to counteract the effects of microgravity. A continuous rotating spacecraft providing Artificial Gravity will: • Improve crew health and wellbeing. • Improve mission safety and success. • Reduce costs significantly. • Simplify numerous operations in flight. • Provides the use of 1 g verified systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Until recently space travel was considered a privilege of governmental astronauts, with the exception perhaps of a few billionaire space tourists, who had been accommodated on the International Space Station on some rare occasions. Nonetheless, with major space pioneers announcing plans for space tourism activities and after the successful launch in orbit of space tourism vehicles from the Virgin Galactic and Blue Origin companies, academic interest about human spaceflight for purposes of leisure and recreation has ignited. Taking into account that space tourism is in fact an unregulated activity, this paper will firstly examine whether space tourism activities fall under the scope of space law or under the scope of international air law, depending on the planned trajectory of the space tourism vehicle. Furthermore, the authors will attempt to draw conclusions concerning the legal implications of space tourism activities through a comparative analysis with the 1974 Athens Convention on the Carriage of Passengers and the Carriage of their Luggage by Sea. This international convention provides a great example on the regulation of touristic ventures, as it refers to commercial touristic activities realized within a res communis omnium , i. e., the high seas, similarly with touristic activities in space. Moreover, said Convention provides for a specialized regime for touristic activities and is of particular interest, since it has achieved stability and a desirable balance of interests between private tourism operators and passengers. In this connection, the authors will evaluate the provisions of the 1974 Athens Convention in comparison with the space treaties applicable to space tourism activities. Furthermore, suggestions will be made as to whether it would be appropriate and feasible to introduce in the space law realm certain rules of law similar to those of the 1974 Athens Convention, in order to facilitate growth in the space tourism sector, without compromising the safety of human spaceflight for space passengers. • The 1974 Athens Convention in comparison with the space treaties applicable to space tourism activities. • Legal analogy between space law and maritime law. • Legal regime governing space tourism activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper operationalizes (i.e., collects data to test the validity of) propositions based on the evolution change motor applied to market level organizations. At these inter-organizational levels of analysis, Space Race Era activities are characterized as teleologically driven (directed by a centralized agent) and more recent space activities (such as suborbital tourism) as evolution driven (subject to forces of variation, selection, and retention). This definition assumes a continuous (non-dichotomous) definition along three dimensions, depicted as a Cartesian coordinate system, with each orthogonal axis corresponding to the three evolution motor forces. Force components include levels (total amounts from all contributing actors) and robustness (sensitivity to increase or decrease in number of contributing actors) of each. Proxies for the three forces include number and amounts of innovation (for the variation force), funding (for the selection force), and demand (for the retention force). A causal diagram shows the relationship of the proxy variables to market "commercialness" based on two extreme samples cases. • This paper asserts propositions using an evolution change motor to evaluate the degree space markets can be considered "commercial.". • This paper identifies and exercises the proxies for the level and robustness of each evolution change motor force: variation, selection and retention. • As examples, this paper compares U.S. space race era activities and contemporary space tourism activities. • Special cases, including monopolies, state owned enterprises and monopsonies, are also discussed in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Private commercial space tourism carrying passengers to outer space is no longer a distant or far-fetched fantasy, rather it is at verge of becoming an affordable reality with exponential development in space technology including development of Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV), increasing involvement of private companies like Virgin Galactic, SpaceX, Blue Origin etc. into research and funding of space tourism explorations and applications. It is also receiving huge attention from the public. These developments reflect the infinite possibilities and inevitability of space tourism in near future. However, space tourism may also pose many critical legal issues which must be addressed to ensure the consistent and sustainable development of space tourism, and to secure the rights of all stakeholders involved including operators, passengers, launching State etc. The research paper would highlight the crucial legal issues associated with the space tourism. The paper would critically analyze the efficiency of the present international space treaties in dealing with these issues. At the end, the paper would also attempt to provide few suggestions and solutions to these legal conundrums relating to space tourism. • Commercial space tourism • Legal framework governing space tourism • Sustainable development of outer space • Space tourism and international law [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Between the 1950s and 1980s, U.S. space sector activities were government-driven, government-sponsored, government-managed, and assisted by the industry-sector. Awareness of non-governmental space activities originated in the 1980s and gained prominence in the early 2000s with the founding of well-funded private companies. This paper takes an organizational evolution perspective to refine what is meant by "commercial" space markets and activities and compares the results to previous discussions offered by space community authors. From an organization theory perspective, the three primary forces of the evolution change model (variation, selection, and retention) provide a framework for renewed commercial space activity discussions. Together, the strength of these three forces can indicate how "commercial" a market is. Two case examples are presented to illustrate application of this framework: the U.S. space race era activities during the 1960s, and the current space tourism market. Despite competitions for various contracts awarded to industry-sector firms, the Apollo program was clearly government-driven, and was not "commercial" to any significant extent. The current space tourism market is clearly considered "commercial," but with qualifications. Conclusions from this review include the appropriate levels of analysis to discuss space market characteristics, a comparative analysis of the "commercial" activities of the U.S. space race era and the current space tourism, the inference of proxies for estimating the strength of the three evolution model forces, and a caution about the accuracy of "commercial" market forecasts. • This paper uses an evolution change mechanism lens to estimate the degree that space sectors are considered "commercial". • Identification of appropriate levels of analysis for discussion of commercial space markets. • Comparison of space race era activities in the United States and current space tourism activities. • U.S. space race activities are best characterized by the teleologic change motor. • Current space tourism activities are best characterized by the evolution (variation, selection, retention) change motor. • Prior studies of "commercial" space activities are reviewed in the context of the evolution organization change mechanism. • Inference of independent variables to estimate evolution model force strength. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the future U.S. demand for streamlined space tourism by showing the missions and factors impacting traveler choices with machine learning. Space tourism is growing and is expected to become available to the masses soon. While private companies need to better understand the demand for space tourism to customize their services, transportation agencies require guidance to support fund management related to commercial space exploration. This work analyzes the three most prominent missions for streamlined space tourism (i.e., suborbital, orbital, and space tourism around the moon) and their selection determinants (i.e., price, safety, training, number of passengers, take-off locations, among other decision-maker factors). A stated preference experiment is constructed to collect data that is analyzed using machine learning. Results provide valuable insights into the mixed opinions of Americans with respect to space tourism, their mission preferences, and risk considerations. • Space tourism serves a niche of high-income travelers. • We investigate the future U.S. demand if space tourism is available to the masses. • A stated preference experiment is constructed to collect data from Americans. • The collected dataset is analyzed using machine learning paradigms. • Results unveil the mission and traveler factors impacting space tourism choices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mixed Reality (MR) technologies are rapidly establishing themselves in the space industry. From assisting with assembling the Orion capsule via Augmented Reality (AR) to using highly immersive virtual environments for astronaut training, MR technologies provide a powerful mechanism to alter the perception of the physical world and deliver realistic personalized visual stimuli to users. In this paper, we discuss a novel strategy to utilize MR technologies as a design element to enhance the interior architecture of the space habitat and enrich the inhabitants' personal experience. We discuss two scenarios that entail long duration missions as well as a customized experience for space tourists in Low Earth Orbit (LEO). We report a series of spacecraft volumetric studies of the ergonomics associated with the application of MR technologies. Physical, Virtual and Combined experiences mapped within the volumes with respect to crew ConOps provide a basis for further analysis and are translated to architectural design requirements that inform criteria for the development of personalized MR-based visualizations. The paper concludes with a discussion of directions for future research and design-based investigations. Compilations of mission-influencing factors such as launch mass and volume reduction per habitat, technology limitations and integration requirements are presented and evaluated by the level of importance for achieving mission goals and objectives. • Long duration space missions can cause complex psychological difficulties. • Immersive MR technologies used as a psychological countermeasure in space habitats. • Alternative MR technologies to avoid using HMD. • Projection-based MR system integrated with space habitat design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New space is a misleading expression. Many new trends steer the evolution of space activities. Development of commercial space, with start-ups and space ventures, is one of the most visible trends in space. Stimulated by the first initiatives related to space tourism, access to space and the growing use of small satellites, space activities have attracted new entrepreneurs, both start-ups and big web actors with substantial investment capacity. This revolution started in the Silicon Valley and spread worldwide. Start-ups have attracted around $21.8 billion of investment from 2000 to 2018. It is far below the annual institutional budgets but the pace gained momentum since 2006 and specially 2012. Between teenage crisis and age of reason, New space is now old: the first start-ups shall confirm their promises, while new players pop up and try to find their way. It shakes the legacy players but they demonstrate resilience and adaptation capacity. It is now the right time to take stock of the first lessons learnt. Start-ups disrupt the established industry? Instead of a simplistic shortcut, this paper reports an "organizational ecology" study. With a deliberate industrial viewpoint, its ambition is to help understanding complex evolutions in the space ecosystem. The first part of the paper introduces the current ecosystem, its actors, the key trends and the main types of activities. Through facts and figures on technology, investments and markets, the second part reviews how "new space" trends are preparing the advent of big space. The third part summarises lessons from other industries and typical disruption scenarios that could affect space activities. The drivers of New space are discussed in section four. The last part is a foresight exercise, discussing possible evolutions and impacts, threats and opportunities. The decisive role of institutional actors and the « new space » with more and more space-faring nations is also highlighted. Something big is happening in space. While it is too early to depict the new landscape, this study shows that the future picture will not be black and white but more colourful. The size and the age of the company are less important than agility, mindset, ability to manage risks and to cooperate. A big vision for the future, from entrepreneurs or from nations, is also needed. • This paper reports an "organizational ecology" of the new space ecosystem. • Its ambition is to help understanding complex evolutions in the space sector. • It reviews old and new actors, the main trends and the evolution of activities. • Two sectors (Earth Observation and Telecommunications) are analysed in details. • It discusses possible evolutions and impacts, threats and opportunities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper introduces a new, preliminary physical ergonomics model for spacecraft cabin and cockpit architecture and for control systems layout conceptualization. The research was executed during a year-long collaboration between the Florida Institute of Technology's Human Spaceflight Laboratory and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University's Spacesuit Utilization of Innovative Technology Laboratory. It focused on physical ergonomics using an adjustable intravehicular activity Terra Spacesuit manufactured by Final Frontier Design (FFD). The main goal of this laboratory research was to generate an FFD spacesuit specific reference model of reach envelope. The model provides concrete numerical data about potential spaceflight participants' or astronauts' upper body motion, which can be used to improve spacecraft interior design. The reach envelope was mapped using an IR motion tracking system in unsuited, suited unpressurized, and suited pressurized configurations. The resulting model is presented as a geometric area accessible to all test subjects participating in this research. Although this experimental model is based on training spacesuit hardware and operated under lower (1.5 psid) than usual (3.5 psid) operating pressure, it demonstrates the physical ergonomic limitations of wearing an Intra Vehicular Activity pressurized suit. This model further helps spacecraft cabin, flight deck or cockpit architects to identify the optimum internal layout of the vehicle, placement of the control and display components. Control function activation during specific phases of the spaceflight may require either unpressurized or pressurized spacesuit operations. The accessibility of the control input systems is the primary factor in their placement inside the cockpit. More importantly, the vehicle controls, system input devices, and displays should be not only within reach, but also within an executable/operational position and configuration, or work envelope. • Spacecrafts' interiors are driven by physical ergonomics of IVA spacesuits. • IVA size-adjustable spacesuit upper body reach baseline model has been created. • Model represents IVA spacesuit pressure 1.5psid and 160–188 cm tall occupants. • Model is directly applicable for a spacecraft cabin or cockpit concept engineering. • Recommendations for human spaceflight spacecraft controls placement are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The International Academy of Astronautics (IAA) Symposia on the History of Rocketry and Astronautics have been held annually at the International Astronautical Congresses since 1967. During these past 50 years nearly 800 papers have been presented and subsequently published in the proceedings. With a 20-year rule imposed for historical presentations, the first 10 symposia concentrated on pre-World War II and early 1950s activities. A surprisingly large number of papers on early, less well-known Soviet-Russian contributions to rocketry and astronautics were presented in the first symposia, despite the ongoing Space Race between the U.S and USSR. Another important element in these symposia involved memoir papers offered by pre- and post-war rocket and astronautics pioneers from many countries, and the participation of many of these pioneers in person. In sum, the history of national space and rocket projects from some 40 countries were presented over the years in IAA History Symposia. These 50 symposia have provided a platform for scholars and professional and non-professional historians to meet and discuss the history of rocketry and astronautics, and to personally interview many space pioneers, most of whom today are deceased. Their personal recollections have since been shared with a large audience. Over time, IAA history papers divided into recognizable periods: ancient times through the 19th century, and the 20th and 21st centuries, which separate among actions and events that took place before 1945, in 1945 to 1957, and after 1957 (which marked the beginning of the space age). Proceedings of the IAA History Symposia have been published in English, ultimately in the History Series of the American Astronautical Society (AAS) and its publishing arm, Univelt Inc., under an agreement secured with the IAA. This paper presents an overview of the IAA History Symposia. It examines the early years of the history committee and its first symposium, the evolution of subsequent symposia, and it recognizes those individuals who shaped these symposia and the publication of its proceedings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Taiwan would not develop reusable suborbital launch vehicle (RSLV) for commercial suborbital space tourism (SST) and intercontinental point-to-point (IP2P) transportation industry. As such, although there are many issues need be considered, spaceport becomes one of the major indices for demonstrating Taiwan's infrastructures and readiness to go from aviation tourism to SST and IP2P due to its long leading time requirement (2–3 decades usually). Currently, there are 17 civic (single use) and civic and military (dual use) airports, of which 4 are civic and one is basically civic. In this paper, these 5 airports were studied and discussed on their potential to be extended to either single use spaceport or dual use air and spaceport from the aspects of area, busyness, required extension (minor or major), redesign and reconstruction requirements, and environmental reassessment requirements. For the 5 airports included in the considerations, the 4 airports Taoyuan, Kaohsiung, Songshan and Kinmen all need minor extensions for accommodating horizontal-takeoff-horizontal-landing (HTHL) RSLV. Only the Taoyuan and Kinmen airports are suitable for major extensions to also accommodate vertical-takeoff-vertical-landing (VTVL) RSLV after major extensions. The Hengchun Airport needs environmental reassessment, redesign and reconstruction due to its very local katabatic winds weather condition. However, it is also the only one suitable for extending to become a dedicated spaceport with HTHL and VTVL RSLVs accommodated. For comparison purpose, a new spaceport dedicated to SST and IP2P with the name to be determined (TBD) is proposed as an option. For the case of considering dedicated uses for SST and IP2P, then only Hengchun and TBD are the two remaining spaceport candidates. • Upgrading of the 5 airports to become potential suborbital space tourism (SST) spaceports was studied. • Four airports could become dual use as air and spaceports after minor extension for HTHL RSLV. • All of them need major extension for operating commercial SST using VTVL RSLV. • Hengchun Airport is the only airport in Taiwan which has the potential to become dedicated spaceport. • Comparison made with a new proposed SST spaceport. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, On-orbit servicing (OOS) is in the ascendant, attracting attentions of a growing number of institutions and commercial space companies. The sustainable development of OOS is heavily relied on its economic benefits. However, the economic feasibility of OOS is not sufficiently analyzed in the existing studies. Based on this, a general economic value analysis framework for OOS is proposed in this paper. Firstly, the maximum price that clients would be willing to pay is obtained by real option method through comparing values of OOS by an alternative scheme. Secondly, the minimum price that the servicer could afford is predicted by Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) method, which is based on a service provider value model. Six necessary factors are considered in this model at the same time, including servicing architecture and its initial construction cost, mission related depreciation, income tax, operating expense, monetary value, as well as technical risks and the corresponding insurance premium. Then, the above two prices are compared to analyze the economic feasibility of OOS. Finally, mission cost, pricing strategies and OOS value drivers are modeled and discussed within the estimated acceptable price range. The results show that the OOS is commercially viable when the initial costs of geosynchronous communication satellites and the servicing architecture are more than $242 M and less than $140 M respectively. The applicability and usefulness of the proposed method are demonstrated by an actual business case analysis of the Mission Extension Vehicle-1 (MEV-1). • An economic value analysis framework for on-orbit servicing (OOS) is proposed. • A modified cost model for service provider is established. • It discusses acceptable service charging, value-based pricing strategy and key driving factors of OOS. • The satellite servicing for GEO satellites is a promising industry. • Appropriate value sharing between clients and service providers is essential for sustainable development of OOS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Basically, the spacesuit is a small but complete spacecraft. It shall provide an astronaut/cosmonaut almost all functions of a spacecraft, but for much shorter time and basic protections. Since there are many primary as well as secondary function requirements, the spacesuit designs were driven since the very beginning by those functions in the late 1950s. The spacesuit developments in both US and Soviet-Russia were designed by adapting and following the baselines of high-altitude pressure suits developed since the 1930s. For 60 years, from 1960 to 2020, there have been many evolutions and revolutions in spacesuit designs. However, it goes without saying that the most fashion styling designed with aesthetics features considered are the Demo-2 spacesuit by SpaceX and the Starliner spacesuit by Boeing. This paper reviews and discusses those evolutions and revolutions systematically focusing on the styling and design aesthetics in spacesuits for the Demo-2 crew members and the future Straliner flights. The new spacesuits, either by SpaceX or by Boeing, have been commented to be sleek, spiffy, fashioned, stylish, noble, elegant, beautiful and with high technology features. • The arts and social sciences have already been involved in the IAA and Acta Astronautica. • The development histories of Soviet-Russian, American and Chinese spacesuits were reviewed. • In particular, the fashion styling and aesthetics design considerations in the SpaceX spacesuits were discussed. • Also, the spacewear for suborbital space tourism passengers are introduced. • The master pieces of Chinese embroideries and other artworks are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the significant amount of cost for privately paid passenger to travel the Earth orbit and beyond, orbital space tourism (OST) is not affordable for the general public in the coming decades. Therefore, the second best could be the suborbital space tourism (SST). According to the following facts, SST could be right at the corner: in October 2017, the Saudi Arabia intended to invest 1 billion USD into Virgin Galactic; on December 11, 2019, Blue Origin's New Shepard had a wholly successful 12th flight test mission (NS-12); and then on February 13, 2020, Virgin Galactic's spaceplane SpaceShipTwo, named VSS Unity, has been successfully relocated to its commercial headquarters at Spaceport America. Referring to the possible or potential effects of reusable suborbital launch vehicle (RSLV) trajectory dynamics on the neuro-vestibular system of passenger, this paper studied and discussed the pre-flight passenger screening contents and the related business opportunities for SST. Requirements for the third class medical certificate of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) of the USA have been proposed as a major reference. Since the SST is a new emerging market, contents for pre-flight screening of tourist need be rigorous, but could be adjustable based on accumulated flight experience in the future. The related business opportunities, either academic or commercial, in pre-flight training, pre-flight adaption, post-flight adaption, and data analysis, are expected to form a new industry chain gradually from 2020s to 2030s or 2040s. • Suborbital space tourism (SST) shall open to the general public of all level. • A big gap exists for general passenger to go from aviation tourism to SST. • Major challenges are high- g acceleration, weightlessness and high- g deceleration in 11–12 min. • Passenger screening, education, training, pre-and post-flight adaptations are mandatory. • Business opportunities in passenger screening, scientific research, etc. were presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The variety of stressors inherent to space missions and other extreme environments can cause crewmembers to experience complex psychological difficulties. Such conditions will likely become more severe during long-duration space flights, exposing crewmembers to situations of extreme sensory deprivation and loneliness. Means to integrate novelty and reduce monotony in space habitat environments can alleviate the negative psychological impacts of long-term space missions. Although various physical and psychological countermeasures have been successfully implemented in orbital spaceflight, deep space travel poses new challenges that will require existing strategies to be adapted and redesigned, and new solutions to be developed. In this paper, we describe how mixed reality technologies can be used to create and deliver stimuli to the crew by eliciting desired emotional responses and enabling novel design opportunities. • Space missions associated stressors can cause complex psychological difficulties. • Immersive VR technologies used as a psychological countermeasure in space habitats. • Up to date VR and AR technologies are limited to crew training applications. • Space habitat design with integrated MR technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Long space tethers are becoming a rising concern as an alternate way for transportation in space. It benefits from fuel economizing. This paper focuses on the dynamics of the tether transportation system, which consists of two end satellites connected by a flexible tether, and a movable vehicle driven by the actuator carried by itself. The Absolute Nodal Coordinate Formulation is applied to the establishment of the equation of motion, so that the influence caused by the distributed mass and elasticity of the tether is introduced. Moreover, an approximated method for accelerating the calculation of the generalized gravitational forces on the tether is proposed by substituting the volume integral every step into summation of finite terms. Afterwards, dynamic evolutions of such a system in different configurations are illustrated using numerical simulations. The deflection of the tether and the trajectory of the crawler during the transportation is investigated. Finally, the effect on the orbit of the system due to the crawler is revealed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The PATENDER activity (Net parametric characterization and parabolic flight), funded by the European Space Agency (ESA) via its Clean Space initiative, was aiming to validate a simulation tool for designing nets for capturing space debris. This validation has been performed through a set of different experiments under microgravity conditions where a net was launched capturing and wrapping a satellite mock-up. This paper presents the architecture of the thrown-net dynamics simulator together with the set-up of the deployment experiment and its trajectory reconstruction results on a parabolic flight (Novespace A-310, June 2015). The simulator has been implemented within the Blender framework in order to provide a highly configurable tool, able to reproduce different scenarios for Active Debris Removal missions. The experiment has been performed over thirty parabolas offering around 22 s of zero-g conditions. Flexible meshed fabric structure (the net) ejected from a container and propelled by corner masses (the bullets) arranged around its circumference have been launched at different initial velocities and launching angles using a pneumatic-based dedicated mechanism (representing the chaser satellite) against a target mock-up (the target satellite). High-speed motion cameras were recording the experiment allowing 3D reconstruction of the net motion. The net knots have been coloured to allow the images post-process using colour segmentation, stereo matching and iterative closest point (ICP) for knots tracking. The final objective of the activity was the validation of the net deployment and wrapping simulator using images recorded during the parabolic flight. The high-resolution images acquired have been post-processed to determine accurately the initial conditions and generate the reference data (position and velocity of all knots of the net along its deployment and wrapping of the target mock-up) for the simulator validation. The simulator has been properly configured according to the parabolic flight scenario, and executed in order to generate the validation data. Both datasets have been compared according to different metrics in order to perform the validation of the PATENDER simulator. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the last decades developments in space technology paved the way to more challenging missions like asteroid mining, space tourism and human expansion into the Solar System. These missions result in difficult tasks such as guidance schemes for re-entry, landing on celestial bodies and implementation of large angle maneuvers for spacecraft. There is a need for a safety system to increase the robustness and success of these missions. Reachability analysis meets this requirement by obtaining the set of all achievable states for a dynamical system starting from an initial condition with given admissible control inputs of the system. This paper proposes an algorithm for the approximation of nonconvex reachable sets (RS) by using optimal control. Therefore subset of the state space is discretized by equidistant points and for each grid point a distance function is defined. This distance function acts as an objective function for a related optimal control problem (OCP). Each infinite dimensional OCP is transcribed into a finite dimensional Nonlinear Programming Problem (NLP) by using Pseudospectral Methods (PSM). Finally, the NLPs are solved using available tools resulting in approximated reachable sets with information about the states of the dynamical system at these grid points. The algorithm is applied on a generic Moon landing mission. The proposed method computes approximated reachable sets and the attainable safe landing region with information about propellant consumption and time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In human imagination, dreams and expectations, the sequence of “space tourism” has most likely been Moon tourism, Earth orbital tourism and then suborbital tourism. But the sequence in actual development is the reverse: first Earth suborbital tourism, then orbital tourism, and finally Moon tourism. In 1954, three years before the successful launch of the first human artificial satellite, the world's oldest travel company, Thomas Cook in Britain, initiated the “Moon Register.” Enthusiasts could sign an option for a commercial trip to the Moon and the company guaranteed to provide tickets at the earliest possible date. Sixty years later on 31st October 2014, the first SpaceShip Two (SS2) of Virgin Galactic developed for commercial suborbital space tourism (SST) and scientific research crashed at the Mojave Desert in California during test flight. Although the first privately paid space tourist had traveled to the International Space Station in 2001, this was only for millionaires and not the general public. In 2004, although SpaceShipOne won the Ansari X prize and shed the first light on SST, the commercial SST operations originally planned to be realized in 2008 are now long overdue. The SS2 has been just one of the reusable suborbital launch vehicles developed for SST and other purposes, with others including the Lynx, Spaceplane and Dream Chaser. However a tragedy in which the SS2 crashed and caused the sacrifice of one senior test pilot alerted tourists that the long overdue of SST might still be a few years away. The purposes of this paper are to review and discuss the ups and downs of space tourism development in the 60 years from 1954 to 2014, and to look forward to get more clear future from the unveiling of second SS2 on 19th February 2016 and the continuous development of Lynx Mark I. However in any case, there are still many constraints including economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

HyPlane is the Italian aerospaceplane proposal targeting, at the same time, both the space tourism and point-to-point intercontinental hypersonic flights. Unlike other aerospaceplane projects, relying on boosters or mother airplanes that bring the vehicle to high altitude, HyPlane will take off and land horizontally from common runways. According to the current project, HyPlane will fly sub-orbital trajectories under high-supersonic/low-hypersonic continuum flow regimes. It can go beyond the von Karman line at 100 km altitude for a short time, then starting the descending leg of the trajectory. Its aerodynamic behavior up to 70 km have already been studied and the results published in previous works. In the present paper some aspects of the aerodynamic behavior of HyPlane have been analyzed at 80, 90 and 100 km. Computer tests, calculating the aerodynamic parameters, have been carried out by a Direct Simulation Monte Carlo code. The effects of the Knudsen, Mach and Reynolds numbers have been evaluated in clean configuration. The effects of the aerodynamic surfaces on the rolling, pitching and yawing moments, and therefore on the capability to control attitude, have been analyzed at 100 km altitude. The aerodynamic behavior has been compared also with that of another aerospaceplane at 100 km both in clean and flapped configuration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Various cultural-specific names and labels are assigned to someone who travels to space. Some familiar names include: astronaut, cosmonaut, taikonaut, yu hang yuan (“space navigating personnel”), vyomanaut, as well as citizen astronaut, civilian astronaut, space tourist and spaceflight participant. This paper addresses what is in a name? We ask, what are the philosophical and cultural values that are applied in identifying ‘astronaut’? More importantly, why are we identifying them accordingly by these monikers? What are the implications of these labels, on a social, moral and legal level? Moreover, how do spacefaring individuals identify themselves in comparison with popular perceptions? By identifying selected poetic, cultural and legal definitions and terminologies we seek to answer these questions and highlight relevant distinctions and connections between the contextual spheres and definitions. ‘Intersubjectivity’ is also reviewed as an approach for formulating future categories and definitions of ‘astronauts’. Cumulatively, these terms and definitions serve to address pertinent legal, ethical and social implications and consequences for space-faring individuals at the advent of the Commercial Space Age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to provide a basis for assessing the future prospects and challenges of space tourism, this paper begins with a brief overview of the history of space tourism. This is followed by a discussion on market demand and current developments in the academic community, as well as the status of traffic tools, regulations and legalization. In market demand, although studies conducted in 1990s assumed the possibility of 500,000 per year in space tourists and several billion USD of annual revenue, in 2008 a relatively modest 13,000 per year was predicted. At this time traffic transport tools including the Soyuz system, CST-100, DragonRider and International Space Station (ISS) can only provide a few tens in spare seats for space tourists per year compared to the projected 20,000 plus seat capacity of the Lynx, Dream Chaser and SpaceShipTwo (SS2) fleets, which have the potential to conduct their first full suborbital test flight and first commercial flight within the coming decade. Added to this, the US government has only a regulatory regime that supports privately owned suborbital space tourism (SST) and no government funded orbital space tourism (OST). These evidences reveal a very high and advantageous potential for SST to form a space tourism industry in the coming decade, whereas the possibility of OST is relatively low. However, even though the prosperity of SST in the coming years is expectable, its maturity, reliability and safety still need to win the confidence of the general public. For examples, the announcement of changes to fuel used in the SS2 rocket engine in May 2014 and the crash of one SS2 while performing test flight on 31 October 2014 indicated the need for much careful preparation, as any accident in commercial operation could seriously damage or even kill its future prospects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]