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Astronauts4Hire is pleased to present Issue 7 of The A4H News! Feature articles include "Alive & Well in Space", "G-CAP: A Novel Platform for Microgravity Research", "Meet an A4H: Jonna Ocampo", "Simulating Mars", recaps of recent A4H activities, and more!
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THE A4H NEWSFALL 2015
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ASTRONAUTS4HIRE.ORG LAUNCHING ASTRONAUT CAREERS ISSUE 7 FALL 2015
NEWSTHE
The A4H Beat Microgravity Research Meet an A4H Simulating Mars Commercial Space
ALIVE & WELL IN SPACE
FAA’s Dr. Melchor Antuñano on Medicine and Commercial Space
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FOLLOW @ASTRONAUTS4HIRE
THE EDITOR’S SPACEThis is dedicated to those who paid the ultimate price for humanity’s inherent desire to reach beyond our Earthly ties. In October 2014, Virgin Galactic SpaceShipTwo was unable to recover from a catastrophic error and fell from the sky, killing co-pilot Michael Alsbury and severely injuring pilot Peter Siebold. In Greek mythology, Icarus, on wings of feathers and wax, succumbed to hubris and fell into the sea after flying too close to the sun. At times our reach exceeds our ability, but failure teaches the hardest lessons. These astronauts — fully aware of the dangers — suited up, strapped in and took that fateful flight into history like so many before them. We must take these lessons learned and, without fear, move forward to insure their sacrifices were not in vain. Throughout history we have known tremendous challenges and setbacks, but in the darkest hour, we could still exceed our highest expectations. This Editor’s Space is dedicated to the sacrifices, great and small — historic moments and those that pass in silence. I offer a moment of remembrance to the family and friends of Michael Alsbury, as well as those who continue to take up his mantle and march forward.
If you have any questions, comments or suggestions regarding this newsletter or want to advertise with us, please contact us at [email protected].
ABOUT ASTRONAUTS4HIRE Astronauts for Hire is a 501(c)(3) non-profit formed in 2010 to recruit and train qualified scientists and engineers for the rigors of spaceflight. Commonly referred to as “A4H,” the organization conducts a range of activities related to commercial astronaut workforce development. A4H’s principal service is to train members as professional astronaut candidates who can assist researchers, payload develop-ers, and spaceflight providers with mission planning and operations support.
Interested in hiring A4H for a research project, training your workforce on scientific subor-bital flight, or partnering with A4H? Contact us at
Contributions to A4H are tax-deductible (EIN: 27-2360828). If you are interested in supporting A4H’s inspiring mission at the forefront of the commercial space frontier, please contact us at
Jeremy [email protected]
Gerry [email protected]
Brian [email protected]
THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS
Aaron [email protected]
Jeremy Guin
Susan [email protected]
Casey [email protected]
The Arete STEM Project
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Image: Eric Erbe, United States Department of Agricutlure
ALIVE & WELL IN SPACE
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Dr. Antuñano is currently the Director of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Civil Aerospace Medical Institute (CAMI) in Oklahoma City, OK. He provides executive direction and is responsible for the administration of FAA Office of Aerospace Medicine programs in Medical Certification, Medical Education, Medical Research, Human Factors Research, and Occupational Health Services.
A4H: Tell us more about your background and involvement in the aerospace industry.
MA: What can I tell you, besides that it is so much fun to do what I do. I like to tell people, I don’t have a job. I have a hobby that pays. I love what I do and I am surrounded by people that love what they do.
When I was young, I wanted to become a doctor and a pilot and I wanted to become an astronaut but because of my eyesight, I wasn’t able to qualify as a professional astronaut. Eventually, I came to work for the FAA and I was in charge of all the training programs for aerospace medicine specialists who conduct the physical exams for all pilots and I also coordinated high-altitude physiology training for pilots and all the safety aspects of those programs.
When I became the Center Director it really expanded the scope of the work I was doing, which was serendipitous considering that back in 1995, the U.S. Department of Transportation transferred the responsibility to regulate all commercial space transportation to the FAA. It was serendipitous because I and several of my colleagues had already prepared a position paper on the role of the prior Office of Aviation Medicine, in support of the Office of Commercial Space Transportation. You know, it was one of those things when you get a call from headquarters asking for what kind of help we can provide to them and can you let us know what should be our role, as an organization, in support of commercial space. In less than 15 minutes I sent them a white paper so they knew exactly what we were going to do, what kind of services, what were the critical areas related to medicine, safety and research.
Since that point in time, we have interacted significantly with the Office of Commercial Space Transportation by initially developing the guide for medical screening for both orbital and suborbital astronauts in 1998. We continued to work towards developing the rules and regulations to govern the medical aspects that are related to commercial space transportation and we also started working with those developing private sector organizations such as CAMI, the Aerospace Medical Association, the Space Medicine Society, the International Academy of Astronautics in the Life Sciences Commission, and even the Space Tourism Association.
FAA’s Dr. Melchor Antuñano on Medicine and Commercial SpaceAn Interview by Dr. Susan Jewell
Originally aired on The Space Clinic Show with Dr. Jewell on April 21, 2014
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One of the most recent private sector organizations to develop a group dedicated toward medical issues within space is the International Association for the Advancement of Space Safety. I would say the latest organization, spearheaded by the FAA, that is set to influence future regulations concerning the medical aspects of commercial space transportation, is the establishment of the Center for Excellence in Commercial Space Transportation. This is a consortium of universities that are provided funding, from the FAA, to conduct research and in turn, provide those results and findings back to the FAA. The most important report to date, provided by the Center for Excellence, is on flight crew medical standards and space flight participant medical acceptance guidelines. That report is a consolidation of everything we have produced over the last 12-15 years and has become the latest accepted set of guidelines as it relates to medical aspects of commercial space transportation.
A4H: Your department works with many organizations. Do you see a bigger global or national presence for CAMI on aerospace medical safety rules and regulations?
MA: I would say both. You have the FAA within the United States and, for example, you have the European Aviation Safety Administration, or EASA. EASA has created a sub group within their organization to address what would be the regulatory governance as far as commercial space operations in Europe. At this point in time, the European group is centered only on being concerned with regulating commercial space
FLIGHT CREW MEDICAL
STANDARDS AND SPACEFLIGHT
PARTICIPANT MEDICAL
ACCEPTANCE GUIDELINES FOR
COMMERCIAL SPACEFLIGHT
CLICK TO VIEW PDF
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vehicles that have wings. This is likely to change with time but at the moment this is Europe’s stance. In other areas of the world, like Africa, there lacks any concentrated efforts. In Latin America, you have a few pockets of interest like in Brazil and Chile. Mexico established their first space agency a few years ago. There is substantial interest in Asia especially if you go to Singapore who is currently attempting to position itself as the space hub for all of commercial space operations for that region of the world. Even in Europe you have places like Sweden, which have launch facilities who would like to see commercial space operations develop. So what you have are different activities at the government level, then you have professional societies at the local levels like the Aerospace Medical Association, Space Medical Society, then you have the international level that incorporates the International Academy of Astronautics and the International Academy of Aviation and Space Medicine. Plus you have the Pan-Pacific Society for Space Medicine that covers Southern Asia, Australia and New Zealand. You have the professional groups working, you have the government groups working and you also have consortiums from the private industries, all working towards solutions.
A4H: How do you see upcoming players in the commercial space sector, like China and Russia, contributing in a global effort to further space exploration?
MA: To start with, China is still focused on ground-based operations and outside of that we have very limited information. Russia is a different story. If you truly think about who has truly made the case for applying a feasible business model to the commercialization of space transportation then that would be Russia through their Space Adventures program. Even though you have companies like Space X who have recently won considerable size contracts based on commercial payload transportation services, when it comes to the human side, Russia is ahead. So speaking strictly from the commercial side, Russia has made the most gains in that sector.
A4H: Do you see organizations like CAMI playing more significant roles in the commercial spaceflight industry?
MA: CAMI has played an important role but to a greater extent, the FAA has positioned itself to play a dual role. We have the authority to regulate and we also have the responsibility to promote the commercial space industry. This makes it a very interesting and very challenging situation in that we, the FAA, are tasked with ensuring safety operations but at the same time you have to make sure you don’t become a burden to the industry in that we interfere with the industries commercial success. Being very active at a very early stage in developing the medical screening practices that the commercial
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industry now use, allowed us to become a reliable and credible reference for the commercial space industry as they began to move forward with their operations. It actually came as a surprise to us when the commercial industry became more conservative and restrictive in their practices than what we had recommended.
I see in the near future the redefining of the term “astronaut” in order to identify the difference between that of an operative astronaut, from that of a tourist. Do you see CAMI, or the FAA, playing a role in developing training programs, or certifications, for those different classes of “new astronaut’s”?
From my perspective I see two very different groups of astronauts. You have obviously the flight crew who are the professional individuals responsible for the vehicle, the safety of the flight and all flight related operations. In that case, the FAA has already played a role in defining what is required, which is a Class II FAA certificate for all sub-orbital flights. The discussion that is ongoing at this moment is concerned with orbital flight and if those flight crews should be classified as Class II or Class I. The other group is the space flight participates which are your “passengers”; these are your payloads specialist, scientist and other non-flight crew members. Now what this allows is for those spaceflight participants to be broken down into more flexible sub-categories. The specific terms “mission specialist” and “payload specialist” are terms that came from NASA and other government agencies but these terms
are not important. What is important is “what is the individuals’ role” within the overall space flight. Basically, you will have those that will fly and those that will ride.
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A4H: Progressing from sub-orbital and orbital flight to projects on the scale of ISS, who do you see governing or regulating those types of research labs and habitats?
MA: The Space Treaty of the 1960’s, which outlines the common use of space and dictates no ownership of any celestial bodies, started the initial regulatory guidelines and was driven by the United Nations. This eventually led to other developments and agreements that concerned the retrieval and rescue of astronauts, liability and third party damage in space. So there have already been some steps towards regulatory practices by the international community but right now we do not have an identified regulatory commission for space outside of the United Nations. Some have discussed creating an International Civil Aviation Organization, ICAO, for space but the important question goes back to “what can we do” and “what do we have the right to do”. As it stands today, the FAA for U.S. operations in commercial space states that once an object is launched into space the FAA Office of Commercial Space Transportation does not have regulatory authority from that point on. How this is likely to change will depend upon how the United Nations will perceive the role as far as promoting the development of commercial space operations. This means that the United Nations will have to redefine some of the language of the original Space Treaty to define ownership, if any, of any potential resources that could be extracted by a corporation. This will lead to some very interesting debates in space law.
A4H: Can you give us more insight into why CAMI was formed and the programs they offer?
MA: In 1962, CAMI was formed with 5 main areas of responsibility to include two research divisions, aerospace medicine research and aerospace human factors research, which support the medical certification program, which covers about 600,000 civilian pilots just in the United States. We have about 3,500 doctors under our different programs in 93 countries around the world who conduct the physical exams for pilots and crews. We also offer high-altitude physiology training where we simulate the compressions and rapid decompressions, which are unique environments experienced by those working in the aviation community. This training and certification is very similar to the same training required by spaceflight participants and sub-orbital flight crews. Plus, our training programs are readily viewable and available in the FAA Commercial Human Space Flight Training Survey, which identifies universities and private sector entities that have applicable or similar space flight training programs. This document can be readily accessed at the FAA website. Not only do we have the infrastructure available but we also offer courses besides the physiology training which target global survival that encompass polar survival, desert survival and water survival and these are free of charge, of course depending upon availability and resources. We are currently developing a specific course that is based on aerospace
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physiology which will have space physiology and space human factors aspect that will be embedded in that course.
All dates, courses and aspects of the training can be retrieved on the FAA website http://www.faa.gov/training_testing/
A4H: Does the FAA work directly with the commercial space industry companies to develop the procedures and regulations for vehicles they are launching into space?
MA: We do cooperate in several activities and seeing how we are a regulatory agency obviously we are the ones who develop the standards and requirements but, at this point in time, for commercial space vehicles, we do not have certification standards as opposed to those in commercial aviation. We license the vehicles but it should be known that there is a big difference between licensing and certifying. But we do have a lot of commercial industries that send their engineers and staff through our training courses and in turn they are provided with credible and vetted information that they take back and implement within their companies in regards to safety. It is truly a partnership in regards to learning and training between the FAA and the commercial space industry companies.
A4H: For those interested in becoming an “operative astronaut”, as opposed to a space tourist, what recommendations and advice would you give?
MA: Considering history, we have many lessons learned from NASA and other government training criteria and experiences but at this point in time those individual commercial space industry operators are the ones determining specifications based on the type of vehicle they have, the mission they are planning and the safety standards within their own companies. What it boils down to is the specific design of the vehicles used, with the general understanding of human physiological in space. There was a recent attempt by the FAA through the Research, Engineering and Development Advisory Committee (REDAC) and the sub-group, called the ROV working group, which produced a report called “The Commercial Human Space Operations Training Standards”. This document made recommendations regarding the training of different personal to cover astronauts, mechanics, space controllers, flight operations and any other personal dealing with vehicle operations not covered in this list. Obviously, nothing beats practical experience, that’s why it is important that the individuals are trained on the particular vehicle and the particular mission. At this point in time we really don’t have anything set in stone but the conversations are being conducted and recommendations are being taken.
A4H: Do you see CAMI playing a role in certifying commercial astronauts?
MA: At this time, no. We are not certifying the space industry we are only licensing
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and that should be one of the conversations that we need to have to define the difference between licensing and certifying. Of course this is also one of the ways in which we promote the commercial space industry in which we allow brand new technologies to come into play to push the industry. At this point we do not certify the spaceflight participants, only the space flight crews. The commercial space industry itself is spearheading the requirements for spaceflight participants at this point in time.
A4H: Touching on your statement about new technology coming into play to push the commercial space industry, can you expand on “exponential technology” as it relates to space-based medicine?
MA: “Exponential technology” shows a logarithmic curve instead of a linear progression. So from the technological point of view, what has enabled us to have these exponential advances across the board dates back to the establishment of the computer. One of the classic examples of exponential development deals with Moore’s Law, where they indicated at the beginning of the first transistors, based on silicon, you could expect on an average of every 12 to 16 months, a doubling of computing capacity of transistors, or in today’s case microchips, until you reach the limitation of silicon. Of course over the last ten years someone has always came out every year and said, well that’s the end of Moore’s Law, you have reached the limit of silicon. Of course, chip manufactures keep finding new ways to continue Moore’s Law.
This draws me to my particular attention to what is happening in medicine as it relates to exponential development. You have many examples like the mapping of the human genome which was a billion dollar project when it was completed and now you can buy equipment that can do the same process for in the $3,000-$4,000 range. Some companies today are developing new technology to bring that price down to the $100 range. For example, companies are conducting genetic screening for $100 which lets the individual know what he/she is genetically predisposed. What if you conduct a genetic screening for long term space based missions? You could identify a preventive medical treatment now and utilize it throughout the duration of the mission.
A4H: In closing, what are your thoughts on the future of space exploration?
MA: I am a firm believer that the long-term survival of the human race will depend upon our capability to leave our planet and colonize other planets and go beyond our own solar system. Our future is determined by the fact that one day our sun will come to an end. This is a very long time away but at the same time that is our future and we need to be taking the steps now to leave. So now we are discussing generations being born, generation after generation, in differing environments and how this will affect our physiology along with
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our psychology also. It boils down to we need to do a lot more research at every level.
A4H: What is your thought on the current analog and mission simulation training sites such as MDRS or Concordia? Would CAMI be interested in working with those organizations?
MA: There is a huge benefit for the use of such resources as the analog sites due to the type of environments we will experience in space especially when it comes to isolation and psychological effects. On the other hand, there are still considerable restrictions with analog especially when it comes to zero gravity. Zero gravity is extremely difficult to simulate and can truly only be experienced. On the whole I think the analog simulation resources that are currently available, depending upon their focus, are a tremendous asset.
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BY BRIAN SHIRO
Dear friends,
Five years ago after being inspired by the burgeoning op-portunities in commercial spaceflight, a small group came together to forge a common vision. We created A4H to provide a professional development support structure for aspiring astronauts in the era of commercial spaceflight. Our goal was to create an organization to help create job oppor-tunities for this new breed of astronaut.
In the years that followed, A4H has done many things in the areas of research, training, and outreach. All fit within the framework of increasing opportunity in spaceflight. We have flown parabolic microgravity research flight campaigns, completed training programs with our partners NASTAR, Survival Systems USA, SIRIUS, and PoSSUM, and we’ve in-spired kids to reach for their dreams through art. Our mem-bers have flown experiments on the International Space Station, started companies together, and found astronaut related jobs with companies like Virgin Galactic.
Now A4H is poised on a new horizon. Through our Life Sciences, Physical Sciences, and Earth Sciences working groups, we are focused on developing research competen-cies and mission opportunities. Project PoSSUM grew from A4H, and we want to foster more initiatives like it in other fields of study.
To achieve this goal, we are working towards hosting the NewSpace Researchers Workshop (NSRW) in 2016. This will be a chance for A4H to make a big impact on the research
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and education segment of the commercial spaceflight industry by helping researchers develop more flight exper-iments. This will grow demand for flight opportunities and help ensure there is a steady stream of projects ready to fly for years to come. The NSRW will be a very hands-on event that gives participants direct access to seasoned mentors who have a track record of successful flight campaigns. We hope this helps provide a crucible to advance experiments from idea to flight and collect best practices together so that new researchers can learn from those who came before.
The recent Virgin Galactic and Orbital Sciences disasters showed us just how dangerous space access can be. Our hearts went out to everyone affected. These setbacks are learning opportunities that will help to strengthen reliability and safety of space launch services in the years to come. Whether this slows the pace of development and eventual commercial passenger flights remains to be seen, but when-ever that day does arrive, A4H will be ready.
A4H membership has steadily grown to about 180 people from all over the world, and I feel privileged to know each and every one of them. The collective talent and experience represented by the A4H network is staggering and points to the great potential this organization has to offer as an incubator for ideas. Below, some members share their recent
accomplishments.
Onward,
Brian Shiro A4H President and CEO
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Member Updates
Rick Addante was promoted to 2nd Lieutenant in the
Dallas Composite Squadron of the Civil Air Patrol and also
accepted a faculty position in the School of Behavioral
and Brain Sciences at the University of Texas at Dallas.
In addition to teaching classes, he authored two publi-
cations in the journal Neuroimage on how brain activity
prior to learning relates to memory and a new discovery
about the role the hippocampus plays in unconscious
memory.
Brennan Callan has continued his design work on
equipment he calls “Airbags for Ultralights” that will help
improve survivability of ultralight aircraft crashes. He also
teamed up with A4H member Jonna Ocampo to produce
a short film about her research project CD-SEAS.
Troy Cole attended the Future Space Leaders Conference
and the Michael P. Anderson Foundation Day to excite
middle school students about space. He was also inter-
viewed for a documentary film called “Dreams Aloft” to air
starting this summer.
Tanya Estes completed the Phase 1 Army Space Qual-
ification course, which pertains to how space assets fit
into the Army’s mission. She coordinated and hosted the
NewSpace Researchers Workshop (NSRW) webinar series
in the spring and will be spending her summer in Korea
and hopes to work on some apps for Google Glass in
microgravity.
Michael Gallagher continues to practice rural family
medicine while also pursuing aeromedicine. He is taking
part in this summer’s month-long UTMB Principles of
Aviation and Space Medicine short course in Houston and
was invited to speak about Mars 365 at the International
Space Development Conference.
Amnon Govrin was a guest on The Space Show on 31
A B O V E Bill Tandy worked with an international team of students at the CalTech Space Challenge at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory to design an asteroid retrieval mission.
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October 2014 where he discussed a post on his blog
paralleling Microsoft and NASA.
Heidi Hammerstein participated in the PoSSUM training
and started a new job recently at Gulfstream Aerospace.
Mindy Howard was a keynote speaker at the Mars
Hashtag Meetup held in Leiden, The Netherlands. The
topic of the event was the psychology of long-duration
isolation for Mars astronauts.
Nicholas Jewell is a teacher at Stanford University’s
Digital Media Academy and will serve as a Counselor at
the U.S. Space and Rocket Center’s Space Camp in Hunts-
ville, Alabama later this year. He was offered an internship
position at Made In Space.
Susan Jewell has had a very busy year with a number
of projects, such as founding the Space Surgery
Institute and Mars Without Borders. These initiatives
came together on MDRS Mission #145, which she co-
commanded while leading projects on telesurgery,
teleanesthesia, and 3D printing of surgical tools. Dr.
Jewell’s efforts resulted in her being the 2015 recipient
of the Aerospace Medical Association’s prestigious
Marie Marvingt Award for Excellence and Innovation
in Aerospace Medicine. She will spend the summer at
Singularity University’s Graduate Studies Program at
NASA Ames on a Google scholarship. Dr. Jewell was also
accepted to attend the FAA Civil Aerospace Medical
Institute training program. Susan will join a NASA
Human Exploration Research Analog (HERA) mission as a
crewmember after that and will join the biomedical team
for the upcoming Austrian Space Forum Mars Analog
Mission AMADEE-15 as well.
Angelo Keravalos is currently working with groups at
NASA Ames and San Jose State University to develop a
heat shield and oxygen recycling system with the Insti-
tute for Medical and Biological Problems.
Michael Parkhill taught classes in Astrobiology and
Space Science for high school seniors at Era High School
and college students at North Central Texas College. He
also mentored a local third grade student’s science proj-
ect. As a Commercial Spaceflight Federation SARG Am-
bassador, he gave a presentation on commercial space to
the Texas Wing Conference in Dallas in April. Speaking of
“Federation”, Michael has enjoyed a playing the recurring
role of Captain Nelson in the independent Star Trek web
series Starship Grissom produced by Starbase Studios in
Oklahoma City. The goal of the series is to utilize lesson
plans, worksheets, and assessments to promote STEM-
based education.
Aaron Persad graduated from his doctoral degree in Me-
chanical and Industrial Engineering at the University of
Toronto in November 2014. He is currently a postdoctoral
fellow in the Thermodynamics and Kinetics Lab working
on experiments for the Story Time from Space NASA mis-
B E L O W Susan Jewell is joined by Michael Gallagher after she received the Aerospace Medical Association’s Marie Marvingt Award for Excellence and Innovation in Aerospace Medicine.
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A B O V E Michael Parkhill mentored a local third grade student’s science project.
sion and the European Space Agency Microgravity Appli-
cations Project on Evaporation and Condensation. He also
joined Integrated Spaceflight Services as the Manager of
Microgravity Operations, and was hired in February 2015
by NuPhysics Consulting Ltd as an engineer and special-
ist in phase change kinetics. He also served on the local
organizing committee of the National Space Society’s
2015 International Space Development Conference, held
in Toronto, Canada in May. (drop tower experiment)
Jason Reimuller has been very busy managing the
dramatic growth of Project PoSSUM, which held its
first training program in February at Embry-Riddle
Aeronautical University in Florida. His other company
Integrated Spaceflight Systems has also enjoyed a string
of successes, having been selected by NASA as a payload
integrator and microgravity flight provider in the Flight
Opportunities Program.
Ann-Sofie Schreurs completed a two-week mission on
Crew #149 at the Mars Desert Research Station (MDRS) in
February.
Erik Seedhouse continues his prolific authorship of
space-related books, with recently released titles “Be-
yond Human: Engineering Our Future Evolution”, “Bi-
gelow Aerospace: Colonizing Space One Module at a
Time”, “Survival and Sacrifice in Mars Exploration: What
We Know from Polar Expeditions”, “Virgin Galactic: The
First Ten Years”, and “Visually-Induced Intracranial Hyper-
tension.” Other upcoming titles that bring his current
portfolio to 24 books include “Mars via the Moon”, “XCOR”,
and “VASIMIR.” Erik has been on The Space Show several
times to promote his books, including 15 September, 24
November, 11 May, and 1 June. Erik presented work at the
Space Generation Conference in Toronto, Next Giant Leap
Conference in Hawaii, the Space Access Society in Phoe-
nix, and International Space Development Conference in
Los Angeles. In between, Erik continues triathlon training,
coaching, and racing. He placed 15th in his age group
at the World 70.3 Championships in Mont Tremblant.
His company Suborbital Training signed a MOU with the
Arete STEM Project to be the Canadian Payload Broker for
XCOR flights and is now taking reservations.
Brian Shiro participated in a NASA-funded 10-day Na-
tional Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) expedition in
Wyoming to evaluate HI-SEAS crewmember finalists. Their
expedition overlapped with an almost identical one by
the 2012 NASA ASCAN class in the same area, and both
groups enjoyed getting to know one another. He is the
2015 recipient of the Stearns Fellowship to carry out a
lava tube study under analog Mars mission conditions as
part of his Ph.D. research. Brian also attended the Next
Giant Leap Conference as well as the American Geo-
physical Union meeting and has been actively planning
and promoting A4H’s upcoming NewSpace Researchers
Workshop event.
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Casey Stedman was promoted to the rank of Major in the
US Air Force, where he currently serves as a Future Opera-
tions Analyst at headquarters, 18th Air Force at Scott AFB,
Illinois. He was recognized by the US Air Force for reaching
2,500 mishap free hours of flying time. Casey was also se-
lected by the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory to take part
in the Solar System Ambassador public outreach program.
Bill Tandy participated in the CalTech Space Challenge,
where he was the team manager for 15 amazing inter-
national students to design an asteroid retrieval mission.
At JPL, they took behind-the-scenes tours and met with
industry representatives such as Garrett Reisman from
SpaceX and Lt. Gen. Larry James, the deputy director
of JPL.
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G-CAPA4H AND CAPSTONE DESIGN TEAM DEVELOP G-CAP : A NOVEL PLATFORM FOR CONDUCTING MICROGRAVITY RESEARCH
BY AARON PERSAD
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A multidisciplinary team of five mechanical and electrical engineering stu-
dents at the University of Toronto worked since September 2014 to build a
portable device to conduct A4H microgravity experiments. The device is called
a gravity-capsule (or G-CAP) and consists of four subsystems: an outer contain-
er, an experiment platform, a data acquisition system, and a video camera.
Abdulla Ba Wazir, the design and production lead, used the technique of
plastic welding to construct the outer box. The outer container provides the
overall structure and sealed enclosure for the device.
The G-CAP is designed to accommodate payloads in the form of cubes. The
cubes are custom designed for G-CAP and have a length of 20 cm. Any ex-
periment studied in G-CAP must fit within one of these cubes. The maximum
mass of a payload is 3 kg. The experiment platform, designed by Junjun Gu,
secures the cubes within the outer box in a way that minimizes vibration of
the experiments. This G-CAP subsystem’s design was iterated to optimize the
payload securing mechanism to be simpler and quicker to operate.
Misha Shreeram is G-CAP’s electronic systems lead, working with integrat-
ing sensor and data acquisition systems. The G-CAP is equipped with three
single-axis acceleration and rotation sensors, and can also monitor ambient
temperature and relative humidity. The data acquisition system is built using
an Arduino Uno board programmed with the ability to time-stamp each read-
ing, allowing sensor data to be synched with video recordings.
The G-CAP uses a GoPro camera to record HD video of experiments. Dihua
Diao and Rameez Khan managed the camera and its subsystems. They were
tasked with designing a lightweight, sturdy mount that enables appropriate
camera positioning for each payload. Payload dynamics is an essential — and
never undervalued — component of any space-based mission.
The G-CAP was commissioned as a capstone design project by A4H Flight
Member Aaron Persad in collaboration with the NSERC Chair in Multidisci-
plinary Engineering Design at the University of Toronto’s Institute for Multi-
disciplinary Design & Innovation (UT-IMDI), and the APS490 Multidisciplinary
Engineering Design Capstone Course. The team is supervised by Professor
Gabriele D’Eleuterio who leads the Space Robotics Group at the University of
Toronto Institute for Aerospace Studies (UTIAS). The G-CAP was built within a
strict budget of $500 CAD and was revealed to the public in a showcase event
at Victoria University, Alumni Hall, on March 30, 2015.
The capstone team recently submitted an abstract based on their progressive
P R E V I O U S CAD model of the G-CAP, showing the camera, the inner cube, and the data acquisition unit in red.
THE A4H NEWSFALL 2015
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design work to the 2015 International Astronautical Congress Young Profes-
sionals Virtual Forum. The G-CAP may have its foundation as just another class
project, but it has developed into a tool that the capstone team believes can
be useful for astronaut training and can also advance payload research con-
ducted in near free fall environments.
A B O V E The G-CAP Capstone Team (left to right): Misha Shreeram, Junjun Gu, A4H Flight Member Aaron Persad, Abdullah Ba Wazir, Dihua Diao, and Rameez Khan.
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Jonna OcampoMEET AN A4H
BY JEREMY GUIN
THE A4H NEWSFALL 2015
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When did you first develop your passion for science?
I first developed an interest for science during high school, for chemistry and
physics, and in college, for math. When selected as a Texas Aerospace Scholar
my interest turned to passion. At JSC, I was part of a team that took part in the
Mission to Mars Project with the end result of building a working, miniaturized
rover as part of the robotics group.
What first ignited your zeal for becoming a commercial astronaut?
Being a Texas Aerospace Scholar
was my tipping point for wanting
to become an astronaut, and I took
action to follow this dream. I became
a volunteer member of the Auxiliary
for the U.S. Air Force with the Civil Air
Patrol. I served as a First Lieutenant,
Public Affairs Officer and a Mission
Scanner, as part of fire watch missions
over North Texas. Later, I returned
to college to strengthen my science
skills. During this time, a chance
meeting with Brian Shiro reignited my
focus, purpose, and desire for space
travel. I joined Astronauts for Hire as
an Associate Member, contributed as
a co-author of “Fitness Assessments
and Exercise Training for Suborbital
Astronauts at NSRC” in California,
2012 and co-author for the poster “Long-Term Stability of Nutrients Inside and
Outside of the Body on Long-Duration Spaceflights” at the 65th Astronautical
Conference in Toronto, 2014. Preparation met opportunity with the selection by
Jason Reimuller as a Scientist-Astronaut Candidate for Project PoSSUM.
Your academic pursuits paralleled a diverse, physically demanding regime including world-class competitive powerlifting. How have these challenges prepared you for becoming a commercial astronaut?
The intensity of a college education allows one the opportunity to learn any-
thing. I have a B.A. from Fairleigh Dickinson University, New Jersey and I am now
taking pre-med classes in order to pursue medical school next year. As an in-
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ternational competitor in the sport of powerlifting, you are selected as the best
in your weight class to compete for the United States. The rigors of this athletic
training and the time under tension of heavy weight lifting happen under similar
conditions as the Anti-G Straining Maneuver that is required during space flight.
You recently completed the PoSSUM (Polar Suborbital Science In The Upper Mesosphere) astronaut training program. Give us your first person account of the training and how it prepared you for possible space missions?
During one part of the PoSSUM Astronaut Training Program, we went through
hypoxia training in a high-altitude chamber. The first task of the training was to
recognize your individual signs of experiencing low oxygen saturation levels in
your body. The second task was to don your oxygen mask in order to restore nor-
mal oxygen levels in your body. The training objective are met when the trainee
can perform these tasks in terms of accuracy, completeness and speed.
As a member of the Astronauts For Hire Aeromedical Committee, you review and research cutting edge work in the field. What is a current or developing “game changer” for human physiology research related to space?
A game changer would be the creation and testing of new antibiotics during
spaceflight since pathogens are more virulent during spaceflight. I want to
contribute to this future through my current biomedical research in the field of
organic chemistry. My current research showed that many of the lab 16-synthe-
sized chalcone compounds were as successful and effective against bacteria as
the known control of sulfanilamide. Future research will be performed, expand-
ed, and modified to be relevant to spaceflight for the purpose and creation of
B E L O W Jonna Ocampo is joined by her mentor, Cdr. Ronnie Nader, EXA Cosmonaut, Space Operations Director for the Ecuadorian Space Agency.
THE A4H NEWSFALL 2015
25
new antimicrobials, anti-bacterial and/or antivirals, which are not only essen-
tial for astronauts but also for new treatments on Earth.
Your contributions to the scientific community is beyond reproach but you have also contributed greatly to the social sciences field with you work in the juvenile advocacy and public policy arena. Has working in one field made you better equipped to make greater changes in the other?
Working with the Juvenile Conference Committee for the Superior Court of
New Jersey, conducting political constituent work in Jersey City, New Jersey,
and being mission scanner qualified, and a Public Affairs Officer for the Civil Air
Patrol allowed me to develop a diverse set of skills necessary to work in the de-
manding career field of science and spaceflight. These experiences enabled me
to easily transition from one field to the other and the skills were transferrable.
In closing, what do you see as one of our greatest obstacles, technological, public policy, or other, to garnering global acceptance of the commercialization of space?
The greatest obstacles, whether it is technological, public policy, or other
entity to garner the global acceptance of commercialization of space flight is
based on the subjectivity of the individual. Public policies are subject to be
modified and therefore, it would be proactive to become educated and well-
versed about policy in order to prepare for current and future challenges. With
technological challenges in obtaining global acceptance, you have to solve a
problem and fulfill a need. That need may be to provide suborbital flights for
such things as natural disasters in providing supplies and to quickly assess the
information and operations that are necessary during a crisis. Global accep-
tance can be determined by many metrics and the needs may be for such
things as scientific research, potential humanitarian relief, or even for a person-
al luxury flight. Overall, the needs are subjective and the overall goal is deter-
mined by supply and demand, which currently has its own set of limitations.
Please elaborate on the benefits of joining school or professional organizations, like Astronauts For Hire, for readers who are students in high school or in college.
There are benefits for high school and college students who are interested
in science, research, and spaceflight to join organizations like Astronauts for
Hire and Project PoSSUM. Through these organizations, students are provided
with interactive engagements, mentorship, and activities with professionals
in the field. This can be both rewarding and significant for students because
these specific opportunities may not be available or attainable in their current
school environment.
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SIMULATING
LIFE IN THE HAWAII SPACE EXPLORATION AND ANALOG SIMULATION
BY CASEY STEDMAN
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THERE WAS NO SOUND…but I could perceive the porous volcanic rocks compress beneath my booted feet. Cooling fans and the occasional crackle of radio transmissions inundated my sense of sound. The bulky analog trainer spacesuit I wore narrowed my perception of the outside environment. Limited in my senses, I became aware of the factors I could experience fully: the unstable sense of balance in the suit, the strain on my shoulders, knees, and neck from the weight of the suit, my fatigue, and an anxious desire to reach that EVA’s objective.
Last year, I took part in the second Hawaii Space Explo-
ration and Analog Simulation (HI-SEAS). NASA’s Human
Research Program (HRP) investigates the potential and
limitations of human performance in spaceflight. HRP,
through grants, has supported numerous analog space
mission studies, including HI-SEAS.
Analog simulations offer researchers an approximation of
the conditions similar to, but not exactly like those of the
intended objective. They include a basic set of scientific
objectives but widely differ in terms of design. An analog
can take many forms, and many sites have been used to
simulate the conditions found on the planet Mars. The
Mars Society maintains and operates two such analogs,
the Mars Desert Research Station (MDRS) in Utah, and the
Flashline Mars Analog Research Station (FMARS), in the
Canadian Arctic. A joint ESA-Roscosmos project known as
Mars500 simulated the duration, if not the environment,
of a human Mars mission. NASA itself has conducted an-
alog studies through the HRP, including Desert RATS and
PIECES, also in Hawaii.
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I’ve long had an interest in participating in an analog
mission, but many factors prevented me from applying.
The first HI-SEAS mission, having taken place the year be-
fore, barely caught my attention before it was completed.
Encouraged by friends and people I’ve met in the scienc-
es, I applied for the second crew with reserved optimism.
After a series of interviews, it came as a welcome surprise
to be notified that I had been selected! Before flying to
Hawaii, I was notified that I would be the Mission Com-
mander for the simulation. Not unaccustomed to lead-
ing small teams (I often serve as a mission commander
during in my occupation as military aviator), I was most
excited to meet the rest of the crew.
The crew consisted of six, including myself. It was a di-
verse representation of different nationalities and scien-
tific backgrounds. It featured a Canadian experimental
physicist, a French aerospace engineer, a space studies
graduate student from the University of North Dakota, a
clinical psychologist from Indiana, and a chemical en-
gineer from New York who works for NASA at Kennedy
Space Center in Florida. The mission support team was
also an incredible collection of accomplished individuals,
operating from locations around the world. One thing
connected all of us together — an overwhelming passion
for developing human spaceflight
The HI-SEAS habitat module is situated on the slope
of Mauna Loa volcano on the Big Island of Hawaii. Not
unlike Mars’ Tharsis volcanic region, Mauna Loa is a large
basaltic shield volcano, something unique among analog
simulation sites on Earth. Rugged lava flows spread for
miles in every direction of the structure, offering not only
isolation from human interference, but also a nearly life-
less terrain for simulated extra-vehicular activities (EVAs).
Far from the cities, highways, even air traffic, the habitat
module truly is a remote research station.
For the crew living inside the habitat (or hab, for short),
life consisted of investigating various aspects of human
spaceflight dilemmas, as well as being the subject of
research. Every member of the crew brought a field of
B E L O W A4H Member Casey Stedman joins other HI-SEAS crewmembers inside the Mars-analog habitat module.
29
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study and experiments to conduct for the duration of the
simulation. At the same time, the crew themselves were
being studied by researchers around the world. Our daily
lives — what we ate, how we managed stress, and how
we interacted as a team were the reason HI-SEAS exists.
While other programs seek to find technological solutions
to the issues surrounding Mars exploration, HI-SEAS seeks
to identify human factors that need to be understood
before a mission can be launched.
Not unlike astronauts aboard the International Space Sta-
tion (ISS), human research studies involved often tedious
and sometimes personal impositions into our lives during
the mission. Each crewmember was issued a wireless tab-
let where we answered surveys regarding our thoughts,
feelings, and perceptions of nearly everything that took
place, several times each day. Initial studies included thor-
ough records of our weight and diet (hampered some-
what by technology, which limited its ability to transmit
data). Each crewmember also wore a badge that electron-
ically recorded our proximity to other crewmembers — a
measure of our interactions. The awkwardness of having
the device wore off quickly, and their presence wasn’t
hard to adapt to. Additionally, we participated in biweek-
ly sessions of an interactive game that conveyed the
effectiveness of our cooperation, or lack thereof, based on
the score. Each game was preceded and followed by the
collection of saliva to record cortisol levels relating to the
interaction. Finally, regular cognitive tests were adminis-
tered, reminiscent of the spatial and pattern recognition
tests given to military aviator candidates before begin-
ning flight training.
Another aspect of the simulation were tasks given to the
crew by our mission support team. Like flight controllers
requesting actions to be taken by astronauts aboard ISS,
the crew and I would be given direction to determine
answers to a specific investigative problems. Some of
these involved interpreting geologic features, or analysis
of in-situ resource utilization. Because of the nature of
the study, I cannot disclose details, but each task we were
directed to complete related directly to issues future Mars
explorers will need to overcome.
One aspect of the simulation I looked forward to the most
was the EVAs. Although the analog trainer spacesuits
used by the program were not completely functional
replicas, they were excellent at inhibiting the senses and
providing a sense of physical strain. Even at the high
elevation, exertion in the suits necessitated a function-
ing cooling system. Manipulating tools and electronics
was challenging, but the crew adapted during the mis-
sion. One unanticipated advantage of the suits was the
protection they offered from rocks, most of which could
lacerate exposed skin. Perhaps the most important thing
the EVAs provided was a chance to explore the surround-
ings. Although we were on Earth, the once violent past
that created the landscape near the hab made it appear
alien — only the blue skies above us betrayed the truth.
The four month mission, for me, followed a classic story
arc. In the beginning, I got to know my fellow crewmates
and support team members — characters in the story.
Then we grew as a team when we began to face our
adversaries. In this story, our enemies were the problems
future Martian explorers might face: equipment failures,
challenging tasks, stress and uncertainty. And finally, after
gathering the data, completing the experiments, and
finding solutions to the problems we faced, we emerged
from the habitat module in triumph (with film crews and
reporters waiting). More important than the media atten-
tion were the friends, family, and strangers who followed
the project, offering compliments and support for what
we took part in.
Although the environment and challenges addressed in
the HI-SEAS program differ from those in suborbital and
orbital spaceflight, the experience was a positive one, and
helped to highlight the perseverance necessary to pursue
my dream of flying in space.
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NASA rendering of the new Crew Access Tower at Cape Canaveral.
Imag
e: N
ASA
31
WHAT’S HOTIN COMMERCIAL SPACEFLIGHT
BY AARON H. PERSAD
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Updated Docking Ports for ISS
The International Space Station is getting updated dock-
ing ports for commercial space vehicles. Two Interna-
tional Docking Adapters (IDA) will be installed on the ISS
later this year. Currently, the Canadarm is used to capture
visiting commercial vehicles, such as SpaceX Dragon, and
guide them to the Shuttle-era docks now on station. The
new IDA docks will make the docking process quicker, no
longer requiring intervention by the robotic arm.
The IDA docks are being built by Boeing and will be
launched by SpaceX. Once installed, the ISS will be ready
to dock with commercial spacecraft including SpaceX
Crew Dragon and Boeing CST-100. In preparation for the
IDA docks, a series of spacewalks in late February and
early March of this year were performed by NASA astro-
nauts Barry Wilmore and Terry Virts to route power and
data cables, and to install structural components that will
be needed to make the dock upgrades.
SpaceX
The IDA will open the way for SpaceX Crew Dragon to taxi
humans to the ISS. SpaceX uses its Falcon 9 (F9R) reus-
able launch rockets to ferry cargo into space. SpaceX has
been refining its method of reusing its first-stage rockets
by safely landing them on an autonomous drone ship,
instead of jettisoning the rockets in the ocean. The first
attempt in January resulted in a spectacular explosion of
the F9R rockets as it crashed, slid and exploded on the
drone ship. A better attempt was made in April when
the landing appeared perfect until it tipped over the last
moment. Two weeks later, SpaceX had another successful
launch, but did not have enough fuel to attempt landing
the F9R.
Orion
Other launch rockets are also being developed as part of
NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. The United Launch
Alliance Atlas V rockets will eventually be used to launch
the Boeing CST-100. Last year, Lockheed Martin Delta IV
Heavy rockets were used in the unmanned Exploration
Flight Test of the Orion spacecraft.
That spacecraft safely landed in the Pacific Ocean and
data gathered from thermal sensors and heat shields are
currently being analyzed in preparation for a manned
mission to Mars as early as 2030.
Launch Facilities
New launch rockets and vehicles will require new launch
pads and facilities. SpaceX is building a horizontal inte-
gration facility at the Kennedy Space Center to process its
Crew Dragon and F9R. Construction of a new crew access
tower is underway at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.
The structure will be 200 feet tall and will allow astro-
nauts to board CST-100 atop an Atlas V rocket.
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A B O V E A rendering of the Boeing CST-100 preparing to dock with the International Space Station via a new International Docking Adapter.
Image: NASA
B E L O W Lockheed Martin is continuing work on NASA’s Orion spacecraft.
Image: NASA
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