This summer marks the 40th anniversary of the launches of the two Voyager spacecraft, which are still in contact with earth as they head out into interstellar space:
An earlier posting highlighted the launch on Monday of a SpaceX Dragon to the International Space Station. This video shows the arrival and berthing of the Dragon to the ISS on Wednesday morning:
Here is a fan video of SpaceX accomplishments set to a nice soundtrack:
From the latest Explore Mars newsletter comes news of the premier of a rock opera about settling Mars:
Explore Mars, Inc. excited about our sponsorship of the innovative rock opera, One Way Trip to Mars that will have its world theatrical premiere from August 24-27, 2017 at the Waterville Opera House in Waterville, Maine.
Composed by Peter Alexander and Johanna Harkness, and based on a story written by Dennis St. Pierre, the setting of this ambitious production is in the year 2033 when “…NASA sends the astronaut Paolo on a one-way trip to Mars to set up the infrastructure for a human colony, but he must leave behind forever everything he holds dear— including his loving wife Cassandra….”. The show features a professional cast that underwent an extensive auditioning process in New York City. [With “international recording artist Fantine playing the leading lady role”.]
“Explore Mars has always firmly believed that if the goal of landing humans on Mars in the 2030s is to be achieved, not only must the scientific, engineering, and policy communities are fully engaged but so too must the arts and entertainment community,” commented Explore Mars CEO, Chris Carberry. “One Way Trip to Mars is a unique show that will not only entertain theatergoers but also will help to build the necessary public support for actual human missions beginning by the year 2033.”
The production will also feature an Art and Science Fair to help engage students and the audience in the drama and science of Mars exploration and contribute to the public’s interest and support for future missions to Mars and beyond.
According to composer Peter Alexander, “One of the key features of our show is that the storyline is based on current science. The production highlights that human missions to Mars in the 2030s are both realistic and feasible, which is a message that has been espoused by Explore Mars, Inc. for many years and for which Explore Mars has gained great respect and credibility within the space exploration community. We are very pleased and excited to be able to partner with Explore Mars, Inc. in this endeavor.”
