November 2018
Being human in space
“We have so many problems on this planet to solve, why do you want to explore the universe?” An exemplary and often-cited question, just as technology steers us ever closer to the stars. We need to find solutions for keeping planet Earth and ...
January 2019
Is the NewSpace bubble about to burst?
Readers of ROOM will be well versed in the phenomenon known as NewSpace, the ‘new way of doing space’ typified by commercial companies such as SpaceX and Blue Origin, and many will be convinced that this will one day become the norm. But is NewSpace...
February 2019
Reflections on the future human condition
At the dawn of the Space Age, Walter Pons published a short book entitled Steht uns der Himmel offen? (Is the sky open to us?) The German philosopher was concerned about the psychological, spiritual and philosophical consequences for human beings of...
February 2019
The challenge of procreation for future off-world settlers
Technological challenges faced by the first people living permanently on the Moon, Mars and perhaps other bodies in the solar system are immense and low gravity will present significant problems, particularly when it comes to human health, gestation...
April 2019
Is a military space force justified?
The US has formally announced the creation of a Space Force as a new branch of the armed forces, including troops to fight in Earth orbit and beyond. The purpose of this new military branch includes developing both defensive capabilities to protect ...
May 2019
The inadequacies and dangers of modern rocket technology
In this open ‘letter’ to space entrepreneurs Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk, as well as to all those who intend to proceed with large-scale space commercialisation using carrier rockets, engineer Anatoli Yunitski calls for a complete reappraisal of our ...
