Important Innovations

UK Scientists Discover Two Merging Stars Shaped Like a Snowman Source:  Warwick University, UK Unique Shape and Unique Atmosphere Composition Nothing like this new star has ever been discovered in space before.  Warwick University scientists have spotted a huge, snowman-shaped star. It's a new star just born by the merger of two "white dwarf" stars.  They've named the star WDJ0551+4135.  The star's atmosphere is unique and unusually rich in carbon.  Everything about this star has the potential of leading to new scientific discoveries about the universe and the birth and death of stars. Bigger Than the Sun The new Snowman star is more massive than the Sun.  Another unusual aspect of the birth of this star is that the merger of the two "white Dwarf" stars didn't result in an explosion and powerful supernova.  The Warwick University scientists say what is particularly exciting for their research is that the stars merged rather than exploded,

70 Space Mission Launches Per Year Starting in 2023 Source:  SpaceX Space Base Starlink Satellite Megaconstellation, Customer & NASA Launches, Starship to Mars SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has an ambitious plan for at least 70 space mission launches a year starting in 2023.  There will be 38 launches by SpaceX in 2020.  So, the plan is to nearly double that.  The launches will take place from Cape Canaveral and the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.  A big part of the launches will be building SpaceX's Starlink mega-constellation of satellites for global internet services.  SpaceX is also enjoying a growing number of space flight bookings from customers and NASA. Mobile Service Tower For Launches Space X's Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy rockets will have more versatility and options with a new mobile services tower that SpaceX is deploying.  The tower will allow missions to be assembled vertically rather than horizontally, which is a big advantage.  SpaceX will al

Citroen's Ami: 100% Electric, Ultra Compact Car Source:  Citroen Amid  Very Affordably Priced This is a fun piece of urban electric mobility.  Citroen just introduced Ami, its all electric, sub-compact electric car, in France.  It's not much bigger than an enclosed  scooter.  The two seater may be the electric car for everyone who needs to get around, particularly in crowded urban areas. It is very affordably priced. No License Required The vehicle gets 44 miles on a charge and has a top speed of 28 mph.  The battery takes 3 hours to recharge.  Citroen says that Ami is agile, ultra-compact and protective of the driver and passenger. The interior is equipped with a heater for use when needed.  What's amazing is that in France, it's accessible to anyone 14 years or older.  In much of Europe, it's expected to be available to those 16 years or older with or without a license. $22.00 Per Month to Rent Ami is the world's most affordable, zero emissio

Business Growth Through Space Tourism & Commercial Flights Source:  Virgin Galactic LA to Tokyo in 2 Hours Billionaire entrepreneur Sir Richard Branson is a brilliant innovator.  And he has beyond supersonic plans for his space travel company Virgin Galactic.  By the end of 2020, he expects to have flown the first commercial tourism flight into space.  Nearly 8,000 tourists have signed up for a space flight at a cost of $250,000 each.  But Branson business plans go way beyond space tourism.  He wants to revolutionize commercial air travel by using his space vehicles for greatly accelerated air travel here on Earth. Beyond Supersonic Speed - Spaceline Flying Virgin Galactic says it is the only company that can deliver flying at greater than supersonic speed in a winged aircraft.  It calls the high speed flying "Spaceline" flying.  The company says its spaceship Unity and two other space vehicles under construction can be used to vastly accelerate long

NASA's New Tourist Destination:  ISS Source:  Axiom NASA Partners with Axiom Space exploration company Axiom of Houston, Texas  is partnering with NASA for a big launch of space tourism.  Tourists will be able to visit the International Space Station (ISS) as early as 2024. Axiom is a private US space station manufacturer that is building, what it hopes will be, the world's first commercial, international space station.  CEO Michael Suffredini is the former program manager of the ISS for NASA.  This is a big business alliance, with tremendous expertise behind it, for launching tourists into space. Advanced Luxury Space "Hotel" Priced as High as $35,000 The Axiom space vehicle is an impressive piece of technology. First of all, it will be led by a trained astronaut, have a crew and also research labs on board.   It  has the biggest space observation window ever built into a space capsule and the state-of-the art interior was designed by the top French-b

China's Bold & Ambitious Space Plans Source:  Stock Images of Moon Trillions of Dollars at Stake In 2020, China secured a leadership role in space exploration.  It made the first landing on the far side of the Moon with Chang'e-5Ti, its mission service module.  Since that space milestone, China has stated that it wants to establish a "Space Economic Zone" between the Earth and the Moon.  From mining minerals to establishing in space solar power, the zone is projected by Chinese officials to be capable of generating $10 Trillion a year for China by 2050. Specific Goals News of China's goals and intent came in a speech given by a top official with China Aerospace Sciences and Technology (CASC), which is China's main, state-run space contractor.  To reach its space goals, China intends to develop low cost launch and space vehicles to exploit the economic potential of space.  CASC wants breakthrough space travel and exploration technol

SpaceX and Space Adventures Join Forces to Launch Tourists into Space Source:  SpaceX Crew Dragon Orbiting High Above the International Space Station Elon Musk's SpaceX and Virginia based Space Adventures are joining forces to send four tourists on a dedicated Crew Dragon mission to space.  Crew Dragon is a completely  autonomous spacecraft developed by SpaceX with three windows.  The design and windows are aimed at providing tourists, scientists and astronauts with a great view of the earth, moon and solar system as they whisk through space. The tourist space trip will last for five days and will fly in orbit twice as high as the International Space Station World Altitude Record Targeted The flight will occur in late 2021.  It's aimed at setting a new world record.  Targeting an orbit twice higher than the International Space Station will result in the world altitude record for private citizen space flight.  ISS orbits at an altitude of 410 kilomete