Alternative media magazine tackles space issues

Hip alternative magazine "Utne Reader" hit the stands with space-themed "Earth Attacks!" cover art and several interesting space culture articles. One great reprint from an ISDC speech was about space law and property rights. Pick up a copy or suggest it to a friend!

Actual space postcards!

Postcards to Space is a project to put an inflatable art sculpture into space, funded by postcards that will be displayed onboard the sculpture. Aero-News Network reported on the space artist's booth at the X PRIZE Cup in New Mexico.

It sounds a bit far-fetched, but in the new age of private space travel and astropreneurs, is anything really impossible?

Postcards from the Future

What will it be like to live and work in space? Postcards from the Future is a new "large format" epic mini from director Alan Chan that will chronicle the life of an ordinary guy who's job is to build out the power grid for a lunar settlement. Here's Alan's synopsis of the film:

Sometime in the near future, humankind will set foot again on the Moon. As part of President Bush's new Vision for Space Exploration, they will build a permanent base on the moon, to test, research and invent new technologies for manned missions to Mars and beyond. The task will not be easy - there will be danger and hardships and broken lives, but these modern-day pioneers would have it no other way. Because for all the hardships that they must endure, they know that the Grand Vision extends beyond them - that they are but a small part of what makes man's future in the stars possible.

Postcards From The Future attempts to share this epic undertaking with today's audience. We see the Grand Vision unfold over the course of two decades by following the life of one man - civilian electrical engineer Sean Everman. Entrusted with the task of helping to build out the power grid on the Moonbase, Sean occasionally sends "Video Postcards" and personal messages to his wife back on Earth, sharing with her the details, trials and tribulations of his jobs. Over the epic course of the story, these postcards from our possible future reveal in exquisite detail the grand adventure that we are about to embark on...

Postcards is written and directed by Alan Chan, an industry visual effects veteran, whose feature film credits include Academy Award winning films such as Jim Cameron's "Titanic", "Lord of The Rings: The Two Towers" and "Polar Express".

A Cultural Policy for the International Space Station

The Arts Catalyst's Report to the European Space Agency

In 2005, the European Space Agency (ESA) awarded the The Arts Catalyst in London a contract to carry out a study into possible future cultural utilization of the International Space Station.The study set out to investigate and focus the interest of the cultural world in the International Space Station, to generate a policy for involving cultural users in the International Space Station program in the longer term and to develop a representative set of ready-to-implement demonstrator projects in arts, culture and media.

The Arts Catalyst submitted its report to the European Space Agency in early 2006. It is still to be approved by ESA, however permission has been given to makes its contents public.

DOWNLOAD Arts Catalyst's Executive Summary to ESA on Cultural Utilisation of the International Space Station

Animated Space Virgins' Flight

Virgin Galactic forges ahead in creating virgin experiences in pincushion-designed atmospheres. SpaceshipTwo is on its way to delivering the $200,000 dreams to registered Virgin tourists. And while they are waiting, they can only imagine what their trip would be like. But Virgin has created a simulation of the experience to better prepare the passengers and potential clients. The animation gives a pretty good depiction of the launch, ride, Zero-G activity, along with of course the AWEsome view of our planet. It's tres cool, but one thing I noticed is that the Virgin spacesuits are all white and with spots of red. Literally, we are all space virgins.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XBlifr6EQNU

Other Cultural Uses for the ISS

When space agencies talk about eventually shutting down the International Space Station, there are a few people on the inside who are sad and seeking ways to utilize our orbiting laboratory for other non-scientific collaborations. The Arts Catalyst is an arts agency dedicated to connecting art and science via special projects. They were commissioned by the European Space Agency to explore various cultural channels and applications with the ISS. You can download their report here:

http://www.artscatalyst.org/projects/space/ISS.html

ESA gets high-tech with "Vodcast"

ESA created a video podcast for the International Astronautical Congress that took place in Valencia, Spain.

ESA and NASA have both been using video podcasts since 2005. Surprised? While both agencies are using the latest technology to promote themselves and their missions, most people never see or hear anything they produce. The NASAcast website has several dozen podcasts and vodcasts, and the ESA site has many more. Although there are many other podcasts available (exs: the Space Show, Science Friday, Seed Magazine) these are a great additon to the cast. Check them out and spread the word!

Indexing Space Future

www.spacefuture.com

So we have a documentor for all things happening in this booming industry of crazy alien-life seekers and black hole spelunkers. It isn't totally up-to-date, because XP Cup is not on there! Though it is a good start and can use a interface-lift.