Opportunity!



Simple technology

Preparation and initial post flight analysis in a school or college could lead to utilisation of numerous opportunities of space exposure.

 

Initially

Passive sensors would be trialled, and very effective at that; opportunity exists, though, for developing smart capture cells!

 

Development

Detecting the time of impact and storing such information for post flight interrogation and folding it with attitude records? Detecting the impact position of events to resolve cases of multiple impact events; low resource microchips would be powered from solar cells to keep modules independent of spacecraft resources. A data base could be established, especially of interest to space debris monitoring over a long period as environmental threats develop. To the Astrophysicist, there's opportunity to look for cometary and asteroidal dust in the interplanetary complex; solar beta particle dust expelled towards other stars and - in very recent discoveries - particles entering our Solar System from interstellar space and other solar systems.

 

Currently

Opportunity is offered, not yet for flight opportunities, but as an expression of interest. With good response a team could develop the plan for development, from concept through to flight opportunities sought by the younger associates. Initial near-Earth exposures such as the International Space Station ISS could be followed by Astronauts placing detectors on the Moon in the near future and Earth return from such a base. Perhaps Elon Musk would offer support projects? He launched his car on a test flight; perhaps something more useful later?

 

Support funding

In several countries, and in Space Agencies, funds to develop outreach ventures are available, a wise decision which would promote space ventures growing up in the Space Age ahead. Awareness and monitoring of space debris is of increasing concern with the advent of low orbit satellite constellations. Surely a "must do" activity.

 
   Expression of Interest Questionnaire   
 
 

An initiative of Professor Tony McDonnell of UniSpaceKent and Professor Emeritus at the Open University, UK