Space holds essentially limitless potential to address profound questions of our existence and push the limits of exploration and innovation. Space science continues to generate extraordinary breakthroughs, whether roving mars or discovering new worlds, while also helping to drive public interest in science through blockbuster movies and other pop culture. Unlike other areas of science such as medical research or ground-based astronomy, space-based science has to date been an entire government-funded endeavor.

The BoldlyGo Institute seeks to usher in a new era of expanded space science activities by complementing government science activities with privately funded, world-class space science missions. These missions, including a mars round trip robotic mission and a Hubble class space telescope, would perform transformative science with ready-to-go technologies and new levels of student and public engagement. In this presentation, we will discuss BoldlyGo's pursuit of these "NewSpace Science" goals.
 

Event Date: 2/18/2016

Space has typically been regarded as a destination with efforts focused predominantly on placing assets in orbit, either to provide services (e.g.entertainment, navigation, telecommunications) or to explore space itself (e.g. Mars rovers, International Space Station, Hubble Space Telescope). However, in recent years, we have witnessed a gradual transition from large-scale, government-led exploration to a more versatile and agile approach as private enterprises become increasingly involved. The dynamics of space exploration are rapidly changing with the promise of easy and routine access becoming a.reality, opening up the space frontier to any and all. There is also increasing discussion on how to utilize space for the benefit of life on Earth in the form of driving economic growth, facilitating social engagement, and providing humanitarian support. Across the state of Texas, there is a wealth of activity in each of these areas. Dr. Alexander will survey the space landscape in the state and discuss how Texas can take advantage of this new age of space access.

Event Date: 1/31/2016

Each recent report of liquid water existing elsewhere in the solar system has reverberated through the international press and excited the imagination of humankind. We have come to realize that where there is liquid water on Earth, virtually no matter what the physical conditions, there is life. Dr. Lynn Rothschild, an evolutionary biologist known for her work on life in extreme environments and a founder of the field of astrobiology, tells us about intriguing new data. The prevalence of potential abodes for life in our solar system and beyond, the survival of microbes in the space environment, modeling of the potential for transfer of life between celestial bodies, and advances in synthetic biology suggest that life could be more common than previously thought. Are we truly “alone"?

Event Date: 1/21/2016