Swiss professor Nicholas Thomas emphasizes cooperation for smaller nations in the space race, citing Switzerland's success in space tech and research through collaboration. He also praised South Korea's potential in space exploration, highlighting the importance of a culture that allows failure and stable government support.
A new space race is underway, distinct from the Cold War's Sputnik era. China is a leading actor, alongside US tech giant SpaceX, which is preparing for a major IPO and planning orbital data centers. This competition focuses on practical utilization of space, impacting global supply chains for metals, chips, and rockets.
A British invention, HIFIm, is among new space-gym equipment being developed globally to keep astronauts fit on missions. Tested in simulated weightlessness, it aims to reduce daily exercise time from two hours to 30 minutes.
A race is on to develop advanced gym equipment for astronauts, with British invention HIFIm and Danish E4D among contenders for future space missions. Current exercise regimes are time-consuming, and new tech aims to improve astronaut fitness and free up time for science.
The US leads in space capabilities, with China rapidly catching up. Both nations invest heavily in satellites for military and economic advantage. Russia's space program is declining, but it employs anti-satellite tactics. Dual-use technologies complicate international regulations.
Spain's new space agency is preparing for a lunar future, investing in positioning services for the Moon and supporting domestic rocket development. Europe's role in NASA's Artemis program and the need for increased investment are key topics.
This week's TV picks include a noir Spider-Man series starring Nicolas Cage, a Vinnie Jones documentary, the return of Abbott Elementary, a comedy drama about grief, a subversive comedy about Muslim American brothers, and a Russian perspective on the space race.
US lawmakers at a congressional hearing identified China as the 'most consequential threat and competitor in space,' warning that Beijing leverages its space capabilities 'as a tool of diplomacy and influence.' The two superpowers are in a tight race to the moon, with China targeting a 2030 crewed lunar landing and the US aiming to return astronauts by 2028 via the Artemis programme. A CSIS expert testified that the nation setting space standards will 'set the terms by which information flows, networks interoperate, and how the world is seen.'
