Generation Space

Mankind only reached space in 1961 – why did it take so long? Beyond Earth’s atmosphere is an alien environment. Humans cannot survive unprotected in Space, so technologies and micro-ecosystems have been developed to sustain life. How is health in space different, why and how can we protect it? Must astronauts remain Earth healthy? And what have we learned from Space for better health on Earth?

Bio: Joan Vernikos is former Director of Life Sciences at NASA ('93-2000). A pharmacologist from the University of London, assistant professor at Ohio State University Medical School, she joined a new NASA in California in 1964. Her research on brain-stress relationships and how spaceflight and Earth's gravity affect men and women were internationally recognized with numerous awards. Consultant, speaker and author on tangible health and economic benefits of space, her books include The G-Connection, Sitting Kills, Designed to Move and Stress Beyond 50.

Aircraft parabolic flights provide periods of reduced gravity of 20 s for 0g, 25 s for Moon gravity and 32 s for Martian gravity. Parabolic flights are used for scientific research, to train astronauts, and to give the general public the opportunity to live an astronaut-type experience. The presentation will describe the activity and its importance in preparing for space flights.

Bio: Prof. Dr. Ir. Vladimir Pletser is currently Director of Space Training Operations at Blue Abyss, proposing new approaches for astronaut training. He was previously Visiting Professor and Scientific Adviser at the Technology and Engineering Center for Space Utilization, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, on microgravity research for parabolic flights and Chinese Space Station. He was also Senior Physicist-Engineer at the European Space Research and Technology Centre, European Space Agency, developing scientific instruments for microgravity research on the International Space Station and coordinating ESA aircraft parabolic flight campaigns. He logged more than 7350 parabolas, equivalent to 39h30m of weightlessness or 26 Earth orbits. Astronaut Candidate for Belgium, he trained as Payload Specialist at NASA-JSC and participated in three Mars mission simulations.

During Q&A session our moderator will discuss questions with space experts. You can ask your question via chat, and the moderator will pick it up.

During the Networking sessions, the attendees are welcomed to participate in different conversations and meet Speakers, Ecosystem Supporters, Sponsors, Moderators, and Team by changing tables or joining 1-to-1 Speed Networking.

In this presentation, Ruvimbo Samanga will give some practical tips and insights about Space Comics Books initiative in Zimbabwe that aims to make space technology creative, informative, and engaging for all generations, and demonstrate how space can be used for sustainable development on Earth.

Bio: Ruvimbo Samanga is a Space Law & Policy Analyst, with particular specialisation in the traditional and NewSpace industry in Africa. She is also a Research Fellow at the Open Lunar Foundation, focusing her research on lunar settlement and development policy. She holds a Masters in International Trade & Investment Law. She currently represents Zimbabwe in the Space Generation Advisory Council and the Women in Aerospace Africa Chapter. She is also the founder of AgriSpace, an early stage Agri-tech startup developed in collaboration with the Ban Ki-moon Centre for Global Citizens, as a Ban Ki-moon Global Citizen scholar in residence. She has also been recognised as one of the top 10 Under 30 in the African space industry, and was recently recognised as one of the Top Talents Under 25 in the world. A keen space enthusiast, she is involved in various capacity building and policy development initiatives in the global space sector.

How can we adapt space medical education during a pandemic? How can we analyse gaps and prioritise areas for students to research in space medicine? This talk will review free and open access educational initiatives by the SGAC Space Medicine and Life Sciences Project group during a pandemic, and the lessons learnt for the future of space education.

Bio: Rochelle Velho is the Medical Officer for the Mars AMADEE18 mission. She is an NIHR Academic Clinical Fellow (ACF) in Anaesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine affiliated to the University of Warwick. While she was at Birmingham medical school, her research into optimisation of emergency medical countermeasures on Earth and space led to a presentation at the 2011 European Space Agency space medical workshop and a space medical elective that resulted in the AsMA Stanley Mohler scholarship. Rochelle used this initial research experience as a springboard to obtain her Masters in Public Health (MPH) by investigating optimum methods of major incident plan training in NHS hospitals.

During Q&A session our moderator will discuss questions with space experts. You can ask your question via chat, and the moderator will pick it up.

During the Networking sessions, the attendees are welcomed to participate in different conversations and meet Speakers, Ecosystem Supporters, Sponsors, Moderators, and Team by changing tables or joining 1-to-1 Speed Networking.

Learn how the Moon’s important features - resources, the possibility to conduct scientific research, and a place where we can validate technologies for Mars exploration – can be used in the best way for the future of humanity.

Bio: Maria Antonietta got a Degree in Nuclear Engineering at the Politecnico di Torino. She is currently member of the Academic Council. Since 1986 she has been working at Thales Alenia Space - Turin, as Program Manager of major ESA and ASI activities related to Moon and Mars exploration. Currently she is Director for International Network Opportunities Development. Maria Antonietta is a member of different scientific committees, of the EuroScience Open Forum (ESOF), and of Women in Aerospace. She is member of the Académie de l’Air et de l’Espace and of the International Academy of Astronautics, and former Vice President of the International Astronautical Federation Bureau. She is President of Explore Mars Europe. Awarded “Woman of Excellence 2010” by AIDDA, the Italian chapter of FCEM (Femmes Chefs d’Enterprises Mondiales) and in 2019 “Stella al Merito del Lavoro” (Star of Merit for Labour) by the President of the Italian Republic.

This talk will explore what it will take to build permanent human settlements on the Moon and Mars, and the opportunities and challenges these endeavours entail.

Bio: Raphael Roettgen, CFA, invests in space companies at E2MC Ventures. He is also the author of “Hoch Hinaus”, an introductory book on space business, the host of the Space Business Podcast, and a contributing editor of Spacewatch.Global. Previously, Raphael has held senior roles at global investment banks and hedge funds and was also a fintech entrepreneur in Brazil. He holds degrees in finance from Wharton, machine learning from PUC-Rio and space studies from the International Space University.

During Q&A session our moderator will discuss questions with space experts. You can ask your question via chat, and the moderator will pick it up.

During the Networking sessions, the attendees are welcomed to participate in different conversations and meet Speakers, Ecosystem Supporters, Sponsors, Moderators, and Team by changing tables or joining 1-to-1 Speed Networking.

Fireside chat with Dylan Taylor, Rachel Lyons, a and Kunal Sood.

Fireside chat with Frank White, Sidney Nakahodo, Kunal Sood and Laura Muranaka.

During the Networking sessions, the attendees are welcomed to participate in different conversations and meet Speakers, Ecosystem Supporters, Sponsors, Moderators, and Team by changing tables or joining 1-to-1 Speed Networking.