Pilot projects quarterly report

Interplanetary’s interdisciplinary research portfolio advancing an ambitious space future for all.

LunaRights and OrbitScape

The two lunar visualization tools, LunaRights and OrbitScape saw substantial progress in the second quarter finding product/market fit with a Software as a Service (SaaS) business model. The team developed user personas, completed customer discovery interviews and compiled a report analyzing feedback from 50 potential customers. Early traction is seen with companies in aerospace and technology, government and international relations, and small business and startups. To learn more about the LunaRights or OrbitScape tools, contact Tyler.D.Smith@asu.edu.

Global Heat Map of Space Activities

The Global Space Heat Map, a real time interactive dashboard of space activities around the world has been restored following extensive bug fixes with ongoing efforts focused on enhancing its interface and functionality. The team is pursuing technical partnerships, including a collaboration with a research group on spatial data retrieval using large language models. They're now working toward developing user personas for customer discovery. Additionally, they've applied for funding to showcase the tool's innovative data interaction capabilities in informal learning environments. In collaboration with ASU’s School of Earth and Space Exploration, they are pursuing funding to develop an innovative toolkit for visualizing space survey data with the potential to integrate these techniques into the space heat map tool. Learn more

Lessons From The Past

With the goal of producing a documentary film on what future space exploration can learn from our terrestrial past, the team has nearly completed the target interviews with notable figures. Most recent interviews include Paul Davies - physicist and cosmologist, with groundbreaking research on the origins of the universe and life, Daniel Fox - engineer and scientist specializing in space missions and exploration technologies and Justin Walsh - archaeologist specializing in the human impact of space exploration on historical contexts. Other notable interviewees include Bruce Mau - visionary designer and innovator, recognized for his work in architecture and art, Chris Hadfield - retired astronaut and fighter pilot, former commander of the International Space Station, and bestselling author and ASU President Michael Crow. Once the interviews are complete, the team will design the film content and develop a distribution strategy. Learn more

Lunar MVI

Lunar MVI, a project that seeks to define the minimum viable infrastructure required to establish a sustainable human presence on the moon, has published their site: www.lunarmvi.com. This is where the students’ first use-case scenario research reports are published following input from the broader project team and industry mentors. The website will also feature space-related blog posts, starting with Consumer Product Goods in Space: From Doritos to Dope Coffee by MilkyWayEconomy Chief Economist George Pullen, which discusses the cost associated with developing the technology to have comfort food in space–an integral part of successful lunar infrastructure. The team is looking for additional industry mentors for the spring semester–click here to get involved.

Project ENTERPRISE

Project ENTERPRISE, which is working to develop a multidisciplinary roadmap to create the next giant leap in AI/Robot collaboration with humans for space exploration, completed several key milestones. The team drafted a position paper titled “Advantages & Disadvantages of Working With Robots,” completed their preliminary literature review and engaged their core team in a planning workshop. Learn more

Revolutionizing Power Beaming Technology

This project is testing the use of meta-surfaces for wireless power beaming from space to Earth. In collaboration with the Interplanetary Laboratory, the team is developing a payload for an initial CubeSat demonstration project. This is one of two projects included in the Interplanetary Laboratory’s submission to the NASA CubeSat Launch Initiative (CSLI) program. Learn more

Space for Humans

This YouTube channel about designing inclusive futures both in space and on Earth now has over 1,000 subscribers and released 9 Videos, 2 Shorts, and 2 Transmissions this quarter. The team behind the channel presented at the Online Learning Consortium (OLC) Accelerate 2024 Conference, one of the largest global organizations dedicated to equitable, inclusive, and high-quality online, blended and digital learning. The Spotlight on New Spacefaring Nations: Nigeria video released at the end of Q1 now has over 19,000 views, including significant engagement from Nigeria. Space For Humans was also featured in a recent ASU EdPlus article. Learn more

Space Travelers Archive

This is a project to archive the transformation of one’s self-perception during off-world experiences through a validated tool that measures one’s “sense of self”. The team completed their research instrument and drafted interview questions for the travelers they plan to engage including former NASA astronaut, retired United States Air Force Colonel and former ASU Global Explorer In Residence, Cady Coleman. Learn more

SpaceHACK for Sustainability

Now in its third year, SpaceHACK for Sustainability, happening March 21-22, 2025, will feature at least 3 tracks, one being led by ASU’s Dr. Jose-Benito Rosales Chavez focused on food insecurity. This year, the program is expanding with additional host organizations including CY Cergy Paris, the University of Toronto and Escuela Superior Politécnica del Litoral (ESPOL) in Ecuador.  We are thrilled to have Lunasonde, a company doing subsurface imaging from orbit, sign on as this year’s title sponsor. SpaceHACK is always looking for partners and sponsors; please contact Kerri Rittschof if you would like to get involved!

By Pauline Jewett