India is a land of unity in diversity. Its rural and tribal corners, though brimming with curiosity and raw talent, often remain unsensitized by the conversations that shape our future, especially when it comes to space science and environmental awareness. On 14th November 2024, at Varanasi (an Indian city popular as a pilgrimage site), a quiet revolution began. LIFE-To & Beyond Foundation®, in collaboration with the Pratham Education Foundation, penned down a new chapter in the Indian space ecosystem. It was marked by a shared vision of "bringing science and space to the mainstream discussion". But this wasn't a lofty corporate pitch, but an interactive DIY science workshop on weather and climate change. This was made possible through LIFE-To & Beyond Foundation® (i.e., through our Outreach Sarabhai initiative, named after the Father of the Indian Space Program, Dr. Vikram Sarabhai [Figure 1]), when we decided to go further, deeper, and wider right into the heart of rural and tribal India. But such a dream needed legs, wheels, and fuel (both literal and metaphorical). That’s where Pratham Education Foundation entered as a key collaborator. Pratham helped bring together its grassroots strength to the table: identifying school children from rural and tribal areas, arranging transportation, and managing the logistics of setting up workshops in their Creativity club centers across India.

Thus, from the ghats of Varanasi to the sub-urbans of Aligarh in Uttar Pradesh; from the arid desert regions in Dausa, Rajasthan to the naxalite-maoist affected, densely forested areas in Konta and Sukma in Chhattisgarh to the gateway to north-east India, i.e., Cooch-Behar, in West Bengal, India, it was a journey across the lengths and breadths of north, west, and eastern parts of India (Figure 2)

The theme for these workshops was Weather and Climate Change and was carried out under the name “Build your Weather Station”. Why? Because these children are not just future citizens, they're current stakeholders of a planet undergoing rapid change, mainly due to anti-environmental human activities. And what better way to learn than by engaging? Kids were introduced to DIY weather stations, built their thermometers, rain gauge, and anemometer, along with engaging demonstrations of magic in a glass of water explaining the concept of atmospheric pressure, cloud in a jar and bottle, a tornado in a bottle, and paper-origami rocket, and a climate satellite model making. All built from everyday materials to understand concepts of temperature, atmospheric pressure, humidity, rainfall, wind, and climate monitoring through. From crafting anemometers out of paper cups to decoding how clouds are born, the sessions turned into hands-on labs of discovery. The idea was simple: make science feel like play and not an academic work.

​Meet MRD-001: The Mars Recon Dog
As part of the StarG2025 platform, the MRD-001 tracked Mars Scout Dog was deployed for its first dual-test mission — one in an urban indoor setting, and another in the field among alpine meadows and virgin forests.

Why "StarG"?

• Star Guardians – Youth as defenders of ecosystems and the universe
• Star Generation – Representing the next wave of interstellar humans
• Star Growing – For ecological restoration and space biospheres
• Star Genesis – For future planetary transformation and space colonization

​

Learn more about Chris Yuan and his activities at LinkedIn
or contact him via ​[email protected]

Bone plays an important role as a structure that supports the body and stores calcium. It retains fracture resistance by remodelling through a balance of bone resorption and formation.
Bones are usually dense and strong enough to support your weight and absorb most kinds of impact. As you age, bones naturally lose some of their density and their ability to regrow/remodel themselves.

​In a microgravity environment, because of reduced loading stimuli, there is increased bone resorption and no change in or possibly decreased bone formation, leading to bone mass loss at a rate of about ten times that of osteoporosis. Life in the microgravity environment of space brings many changes. Loss of bone mass is particularly noticeable because it affects an astronaut’s ability to move and walk upon return to Earth’s gravity.
Human spaceflight was once a fantasy only to be found in between the pages of a novel or on movie screens, however, now it is almost a tangible reality. Humans are going to spend more time in space. The human body is intrinsically adapted to Earth’s gravity, so exposure to conditions of reduced gravity, or microgravity can cause complications in many normal bodily functions. Microgravity decreases the effort required for movement.The length of space missions—and consequently the amount of time astronauts spend in orbit—has increased since humans began exploring space. Space travellers are exposed to numerous stressors while in space.
The reduced mechanical loading of weight-bearing bones caused by microgravity (μg) leads to bone loss in humans, especially in long-term space missions. As previously mentioned, this bone loss results from increased bone resorption and either unchanged or decreased bone formation, as observed in various human studies conducted both in space and during bed rest. Microgravity causes calcium to be released from bones, which suppresses parathyroid hormone (PTH) and lowers circulating levels of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D, although concentrations of 25-dihydroxyvitamin D remain adequate. This process reduces calcium absorption in the body.

The decrease in bone formation is associated with impaired osteoblast function and increased osteocyte apoptosis. Physical exercise using devices such as treadmills and resistive exercise equipment can help reduce the negative impact of microgravity on bones and muscles. Weight training and aerobic exercise are designed to simulate the mechanical loads normally exerted by gravity on Earth.
Proper nutrition and the use of supplements—such as vitamin D and calcium—are important to support bone health during and after a space mission. Rehabilitation programs include structured physical exercise, physical therapy, and nutritional monitoring to ensure optimal recovery. Together, these countermeasures aim to preserve musculoskeletal health in space and promote a successful transition back to Earth's gravity. Continued research is essential to refine these strategies for longer missions, such as those to the Moon or Mars.​

​Space is vast and unexplored. And in its vastness, there lie mysterious corners. Black holes are one among those less-known parts of our universe that go beyond our comprehension. In simple words, black holes are areas where spacetime is so strongly drawn due to gravitational force that nothing, literally nothing, not even light, can escape it. The very idea of a black hole was first proposed by Albert Einstein based on his General Theory of Relativity in 1915. His equations indicated that if a mass were compact enough, it would warp spacetime so much that a black hole would be created. It was even astonishing to Einstein himself, who was not so convinced initially, to accept that mass could collapse into a singularity or a point in spacetime with infinite density. He even expressed his doubts to French physicists during the 1920s, suggesting that singularities could be a defect in his own proposed theory.

​Radio astronomy, started in the 1930s when Karl Jansky discovered radio waves from the Milky Way. This discovery was pivotal in the development of our knowledge about black holes. Technology made it possible for astronomers by the 1950s to map out the sky more accurately. The Cambridge Radio Telescope and Jodrell Bank Observatory detected unusual radio sources, which were point-like objects showing unusual brightness in the radio spectrum. A breakthrough finding came in the late 1950s when radio sources such as 3C 273, a quasar in the Virgo constellation, were discovered not to have any corresponding visible objects. A quasar is an extremely luminous active galactic nucleus (AGN) powered by a supermassive black hole at the centre of a distant galaxy. Optical observation found faint, stellar counterparts with mysterious emission lines. These objects produced large amounts of radiation at varied frequencies, but no source was seen visually, except for a very faint, point-like object looking like a star at a distant place. The spectral lines, which normally signified the existence of chemical elements, were mysterious. In addition, these objects displayed quick luminosity changes in both optical and X-ray regimes.

Complex enough? Ok! To understand this, let’s use the Einstein technique. Let’s perform a thought experiment! Imagine seeing an object in the sky that suddenly changes its brightness. From the perspective of an observer on Earth, luminosity increases to its ultimate value gradually because photons from the front of the object reach earlier than those from the back. By timing how long the luminosity would take to settle, astronomers would be able to estimate the object's size—the principle of "light travel time and variability." From these observations, it was seen that while these objects were no bigger than our solar system, they contained the light of a whole galaxy, signifying an extremely high power density.

The Ursa Minor Interstellar City (UMIC) project was born out of the need to create accessible and sustainable space simulation environments on Earth. Inspired by NASA’s Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory (NBL) and NEEMO underwater project, as well as ESA’s CAVES programme, UMIC reimagines these concepts to provide affordable, eco-friendly simulations that bring space exploration closer to ordinary people, considering the following scientific principles:

• Low-gravity simulation: Using underwater neutral buoyancy environments to replicate microgravity for astronaut training.
• Closed ecological systems: Conducting oxygen regeneration and resource recovery experiments to simulate living conditions on the Moon and Mars.
• Human adaptation studies: Exploring human survival in extreme environments, akin to ESA’s cave studies, through underwater confined space experiments.

A Journey of Innovation
​In 2020, collaboration with Professor Thais Russomano on the Evetts-Russomano (ER) CPR method sparked the idea for UMIC’s Underwater Space City. Over four years, UMIC has developed the complete underwater space city elements: EVA training spacecraft, animal spacecraft, lunar commuter motorcycle, space farm, the world's largest astronaut helmet, and the smallest underwater cafe - Galaxy Cat Cafe (see videos below). We can even provide astronauts with a cup of hot coffee underwater, and broadcast space education for young people around the world, truly realizing the popularization of space exploration education.

​Mission and Impact
UMIC’s goal is to train commercial astronauts to thrive in space and on alien surfaces while establishing ecological, multi-species habitats. By fostering collaboration and resilience, it not only advances humanity’s path to becoming a multi-planetary species but also strengthens our ability to protect Earth and preserve its ecosystems

It was my honour this year to have had my work recognised at the AsMA 94th Annual Scientific Meeting (Chicago, May 2024) through being included as one of 5 women highlighted for their leadership role in the field of aerospace medicine by the Mary F. Foley Endowment Panel. My thanks to the selection committee involved and especially to my friend and colleague Marian B. Sides and Annie Sobel, who presented my work. Also, huge congratulations to the other pioneering women highlighted - Nicole Stott, Peggy Whitson, Ilaria Cinelli, and Barbara M. Barrett.   

I confess that I was unaware of the woman after whom the panel was named and felt compelled to learn a little about Mary Frances Foley, affectionately known by her family and peers as ‘Bunny’.  
Mary completed her BS and Registered Nurse qualification at the Xavier College, Chicago in 1950, continuing to study surgical nurse training at the Mayo Clinic/St Mary’s Hospital in Rochester, Minnesota till 1952. The seed of her passion for aerospace medicine was probably planted in 1955 when she spent three months travelling around Asia, Africa and Europe to discover more about air transport procedures for patients. She joined the US Air Force in 1958 as a flight nurse on active duty, before focusing on research from 1960 onwards at the Aviation Medicine Research Laboratory, Ohio State University.  She completed many ground-breaking researches on the pulmonary effects of oxygen/air mixtures on professional pilot performance, and altitude and zero-gravity effects on pulmonary function, as well as hypoxia and human factors studies. She even took part in parabolic flight and human centrifuge studies focused on G-force limits for pilots. We can see that Mary F. Foley really was a pioneering woman of science from her era and I’m sure she was admired and seen as an excellent role model by many of the young women who came to know her.

The webinar, organised by InnovaSpace Director Prof Thais Russomano, was presented by 4 students from the Remote Medicine iBSc program, National Heart & Lung Institute, Imperial College London, and in association with the MVA (Moon Village Association). The focus of the event was on one of the most critical aspects of future lunar habitation: human health.
Join the student panel as they explore the unique environment of the Moon, the history of its human exploration from NASA Apollo Mission first steps to future Artemis plans, its potential impact on human physical health and mental well-being, Moon research and Earth-based space analogues, and research limitations and gaps in the knowledge.
​
Congratulations to the presenters - Manvi Bhatt, Nareh Ghazarians, Diya Raj Yajaman, & Elvyn Vijayanathan - and good luck with your future careers. 

​I became involved in Space research whilst my husband was completing his PhD in the early 90s, acting as ‘flight nurse’ for several parabolic flight human research studies. I went on to co-develop the Evetts/Russomano (ER) technique for basic life support in space, while continuing to work as a renal specialist nurse in the UK.

​In 2011, I became the sole flight nurse for the European Astronaut Centre in Cologne, Germany. I enjoyed two successful years working closely with the flight surgeons within the Operational Space Medicine Unit (OSMU), as it was called then. I was part of a team responsible for the day-to-day management and administration necessary for maintaining ESA (European Space Agency) Astronaut health. One of my key responsibilities was to track and retrieve data from medical events related to ‘pre’, ‘in’ and ‘post’ space flight activities.  
 
The role also involved working as the interface between OSMU, NASA, the ESA flight clinic and occasionally the Russian Space Agency, coordinating somewhat complex planning to ensure all flight medical examinations were completed within a rigid timescale from an Astronaut’s initial mission assignment, 18 months before they flew, to two years post-mission. The examinations took place at the locations of all 3 agencies to accommodate an Astronauts packed international training schedule. Astronauts who weren’t assigned to a mission, also required coordination of annual medicals locally.

​I particularly enjoyed good relationships with the NASA flight nurses who I had the pleasure to meet when visiting the Johnson Space Center in Houston. It was a great opportunity to meet all those I had been communicating with by phone and email, to cement our good working relationships.
 
I represented OSMU at weekly events such as the astronaut training coordination meetings, where planning and updates on training schedules and upcoming flight assignments would be discussed. Each team involved in preparing an Astronaut for flight was granted a certain number of hours of the astronaut’s time from a packed pre-mission schedule, to complete the necessary training and preparatory requirements. Arduous negotiations were required with other departments and the agency central mission organisation authority, should a team think they needed extra time to complete their activities.
 
As the Flight Nurse I was responsible to lead weekly clinical meetings to update the flight surgeons on any new information and issues relating to an astronaut’s health and the work underpinning their welfare.

I created my first visualization of exoplanets in 2015, which included a size comparison of over 500 individual exoplanets. After finishing a book on the universe, astronomy and space exploration, the "Curious Cosmic Compendium", with infographic chapters about the "Scale of the Universe", "Timeline of the Universe" and an entire section focused on exoplanets, I decided to further expand upon this and create the two exoplanet infographics you see below.

​Both graphics plot the planets from left to right according to the amount of heat they receive from their star and their projected equilibrium temperature, from cryogenically cold planets on the far left to molten scorching-hot worlds on the far right. A small strip of green leaves shows the optimistic habitable zone, where some liquid water might exist on the surface of terrestrial planets or potential exomoons. All planets in the solar system are included to scale for comparison. Coloration of  planetary atmospheres is based on the different chemical composition of cloud layers at different temperatures (sulfur compounds, chlorides, alkali metals, silicates),  the Sudarsky Scale, as well as existing exoplanet art.

​"Icy and Rocky Worlds" focuses on earth and super-earth planets that could have a terrestrial composition, with almost 900 planets shown, while the "Exoplanet Zoo" zooms out more to show ice and gas giants, including some of the largest known exoplanets, with many other record-holding planets included (highest/lowest albedo, most distant, least dense, hottest, shortest orbit, closest, etc.). In total, around 1600 individual exoplanets are featured on one or the other graphic, but that's still less than 1/3 of all exoplanets confirmed to exist!

If you would like to see these infographics (and others) in a higher resolution, please feel free to visit my website by clicking the following links:
EXOPLANET ZOO  & ICY and ROCKY WORLDS

Posters are also available at Halcyonmaps:
​