| Event ID: | 46598 |
| Contact Name: | Nikola Kerekov |
| Contact Email: | info@ratio.bg |
| Contact Phone: | +359888886025 |
| Organization: | Ratio |
| Event Web Site: | https://ratio.bg/future-present-en/ |
| Dates: | 10th October 2021 to 10th October 2021 |
| Physical Event: | Yes |
| Type: | Public |
| Start/End Type: | Both Starts and Ends During WSW |
| Country: | Bulgaria |
| State/Province: | Sofia City |
| City: | Sofia |
| Address: | Sofia Tech Park, Boulevard |
| Location: | Sofia Tech Park, John Atanasoff Hall |
| Event Name: | Future Present |
| Event Description: | Ever since a caveman decided to rub two sticks together and run the first experiment in combustion mechanics, science has played a major role in improving our everyday. We often think about scientists as people relegated to highly specialized laboratories – but science seeps into our everyday, builds growing businesses, and changes our world for the better. Science entrepreneurship and commercialization transform the present into the future. 1. The future of private astronauts (11:00-11:45 GMT+3) Commercial companies are already working with government organizations and the first private space station will soon be a reality. We’re not too far away from seeing the first professional private astronauts. Being an astronaut takes a lot of work. The training takes 17 weeks and includes field and survival trainings, learning to pilot aircrafts, working with space suits and space equipment, training in orbital mechanics, and more. We will dive deeper and imagine the future of private spaceflight. The speaker: Simon Jenner is a Recruiter of Private Astronauts at Human Space Flight Business Development at Axiom Space. Axiom is currently in the process of building its capabilities to maintain the first private space station in the near future. It’s currently working with NASA, ESA and the ISS for adding new modules and segments to ISS as a foundation in developing the future station. Simon holds a master’s degree from the International Space University, where he had the opportunity to be a part of and work in many amazing organizations and projects. 2. Using lava tubes for human habitation on the Moon and Mars (13:30-14:15 GMT+3) Whenever we imagine our future Lunar or Martian bases, we’re thinking about domes on the surface. But is there another way? Lunar and Martian lava tubes are still generally unexplored, while they can possess great housing potential. Would we be able to live in them instead? Several real-life simulations show that the answer is a resounding “Yes.” We’ll take a peek into our future homes. The speaker: Marc Heemskerk is an exogeologist at the VU Amsterdam and a project coordinator within EuroMoonMars. In collaboration with ESA, he have supported several student and young career scientist missions, e.g. coordinator of the Dutch IGLUNA team in its pilot year. He has constructed concrete building blocks from lunar and Martian analogue soils, and acted as the Lead Scientist during the third EMMIHS mission at HI-SEAS. At this Hawaiian lunar-analogue campaign, he focused on the discovery and exploration of lava tubes, by using magnetometric and gradiometric data, for potential extraterrestrial habitation. His latest mission, called CHILL-ICE, takes us to a lava tube in Iceland, where the first steps toward lunar lava tube habitation are being taken. 3. Space security of the future (14:40-15:25 GMT+3) Space technology development has reached a turning point, transitioning from a phase of discovery to phases of commercialization and inevitably this would open the topic about enforcing law in space and space security. Different countries need to have means of defending their space assets from foreign intervention. Opening the discussion on this sensitive topic among the general public is vital in order to secure a future of security and prosperity both on Earth and in space. The speaker: Halit Mirahmetoğlu is currently the General Manager at Gokmen Space and Aviation Training Center in Bursa, Turkey – one of the biggest aerospace museums with more than 20000 square meters of exhibition area, opened in 2020. Previously, he has been consulting for the GOKTURK1 High Resolution EO Satellite Project. Apart from Ground Station Technical Trainings, he delivers training courses on communication and project management in the space industry field for the European Commission and various NGOs as a freelance trainer and consultant Future Present is a full day conference that showcases the intersection of science and business. With it, we want to showcase the global aspects of science commercialization, the startup ecosystem in Bulgaria and the ways local entrepreneurs leverage science to change the future. The event is organized under a program of and with support from the European Space Agency (ESA). |
| Promotional Image: |  |
| Report on the Results: | The event went great and participation, although slightly lower than expected, was still good considering the current pandemic situation in Bulgaria. The event was also live streamed which gave a lot of people the chance to participate remotely. All the feedback we got during and immediately after the event from participants were 100% positive and people loved the content and the invited speakers. In the last week before the event we got several participation the National Radio and TV including one of the mostly watched morning show in Bulgaria - 100% Awake where all the 3 international speakers were guests. That helped us immensely to cover a very big audience. |
| Attendance: | 230 |
| Attendance is Unique: | |
| Media Impressions: | 300000 |
| Media Impressions are Unique: | Yes |
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