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Pre-hispanic America birthed sophisticated theories in ancient astronomy. The Mayas, Aztecs, and Incas possessed tables, calendars, and exquisitely precise systems to describe and determine the movement of planets, stars, celestial objects, and constellations. Even the Olmecs, which predated all three ancient empires, left artifacts that stump one and many archeologists about their precise knowledge about the stars. Today, modern-day scientists and engineers remain puzzled about the architectural and technical feats of the ancient empires in the Americas, which mirrored an unprecedented astronomical precision. Despite the rich cultural, astronomical, and engineering legacies from three powerful pre-hispanic empires, a testament to the creative achievement across the region, only a handful of scientists and engineers in Latin America have participated in modern space missions beyond low-Earth orbit. Time Machine (2017). Marco Vargas. This story is about the rekindling of the fire in Latin America that can be traced for millennia. This story is about those daring to deploy a small propellantless mission to reach Jupiter in less time. Currently, any round trip to Jupiter , so the success in reaching Jupiter quickly and without propellant could change our understanding of what it means to travel across vast distances in our Solar System at a fraction of the cost. would take numerous years and deeper pockets and budgets JOVE: A Trailblazing Propellantless Mission The is a novel solar-powered mission that will use the solar wind's momentum, speed, and direction as the propulsive thrust to reach the Jovian system in 30 days. Solar winds are the surges of plasma and ionized (charged) gas continuously emitted by the Sun, which vary in intensity, density, and composition but are always present across the expanse of the solar system. Jupiter Observing Velocity Experiment (JOVE) JOVE is proposed by an interdisciplinary team of scientists and engineers in the United States and Latin America (Ecuador and Costa Rica). They compose the Practical Interplanetary Propulsion group at the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) Nuclear Future Flight Propulsion Committee. JOVE rendering. Image credits: B. Freeze, J. Greason, R. Nader et al. JOVE will be designed with a compact 16U micro satellite architecture that includes two high-temperature superconducting coils 9-meters in diameter. These coils are responsible for engaging the “Wind Rider” propulsion system. The Wind Rider system has been experimentally demonstrated on the ground. For the mission, the spacecraft would use the superconducting coils to generate a large rotating magnetic field (RMF) that interacts with the solar wind for thrust and Jupiter’s dense magnetosphere for deceleration. Most of JOVE’s hardware will be built by the , which has ample experience designing powerful and compact hardware for the Cubesat market, including (350Whr). This type of battery will operate the telemetry beacon to measure and transmit data. In addition, the small scientific payload will include the SPAN-Ai sensor developed at the University of California, Berkeley, to study the solar wind’s velocity and the dense plasma in Jupiter’s magnetosphere. It will also include a rearview camera to capture Jupiter. Ecuadorian Civil Space Agency (EXA) one of the highest energy density batteries for Cubesats JOVE’s schematics. Image credits: B. Freeze, J. Greason, R. Nader et al. JOVE’s launch must occur when Jupiter is directly in opposition to the Sun on November 2, 2023, or December 7, 2024, to engage the Wind Rider propulsion system without a gravitational slingshot (gravity assist). After that, JOVE can get deployed into cis-lunar orbit or from an apogee of 60 - 90K km Sun-side by a traditional rocket launcher. Once in space, JOVE activates the RMF inside the two coils and deploys the solar panel arrays and the sunshade (to protect the coils at a certain distance). The team expects JOVE’s Wind Rider to speed up the spacecraft to a velocity close to 300 km s-1. JOVE rendering. Image credits: B. Freeze, J. Greason, R. Nader et al. Ronnie Nader There is no shortcut to becoming a spacefaring species. Advancing in-space propulsion is at the heart of becoming multiplanetary. According to Commander Ronnie Nader, we need to start building and testing practical propulsion systems that can take us to the outer planets in considerably less time and at substantially less cost. Commander Nader is Ecuador's first and only cosmonaut, the first civilian in modern history to complete the cosmonaut training at the GCTC ( ) with the support of the Ecuadorian Air Force (FAE). He founded the Ecuadorian Civil Space Agency (EXA) with headquarters in Guayaquil after his training in 2007 and has served as its Space Operations Director. Nader holds multiple senior memberships at the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA), the International Astronautical Federation (IAF) Space Security Committee, and the International Academy of Astronautics, among many others. ASA / T degree - Advanced Suborbital Astronaut Trained In 2019, Nader created the Practical Interplanetary Propulsion working group at the AIAA Nuclear and Future Propulsion Committee to develop advanced propulsion systems with realistic timeframes. Nader's inspiration stemmed from his professional and entrepreneurial experience in Latin America. Without the million-dollar budgets and infrastructure for advanced scientific pursuits in space, Nader has had to be resourceful and creative with what's available. Nader recruited the rest of the Practical Interplanetary Propulsion Group team at the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. They started working on different concepts and followed specific rules. The group's rules can be summarized as follows: any revolutionary concept must be mathematically proven and built on precedents that have been simulated, made, or tested on the ground and in space. But, more importantly, the group must use the proven laws of modern physics. “It’s important to point out that the planets do not grow. The population does,” said Nader. “Furthermore, everything the planet produces is the limit of human ambition. But this doesn’t have to be true. The solar system’s riches could change how we live from a single-planet economy to a multiplanetary one. These riches could redefine the concept of poverty until it becomes obsolete, but only if we could reach it. In practical terms, the current challenge of the space business is that it takes a decade for any roundtrip. We need to make it affordable so that it’s possible to finance it. So, as a growing species that will soon be fully occupying its ecological niche, why don’t we consider the treasures in the Solar System within our reach? A single mineral could greatly impact Latin America’s economic development.” Nader points out the obvious. Businesses may quickly go out of business without any profit. For even the most open-minded investors, entrepreneurs, and potential customers, the long-term mindset implicit in a multiplanetary economy might still be too far out. JOVE’s test in space will be a stepping stone for the team seeking to reframe the conversation from deep space as a luxury to deep space as a necessity for an increasingly energy-hungry civilization. This reframing will require adjusting the perceptions that only traditional space agencies and large, well-funded corporations can deploy complex science missions beyond low-Earth orbit. For the Latin America region rich in finite natural resources and precious minerals, including lithium, and salt, among many others, the opportunity to venture into the vast beyond at an affordable rate would seem like an easy sell. Unfortunately, however, it is not necessarily the case. “Rocketry has always been considered the default solution for interplanetary travel. However, throughout humanity's space history, many technical and engineering decisions have had political connotations or interests tied to it at the expense of practicality. We want to remain loyal to the engineering and scientific design as initially intended, and with the freedom of choosing to stay independent.” The team expects to fund JOVE’s launch with funds from the private sector. Jaime Jaramillo For Jaime Jaramillo, making an interplanetary science mission for Latin America practical is vital. Jaramillo is the Space Operations Deputy Director of the , and the CEO of the with its base in Quito. EXA Quantum Aerospace Research Institute – QAS “It’s an honor to work in this group, specifically looking at practical propulsion systems for the Solar System. Consider how we could develop quicker the mining exploration missions bringing minerals back to Earth. It can be a great business for anyone in the region who wants to invest in it.” Jaramillo has already witnessed the value of transferring knowledge by working on JOVE. “Currently, deep space telecommunications are spearheaded by just a couple of systems tied to established space agencies, for example, NASA’s Deep Space Network (DSN) and Near Space Network (Near Space Network). But booking and scheduling in these systems, which traditionally have served only a handful of missions, presents a logistical nightmare as they don’t scale well. The waiting times for booking a slot often translate into many decades. So, a practical application of interplanetary travel means we must start working independently on ground systems independent of these large and established systems. That is something we have already learned just by working on JOVE’s design because, at EXA, we go all the way when we get involved. The lessons learned are already useful for the future, making our focus on this mission significant.” Adolfo Chaves Jiménez Adolfo Chaves Jiménez, a space systems engineer, professor, and researcher in Costa Rica, is part of JOVE’s navigation team — an essential and challenging mission component. The spacecraft’s orientation directly and profoundly influences its dynamics, navigation, and control. Without propellant, JOVE will navigate at high speeds with the solar wind’s varying parameters making JOVE’s maneuverability particularly difficult to anticipate. Many parameters necessary to generate practical navigation will only be known when the mission is launched. Chaves has expertise in both spacecraft orientation and orbital dynamics. Despite the unknowns, his role as part of the navigation team is to develop and monitor the onboard sensors that will determine direction throughout the mission and orbital mission software to ensure JOVE reaches its final destination. “There are many things that we have to solve from the conceptual and technological point of view,” explained Chaves. “But we're using the proven principles and systems that already exist to apply an efficient design mindset and test it.” For Chaves, the Internet and the advancements in computation, software, and simulation have changed how space professionals collaborate and get trained. Proximity is no longer a deterrent to working effectively with others. “I believe that skill and capacity for high-level space missions are evenly distributed worldwide. JOVE shows that many professionals in Latin America possess the same levels of competitive expertise as in other geographies. In fact, problem-solving for many of us in Latin America requires being highly creative and extremely practical, given the limitations in budgets and access to infrastructure. So there is a lot of scope in design and creativity because this type of efficient design is aimed at some particular aspects, and working on it will not be deterred by your nationality as in the case of working for only space agencies or in certain localities.” Chaves spoke about a deeply ingrained cultural and financial block that prevents space science and research from flourishing in the region. Part of this block, according to Chaves, relates to the feelings of being ill-equipped or unprepared in comparison to the more established spacefaring nations. However, and ’s history shows how forward-thinking scientists and engineers pioneered critical advances early in the 1950s, given the tools and equipment available at the time and sometimes alongside those in the United States. Argentina Brazil “I believe it’s innately human to explore. It’s a dream come true to work on shortening the distances between planets and influence humanity’s understanding of access to the solar system. The field, for me, has always been a demonstration test that reflects a society’s development at a particular time. In Latin America, we can be at the same level as others in industrialized nations because we can be very creative and do innovative things beyond solving beautiful technical problems.” Key takeaways: Daring to Plan Boldly Time Machine (2017). Marco Vargas. I have noticed that although the region’s space footprint still suffers from the silos in the financing, a lack of talent is not the problem. Nader, Jaramillo, and Chaves have been pioneering multiple regional efforts to make space research and development accessible. I have written about their plans to launch an all-Latin American suborbital flight crew ( ) and a . LATCOSMOS-C quantum network in space The JOVE team, including Nader et al., and the recognized researchers in the United States, will be uniquely positioned to leverage their expertise and broader networks to make this mission happen. Everyone can dream, but only those who dare to achieve will execute their plans. // Artist from the Santo Domingo province in Ecuador has been designing for more than seven years. Inspired by the mysteries and novelty of artificial intelligence, machine learning, and the known universe, Vargas created the short motion graphics, . Marco Vargas Time Machine (2017) “It’s awe-inspiring to see how art and technology go hand in hand,” said Vargas. “Art offers a disruptive and prophetic vision of how the future will be while possibly anticipating countless possible scenarios in which science and technology are part of that reality written or illustrated by the artist. I would love to see a revolution in the space and technology fields in Latin America so that the region becomes more involved in proposing, developing, and creating technological assets that help accelerate growth and add value to this growing industry.” Full disclosure: I don't have any vested financial interests in the companies or projects discussed in this article at the time of publication (June 2022). I don't entertain affiliate marketing offers or paid endorsements that would influence my research for the article. If you've enjoyed reading this work, allow me to invite you to my indie space blog MONI-07B . It's ad-free, supported by readers like you, and, more importantly, showcases original research and artwork. Read more about why this is important . Be inspired by the possibilities of our future in space! Subscribe today .

Latin America Seeks its Riches in Space by Reaching Jupiter in 30 Days

América Latina busca sus riquezas en el espacio al llegar a Júpiter en 30 días

L'Amérique latine cherche ses richesses dans l'espace en atteignant Jupiter en 30 jours

लैटिन अमेरिका 30 दिनों में बृहस्पति तक पहुंचकर अंतरिक्ष में अपनी दौलत चाहता है

ラテンアメリカは 30 日で木星に到達し、宇宙での豊かさを求めています

América Latina busca suas riquezas no espaço atingindo Júpiter em 30 dias

Châu Mỹ Latinh Tìm kiếm sự giàu có trong không gian bằng cách chạm tới sao Mộc trong 30 ngày

拉丁美洲通过在 30 天内到达木星寻求其在太空中的财富

Monica’s log, Stardate… I have been wanting to articulate some of my thoughts about the notion of time and effort for the space industry. Allow me to state some of my premises in advance. Space research, travel, and exploration are essential for the survival of our civilization. Out of trillions of galaxies and planets formed over billions of years in this vast and expanding universe, we have no backups. We depend completely on this spaceship called Planet Earth. Beyond any human-made threats, the universe is also violently creative, and expanding at an accelerated rate. Our planet may be of cosmic forces such as asteroid impacts, solar storms, gamma-ray bursts, collisions from nearby galaxies, changes in the sun, and much more. First. at risk To become a truly multi-planet species, it’s essential to transcend beyond Earth. To transcend is to go beyond the self. It means contributing to something greater for the livelihood of future generations with the knowledge that results will be probably reaped by others. This aspirational and growth-mindset has made the difficult possible. It has defined many moments in our modern space history. Second. If we go beyond the global financial perspectives or , without a doubt, space research and exploration have enabled some of the most essential technologies on Earth. One cannot coexist without the other. Space research and exploration have advanced knowledge that impacts every area of our modern reality. It has contributed to many technologies such as the global positioning system (GPS), weather forecasting, autonomous vehicles, robotics, scratch-resistant lens, camera phones, among many others. Third. agency-wide economic impact studies In the United States, for example, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration - NASA Technology Transfer Program, which dates back to 1964 also produces publication. This publication was started in 1976. It has showcased the roughly 2,000 that have been turned into commercial-products. And quite often as a result of private-public partnerships. NASA's Spinoff NASA-driven technologies Space = Time and Effort It takes years and sometimes decades for us to move towards certain milestones in space research, travel, and exploration. The simplest for the space sector is infinitely more drawn out and complex than everything we could imagine. Veterans in the industry know this. It takes public-private alliances, long-term vision, and a robust financial backing over considerable sustained periods to accomplish big feats for space. notion of time It involves playing the long game. And it requires being ready to work at historical junctures where the technologies, materials, and workforce needed are probably not ready yet. In an era where real-time and faster isn’t fast enough, this notion of time may be similar to how time appears to us in the distant universe. The farther away, the longer it takes. Or on a , echoing the type of conversation that continues to captivate theoretical physicists and astrophysicists alike, possibly how big feats seem to move so very slowly to where we want and need to to be despite our best efforts. deeper level Of course, one could argue that movement somewhere is better than nowhere. For the sake of simplicity, let’s get back to the notion of playing the long game. LATCOSMOS: Latin America is Packing An example of leaders playing the long game in the space sector is . LATCOSMOS is a regional private space development initiative developed within the framework of the International Astronautical Federation Latin American and Caribbean Regional Group (GRULAC). With additional U.S-based partners,  LATCOSMOS is supported and advised by the (Ecuadorian Civil Space Agency). LATCOSMOS Agencia Espacial Civil Ecuatoriana - EXA The LATCOSMOS-C program seeks to fly a crewed suborbital mission 100 km above Earth’s surface on board Blue Origin’s . This first mission is called ESAA-01 EX SOMINUS AD ASTRA. It seeks to advance scientific research for the region. Given Blue Origin’s ongoing developments and tests on its launch vehicles, dates for this flight are yet to be determined. However, what is different and unique about LATCOSMOS is its proposal for the first . New Shepard reusable launch vehicle Latin American-born only crewed-mission With a key target of at least ten crewed spaceflight missions in the Latin American and Caribbean region, this is a bold and ambitious plan for LATCOSMOS-C. It leverages regionally-developed knowledge, technologies, and experience. And it seeks to prepare local talent for the future of the region in the . booming space economy For this first proposed historic suborbital flight , four payload specialists would undergo a proprietary Advanced Suborbital Astronaut Training Program (ASA/T). This abbreviated version, developed by EXA and the GCTC ( ), anticipates preparing the payload specialists in the United States, Canada, Russia, and Ecuador. The confirmed candidates include two university-professors, Dr. Adolfo Chaves Jiménez (Costa Rica), Dr. José Alberto Ramírez (Mexico), and one elementary-school teacher, Margot Solberg (USA). Yuri A. Gagarin State Scientific Research-and-Testing Cosmonaut Training Center I had the opportunity to speak recently with . With degrees in systems engineering and astrobiology, Commander Nader pushes the boundaries. Ecuador’s first and only cosmonaut, he is the first civilian in modern history to complete the cosmonaut training at the GCTC ( ) with the support of the Fuerza Aérea Ecuatoriana - FAE (Ecuadorian Air Force). LATCOSMOS Mission Commander Ronnie Nader ASA / T degree - Advanced Suborbital Astronaut Trained He founded EXA at the conclusion of his training in 2007 and has been serving as its Space Operations Director. Under his leadership, EXA pioneered in Ecuador on 2008, as well as the in orbit. Latin America’s first zero-gravity flight country’s first satellites Commander Ronnie Nader. EXA. September 2020. In our video call, Commander Nader stressed the following: “You must have the courage to live up to your dreams…[t]o move from a single-planet economy to a multi-planet economy…We cannot stay behind. [And] it's not just doing things, it's how. It’s not a matter of just reaching the goal, it’s the path.” His emphasis is clear about the need to further local expertise. EXA, for instance, possesses locally-developed technology, testing facilities, and the . EXA has also signed lunar exploration payload agreements with space robotics companies such as Pittsburgh-based and London-based . HERMES-A ground station Astrobotic Spacebit When I mentioned my interest to Commander Nader about this article, which addressed the long-term vision needed in the space sector, he confirmed it. LATCOSMOS-C was proposed in 2017. However, like most space missions that play the long-game, it has been 14-years in the making. With an increased momentum for and the need for , LATCOSMOS-C is setting a course and pushing ahead to prepare talent for the region. Like so many pioneers and enthusiasts, his perspectives reminded me exactly how much of a long-term framework is needed to succeed in the space industry. civilian spaceflight missions commercial astronaut training programs As I set out to wrap up our call, Commander Nader explained to me: “Why do something and not dedicate yourself to push the limits? We are thinking in decades, generations…Our purpose to save the species [involves some us] leaving [Earth] and beginning in other worlds…” Dr. Adolfo Chaves Jiménez, a Costa Rican-born space systems engineer and researcher, is one of the confirmed payload specialists for the mission ESAA-01 EX SOMINUS AD ASTRA. Dr. Chaves currently serves as Lecturer of Electronic Engineering at the (Costa Rica Institute of Technology), and as Coordinator of the in the same institution. Tecnológico de Costa Rica - TEC Space Systems Laboratory - SETEC Lab Dr. Adolfo Chaves. SETEC Lab. October 2020. The TEC is the country’s most established ecosystem in higher-education for engineering, science, and technology research. SETEC-Lab is currently the only of its kind in Central America. Dr. Chaves also contributed and coordinated efforts on behalf of the TEC to . Proyecto Irazú is the first Costa Rican and Central American satellite launched to orbit in 2018. Proyecto Irazú I had the opportunity to speak to Dr. Chaves on a 1-1. His insights on long-term thinking for success in space coincide with those of Commander Nader. As early as the 1990s, Dr. Chaves set out in a path to pursue his goals. He was inspired by the historic legacy of the Costarican-born and former NASA astronaut , who was inducted to the in 2012. Dr. Chaves, like many of us, dreamt about flying to space early on by watching Dr. Chang-Díaz on his seven Space Shuttle missions. Born and raised in Costa Rica myself, I could understand on a visceral level what Dr. Chaves meant during our call. Dr. Franklin Chang-Díaz NASA Astronaut Hall of Fame “I dreamed of studying space engineering in Costa Rica but it didn't exist. There was no [formal] road…[So] I made sure that the actions and steps I took, brought me closer to my goal, even though I saw it from very far away…” Dr. Chaves eventually undertook his doctoral studies at the in the Netherlands. He emphasized why he returned to Costa Rica. He wanted to co-create the future with younger generations. Delft University of Technology (TU Delft) “I decided that this was the meaning of my professional life. I take satisfaction in opening a road for others when there is none…When one has a clear goal, it is not passion. Passion fades when things go wrong. It is a matter of purpose.” Dr. Chaves is also currently part of the interdisciplinary team that seeks to formalize the creation of the (Costa Rican Space Agency) in the Costa Rican Legislative Assembly via Project 21.330. When I asked his last thoughts about his upcoming training for the crewed spaceflight mission, he unequivocally added: Agency Espacial de Costa Rica - AEC “Training never ends. All things are part of the training.” Setting a Course for Space: A Test of Endurance We hear the call for a long-term vision for space. Yet few rarely understand what it truly means. Commander Nader and Dr. Chaves Jimenéz both remind us of the fundamental prerequisites to transcend to other worlds. Time and effort. The space industry requires a notion of time that seems infinitely longer and more drawn out than for most of our human endeavors. It also requires substantial efforts. These efforts supersede any single-person, company, country, and agency. In a frenzied pace of distractions and change, if we are to survive and thrive, we must keep steady on the course for space research, travel, and exploration. The actions we take now will directly affect the opportunities available to our civilization here on Earth and in other worlds. // Top banner - photo credits: . This is one of the deepest views of the universe in near-infrared light. It is also titled the eXtreme Deep Field. It combines 10-years of photographs, i.e. the deepest images of the universe ever captured by the Hubble Space Telescope. Hubble Space Telescope The Hubble has been in operation since 1990. It took at NASA and the for us to be able to appreciate this wonder today. decades of committed visionaries European Space Agency - ESA

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