TOP STORIES: July 2020

31 July 2020

Each month we round up some of the top stories in space, entrepreneurship, innovation, finance and technology.

Here’s our round-up for July:

Virgin Galactic offers peek inside new space plane for tourists

Virgin Galactic has revealed the interior of its centrepiece space plane, showing off a cabin with new custom seats and a “space mirror” in a virtual tour of what its passengers can expect to experience on flights to the edge of space. Read more from The Guardian.

Cover image: The view from the interior cabin of Sir Richard Branson’s space tourism firm Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo. Photograph: Virgin Galactic/Reuters

Thomas Pesquet first ESA astronaut to ride a Dragon to space

ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet has officially been assigned to the second operational flight of SpaceX’s Crew Dragon spacecraft, launching in spring 2021 from Cape Canaveral, USA, to the International Space Station. Read more from the European Space Agency (ESA).

NASA, ULA Launch Mars 2020 Perseverance Rover Mission to Red Planet

NASA’s Mars 2020 Perseverance rover mission is on its way to the Red Planet to search for signs of ancient life and collect samples to send back to Earth. It will land at Jezero Crater in about seven months, on Feb. 18, 2021.

How 4 Companies Are Using AI To Solve Waste Issues On Earth And In Space

Artificial intelligence is a tool used by people all over the world to empower humans to make informed decisions. With a responsible use of AI, humans are able to solve problems faster because artificial intelligence can process more information at a time than a human can. Read more by Forbes.

Startrocket Foam Debris Catcher Manifesto from Vlad Sitnikov on Vimeo.

Giant leap for UK spaceflight programme as consultation launches

A public consultation on regulations that will support the Space Industry Act 2018 opened this month, paving the way for the UK’s first ever space launch. Find out more here.

Earth from space

ESA VIRTUAL INDUSTRY SPACE DAYS

Identify tomorrow’s business partners and opportunities within the space sector during the virtual Industry Space Days. The online ISD provides an excellent opportunity for SMEs and other industry participants to meet and discuss prospective business with new contacts. Register now and pre-schedule B2B meetings with relevant stakeholders. Companies and organisations are also invited to attend the web-streamed ISD conference and dedicated ESA presentations. Register now.