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Blog
The i4is Science Fiction Anthology
The time has come for the Initiative for Interstellar Studies to put together its own anthology of original short fiction on interstellar themes, with publication anticipated in 2023. We invite i4is members and those willing to join to submit their science fiction stories for consideration.
Member Newsletter
Welcome to the i4is member newsletter! We have a few new items since the last newsletter.
Summer Course 25-29th July 2022
Latest News: Special guest panel with Brian ‘BK’ Kelly, former Director Flight Operations NASA and ‘Ray J’ Johnson pilot of final Shuttle mission to Hubble Space Telescope.
The Limitless Space Institute commissioned the Initiative for Interstellar Studies to create a course to educate and inspire the next generation to explore and travel beyond our solar system. Following on from the inaugural class in 2021 this second class also incorporates material previously delivered to the International Space University and i4is’ own ‘Starship Engineer’ courses.
Project Lyra: There is Another Way
Project Lyra was prompted by the question of the feasibility of a spacecraft mission to ‘Oumuamua, the first object to be discovered definitely originating from outside our solar system – the first of its party or interstellar scout as is implied by the Hawaiian translation of its name. Many of you readers will have heard […]
‘Oumuamua: Some More Strangeness
So is ‘Oumuamua natural or artificial? First it should be understood that a clear and unequivocal answer to this can only be achieved by an in-situ examination. The artist impressions of ‘Oumuamua which have become memes on the internet generally depict ‘Oumuamua as an elongated cigar-shaped rock. This meme may have done a great deal […]
1I/’Oumuamua. Things from the Perspective of an Interstellar Traveller.
What did ‘Oumuamua see of Earth as it encountered the inner solar system? A speck of light from a distance and, as ‘Oumuamua reached its closest approach to earth, perigee (which was at 0.16 au), a disc with dark and bright areas according to the direction of incident sunlight. Let us ignore the dramatic changes […]
1I/’Oumuamua’s Orbit As It Encountered The Inner Solar System.
I found this an interesting little exercise. Let’s look at things from ‘Oumuamua’s perspective. What phase would it have seen Earth in as it travelled along its orbital path through the inner solar system? This is quantified by a parameter known as the phase angle. What is the phase angle? When the phase angle is […]