More Stellar Space Content at SXSW
The Forrest Four-Cast: February 10, 2020
The new Space track will bring astronauts, scientists, futurists, dreamers and other interested parties to SXSW from March 18–20. In addition to the 10 awesome Space sessions that we highlighted previously in this column, other intriguing panels and presentations in this track are as follows:
Alienating Mars: Challenges of Space Colonization (March 18). Human bodies are optimized for life on Earth, and ill-equipped for environments like those we will find on Mars. TED Senior Fellow Lucianne Walkowicz leads an all-star session that discusses how we can might eventually overcome the many obstacles to life on another planet.
Building a Better World from Outer Space (March 19). Industry experts from the public and private sector will focus on the ways in which new space technology and partnerships can help provide solutions for a more stable world.
Can We Build a Better Society Beyond Earth (March 20). The author Annalee Newitz explores how science fiction offers templates for reimagining humanity as we scatter across the galaxy — and warns us that social change is sometimes harder than inventing a warp drive.
Fire & Laser Beams: 3D Printing a New Space Age (March 20). Additive manufacturing (commonly referred to as 3D printing) is having a renaissance, with new injections of capital leading to new capabilities and applications. Attend this presentation to learn how applying these findings to engine development and beyond will transform the space industry.
How Do You Do MacGyver in Space? (March 20). Want to learn what happens behind the scenes in some of the most intense situations in Human Space Flight? Get ready to laugh and be astounded at some of the most ridiculous and TRUE stories of how emergencies in Space are solved.
Living on Mars, Beyond Surviving (March 18). This panel brings together an expert from NASA, plus an architect and the commander of an Antarctic Base to discuss what is required to create environments where people can live and explore the far reaches of space.
Love, Robots, Mars: Becoming an Astronaut (March 20). What does it take to become an astronaut in 2020? The Right Stuff astronauts who are all male fighter pilots are not the type of candidates we need today. Technical skills are still important, but diversity in skills and backgrounds, teamwork, and mental fortitude are even more important as this generation might see the first humans on another planet.
New Approaches to Space Architecture (March 19). When humans begin colonizing outer space, what will the structures that we live in look like? Do the buildings that we have seen in various science fiction movies bear any resemblance to what is needed to survive in these kind of challenging, outer-worldly environments?
Shooting for the Moon with Hypersonic Flight (March 19). 1 in ~20 rockets blow up. These numbers are not acceptable when human life or critical payloads are on the line. Mark Russell of HyperSciences Inc and Leon Vanstone of the Texas Rocket Engineering Lab talk about next generation solutions.
Space Force: This Is All Very Real (March 19). On December 20, 2019, President Trump formally authorized the creation of the United States Space Force. This session examines how this new sixth branch of the military alters America’s overall approach to defense, as well as discuss the implications of USSF to the fast-growing commercial space industry.
The Value of Space Partnerships for Brands (March 20). This session covers the brave new world of partnerships between space companies and consumer brands, benefits of these partnerships, the value of space content, and finally, what your brands can do in space.
Register now to attend all the space-related panels and presentations, as well as the other 21 tracks at SXSW 2020. Hurry, badge prices increase at the end of the day on Friday, February 14.
Hugh Forrest serves as Chief Programming Officer at SXSW, the world’s most unique gathering of creative professionals. He also tries to write at least four paragraphs per day on Medium. These posts often cover tech-related trends; posts also focus on books, pop culture, sports and other current events.
