Astronauts for Hire
 | |
| Non-profit | |
| Industry | Aerospace |
| Founded | April 12, 2010 |
| Headquarters | Holiday, Florida |
Key people |
Brian Shiro: CEO Jason Reimuller: COO Kristine Ferrone: CFO Joseph Palaia: Secretary Amnon Govrin: CTO Jamie Guined: Business Development Officer Erik Seedhouse: Chief Training Officer |
| Slogan | "Building the next generation of commercial payload specialists for suborbital flight" |
| Website | astronauts4hire.org |
Astronauts for Hire (A4H) is a nonprofit corporation whose mission is "to increase the competitiveness of commercial astronaut candidates by providing skills training, facilitating forums for candidate communication, engaging with potential employers, and inspiring the next generation."[1][2]
Background
Astronauts for Hire, Inc. (also known as "Astronauts4Hire" and "A4H") was incorporated as a nonprofit in the state of Florida on April 12, 2010.[3][4]
The organization was established with the intent of training groups of scientist-astronauts and making them available for hire. Research institutions, principal investigators and private spaceflight companies would engage these individuals to conduct experiments in suborbital and eventually orbital space, as opposed to sending their own personnel on these missions.[5]
In 2011, an inaugural class of flight and associate members completed emergency egress and sea survival training,[6] suborbital research scientist training,[7] spatial orientation-disorientation testing and acclimation.[8]
Astronauts for Hire has been featured in Discover Magazine,[9] Nature,[10] New Scientist,[11] Aviation Week and Space Technology[12] among others. The organization received extensive press coverage following its test of the first beer specifically intended to be consumed in space, targeted at the emerging space tourist market.[13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20]
Flight Members
Existing members
The organization currently has nineteen Flight Members, who are considered commercial astronauts for hire. These flight members are:
- Ben Corbin[2][21][22][23]
- Jim Crowell[21][24]
- Jon-Erik Dahlin[25]
- Kristine Ferrone[21][24]
- Amnon Govrin[21][24]
- Melania Guerra[25]
- Mindy Howard[25]
- José Miguel Hurtado, Jr.[21][22]
- Kris Lehnhardt[25]
- Joseph E. Palaia, IV[21][24]
- Jason Reimuller[21][22]
- Luís M. R. Saraiva[21][24]
- Erik Seedhouse[21][22]
- Brian Shiro[21][24]
- Alli Taylor[21][22]
- Cosan Unuvar[25]
- Pavel Zagadailov[25]
- Luis Zea[25]
New flight members - 2013
June 3, 2013 the six new flight members chosen in this selection campaign are accomplished professionals representing diverse fields of science, engineering, medicine, and aviation.[26]
- Captain David Ballinger, CD, MA – Aviator and Aerospace Scientist, Ottawa, Canada
- Jessica Cherry, PhD – Research Scientist and Commercial Pilot, University of Alaska Fairbanks and Northern Science Services
- Michael Gallagher, MD – Rural Family Physician, Alberta Health and Wellness
- Jamie Guined, MEd, MBA, CSCS, FMS – Exercise Scientist, University of Houston / NASA Johnson Space Center
- LTC Tanya Markow, PhD – U.S. Army Aviator / Assistant Professor, United States Military Academy
- Aaron Persad – Research Assistant and PhD candidate, University of Toronto
Ongoing Projects
Development of Training Standards
With the assistance of a board of advisers composed of former astronauts, astronaut training specialists, and space operations professionals, the organization is developing a comprehensive set of training standards for use in training commercial astronauts.[27]
Industry Partnerships
Astronauts for Hire has entered into training partnerships with Survival Systems, USA for emergency escape, sea survival and open water rescue,[28] and a research and training partnership with the Ashton Graybiel Spatial Orientation Laboratory (AGSOL) at Brandeis University.[8]
Past Highlights
NASA Astronaut Selection Webinar
In December 2011, in conjunction with the NASA Astronaut Corps, Astronauts for Hire held a public online seminar and discussion session on the astronaut selection process with Duane Ross, Manager for NASA Astronaut Candidate Training and Astronaut Candidate Selection.[29]
Participation in 2011 NSRC
A4H was an official sponsor of the 2011 Next Generation Sub-orbital Researchers Conference (NSRC).[30][31] A4H personnel assisted in the planning and execution of the event.
Contract with Vostok Pty Ltd
A4H was awarded a contract to provide flight research services on a Zero-G flight, for commercial company Vostok Pty Ltd, which is a joint venture between Saber Astronautics Australia and the 4-Pines Brewery.[13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20] The experiment consisted of measuring the physiologic and biometric responses of alcohol consumption under conditions of weightlessness.
Sponsors & Donors
The organization has received support from individuals and organizations including Optify, Target Process, Bob Page, Tony Webb, Doug Drexler, 4Frontiers Corporation and Mike Kronenberg.[32]
See also
- Commercial astronaut
- Astronaut
- NewSpace
- List of private spaceflight companies
- Private spaceflight
- Commercialization of space
- Commercial Spaceflight Federation
References
- ↑ "About A4H", "Astronauts for Hire Website", accessed December 19, 2010.
- 1 2 08/15/2010: Ben Corbin, Astronauts4Hire, Northwest Florida Daily News
- ↑ "FAQ", "Astronauts for Hire Website," accessed December 19, 2010.
- ↑ , "Astronauts for Hire Granted 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Status," accessed December 27, 2011.
- ↑ 07/22/2010: Astronaut for hire: Space tourism will help science, New Scientist, by Celeste Biever
- ↑ "Astronauts for Hire Members Complete Emergency & Sea Survival Training," accessed December 27, 2011.
- ↑ , "Astronauts for Hire Members Complete Suborbital Scientist Training," accessed December 27, 2011.
- 1 2 , "Astronauts for Hire Announces Summer Training Schedule," accessed December 27, 2011.
- ↑ , "Astronauts for Hire in Discover Magazine," accessed December 27, 2011.
- ↑ , "Astronauts for Hire featured in the journal Nature," accessed December 27, 2011.
- ↑ , "Astronauts for Hire Member featured in New Scientist Magazine" accessed December 27, 2011.
- ↑ "Space Startups Have A Head Of Steam" accessed December 27, 2011.
- 1 2 "Press Release:Astronauts4Hire selected for Historic Microgravity Research Flight", "Astronauts for Hire Website", accessed December 19, 2010.
- 1 2 09/27/2010: Space Beer Headed for Zero Gravity Bar, SPACE.com, by Denise Chow (reprinted by MSNBC) http://www.space.com/news/testing-space-beer-100927.html
- 1 2 09/28/2010: On Tap: Space Beer Testing, Discovery News, by Irene Klotz http://news.discovery.com/space/on-tap-space-beer-testing.html
- 1 2 09/28/2010: One Giant Leap For Mankind: First Beer Brewed For Space, Time, by Josh Sanburn http://newsfeed.time.com/2010/09/28/one-giant-leap-for-mankind-first-beer-brewed-for-space/
- 1 2 09/30/2010: First Beer Brewed For Drinking in Space Will Undergo Testing in Low-Gravity Pub, Popular Science, by Julie Beck http://www.popsci.com/science/article/2010-09/space-beer-being-tested-supplement-space-tourism
- 1 2 09/30/2010: Space Tourists Will Get Their Own Special Space Beer, Discover Magazine, by Jennifer Welsh (reprinted by CBS News) http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/discoblog/2010/09/30/space-tourists-will-get-their-own-special-space-beer/
- 1 2 10/01/2010: Beam me up Shhhcotty ... the Aussie space beer with zero gravity, Sydney Morning Herald, by Asher Moses http://www.smh.com.au/technology/sci-tech/beam-me-up-shhhcotty--the-aussie-space-beer-with-zero-gravity-20101001-15zzh.html
- 1 2 10/01/2010: Down-Under Brewers Work On Space Beer, NPR Morning Edition, host Steve Inskeep http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=130258234&ft=1&f=130258234
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 "FAQ", "Astronauts for Hire Website", accessed December 19, 2010.
- 1 2 3 4 5 "Press Release: Astronauts4Hire expands its team of Commercial Astronaut Candidates", "Astronauts for Hire Website", accessed December 19, 2010.
- ↑ 08/26/2010: UCF Alum Writes Best Asteroid Warning System, UCF Today
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Press Release: Astronauts4Hire Launches, Selects Initial Candidates for Commercial Scientist Astronauts", "Astronauts for Hire Website", accessed December 19, 2010.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Press Release - Astronauts4Hire Announces Selection of New Flight Members - Feb 28, 2011, "Astronauts for Hire Website", accessed March 5, 2011.
- ↑
- ↑ "Qualification Standards for Suborbital Scientist Astronauts", Next-Generation Suborbital Researchers Conference Website, accessed December 27, 2011.
- ↑ "Astronauts for Hire, Survival Systems USA Enter into Training Partnership", Astronauts for Hire Website, accessed December 27, 2011.
- ↑ , "Astronauts for Hire Webinar on Astronaut Selection," accessed December 27, 2011.
- ↑ "Press Release: Astronauts4Hire sponsors Next-generation Suborbital Researchers Conference", "Astronauts for Hire Website", accessed December 19, 2010.
- ↑ "Website of the NSRC", accessed December 19, 2010.
- ↑ "Sponsors", "Astronauts for Hire Website", accessed December 19, 2010.
External links
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||