Space exploration disability inclusion cohort set to take flight + Weekly Business News Digest
Space exploration disability inclusion cohort set to take flight
In recognition of the National Disability Employment Awareness Month, FCEDA proudly features some exciting news about AstroAccess, a non-profit organization that seeks to promote the inclusion of people with disabilities in space careers. Eric Ingram, founder and CEO of the Fairfax County-based space company SCOUT is on the AstroAccess leadership team. Ingram recently spoke with FCEDA and aspiring Fairfax County entrepreneurs about starting his space company in Northern Virginia, a global hub for space and satellite companies.
On the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 17 lunar liftoff, the last time humans were on the Moon, AstroAccess will have its second cohort of ambassadors fly on a parabolic flight with Zero Gravity Corporation. The flight is scheduled to launch from Houston, Texas on December 14, 2022. According to AstroAccess, the flight will continue the important accessibility research that was conducted on an inaugural AstroAccess flight in October 2021, as well as work on two additional parabolic flights conducted by Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and the Aurelia Institute, which flew AstroAccess ambassadors in May of this year.
SCOUT’s Ingram will be among the four returning flyers on the next AstroAccess flight. Ingram is currently leading the experiment development and guidance for the Mobility Impairment Ambassador group.
“This second flight allows us to expand on the incredible experiments we flew on AA1 (the first flight). We’re working diligently to make sure that when the time comes, spaceflight is accessible to all,” said Ingram. “AstroAccess is doing fundamental research into how to make completely novel environments work for everyone, and we’re excited to have not just space be accessible but use these results here on earth too.”
Twelve new flyers will also join the crew of the second flight. The flyers, in addition to the work done by the AstroAccess ground crew and the mentorship of the AA1 Ambassadors, have launched AstroAccess into the next phase of its mission to make space more accessible, according to AstroAccess.
“This is a vital next step for advancing not only access to space, but the quality of space science itself, by ensuring that 15 percent of the world’s population is not excluded, stated AstroAccess co-founder and Executive Director Anna Voelker. “We are honored to be working with a phenomenal and passionate team of nearly 100 individuals who are driving this mission forward, and welcome anyone who is interested in contributing to join our growing team.”
In support of the mission, the ground and flight crew are collaborating to design experiments that will help AstroAccess demonstrate ways to make spaceflight more accessible in the future.
“The work that we’re doing at AstroAccess is laying the foundation for the future of human spaceflight. To democratize space, we’re expanding the notion of ‘the right stuff’ and doing the necessary research for inclusion to enable a wide range of people to fly,” said Flight Ops research lead Corey McClelland.
AstroAccess is dedicated to advancing disability inclusion in space exploration for the benefit of humankind. The first mission successfully flew 12 individuals with disabilities on October 17, 2021, with the ultimate goal of flying one or more team members to space in the coming years. The project is supported through the Whitesides Foundation and is part of SciAccess, an international non-profit dedicated to advancing disability inclusion in STEM. The fiscal sponsor of the project is the Spacekind Foundation, a non-profit space advocacy organization.
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