BuzzAldrin
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Neil Armstrong's Buzz Aldrin photo is unparalleled in art
Few would deny that Neil Armstrong's shot of fellow astronaut Buzz Aldrin is one of the most famous and compelling photos ever taken. What makes it so iconic? Of course, he had access to a place that only 11 other human beings have been, but there's more to it than that. The photo itself is well composed, full of incredible details and charged with the energy of the occasion. How Armstrong got it is a story of not just luck, but preparation and a great eye.
Lego is releasing an Apollo 11 Lunar Lander set for its 50th anniversary
The 50th anniversary of the human race's first trip to the moon is fast approaching, and Lego is marking the milestone with a NASA Apollo 11 lunar lander set. It'll be available June 1st for $100.
After Math: It's bobsled time!
The 2018 Winter Olympics are starting up but Pyeongchang won't be the only place crowning champions. This week we've already seen Waymo win out over Uber in court; Sasha 'Scarlett' Hostyn, the most successful woman in eSports, was victorious in an Olympic-backed Starcraft 2 tournament; and Amazon came up with yet another way to dominate the delivery market -- 2-hour Whole Foods deliveries. Numbers, because how else will you count the scorecards?
Buzz Aldrin wants you to buy this $150 solar backpack
Buzz Aldrin: revered engineer, astronaut of our time and now, the face of high fashion backpacks. Bag brand Sprayground has released a new collection, "Mission to Mars", and the campaign sees Aldrin playing the role of a flight coach, modelling the collection's pieces as he hangs around Mars surrounded by attractive astronauts going about their space business. At the center of the collection is a limited edition solar backpack which comes with a power pack, so it's as useful as it is futuristic looking, which you'd expect for its $150 price tag. Aldrin has been increasingly vocal in recent years about his plans to get astronauts to Mars, so at least we know they'll look good when they get there.
Buzz Aldrin turns to VR to explain how we can get to Mars
Buzz Aldrin, Apollo 11 astronaut and the second person to set foot on the moon, may be 87, but he's keeping his mind focused on the next space frontier. For decades now, he's thought about how to get astronauts to Mars, becoming more vocal about his plans in recent years. He's also a fan of virtual reality as a medium to communicate his vision: He partnered with NASA to build a Mars Hololens experience last year, and now he's hosting a 10-minute VR experience that walks you through his vision of how to get to Mars.
Apollo 11's crew capsule is going on tour
The Apollo 11 space capsule was displayed around the country in 1970 and 1971, shortly after it safely brought Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins back from their iconic 1969 moon trip. Since then, the command module has lived in the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum. Over the next few years, though, the spacecraft will get some fresh air as it embarks on its first national tour in nearly half a century.
Bill Nye and Buzz Aldrin do a little turn on the catwalk
Never in a million years did I think I'd see Bill Nye and Buzz Aldrin walk a runway together, but that's exactly what happened. Both were part of designer Nick Graham's Fall 2017 fashion show in New York City, where he revealed his new "Life on Mars: F/W 2035" menswear collection. Graham says the event was inspired by our need to explore the Red Planet, as well as his admiration for Aldrin's space travel accomplishments -- like being one of the first humans to land on the moon. That's why you'll see garments with prints of rockets and planets, or designs in red that are meant to represent Mars' famed hues.
Mars astronauts could use VR to remind them of home
To put it mildly, Mars astronauts are likely to feel isolation on a level that even the most daring space explorers can't understand. How do you feel connected when Earth is just a dot in the sky? NASA, Smart Information Flow Technologies and 8i might help. They're researching the prospect of using virtual and augmented reality experiences to fight the "sensory and social monotony" of a Mars mission. The aim would be to create a library of inspirational messages that remind astronauts why they're on the Red Planet, and connect them to family -- a bit like the video messages in 2001, only more immersive.
Microsoft and NASA want you to walk on Mars
Microsoft and NASA have been collaborating on ingenious ways to use mixed reality as an aid for astronauts since last year. Last December, as part of NASA's Sidekick project, two HoloLens headsets reached the International Space Station to assist and guide the crew. Now they're bringing the experience of space exploration to the public with "Destination: Mars." The interactive exhibit opening at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida this summer will allow visitors to walk on a virtual version of Mars. The planet has been created with images from NASA's Curiosity Mars Rover so you can expect your simulated exploration to be accurate. The experience will be further enhanced with a holographic version of Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin, who will guide you through your stroll in space.
The Big Picture: Buzz Aldrin's vintage selfie from space
Back in November 1966, Buzz Aldrin took a self-picture that will blow all Caribbean vacation selfies out of the water. Aside from the fact that it doesn't have a duckface in it, the photo was taken in space during the Gemini 12 mission. This historical selfie is but one of the numerous images NASA has recently unearthed from its archives -- images it's slated to auction off at Dreweatts & Bloomsbury's in London's Mayfair sometime today. See, the agency used to release only a small number of images to the media back then, while the rest was sent to Manned Spacecraft Center researchers in Houston.
Revisiting the Apollo 11 Moon landing 45 years later
Today marks the 45th anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission where Buzz Aldrin, Neil Armstrong and Michael Collins made their trip to the Moon. Sure, you could say that there's likely more tech in our pockets than what was used to allow those three to meet their lunar destiny. For whatever reason, though, powering up an Android device or an iPhone isn't nearly as impressive as the fact that we shot humans into outer space and that they walked on the nearest hard surface. Join us as we celebrate that monumental event in the gallery below. For even more, be sure to check out the recent Reddit Ask Me Anything session with Aldrin. Spoiler: he thinks that Gravity is the best depiction of astronauts in zero-G he's ever seen. [Image credit: NASA]
PayPal Galactic arrives to address the pressing issue of paying in space
Space tourism is coming, and it ain't gonna be cheap. The question is, how are the rich folks aboard such craft going to pay for... stuff? Since weighty cash is a non-starter, Paypal has unveiled the PayPal Galactic initiative with SETI and the Space Tourism Society to prepare for the future of extra-planetary commerce. It'll be launched today at noon EST via livestream (see the More Coverage link) by none other than astronaut Buzz Aldrin, who said that future trips to the moon or Mars will require "as many comforts from home as possible, including how to pay each other." PayPal worked with SETI to hatch the project, which will address meaty issues like a standard space currency, the risk of space fraud and dealing with customer support issues. (Sorry, space customer support issues.) We're pretty sure the conversation won't involve how to pay aliens, but as part of the Galactic launch, PayPal will also announce a new crowdfunding campaign on FundRazr to aid SETI. That'll help the ET-seeking outfit with its astrobiology and radio astronomy research and, hopefully, keep its dishes pointed skyward, so maybe one day we can horse-trade with the Ferengi.
BMW's Wherever You Want To Go explores the future of mobility
Perhaps you weren't sold on the concept of urban mobility in your car of tomorrow when Audi started researching the subject, but maybe BMW's new documentary film series will persuade you. Chapter one of Wherever You Want to Go made its debut today and features interviews with visionaries from both in and outside the automotive community -- from astronaut Buzz Aldrin to co-founder of ZipCar Robin Chase -- speaking about how cars can and will adapt to meet the needs of future metropolitan denizens. This first movie is pretty much an extended trailer, so we'll be interested to see the full conversations in the coming installments -- and we can only hope these chats with forward-thinkers convince BMW to re-evaluate its ridiculous car of tomorrow concepts. Chapter two drops on February 8th, so stay tuned. Vid's after the break.
