Polaris Dawn: The first commercial spacewalk mission could fly this summer

Plus: Nvidia launches software to combat AI 'hallucination' [Blueprint]( Sponsored by Imagine the thrill of a spacewalk — the sensation of zero gravity, being dazzled by stars studding the velvety blackness, maybe a little nervous about drifting too far from the airlock... This could be the experience enjoyed by crew members of Polaris Dawn — as early as this Summer — when they attempt the first commercial spacewalk. More on that mission below. But first, here’s [your video of the day](. Good morning. I’m Tim, an Editor at IE. This is The Blueprint. Let's see what's out there. Last Sunday, Blueprint subscribers learned about a new satellite’s mission to take the pulse of all the Earth’s water. Don't miss out — [subscribe to IE+]( today to receive exclusive interviews, features, and much more. VIDEO OF THE DAY [Investing in Climate Technologies]( [Investing in Climate Technologies for a Cleaner Energy Landscape]( In this video, we explore the urgent need for a transition towards a cleaner, carbon-free energy landscape to combat the impact of climate change and achieve the goal of Net Zero by 2050. MUST READ [Polaris Dawn]( [Polaris Dawn: The first commercial spacewalk mission could fly this summer]( Jared Isaacman, the billionaire funder and mission commander of Polaris Dawn, tweeted this week that a summer launch of the mission is possible. The mission will launch a crew of four on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. None of them are trained astronauts, but all have experience in aviation and spaceflight operations. Once there, they will perform the highest-altitude spacewalk, the first commercial spacewalk, and the first spacewalk out of a Crew Dragon capsule. Aside from breaking records, the crew will also help to further space science by flying through the Van Allen radiation belt. This mission helps set the stage for the first crewed missions on SpaceX's Starship, which saw its first [fully-stacked launch]( last week. [Read More]( INNOVATION NeMo Guardrails: Nvidia launches software to combat AI 'hallucination' AI hallucination is a situation where an AI tool generates a result that is't real and does not match the data it has been trained on. A 'hallucinating' AI tool could, for example, create false news reports or give out a completely fabricated narrative about a historical event or a person. In response, Nvidia has developed NeMo Guardrails, open-source software that will help ensure that AI tools like OpenAI's ChatGPT stay on track. [Read More]( THE SPONSOR OF THE DAY [Sabanci]( [Reshaping the energy ecosystem for a sustainable future]( The world is heavily reliant on fossil fuels to provide energy in various forms throughout the globe. However, a transition to renewable energy resources is highly necessary to keep the 1.5°C climate goal alive. Sabancı Holding, one of the largest Turkish conglomerates that operate on a global scale, is leading the transformation towards a cleaner, carbon-free energy landscape by investing in climate technologies in line with the 3Ds - decarbonization, decentralization, and digitization - while working for accessible and uninterrupted energy. They’re making sure the world becomes a [better place to live]( for future generations. The conglomerate is taking large strides in its attempts to safeguard the environment with notable investments at the global level. The acquisition of the Cutlass Solar II project in Texas is a testament to Sabanci Holding’s efforts to create a greener future. Also, they have made investments in Commonwealth Fusion Systems and Quaise Energy, companies that are working on building fusion technology and gathering access to deep geothermal energy, respectively. While a new energy world is emerging that provides us with a cleaner, smarter, more sustainable, and digital way of living, the stakeholders in the energy ecosystem are transforming their operations in the same direction as Sabancı Holding, not just for today but also for tomorrow, towards a sustainable future. [LEARN MORE]( SCIENCE A group of scientists are exploring what sex in space will be like We could soon witness the emergence of sex in space tourism over the next decade, and this would bring up a lot of interesting questions like for instance: how would tourists have sex in space and stay safe? An international group of scientists, clinicians and other interested parties have published a green paper outlining that the emerging space tourism sector has not openly considered or discussed the risks of sex, or how to reduce them. [Read More]( TRANSPORTATION Magpie Aviation's towing approach may make zero-emission flights a reality Today’s battery technology is still not powerful enough to make zero-emission flights a practical reality. The options are flying a plane full of batteries or one full of people – but not both. Magpie Aviation believes it has found a solution: towing planes to extend their range of by hundreds of miles. Their concept uses one or more electric tractor aircraft towing a passenger (or cargo) aircraft using a long cable. The towed plane would have enough battery power for takeoff, landing, and flying to alternate airports, but not enough to fly the full distance on its own. [Read More]( MAIL & MUSINGS How do you feel about the prospect of being a passenger on a towed plane? [It's a good idea]( [Not for me]( [I'll wait and see]( [Wait, what?!]( YESTERDAY'S RESULTS We asked you about the ethics of using an AI chatbot to help pick your lottery numbers, and less than a third of you would consider it cheating. 39% No, not really 29% Yes, of course 17% You make your own luck 15% Who will ever know? QUOTE OF THE DAY I believe that space travel will one day become as common as airline travel is today. However, the true future of space travel does not lie with government agencies — real progress will come from private companies competing to provide the ultimate adventure ride. Buzz Aldrin THINGS WE LOVE [Winterbourne Upholstered Accent Chair]( [Transparent Light Wireless Speaker]( [Magnetic Levitating Light Bulb]( [Modway Render Bathroom Vanity]( AND ANOTHER THING - [AI hyper-personalization]( A revolutionary approach to tailor customer experience [premium] - New finding about 'weird' asteroid 3200 Phaethon [made it weirder]( - Using mycelium to create a [self-healing wearable leather-like material]( (Phys.org) - Ancient poo provides clues to [multiple waves of extinction in Colombia]( - [Inmates are using VR to learn real-world skills]( (MIT Review) - [Jellyfish-inspired robot]( can gently remove ocean waste without harming marine life [Subscribe to IE+]( [About Us]( [Advertise]( [Contact Us]( © Copyright 2023 | The Blueprint is by Interesting Engineering, Inc. 205 Hudson St New York, NY, 10013, USA | All Rights Reserved You are receiving this email because you have subscribed to our newsletter. Manage you e-mail preferences or unsubscribe [here.](