Finnish startup aims to send high scoring users to actual space each year
Prepare to reach for the stars – everyone with a working smartphone now has the opportunity to gain real astronaut skills.
A Finnish startup, Space Nation, has developed an app that provides basic astronaut training through quizzes, short games, fitness challenges, and narrative adventures.
Not only will users get to experience life in space through their screens, those who score the highest in the overall ranking will be invited to an astronaut training camp based in Iceland, where the first American astronaut training camp was held. And, starting in 2019, Space Nation aims to actually send one person per year to space.
“The Space Nation vision is about bringing space into our everyday lives and about creating the world’s largest community of space discovery, wellness and education. The first step towards this vision is the Space Nation Astronaut Program,” said the Finnish startup in an official statement.
“The program is free of charge and accessible to all. With the program, you can teach and challenge yourself in three categories: Body, Mind and Social.”
“Designed in partnership with Axiom Space (the people that train Nasa astronauts) and Nasa, the Space Nation Astronaut Program is an ongoing training program that will offer a range of astronaut training experiences, starting with an app – Space Nation Navigator – and progressing to bootcamps, parabolic flights, right through to – eventually – multiple trips to space.”
Space Nation CEO and co-founder, Kalle Vähä-Jaakkola, announced the app launch at Yuri’s Night LA, an event held annually to celebrate the anniversary of Yuri Gagarin’s trip to space – the first human ever to do so.
Since the first space flight conducted by the Soviet Union, a total of 40 nationalities have flown to space. At Space Nation we believe that total to be short by 156. Space is for everyone! Take the first step & download the Space Nation Navigator now! https://t.co/7V8ZrFjE88 pic.twitter.com/y51HbewQGB
— Space Nation (@spacenation) April 9, 2018
“If we could go from sending the first man to space to putting a man on the Moon in just eight years, imagine where we can be in eight years from the first commercial human space flight with the current speed of technological progress,” Vähä-Jaakkola said.
“With 3D printing, we can even print entire houses, and easily build things on remote planets. Advancements in urban farming and hydroponics enable growing on soilless planets. Reusable space crafts and docking stations drive down the price of a ticket to space. And harnessing the resources of the Moon, even more.”
To make the first step to becoming a real trained astronaut, you can download the app for Android and soon for iOS here.
