Latest news with #Malta-based
Irish Examiner
22-05-2025
- Health
- Irish Examiner
Company outlines how reduction of paramedics in air ambulance service poses safety risks
The company which provides a life-saving air ambulance service for the State raised serious concerns about flight safety risks after the HSE's National Ambulance Service (NAS) introduced changes to the medical crewing model on the aircraft. The crew changes included rostering just one paramedic to work some of the shifts on the aircraft, which operates from a base near Millstreet, in Cork, to covering the south west and beyond. In an explosive email, a senior official in Gulf Med Aviation Services (GMAS), which provides the aircraft and pilots for the service under contract to the NAS, said since the changes: he had seen a marked deterioration in how the medical staff on board the helicopter perform their aviation tasks while tasked to work shifts on the helicopter; he had seen "workflow and cognitive errors" in the aviation-focused tasks the medical crew need to perform safely as part of the helicopter crew; and how the 'low levels of motivation, concentration, and attention to the task' that appear to have resulted from the recent medical crew changes is 'evident and impactful'. Malta-based GMAS went so far as to formally ask NAS officials for 'an intervention at the earliest opportunity' to address the issues, which were flagged in February. The HSE has insisted, however, that the helicopter emergency medical service (HEMS) is safe and working effectively, that the crewing model is safe for both patients and crew, and that there are no outstanding matters of concern in relation to the contract. The revelation comes just weeks after the Irish Examiner reported how the HEMS covering the south was at risk of being grounded in a row over NAS moves to cut the number of paramedics rostered to work on the aircraft from two to just one. Farm safety minister Michael Healy-Rae described any such move as 'reckless'. The crewing changes were being advanced despite internal reports warning HSE and NAS management that a solo paramedic crewing model poses a risk to patients, to the paramedics and pilots, and poses a flight safety risk. The Irish Examiner reported last March how one internal report warned that if the NAS couldn't provide two paramedics for each of the HEMS aircraft, then the service should be stood down on those days. The HEMS is currently operating several shifts with just one medical crew member on board. The National Ambulance Service provides two dedicated HEMS responses in Ireland - one based in Cork, operated by GMAS, and the other in Athlone operated by the Air Corps - with medical staff on both aircraft supplied by the NAS. File picture: Dan Linehan A senior manager also warned that a single patient safety incident such as a drug error, an in-flight patient emergency, or in the worst-case scenario, a crash, would bring the crewing issue 'sharply into focus'. Concerns were also expressed in March that the NAS was recruiting emergency medical technicians (EMTs) to replace the second paramedic on the aircraft. Qualifying as an EMT takes just five weeks. EMTs cannot perform any of the major 'interventional skills' required to help critically ill patients, including intubation – the placing of a tube in a patient's airway – and the intravenous administration of powerful painkillers, which are often required of patients who need an air ambulance. The NAS provides two dedicated HEMS responses in Ireland - one based in Cork, operated by GMAS, and the other in Athlone operated by the Air Corps - with medical staff on both aircraft supplied by the NAS. In 2022, GMAS won the competitive tender for the delivery of the Cork-based service, taking over from the previous charity provider in February 2023. It is understood the company won the tender again earlier this year. GMAS has an aviation safety management system (SMS) which underwrites the approval of its HEMS service here by its regulator, TM-CAD, the civil aviation directorate in Malta. The National Ambulance Service said it takes concerns raised around the safety of its services very seriously. File picture: Larry Cummins But earlier this year, concerns were emerging from within the service about changes the NAS was making to the medical crewing model on board the aircraft, which included reducing the number of paramedics rostered to work the aircraft from two to just one on certain shifts. In his letter to NAS officials in February, the GMAS official said the HEMS base in Cork had been operating for about two months with a limited medical team on the helicopter. 'It is important that as the operator of the service, we ensure our SMS processes are robust and commensurate with the acceptable risks that prevail during intensive HEMs operations,' he wrote. 'As we understand it, the advanced paramedics are generally spending seven shifts on the helicopter operation within a five-week period. The complex mix of other duties away from the HEMS operation further reduces their capacity to cope. 'As a result, Gulf Med is experiencing workflow and cognitive errors in the aviation centric tasks required of the paramedics that are critical for them to safely interface with the aviation side of the operation. In addition, the low levels of motivation, concentration, and attention to the task that appear to have resulted from the recent changes is evident and impactful.' The company said safety is the number one consideration for all aviation operations and the regulations demand that due attention is given to the management of changes. 'In this case, the HEMs Rathcoole unit has seen three new HEMs paramedics very recently trained and allocated to the helicopter,' the GMAS official said. 'These individuals were trained and certified in a multi-practitioner role (two medical crew on board) and had barely consolidated before being rostered in the single practitioner role on the helicopter. The risks involved in such a change are self-evident. 'For example, a paramedic returning from a significant period away from the unit is often required to mount a HEMS mission in the first few minutes of arriving at the base. This is not a safe practice.' It said like most safety critical activities, all that has to happen for a serious incident or an accident to occur, is for the good people involved to do nothing. The Gulf Med official said he felt they were at the point where something needs to be done to improve: the recent experience of all staff on board the helicopter to match the risks involved in the operation; the mental capacity of junior members of the team to cope with the HEMs role; and a reduction in the disruption and changes that are clearly affecting the motivation, concentration and attention to detail that is necessary to remain safe. GMAS did not respond to requests to comment. Any issues relating to a contract like this, and which are being raised for resolution, must be raised by the relevant company through a formal contract management framework which has been established through the relevant public procurement process. In a response to queries from the Irish Examiner, the NAS said it takes concerns raised around the safety of its services very seriously. 'Any concerns or issues raised in relation to the HEMS are escalated through our agreed contract management process and dealt with expeditiously,' it said in a statement. 'Currently the HSE and Gulf Med Aviation Services are satisfied that services are safe and working effectively. 'The crewing model for the HSE's HEMS is safe for patients and staff. Since its inception in June 2012, the HSE HEMS has operated a successful crewing model consisting of one specialist paramedic and one EMT. 'In September 2024, the HSE commenced a feasibility study to examine the need for physician-delivered HEMS in Ireland. The preliminary results of the trial have not supported any change to the HEMS crewing model, hence the trial period has been extended into 2025.' The HSE said both of its HEMS continue to operate normally, with further support, if required, provided through the Irish Coast Guard's search and rescue aviation service.
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Clearing the Skies: VistaJet Grows Again in 2024 and Court Dismisses Claim Against Founder
Vista secures significant new capital while a court ruling clears founder Thomas Flohr of allegations, positioning the company for continued global expansion. By Exec Edge Editorial Staff A major court ruling dismissed the case against VistaJet founder Thomas Flohr, clearing his name and removing what company executives described as a baseless cloud hanging over the private aviation leader's reputation for nearly two years. The ruling comes as Vista secures substantial new financing that strengthens its position as the second-largest private aviation company globally. The Malta-based private aviation company recently secured $600 million in equity and raised an additional $700 million in an oversubscribed capital offering. These strategic financial moves are expected to save Vista approximately $160 million in debt repayment in 2024 alone. 'It removes the doubts from people who don't know our founder or our company yet,' Ian Moore, Vista Chief Commercial Officer said. 'The people who knew us had not been worried by it. It was always clear that it was a baseless claim.' With these legal challenges now behind them, VistaJet executives say the company is 'turning a page after two years of turmoil that was instigated by malignant voices' and is focused on continued growth and reinforcing its position as a global leader in private aviation. VistaJet Reports Strong 2024 Performance Vista released its 2024 results to its investors, showing significant growth across multiple metrics. The company reported a 20% increase in membership over the past year, with Program members now accounting for a large majority of the company's revenue. These members sign three-year agreements, providing VistaJet with strong visibility into future revenue streams. 'We've never been stronger,' Moore noted. The company also reported an impressive EBITDA of approximately $800 million, demonstrating the strength of its subscription-based business model, which was pioneered by Thomas Flohr when he founded VistaJet in 2004. VistaJet's global reach continues to expand. The company reported that the first fiscal quarter of 2024 saw a 69% increase in Global 7500 flight hours compared to the fourth quarter of 2023. This growth reflects increasing demand for ultra-long-range private jet travel, particularly for routes that connect global business centers without stopping for refueling. In West Africa, where VistaJet recently held its first-ever roadshow static display, the company saw a 58% increase in flight hours during the same period. This growth aligns with Thomas Flohr's long-term vision of expansion into emerging markets. 'Vista has always had big ambitions from the start, and we set out to become the first and only global private aviation company back at the beginning of our journey,' the CCO stated. 'We made large investments, and tripled our fleet in the last three years.' A Strategic Financial Restructuring The recent capital raises are part of a strategic effort to rebalance Vista's growth and address critiques about the company's debt levels. From recent transactions, $500 million will go straight into debt reduction, and the other $700 million are restructuring of the current set of tools and reducing the group's debt rate. These financial maneuvers come after Vista expanded its fleet significantly over the past two years, including through major acquisitions. The company refurbished 93 aircraft in 2023 alone to bring them up to VistaJet standards. The new financing structure has been well-received by investors, reflecting confidence in VistaJet's business model and growth strategy. This positive reception is particularly notable given the challenging environment for private aviation companies in recent years. 'We found investors to join us in the long term — somebody who had the same vision,' explained Ian Moore, Vista Chief Commercial Officer. 'Because our vision is still bigger. We have now reached about 5% global market share. We're the second-largest player. So the addressable market for us to grow is still incredibly large.' Thomas Flohr's Vision for Global Aviation Thomas Flohr founded VistaJet in 2004 with just one aircraft after experiencing frustration with the options for private charters while working in asset finance. He created a subscription-based business model in which clients only pay for the hours they fly, avoiding the high costs and asset depreciation associated with traditional jet ownership or fractional ownership models. This innovative approach has allowed VistaJet to expand its global presence rapidly. The company now flies clients to 96% of the world's countries, to more than 2,400 airports worldwide. 'We continue to focus on what matters most – for this year and the next 5 years – to continue being the best in class,' as Flohr's message to stakeholders stated after the legal victory. 'VistaJet has always promised to be the best alternative to private aircraft ownership.' With the legal challenges and financial restructuring behind them, VistaJet executives say the company is poised for continued growth and innovation. Plans include expanding regional teams, adapting products to meet evolving client needs, and maintaining the company's exceptional service and luxury positioning. 'Finally the sky's clear,' Moore concluded. 'Vista is back and stronger than ever.' Contact: Exec Edge Editor@
The Independent
01-04-2025
- Science
- The Independent
Bitcoin investor blasts off on groundbreaking SpaceX flight over North and South Poles
A SpaceX rocket carrying the first all-private polar mission launched Monday night from Florida, marking a new era in human spaceflight. The mission, funded by crypto-entrepreneur Chun Wang, is the first to send a crew over both the North and South Poles. Wang, a Chinese-born, Malta-based entrepreneur, secured the flight with SpaceX but has not disclosed the cost of the three-and-a-half day journey. The Falcon rocket, lifting off from Nasa 's Kennedy Space Center, charted a southerly course over the Atlantic, a trajectory unlike any taken in over six decades of space travel. The crew's initial flight leg, from Florida to the South Pole, was estimated to take just 30 minutes. From their targeted orbital altitude of approximately 270 miles (430 kilometers), the fully automated capsule will circumnavigate the globe in roughly 90 minutes, with each pole-to-pole transit lasting around 46 minutes. For Wang, who has already explored both polar regions on Earth, this mission offers a new perspective. He aims to observe these icy landscapes from space, while also emphasizing the importance of 'pushing boundaries, sharing knowledge'. Accompanying Wang are three people with extensive polar experience: Jannicke Mikkelsen, a Norwegian filmmaker; Rabea Rogge, a German robotics researcher; and Eric Philips, an Australian polar guide. Mikkelsen, the first Norwegian bound for space, has flown over the poles before, but at a much lower altitude. She was part of the 2019 record-breaking mission that circumnavigated the world via the poles in a Gulfstream jet to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin's moon landing. The crew plans two dozen experiments – including taking the first human X-rays in space – and brought along more cameras than usual to document their journey called Fram2 after the Norwegian polar research ship from more than a century ago. Until now, no space traveler had ventured beyond 65 degrees north and south latitude, just shy of the Arctic and Antarctic circles. The first woman in space, the Soviet Union's Valentina Tereshkova, set that mark in 1963. Yuri Gagarin, the first man in space, and other pioneering cosmonauts came almost as close, as did NASA shuttle astronauts in 1990. A polar orbit is ideal for climate and Earth-mapping satellites as well as spy satellites. That's because a spacecraft can observe the entire world each day, circling Earth from pole to pole as it rotates below. Geir Klover, director of the Fram Museum in Oslo, Norway, where the original polar ship is on display, hopes the trip will draw more attention to climate change and the melting polar caps. He lent the crew a tiny piece of the ship's wooden deck that bears the signature of Oscar Wisting, who with Roald Amundsen in the early 1900s became the first to reach both poles. Wang pitched the idea of a polar flight to SpaceX in 2023, two years after U.S. tech entrepreneur Jared Isaacman made the first of two chartered flights with Musk's company. Isaacman is now in the running for NASA's top job. SpaceX's Kiko Dontchev said late last week that the company is continually refining its training so 'normal people' without traditional aerospace backgrounds can 'hop in a capsule ... and be calm about it.' Wang and his crew view the polar flight like camping in the wild and embrace the challenge. 'Spaceflight is becoming increasingly routine and, honestly, I'm happy to see that,' Wang said via X last week. Wang said he's been counting up his flights since his first one in 2002, flying on planes, helicopters and hot air balloons in his quest to visit every country. So far, he's visited more than half. He arranged it so that liftoff would mark his 1,000th flight.
Yahoo
31-03-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
SpaceX Launching First-Ever Astronauts Over Earth's Poles Tonight
Tonight, SpaceX is scheduled to launch a first-of-its-kind mission that will carry four private astronauts — or depending on how you see it, glorified space tourists — to fly above the Earth's poles. Named "Fram2" after the Norwegian ship that made expeditions to both the Earth's poles over a century ago, the mission will use a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket to carry a Crew Dragon capsule containing the crew to an altitude between 264 to 280 miles. The mission commander is the same person who's financing it: Malta-based crypto entrepreneur Chun Wang, who founded the Bitcoin mining pool F2Pool. Wang is joined by three of his pals: Norwegian cinematographer Jannicke Mikkelsen, who will be the vehicle commander; German robotics researcher Rabea Rogge, the mission's pilot; and Australian polar explorer Eric Philips, the mission specialist and medical officer. None of them have ever flown into space before. Inexperienced as they may be, the crew will be venturing to where no astronauts have ever gone before: directly above the Earth's poles. During their three-to-five-day stay in space, the Crew Dragon spacecraft will attempt to fly at a 90 degree orbital inclination, putting its path perfectly perpendicular to the Earth's equator. Historically, there was little reason to fly at these steep inclinations, which burns more fuel and can put a spacecraft's path, when launched from the US, over heavily populated areas. There's also less protection from space radiation over the poles. Until now, the crewed mission that came closest to polar orbit was the Soviet Vostok 6 mission, which reached an inclination of about 65 degrees, according to CNN. Besides its unique trajectory, Fram2 boasts a bevy of scientific objectives, with the crew expected to carry out 22 experiments. Some of the research includes monitoring how humans adapt to motion sickness in space, growing mushrooms in microgravity, and testing the use of blood flow restriction exercise. The mission is also collaborating with startups to explore whether space conditions can disrupt sleep patterns and women's hormone levels (half of the crew members, Mikkelsen and Rogge, are women.) Perhaps the most spectacular item on the bucket list is observing an atmospheric phenomenon known as the Strong Thermal Emission Velocity Enhancement, or STEVE, a streak of light in the night sky that often accompanies the northern lights, which has seldom been observed from space. Some experts, however, are dubious about the actual scientific value of some aspects of Fram2. "There's nothing unique to a polar orbit, (and) the science advantages are kind of overblown," John Prussing, professor emeritus of aerospace engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, told CNN. "This is a private mission. You need something to say that's different and exciting about it," echoed Christopher Combs, associate dean of research at the Klesse College of Engineering and Integrated Design at the University of Texas at San Antonio. It's "a notch above gimmick," Combs told CNN, "but not exactly a groundbreaking milestone." Fram2 is slated to lift off from Florida as early as 9:46 PM EST tonight, but delays are common. More on spaceflight: Fireballs Appear Around the World as Parts of SpaceX Crew Dragon Scream Back to Earth
CNN
30-03-2025
- Science
- CNN
SpaceX is set to launch 4 tourists on a first-of-its-kind mission around Earth's poles. Here's what to know
A crew of four passengers — led by a cryptocurrency billionaire — is set to launch aboard a SpaceX capsule that will carry them over the Earth's poles, marking the first time humans have flown such a mission. The group is slated to lift off from a launchpad in Florida during a 4.5-hour window that opens at 9:46 p.m. ET Monday. Malta-based investor Chun Wang is financing the mission, which was dubbed Fram2 after a Norwegian ship that carried key expeditions to the North and South poles around the turn of the 20th century. Wang made his fortune with bitcoin mining operations, and he paid SpaceX an undisclosed sum of money to conduct this mission. Joining him are three polar explorers whom Wang met through his Earth-bound travels: Norwegian film director Jannicke Mikkelsen, German robotics researcher Rabea Rogge and Australian adventurer Eric Philips. No one on the crew has ever traveled to space. 'My own journey has been shaped by lifelong curiosity and the fascination with pushing boundaries,' Chun said Friday during an audio-only Spaces event on X, the social media platform owned by SpaceX CEO Elon Musk. The aim of Fram2 is to conduct a unique mission that also pays homage to the quartet's fascination with polar exploration, following in the footsteps of other unique space tourism trips such as SpaceX's 2021 Inspiration4 mission. Fram2 stands out because no humans have traveled directly over the Earth's poles from space, which requires a flight path that's far more fuel-intensive than chasing orbits closer to the equator. The frigid caps of our home planet are invisible to humans on board the International Space Station, for example, which orbits near Earth's equatorial line. The crewed mission that traveled closest to the planet's poles to date was a Soviet-era spaceflight called Vostok 6 in 1963. However, Vostok 6 was flown at a 65-degree inclination, whereas Fram2 will aim for a 90-degree orientation, meaning it will fly perfectly perpendicular to the equator. During the mission, crew members will offer up their own bodies for research. They are expected to give scientists insight into how they react to weightlessness and adapt to motion sickness — a common symptom reported by astronauts. Fram2 is expected to spend three to five days in space before returning home with a splashdown landing off the coast of California. While a human spaceflight mission has never passed so close to Earth's poles, experts who spoke with CNN said that there may not be a huge scientific draw to such an effort. Dr. John Prussing, professor emeritus of aerospace engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, openly wondered if the mission plan was an April Fools' joke — noting that SpaceX's projected launch window stretches into April 1 in Coordinated Universal Time. 'There's nothing unique to a polar orbit, (and) the science advantages are kind of overblown,' Prussing noted as evidence for his skepticism about this flight. (CNN verified the authenticity of SpaceX's flight plans with the Federal Aviation Administration, which licenses commercial rocket launches.) Ultimately, the value of Fram2 may be more about the thrill of the endeavor, gathering health data, and taking a step forward in making private space missions more common, other experts noted. In addition to being first-time space travelers, the Fram2 crew members all come from backgrounds that are atypical for astronauts. 'This is a private mission. You need something to say that's different and exciting about it,' said Dr. Christopher Combs, associate dean of research at the Klesse College of Engineering and Integrated Design at the University of Texas at San Antonio. 'It's interesting that nobody's ever actually done a true polar orbit,' Combs added, 'and it's great that we've got commercial providers that are making space travel increasingly routine.' In his mind, Combs said, flying a human spaceflight mission around the poles is 'a notch above gimmick, but not exactly a groundbreaking milestone.' Every mission that carries people into space offers a chance to observe how the journey affects human physiology. And the Fram2 crew will seek to expand on some research spearheaded by academics and the private sector during previous commercial missions to orbit — including the 2024 Polaris Dawn mission. All four Fram2 passengers will undergo the same MRI scans that the Polaris Dawn crew did. This research aims to expand scientists' understanding of how stints in microgravity, which is known to shift fluids in the brain, affect astronauts. The team behind the MRI study is not ready to reveal findings from the Polaris Dawn mission last fall, according to Dr. Mark Rosenberg, a neurologist at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston. But an overarching goal of the analysis is to learn whether brain changes can occur for people who spend days — rather than months — in space. Rosenberg is also part of a team collecting data about astronauts' sleep patterns in collaboration with Oura Ring, which developed a wellness-tracking device that can be worn on a finger. The work will build on extensive research NASA has conducted with its astronauts on the ISS. 'I certainly think that REM (sleep) is going to be disrupted,' as well as certain deep sleep phases, in the Fram2 crew, Rosenberg told CNN. There are a couple reasons why: 'One, your body isn't used to being in microgravity. And so for that reason, it probably is challenging for it to get comfortable at first,' Rosenberg said. 'The second reason is that constant bombardment of visual stimuli from the orbit. A day in orbit is 90 minutes, and so that circadian dysregulation is definitely going to play a role with how you're able to sleep.' The 'day' Rosenberg refers to is how often astronauts experience a sunrise and sunset. From the vantage point inside a space capsule whisking around in Earth's orbit, the phenomenon can occur more than a dozen times in a 24-hour period. Also among Fram2's health-related investigations will be a look at how the crew might respond to space adaptation syndrome — a potentially debilitating form of motion sickness that has affected more than 60% of astronauts. The nausea can set in almost immediately after reaching orbit, where astronauts remain weightless, and can take days to dissipate, a troubling proposition for short-term spaceflights such as Fram2. 'It could impact their ability to perform as well as they otherwise would,' said Torin Clark, an associate professor of aerospace engineering sciences at the University of Colorado Boulder, who is leading the motion sickness research. Astronauts experiencing extreme nausea may inject themselves with anti-motion sickness drugs, but the medications can leave them tired and groggy for hours, potentially affecting how well they can use their short time in space. Clark also led similar research during the Polaris Dawn mission. He noted that half of the crew experienced symptoms of space adaptation syndrome during that journey. The goal with expanding data collection on this flight, he said, is to better understand the ailment — perhaps leading to superior treatments. Separately, the Fram2 crew will be involved in novel research spearheaded by a British tech startup, Hormona. The company said it has developed a urine testing strip that can monitor a woman's hormone levels with the help of a phone app. Mikkelsen and Rogge, the female crew members aboard Fram2, will use the strips to evaluate how spaceflight affects their endocrine system. It's part of an effort to close 'the gender data gap that exists in medicine,' Jasmine Tagesson, Hormona's chief operating officer and cofounder, told CNN. Only about 15% of the more than 700 people who have traveled to space have been women, limiting how much research has been collected about their experiences. Hormona is currently running pilot tests of its products, according to Tagesson and Karolina Löfqvist, Hormona CEO and cofounder. But Mikkelsen and Rogge will use Hormona's test strips tucked inside diapers they will wear in orbit. SpaceX's Crew Dragon capsule does have a commode designed for use in microgravity, but astronauts also sometimes wear special undergarments. Dr. Jerilynn Prior, a professor of medicine specializing in endocrinology at the University of British Columbia, who is not involved in the Hormona research, told CNN that urine analysis is not a perfect method for testing hormone levels because the metabolic process can alter results. But such in-space hormone research could yield interesting findings, Prior noted. 'I would not expect that ovulation would be normal for those women who are in space,' Prior said via email. 'At the very least, the stressors involved would likely shorten the luteal phase,' she said, referring to the stretch of time after ovulation and before the start of a woman's menstruation. The Fram2 crew will be involved in a total of 22 science and research experiments. During the brief jaunt through orbit, the group will attempt to exercise — marking the first time such an experiment has been carried out within the confines of a 13-foot-wide (4-meter-wide) SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule. They'll complete the exercises wearing restrictive bands designed to control blood flow and enhance the benefits of exercise, according to a news release about the experiment. Such blood flow restriction tools for exercise are gaining popularity for workouts on Earth, but they can be controversial because of potential safety risks associated with improper use. The Fram2 crew will also attempt to grow mushrooms in space in an effort to further the extensive agricultural research that NASA has conducted on the International Space Station. That experiment is designed to help researchers understand how astronauts might 'meet their nutritional needs on long-duration space missions,' according to a news release. And finally, the crew will attempt to observe polar light shows from space — perhaps the piece of research that most hinges on Fram2's chosen orbital path. Called SolarMaX, the research will focus on aurora-like shows such as Steve, a light phenomenon that was only named in 2016 after an effort to document the phenomenon by citizen scientists in Canada. Mikkelsen said she will use her camera equipment to capture the colorful light displays while in space — and people on Earth are invited to lend their own observations. 'Anyone can join. Where you go outside, if there is aurora where you live … you will take a photo of the aurora at the same time as we on the Fram2 flight fly over the aurora,' she said. People can register to participate on the SolarMaX website. The webpage notes that the goal of the SolarMaX project is to capture unexplained, aurora-related phenomena and 'better understand their origins and evolution.' Dr. Eric Donovan, an aurora and Steve expert with the University of Calgary's department of physics and astronomy, told CNN that the prospect of gathering a new database of observations is invigorating. Taking photographs of aurora and other polar light shows has not been done extensively from space, as astronauts on the ISS can typically only attempt to capture such photographs in their spare time, he noted. 'That's one of the things that maybe is a good thing in self-funded spaceflight: because it's self-funded, you can do whatever you want,' Donovan said.
