Taught by aerospace engineer and executive Dr. Ariel Ekblaw, this course explores the exciting future of space exploration—from ambitious missions to the Moon and Mars to the next generation of space stations. Discover how we’re getting there, what we’ll do, and how space travel may soon become accessible to ordinary citizens.
The Future of Space Exploration
Rocket into the future of space exploration with this behind-the-scenes briefing from one of the aerospace engineers making it happen.
Rated 1 out of
5
by
lukesky from
Seems biased
They seem to put Blue origin and SpaceX in the same light, was a bit disappointed looking at the first episolde
Date published: 2025-04-11
Rated 5 out of
5
by
old navy guy from
Hubris on Steroids
I gave this a 5 star rating but need to explain why. The information and presentation is riveting, well done and far reaching. On the other hand it has some glaring issues that were ignored. I read all the other current ratings and was amused at their wide range. I gave it the 5 rating because I think that folks should watch all the episodes. Their creativity is fascinating. However, in my opinion, the ease with which it dealt with potential (and real, in my opinion), negative potential issues displayed an monumental amount of hubris. Has anyone estimated the logistics of actually being able to extract, refine, manufacture, launch into space, assemble, test, operate and maintain these gigantic structures for millennia? How long will these structures really be expected to operate? How will they be protected from cosmic dangers of all kinds? How will deorbit be handled? Will world conditions and any restive population endure the economic consequences of a space disaster, one that would be quite possible over the long term needed to justify the cost? Will competing societies sit idly by and watch or will competition create real, serious issues?
It's one thing to operate in near earth orbit in the ISS. It is something else to consider what has been proposed in these videos. I highly recommend that interested folks read the "Rama" series of four books by Arthur Clarke. I like them so much that I read them four times. They imagine a similar scenario but one involving other space faring civilizations. That series presents these issues much better than I could here. So yes, you should watch course, but think about how fickle human nature is. And how fractured society is around the world. If this isn't enough to worry about, isn't the world's population shrinking? How ironic would it be if future civilizations aren't around to enjoy the benefits?
Date published: 2025-04-06
Rated 5 out of
5
by
the professor from
Space Exploration Partnerships: A Path to Success
Ariel Ekblaw, Ph.D., delivers a very intriguing overview of the collaboration between NASA, Academia, and business, emphasizing their collective efforts to tackle the challenges of long-term space missions to the moon, Mars and beyond. Ariel is an extremely articulate and eloquent speaker, with an exceptional academic and leadership background, in addition to a heritage of over 100 years of outstanding family science skills.
This reviewer with over 4 decades as an environmental science practitioner including 30 years as adjunct professor at Ph.D level: and a family member who was a NASA Astronaut, viewed this wonderful course as the perfect primer for beginning STEM college students. With so many college students floundering for a fulfilling science career, this course is an excellent primer. For someone at the crossroads of deciding a path, this course is a fantastic opportunity to learn the diverse contributions of industry and academia, and to envision their own role in the journey to the stars. It inspires curiosity and provides practical insights into the world of space exploration. Each of the 12 lectures were stimulating, easily generating visions of potential career opportunities and cutting edge science endeavors. Whether it was projects from protecting the space team members from radiation, creating sustainable living quarters, food development, and many others, this lecture set offered to ponder.
I highly enjoyed this 12 lecture course and Dr. Ariel Ekblaw's passionate delivery, and highly recommend it. Additionally, this course coupled with the excellent lecture set, 'How to Survive in Space', provides a very stimulating and educational learning path.
Date published: 2025-04-04
Rated 1 out of
5
by
Steve23 from
Weird and disturbing
This set of videos represents a disturbing direction in the otherwise excellent content historically provided by the Great Courses. This "course" is an undisguised sales pitch for a particular set of for-profit enterprises. Beyond the lack of balance and opposing views about the future of space travel, I thought much of the premise of people "living their best life and thriving in space" was plain preposterous, given the countless ways that you can die (quickly) or go insane (slowly) in space, at immense cost. I tuned out when the presenter seriously equated the experience of peering through the little algae-filled portholes in her 10-meter biosphere to contemplating the soaring stained-glass heights of a gothic cathedral.
Date published: 2025-04-04
Rated 1 out of
5
by
Kim Kemal from
I had high hopes - and it is truly awful!
Hubby and I are avidly interested in the details of space travel, experts in NASA and other space exploration and members of L5 in an earlier age. I write scifi and thought that among other goals, I might see some visual examples of potential new habitats that could spark my own exploration for future stories. Bottom line: VERY VERY excited to see this.
It is horrifyingly horrible. I watched the first episode in its entirely and then skimmed most of the other episodes - such interesting topics, completely ruined. Trying to think of positives: lots of interviews - but they are all corporate hacks, not researchers at MIT, experts at NASA, ESA, Japanese space agency, reputable (not entrepreneurs, focused on profit!) people all over the world who are working in labs and agencies to make this happen.
No. What you get is a one-sided glossy view of the corporate 'future ownership' of space. The last episode - after an entire class of untruths - runs a quickie list of some of the downsides of this private, profit-making dream of space.
Let me explain in more detail: the continual message is that 'government is slow, inefficient and bureaucratic.' Sounds like the major talking point of a politician we all know. Do you know why governments don't rush into things? 1) they are accountable to 100 Million American taxpayers for every cent they spend. [Kids don't pay taxes.] They are also determined not to get you killed, so they have triple redundancy and test the heck out of things.
2) government represents the entire community! They have a lot of stakeholders. Including everyone's input, instead of just focusing on what the 0.01% rich white men want, leads to more fairness (which government cares about and corporations don't), it leads to more involvement by everyone, not just friends of the CEO. It leads to environmental concerns, which every extraction industry has shown they don't. Do you think a profit-obsessed corporation will spend millions of dollars to prevent any scrap of a microbe from Earth from contaminating possible indigenous life on Mars? Governments will! They are influenceable by voters. The concept of the same folks who strip mined the Earth getting going on the Moon, Mars and god help us - Europa?? WHich probably has life! That will absolutely be wiped out by the unrestrained-by-government greed of corporations. I could go on, but you know all that, you are well-educated and rational.
The funniest line in the whole horrendous mess is the 'ordinary people can go into space.' Yeah? You think billionaires and bought-off celebrities are ordinary people? You think YOU will live in space, or your equally-ordinary grandchildren? Possibly as low-paid service workers. Corporations don't want to pay overtime on Earth. They are stealing wages from ordinary people left, right and center in the USA. You think they intend to provide a lovely posh life for genuinely ordinary people?
Government programs, because they have equity requirements for the rest of us non-male, non-rich, ordinary folks might in fact get your remote descendants a home on Luna. You'd be a lunatic to think the corporations that this instructor is touting will do anything like that.
And she is touting specific companies. It's not a sales pitch for these companies as hard as it is a constant, dunning refrain that you can't get all these wonderful designs, this tech progress, this amazing future if you let governments - accountable to their people (well, except for the Chinese) - control the process. Well, NASA managed to put people on the Moon and would already have lunar bases if politicians hadn't cut off the money. If NASA and all the rest need more money, let the corporations fund it, but never ever be allowed to control it. If you want the human species to control its future in space, we need to shut down propaganda factories, like this class.
I need to say, The Great Courses nearly always produces truly outstanding quality! I can only imagine that the editors were knocked off their logical, rational chairs by the stunning, fancy graphics. Please make this a short-lived, one-shot mistake, never to be repeated?
The future of space exploration as a sober, exciting-but-rational, focused on facts, not sales pitches class could be a real knockout.
Date published: 2025-04-02
Rated 5 out of
5
by
Star8 from
Extraordinary presentation of future life in space
This series is superb in explaining how man intends to negotiate and colonize space in the future. The organization of the information needed in order to understand the logic of the design and implementation is clear and precise.
Date published: 2025-04-01
Rated 1 out of
5
by
90909789 from
They're not even trying enymore
99% sci-fi... They're not even trying to be factual anymore. It's just bad. Scale back on the graphics and go back to the basics with correct information instead of wild speculation...
Date published: 2025-04-01
Rated 4 out of
5
by
DCostello from
Some Interesting Sessions - New Perspectives
I've always been interested in space and the space program. This series of lectures has some information that was new to me and I found those sessions very interesting and worthwhile. There were also a number of lectures that, quite frankly, seemed like a waste of time. For example, lecture 8 talked about making art and music in space, I hope we're not investing too much money into studying that yet. Another example was the the talk about space food both for scientist as well as for future space tourists. While those will probably be important issues at some point, it hardly seems like the type of thing we need to worry too much about right now given the other daunting technical issues yet to be solved. It also felt like quite a few of the speakers were basically offering an infomercial for their particular company or area of specialization.
For me personally, the most important session was #10 and I wish that session was longer. We face some very serious challenges here are Earth today and those challenges are only growing. The 10th session discusses some of the benefits of going to space and how we may be able to use what we learn in space to help us solve problems like pollution and global warming. If we can't effectively solve some of our current environmental challenges on earth, space travel will be the least of our concerns.
Date published: 2025-04-01
Overview
About
Ariel Ekblaw is the co-founder and CEO of Aurelia Institute, where she combines research across science, engineering, art, and design to realize the future of space exploration. She has a PhD in Space Architecture from MIT and is the founder and past director of the MIT Space Exploration Initiative. She also serves on the NASA Lunar Surface Innovation Consortium Executive Committee and is leading MIT’s To the Moon to Stay mission. She is the author of Into the Anthropocosmos. Her work has been featured in Wired magazine, MIT Technology Review, Harvard Business Review, and The Wall Street Journal as well as on NPR, CNN, and the BBC.
Trailer
01: Innovating the New Space Frontier
In this first episode, Dr. Ekblaw looks at the thrilling future of space exploration, being fueled by groundbreaking advances in rocketry and other space technologies. Discover how private companies are shaping this new frontier, while NASA continues to play a vital leadership role. Gain insights into the major players, and hear from some of the leading authorities who are featured in the course.
23 min
02: To Boldly Go Again: Back to the Moon
More than 50 years after the Apollo Program, humans are heading back to the Moon. But why return, and what’s different this time? Explore the economic and scientific potential of long-term lunar bases, and discover how innovative public-private partnerships are enabling a new generation of astronauts to take that next giant leap. We already know where on the Moon they will land.
33 min
03: Dare Mighty Things: Destination Mars
The next destination after the Moon is Mars. Consider how much more perilous this mission will be, with the vast distance from Earth, extended mission duration, harsh radiation, and little prospect of rescue if anything goes wrong. Also investigate the problem of landing on Mars and surviving there for many months before return to Earth is possible. Hear about the detailed planning now underway.
29 min
04: The Future of Living in Space
Trace the history of Earth-orbiting space stations—from the Soviet Salyut and the US Skylab in the 1970s to the International Space Station, continuously occupied since 2000, and China’s Tiangong facility. Then explore the exciting next generation of stations, designed to be more commercialized, autonomous, sustainable, and inclusive to open up space for research, industry, and even vacationers.
25 min
05: Next-Generation Space Stations
Dr. Ekblaw describes her own groundbreaking work on the next generation of space architecture: a self-assembling, reconfigurable structure capable of constructing itself in space—no need for spacewalking astronauts or robotic arms. Known as TESSERAE, this clever system transcends the limitations of traditional modular space station designs, offering greater flexibility and a touch of fun.
24 min
06: Life Support and Futuristic Space Suit Designs
As space voyagers venture farther and farther from Earth, they require advanced radiation protection, robust life support systems, and significantly improved spacesuits. Explore the innovative designs that will enable astronauts to thrive in truly alien environments. These technologies have potential applications on Earth, including radiation therapy, air purification, water recycling, and more.
31 min
07: The Future of Food in Space
Investigate the challenges of eating in microgravity, where floating food and crumbs can pose safety risks. Beyond providing essential nutrition, food in space supports mental well-being and social bonding, especially if it is flavorful, varied, and, when possible, fresh. Consider the benefits of fermented foods over freeze-dried options and the necessity of growing food during long Mars missions.
22 min
08: From Surviving to Thriving in Space
We’ve mastered how to survive in space; the next hurdle is how to thrive. Survey creative strategies for tackling the singular challenges of spaceflight: the routine disorientation and sometimes debilitating vertigo and nausea caused by weightlessness, the psychological effects of prolonged confinement, and the need for rewarding outlets like art, music, and other forms of self-expression.
22 min
09: Space Tourism and the Overview Effect
Look ahead to the future of space tourism, which could feature orbiting resorts offering one-of-a-kind sports, cuisines, and entertainments that are possible only in zero-g . Hear from pioneering space tourists who extol the exhilarating journey, the unmatched sensation of weightlessness, and, above all, the breathtaking view of Earth—a sight they describe as both spiritual and transformative.
31 min
10: Using Space to Benefit Life on Earth
Thriving in space means harnessing its resources to benefit humanity. “Off-worlding” opens opportunities to mine the Moon and asteroids for rare materials, generate solar power in space to beam back to Earth, and develop technologies in microgravity that advance medicine and manufacturing. While Earth is humanity’s irreplaceable home, space offers the tools to safeguard and sustain it.
24 min
11: Finding Life in the Universe
Are we alone? Join the search for extraterrestrial life—a quest that has yielded intriguing leads. Astronomers have discovered thousands of extrasolar planets, some with Earthlike properties that could support life. Spacecraft have also identified promising regions on Mars, Venus, and certain moons of the outer planets, such as Europa and Enceladus, that might harbor life or evidence of past life.
34 min
12: The New Ethical Problems of Space
As humans spread throughout the cosmos, we shouldn’t take our bad habits with us. Consider what an ethical approach to space exploration and settlement might involve. For example, disturbances in the lunar soil, such as footprints, last for many millions of years. Finally, hear from the experts who have contributed throughout the course as they make predictions about our future in space.
39 min
