The new space revolution and Lithuanian opportunity to participate in space technology

2011 September 19 to 21 Lithuania was visited by NASA's Ames Research Centre director Dr. Simon P. Worden. He has been leading NASA's Ames Research Center for three years. S. P. Worden is a recognized expert and valued on both civil and military space issues.

On September 21 this expert met with the rector of Vilnius University Juodka Benedict, visited the library, and later at Vilnius University, Faculty of Physics, gave a lecture about the solar system space exploration prospects.

During the meeting with the rector, P. Worden told about his research center:

" There are three main areas in which we operate. In particular, this research related to space. As well as research related to life and its conditions of existence on Earth. For example, we monitor global warming and trying to understand its mechanism. The third part of our work - space travel," said a guest.

According to him, today, when the U.S. government reduces funding to the space program, a lot of hope is placed in the private sector. S. P. Worden said that NASA was actively looking for reliable partners around the world, including Eastern Europe. He hopes that this visit to Lithuania will be productive. The expert thinks that Lithuania has a very high scientific potential, so NASA will be trying to establish long-term trusting relationships with Lithuanian business companies and universities. This is one of the reasons why he says that we are now witnessing a new revolution in space.

S. P. Worden was asked for what purpose he came to Lithuania and the main factor, according to him, was that Lithuania has a lot of technological bases, which are ideal for small satellite development. Within a few days he spent here, he saw several of these technologies, for example, VU laser technology.

In fact, many people in Lithuania when creating these new technologies do not even think to use them for space purposes. This means that many countries which did not care to participate in the development of space technology (Saudi Arabia, Israel) are now available to help.

In order to know about Lithuanian space research and Lithuanians opinion about involvement in NASA's activities, the professors of Vytautas Magnus University, Department of Physics (optical and laser expert prof. Dr. Girdauskas V. and physicist-astronomer Prof. Habil. Dr. Kamuntavičius G.) and physics student (Liesis L.) were interviewed.

V. Girdauskas says that Lithuania has a very powerful lasers company:

 " Lithuania's lasers production is nearly 50% of the global market. Lasers for space exploration are obviously needed; therefore Lithuania has the potential to join the global space exploration "

Also, the professor claims that Lithuanian scholars are hardly working on space materials, electronics, sensors and semiconductor field.

" Space exploration is very expensive and often the financial benefits are not the prediction.Lithuanian government can’t afford such large grants " said Vytautas Magnus University student.

 So the involvement in NASA’s activities is beneficial to both the United States and Lithuania.

G. Kamuntavičius asserts that Lithuanian astronomers, even though they didn’t have strong relations with NASA, very closely cooperate with European programs and even had common projects with Japan.

S. P. Worden is confident that over the next few years dozens of people will be able to live on other planets, but the Lithuanian astronomer G. Kamunatvičius disagrees:

" To settle in, for example on Mars, we need a few more thousand years because the situation is completely unsuitable to live there. It is necessary to pollute outer space, to create the atmosphere, to heat the planet, grow algae and so on ".

Therefore, it can be said that the new space revolution is going on, that Lithuania is able to join the development of space technology and NASA chose a good tactic to include smaller countries in their operations.