Improve your vision of the future, amplify it several light-years ahead, and get a peek into the potential within the thoughts and work of Ariel Ekblaw. She serves as the inaugural director of the MIT Space Exploration Initiative and is the co-founder and CEO of Aurelia Institute, a nonprofit educational and research establishment, as well as a space architecture research and development laboratory. Ekblaw, holding a Ph.D., is engaged in various projects aimed at enhancing the capacity of humanity to flourish in space.
Ariel Ekblaw’s quest to bring us nearer to space
Yet, this isn’t merely an element of some distant, futuristic idea. Some of her concepts are already in motion, and others will bring advantages to humanity in the coming years. Picture this: floating residences and remote work settings orbiting our planet; a range of food choices that enhance the microbiome, far from the stereotypical “space food” depicted in movies; artificial retinas addressing blindness on Earth; and AstroAnt robots functioning as small vehicles for spacecraft diagnosis and repair.
Her team isn’t striving to leave Earth for other planets; their goal is to extend into the nearest expanse of space. “Earth is the ultimate abode humanity will ever possess. It’s the singular place where our biology has co-evolved with the planet, making it the perfect fit for us,” Ekblaw states.
Dive deeper into the innovations being crafted by Ariel Ekblaw and her team.
Artificial retinas that combat eye ailments
Retinitis pigmentosa is the primary cause of heritable blindness, impacting approximately 100,000 individuals in the United States and around 1.5 million individuals globally. Macular degeneration, the predominant form of blindness in individuals aged 55 and above, affects 10 million people in the U.S. and over 50 million globally. These statistics, as outlined by LambdaVision co-founder and CEO Nicole Wagner, Ph.D., are the driving force behind her mission to tackle the world’s visual impairments with the support of Ekblaw’s VC fund.
Patients are unable to receive a new retina in the usual sense. However, in orbit, free from gravity’s constraints, scientists working on artificial retina development apply over 200 layers of a matrix to create an artificial retina. “What sets this apart is its reliance on microgravity—it’s unfeasible on Earth. The reason being sedimentation,” Ekblaw explains, likening it to a drink where particles settle at the bottom. These particles would introduce numerous errors into the matrix, with each layer amplifying these mistakes.”
“Microgravity offers this serene floating environment, reminiscent of the womb where eyes initially form,” Ekblaw points out. “It’s an ideal setting.” These retinas produced in space would present a favorable alternative to current eye prosthetics, according to Ekblaw.
Wagner anticipates that the project will proceed to clinical trials within three to four years. “There exists a substantial need to aid patients blinded by these conditions, and our aim is to get the artificial retina to those in need as swiftly as feasible,” Wagner adds.
Floating transformable structures for events, concerts, and virtual gatherings
TESSERAE: short for Tessellated Electromagnetic Space Structures for the Exploration of Reconfigurable, Adaptive Environments. Perplexed? Envision a sizable, adaptable floating pavilion that combines grand, futuristic aesthetics with modularity, divided into distinct tiles that can be compactly packed into a rocket, as Ekblaw describes, “much like an advanced PEZ dispenser.” She likens them to Legos capable of self-assembling in space.
“Currently, on the International Space Station, if there’s a micrometeorite collision puncturing the space habitat, repairs are required… and these repairs are quite challenging,” Ekblaw highlights. “However, with a reconfigurable habitat, there are several separate components. Should one be damaged, it can be swapped out and replaced.”
Moreover, you can exchange your window that previously overlooked Earth for a docking port where your acquaintances can arrive for a gathering at your edifice, she mentions. “It’s intended to be architectural structures in space that will ultimately enhance accessibility.”
Ekblaw predicts that perhaps within the next decade, scientists and researchers could venture into space alongside astronauts. Later on, tourists might follow suit in the 2040s.
Ekblaw’s team aims to conduct their initial trial in a decade. When inquiring about the potential cost of a ticket to your remote workspace rendezvous in space, she projects it to be comparable to “somewhat upscale commercial aviation.”
Instruments fashioned for the cosmos
Aside from enhancing life on Earth, Ekblaw’s vision encompasses shaping the future of human culture in space. “We shouldn’t always transport cultural relics from Earth into space; we should regard this domain as an opportunity to create new cultural assets for humanity,” she asserts. Ekblaw cites the Telemetron, a steampunk-inspired apparatus containing two percussive components housed within two modules that players can utilize exclusively while suspended.
Designers Sands Fish, Nicole L’Huillier, and Thomas Sanchez Lengeling have already played this instrument during a “Zero-G flight,” offering around 20 seconds of microgravity at its peak. “Subsequently, they transformed that singular Telemetron into a zero-gravity orchestra—they incorporated a series of different instruments designed for that same environment,” she shares. “Quirky, unconventional, stunning design.”
Variety in space communities
Ekblaw aims to ensure that individuals beyond the realm of science can extend their footprint into space. “We require welders. We need plumbers. We need a diverse range of tradespeople, blending traditional blue-collar professions with white-collar opportunities,” Ekblaw explains.
Partaking in two flights annually—one with Aurelia and another with MIT—she focuses on inclusivity. “We strive to do so explicitly with communities that aren’t typically embraced within aerospace,” she states, whether they belong to certain sectors, such as artists and musicians, or stem from marginalized groups with limited access to STEM education.
Hence, the next time you seek out apartments or your next prime remote office space, bear in mind that having a window overlooking planet Earth from space, regardless of your profession, might not be distant in the future.
