This Week in The Space Review -
The flight of the Big Bird (part 3)
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Dwayne Day continues his history of the KH-9 HEXAGON reconnaissance satellite program with an examination of spacecraft operations, including the deep sea recovery of one of the first film capsules returned by a KH-9.
Taking the initiative: SLI and the next generation
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While there's been a recent surge in interest in reusable spacecraft, including both capsules and winged vehicles, work on reusable launch vehicles has languished. Stewart Money argues that it's time to revisit making launch vehicles at least partially reusable.
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While there's been a recent surge in interest in reusable spacecraft, including both capsules and winged vehicles, work on reusable launch vehicles has languished. Stewart Money argues that it's time to revisit making launch vehicles at least partially reusable.
When the Sun sneezes
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Last week the Sun produced the most powerful solar flare in four years, a reminder that the Sun is approaching another peak in activity that could pose hazards to modern-day civilization. Jeff Foust reports on the steps scientists and government agencies are taking to predict and prepare for solar storms.
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Last week the Sun produced the most powerful solar flare in four years, a reminder that the Sun is approaching another peak in activity that could pose hazards to modern-day civilization. Jeff Foust reports on the steps scientists and government agencies are taking to predict and prepare for solar storms.
The case for international cooperation in space exploration
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ESA is currently weighing which major space science mission it should pursue in the coming decade, a decision that will rest in part on the role of international cooperation on this missions. Lou Friedman suggests that this could be a model for broader cooperation in space exploration.
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ESA is currently weighing which major space science mission it should pursue in the coming decade, a decision that will rest in part on the role of international cooperation on this missions. Lou Friedman suggests that this could be a model for broader cooperation in space exploration.
Review: Voyages of Discovery
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Later this week the space shuttle Discovery is scheduled to launch on what will almost certainly be its final mission. Jeff Foust reviews a book that provides a history of Discovery and the over three dozen missions it's flown.
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Later this week the space shuttle Discovery is scheduled to launch on what will almost certainly be its final mission. Jeff Foust reviews a book that provides a history of Discovery and the over three dozen missions it's flown.
If you missed it, here's what we published in our previous issue:
Commercial crew and NASA's tipping point
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The release this week of a new budget proposal will again stoke debate about NASA policy, including its commercial crew development plans. Jeff Foust reports that agency officials and company officials alike are seeing commercial crew as both increasingly likely and critical to NASA's future.
Commercial crew and NASA's tipping point
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The release this week of a new budget proposal will again stoke debate about NASA policy, including its commercial crew development plans. Jeff Foust reports that agency officials and company officials alike are seeing commercial crew as both increasingly likely and critical to NASA's future.
The beginnings of planetary exploration: the first probes to Venus
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Fifty years ago this month the Soviet Union launched its first missions to Venus, although neither spacecraft reached its destination. Andrew LePage examines the rushed Soviet effort to send a spacecraft to Venus.
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Fifty years ago this month the Soviet Union launched its first missions to Venus, although neither spacecraft reached its destination. Andrew LePage examines the rushed Soviet effort to send a spacecraft to Venus.
American leadership
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In debates about space policy, the term "American leadership" is often used without discussion about what it actually means. Lou Friedman argues that such leadership involves not going it along in space but leading cooperative space ventures with other countries.
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In debates about space policy, the term "American leadership" is often used without discussion about what it actually means. Lou Friedman argues that such leadership involves not going it along in space but leading cooperative space ventures with other countries.
In rod we trust
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Fans of "The Simpsons" may remember the "inanimate carbon rod" as a highlight of a particular space-themed episode. Michael A. Shoemaker notes that similar rods played a minor role in space history as well.
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Fans of "The Simpsons" may remember the "inanimate carbon rod" as a highlight of a particular space-themed episode. Michael A. Shoemaker notes that similar rods played a minor role in space history as well.
Review: Reopening the Space Frontier
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Space has long been perceived as a frontier, but in terms of human spaceflight there's been little progress in pushing back that frontier for decades. Jeff Foust reviews a book that examines why that's been the case and what can be done to reopen that frontier.
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Space has long been perceived as a frontier, but in terms of human spaceflight there's been little progress in pushing back that frontier for decades. Jeff Foust reviews a book that examines why that's been the case and what can be done to reopen that frontier.
Until next week,
Provided by The Space Review
