This Week in The Space Review:
A new rocket for science
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Much of the attention SpaceX's proposed Falcon Heavy rocket has received has focused on its use in exploration or national security applications. Alan Stern notes that the rocket also has the potential to revolutionize science missions.
Opening GAMBIT: The development of the KH-7 reconnaissance satellite
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More details are gradually emerging about the development of early satellite reconnaissance programs in the US. Dwayne Day provides some new insights into one of those programs, the KH-7 GAMBIT.
The space station's billion-dollar physics experiment
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The key payload on the shuttle Endeavour, scheduled to launch Monday morning, is a physics experiment called the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS). Jeff Foust reports on what the AMS is supposed to do and how it had to fight for its ride to the ISS.
Collective assurance vs. independence in national space policies
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Earlier this year the European Union issued a document outlining its planned space strategy. Christopher Stone compares that document with American policies and finds some interesting distinctions.
Review: Realizing Tomorrow
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Last month marked the tenth anniversary of Dennis Tito's trip to the ISS, a milestone in commercial human spaceflight. Jeff Foust reviews a book that recalls the long history of efforts to enable more than just professional astronauts fly in space.
If you missed it, here's what we published in our previous issue:
Commercial space skepticism
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Commercial space ventures appear to be moving forward on all fronts, with developments ranging from commercial crew funding to the testing of suborbital vehicles. However, Jeff Foust notes that some both in industry and Congress are skeptical of the long-term success of these efforts, in part because of past experience.
Public-private partnerships for space
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What is the future for space exploration in an era of fiscal constraints and competing priorities? Lou Friedman argues that there is an increasing role for public-private partnerships to advance space exploration initiatives more cost effectively.
Iraqi bird: Beyond Saddam's space program
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In addition to trying to develop a launch vehicle, Iraq also worked on an its own satellite during the regime of Saddam Hussein. Dwayne Day describes that satellite effort and the country's future satellite plans.
India and space security
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In recent years India's space program has evolved from one almost solely dedicated to serving national needs to one with a more nationalistic, even militarized bent. Victoria Samson summarizes the takeaways from a recent conference that examined India's shifting attitudes towards space and their impact on space security.
Review: Communication with Extraterrestrial Intelligence
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The search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI) suffered a recent funding setback, but work continues to try and find evidence of other civilizations in the universe. Jeff Foust reviews a book that looks at the current state of SETI and the potential to not just listen but also transmit.
Until next week,
Provided by The Space Review
