This Week in The Space Review
Transition to commercial services for LEO transportation
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A major issue of contention for NASA's near-term plans has been how much reliance it should place on commercial providers for crew transportation to low Earth orbit. Mary Lynne Dittmar presents a paper she prepared last year with the late Mike Lounge on one approach to handle that transition.
A transorbital railroad to Mars
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Many space enthusiasts have been seeking solutions to lower the cost of space access, while others have promoted human exploration of Mars. Jeff Foust reports on linked proposals from one leading space advocate that address both issues.
The dangers of a rocket to nowhere
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The debate about the future development of a NASA heavy-lift launch vehicle drags on in Congress and industry. Lou Friedman warns this process could lead to no NASA human spaceflight program at all.
The disappearing shuttle
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Last Monday the shuttle Endeavour lifted off on its final mission, but observers were somewhat disappointed when the orbiter soon disappeared through a cloud bank. Jeff Foust describes the launch and how, soon enough, the shuttle program itself will fade from view.
You can't get to heaven on a Pentagon spacecraft
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Last week Huntsville hosted the International Space Development Conference (ISDC), the annual conference of the National Space Society. Dwayne Day recalls an earlier ISDC that featured a presentation with a cautionary take on cooperation with military space efforts.
If you missed it, here's what we published in our previous issue:
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.
Until next week,
Provided by The Space Review
