Can the ISS survive this uncertain future for humanity in space? (credit: NASA) |
The decision to retire the Space Shuttle
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When the shuttle Atlantis lands later this week, it will mark the end of the Space Shuttle program, an ending tinged with regret and controversy. Dwayne Day looks back at how the decision to retire the shuttle was reached in the aftermath of the Columbia accident.
http://www.thespacereview.com/article/1887/1
Heavy-lift limbo
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Congress has mandated that NASA develop a heavy-lift launch vehicle, but in the eyes of some the agency has made little progress on the Space Launch System (SLS). Jeff Foust reports on when a design for the SLS might finally be ready, and possible funding and schedule issues for the program.
http://www.thespacereview.com/article/1886/1
Did space exploration sow the seeds of its own demise?
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Space exploration has ushered in a number of major technological advancements, including microelectronics that led to today's information-saturated age. Bob Mahoney worries that this space-enabled advance, ironically, may undermine the future of humans in space.
http://www.thespacereview.com/article/1885/1
On survival, goals, and human space flight
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The uncertainty many people feel about the future of human spaceflight with the imminent retirement of the Space Shuttle leave many wondering how to sustain a long-term human future in space. Donald C. Barker says that future ventures much be sold and sustained on the survival of humanity.
http://www.thespacereview.com/article/1884/1
Review: Sex on the Moon
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In 2002 several co-op students at NASA's Johnson Space Center stole a vault containing rocks returned from the Moon by the Apollo missions, only to be quickly apprehended. Jeff Foust reviews a book that offers a dramatic, if not sensationalized, recounting of that theft.
http://www.thespacereview.com/article/1883/1
If you missed it, here's what we published in our previous issue:
Once more, with feelings
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On Friday the shuttle Atlantis lifted off from the Kennedy Space Center, beginning the final mission of the Space Shuttle program. Jeff Foust reports on the weather and technical issues that nearly delayed the launch and the outpouring of emotions about the end of such a storied program.
http://www.thespacereview.com/article/1882/1
Space Shuttle 2.0: What did we learn?
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As the Space Shuttle program winds down, what lessons from it can we carry forward to future programs? Dana Andrews argues that although it failed to achieve it, NASA was right to pursue a vehicle with high flight rates that can ultimately lower the cost of space access.
http://www.thespacereview.com/article/1881/1
Wings in space
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The Space Shuttle's design, including its delta wings, has become iconic, but it's not the only way a spaceplane can be built. James McLane describes his cameo role in the development of an alternative design 40 years ago.
http://www.thespacereview.com/article/1880/1
The Space Shuttle and the dreams of a ten-year-old
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The origins of the Space Shuttle program date back four decades, and at the beginning were a source of inspiration for many young people wondering what was next after Apollo. Drew LePage recalls those memories after finding a vintage newspaper article about the shuttle.
http://www.thespacereview.com/article/1879/1
Tinker, Tailor, NASA, Spy
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Yet another television show with an inaccurate portrayal of NASA and space operations? Dwayne Day reviews a recent episode of a USA Network drama that offers another example of how NASA and the CIA are portrayed in popular culture.
http://www.thespacereview.com/article/1878/1
Until next week,
Provided by The Space Review
