Ad Astra
The magazine of the National Space Society
Volume 18, Number 3 Fall 2006
Return to Back Issue Index
Featured Articles:
14
CHINA’S SPACE SPRING FESTIVAL
People from various walks of life throughout southern and central China were interviewed to try and understand their feelings about the Chinese space program.
By David Cotter
19
PEOPLE POWER
Inspired by their work and dedication to the nation’s space program, writer and photographer Michael Soluri received permission from the United Space Alliance to photograph the men and women who work behind the scenes to keep NASA’s shuttle fleet space-worthy.
By Michael Soluri
25
NEW SPACE: PUSHING THE FRONTIER
Introduction by Bart Leahy
25
DESTINATION MARS:
PAVING THE ROAD TO THE RED PLANET
Introduction by Leonard David
26
REACHING THE “TIPPING POINT” FOR SPACE TOURISM
A roundtable with space entrepreneurs James Benson, Jeff Greason, Eric Anderson, Peter Diamandis, Michael Kelly, Rick Homans, Stuart Witt, and George French.
By Leonard David
29
NEEDED: GOLD TO PAVE THE SPACE ROAD
The problems facing space start-ups can be compared to those that affected biotech ones in the past.
By Joan C. Horvath
32
SPACE TOURISM OPTIONS FOR TODAY AND TOMORROW
Paying for the trip is only the beginning. Depending on the type of trip the space traveler has booked, health issues and intensive training could make the dream vacation feel like work. But then again, Club Med is so 20th dentury.
By Bjorn Carey
36
BETTER SAFE THAN SORRY:
BUILDING A BIOCONTAINMENT BASE ON THE MOON
Mankind will eventually have robotic and human missions on the Moon, Mars, asteroids and the outer planets, but bringing safe samples from those places back to Earth is going to require a way station to ensure our safety from unknown and alien threats.
By Frederick I. Moxley
39
ASTRONAUTS TEST STAR WARS REMOTE ON THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION
By Bill Christensen
Departments:
5
LETTER FROM
HEADQUARTERS
Signs of Life for Human Spaceflight
By George Whitesides, NSS Executive Director
24
OPINION
Why We Need NASA’s Commercial Orbital Space Transport Services Program
By helping entrepreneurs, the United States’ space agency may finally be helping itself.
By Dr. Charles A. Lurio
42
REVIEW
Kids to Space: A Space Traveler’s Guide
Reviewed by Robert Z. Pearlman
43
COMMUNITY
Thinking Outside the Box
By Gary Barnhard, Chairman of the Executive Committee
42
CHAPTER LISTINGS
43
SPOTLIGHT
Exploring New Worlds at ISDC 2006
By Bart Leahy
48
SIGNING OFF
To Boldly Go: Forty Years of Star Trek
It seems like the TV show that never dies.
By Tariq Malik