Ad Astra
The magazine of the National Space Society
Volume 20, Number 2 Summer 2008
Featuring a Special Report on “Back to the Moon” [4.3 MB PDF]
Return to Back Issue Index
On The Cover: NASA’s Altair lunar lander looms large as its crew begins to explore the Moon in this artist’s rendering. The space agency hopes to return crews to the Moon by 2020, and then begin establishing a permanent base there.
Featured Articles:
Note: The entire Special Report on “Back to the Moon” (comprising the first five articles listed below) is available as a PDF file [4.3 MB].
22
RETURN TO THE MOON
NASA’s next great adventure awaits. An in-depth look at the Constellation program, the agency’s next generation vehicles and the similarities and differences from Apollo.
By John F. Kross
28
BACK TO THE FUTURE
The reasons why NASA is going back to the Moon, and why the National Space Society supports the plan.
By Marianne Dyson
32
LUNAR FLY-IN
After a decade with little attention, the Moon is suddenly back in the spotlight. Two new spacecraft are now in lunar orbit and others are nearing launch.
By Joan Horvath
36
FROM LUNAR OUTPOST TO PERMANENT MOON BASE
A well-reasoned look at the logistics of a lunar outpost, and the implications for future habitation on Mars.
By Mark N. Lardas
38
TEAM SPIRIT
Ten teams sign up to compete for the Google Lunar X PRIZE.
By William Pomerantz
42
COMMERCIAL SPACE FLIGHT TAKES OFF
Little more than 50 years after Sputnik I launched the Space Age, the heavens are opening up for private companies (and citizens).
By Mark Mayfield
52
A CONVERSATION WITH NSS SPACE ELEVATOR TEAM LEADER BERT MURRAY
By Bart Leahy
Departments:
8
LETTER FROM
HEADQUARTERS
The Coming Debate
By George Whitesides, NSS Executive Director
11
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
Looking Up…Again
By Mark Mayfield
13
REMEMBRANCE
A tribute to Arthur C. Clarke
By Ben Bova
15
NSS ANNOUNCEMENTS
16
ISDC 2008
A preview of the National Space Society’s annual conference
By Ian Murphy
48
NSS BANNER CONTEST WINNERS
By Candace Pankanin, NSS Vice President of Chapters
50
NSS AROUND THE GLOBE
Permission to Dream
By Lynne F. Zielinski, Chair of the NSS Education Committee
51
ISU SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS
54
BOOKS
To the End of the Solar System: The Story of the Nuclear Rocket, by James A. Dewar
Reviewed by Stephen Adamczyk
The Moon: Resources, Future Development, and Settlement, by David Schrunk, Burton Sharpe, Bonnie Cooper, and Madhu Thangavelu
Reviewed by Gordon Woodcock
57
LETTER FROM THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE CHAIR
Vision, Policy, or Door Number Three?
By Gary Barnhard
58
SPACE SETTLEMENT
Space Settlement — A Mainstream Concept
By Mark Hopkins
60
CHAPTER LISTINGS
64
SIGNING OFF
Orion