Ad Astra
The magazine of the National Space Society
Volume 20, Number 4 Winter 2008
Featuring a Special Report on “The Threat of Impact” [1.7 MB PDF]
On The Cover: An artist’s rendering of an asteroid moments before an imminent impact with Earth. The question of such an impact is not if but when. Illustration: Stephen Prater.
Featured Articles:
Note: The entire Special Report on “The Threat of Impact” (comprising pages 22-46 of this issue) is available as a PDF file [1.7 MB].
16
SHACKLETON DOME
What it will take to build a 25-mile-diameter, 5,000-foot-tall domed lunar city.
By Edward McCullough
22
BEYOND THE SHUTTLE
With the pending retirment of the space shuttle fleet, NASA makes plans to use Russian spacecraft to maintain the International Space Station.
By Ted Spitzmiller
30
DEALING WITH THE THREAT OF IMPACT
Detection, deflection, or deep impact?
By Russel L. Schweickart
36
REMOVING THE BLINDERS
One of the greatest threats to civilization remains unaccounted for.
By Peter Garretson
40
FOOTPRINTS ON NEO’S
Possibly more accessible than the Moon, could a near Earth asteroid be the next stop for manned space exploration?
By Mark Williamson
46
NEAR EARTH OPPORTUNITIES
A new way to consider the asteroid threat
By Brad Blair
48
SPACE SOLAR POWER: ENERGY FOR THE FUTURE
By Lt.Col. Paul E. Damphousse, USMC
50
SPACE SOLAR POWER:
AN INVESTMENT FOR TODAY, AN ENERGY SOLUTION FOR TOMORROW
A statement of support from the National Space Society
Departments:
9
LETTER FROM
HEADQUARTERS
The Next Fifty Years
By George Whitesides, NSS Executive Director
11
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
The Big Picture
By Mark Mayfield
13
NSS ANNOUNCEMENTS
NSS Mourns former Director Jim Benson, space visionary and founder of SpaceDev
Chapter Excellence and Special Merit Awards 2008
Australian Space: A pivotal conference at a pivotal time
52
LETTER FROM THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE CHAIR
Perspectives
By Gary Barnhard
54
SPACE SETTLEMENT
Space Settlement and Space Tourism: An Ideological Marriage
By Mark Hopkins
56
BOOKS
Return to Luna, edited by Eric L. Reynolds
Reviewed by Bart Leahy
NASA/ART: 50 Years of Exploration, by James D. Dean and Bertram Ulrich
Reviewed by Deborah Martin
A Passion for Mars: Intrepid Explorers of the Red Planet, by Andrew Chaikin
Reviewed by Mark Mayfield
60
CHAPTER LISTINGS
64
SIGNING OFF
Forty Years Ago