Featured Articles:
14
STEPS FOR PLANETARY DEFENSE
By Tom Jones
20
GOING THE DISTANCE (AND BEYOND) ON MARS
The Explorations of Spirit and Opportunity
by William Farrand
26
INTERNATIONAL SPACE DEVELOPMENT CONFERENCE 2011 — FROM THE GROUND UP
Gala Underneath a Real Saturn V
By Bart Leahy and Yohon Lo
30
ASTEROID MINING AND RESOURCE VALUE
Asteroid resources have a number of advantages over those available on the Moon or other planetary surfaces.
By Brad R. Blair
34
FISHING FOR SPACE DEBRIS
By Dave Baiocchi and William Welser IV
38
PRIVATE SPACEFLIGHT TAKES OFF
By Brad Cheetham and Brice Russ
41
GOOGLE LUNAR XPRIZE UPDATE
By William Pomerantz
44
THE KALAM-NSS INITIATIVE
An International Preliminary Feasibility Study of Space Solar Power
By Mark Hopkins
Departments:
8
LETTER FROM HEADQUARTERS
Extreme Politics
By Gary Barnhard
9
LETTER FROM THE PUBLISHER
By Pat Silver
11
NSS ANNOUNCEMENTS
Solar Cycle 24 Comes in Like a Lamb
By W. Dean Presnell
12
NSS CORRESPONDENCE
An Update for NSS Space Ambassadors
By Lee Jones
47
STATEMENT FROM THE CHAIRMAN OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
NSS at the NASA Senior Leader Retreat: Our Vision Continues to Spread
By Mark Hopkins
47
BOOKS
The 4% Universe: Dark Matter, Dark Energy, and the Race to Discover the Rest of Reality, by Richard Panek
Reviewed by Charlene Brusso
Robert A. Heinlein: In Dialogue With His Century: Volume 1 (1907-1948): Learning Curve, by William H. Patterson
Reviewed by Clifford R. McMurray
Foothold in the Heavens: The Seventies, by Ben Evans
Reviewed by Steve Adamczyk
50
CHAPTER LISTINGS
55
SIGNING OFF
The Greatest Stars