Book Review: Space Stations – The Art, Science, and Reality of Working in Space
Although this book is impressive and information-filled, is profusely illustrated with excellent pictures and associated captions, and is authored by three individuals with exceptional credentials, it is marred by a disjointed presentation and at least 18 notable errors.
The National Space Society Celebrates the Life of Hugh Downs
The National Space Society (NSS) mourns the passing of Hugh Downs at age 99 on Thursday. Mr. Downs was an iconic figure in television news as well as a long-serving Chairman of the NSS Board of Governors.“Hugh Downs was larger than life, and his accomplishments were...
Book Review: Shoot for the Moon
The story of the race to the Moon has been told so many times that you might think another book on the subject would be superfluous, but James Donovan shows in his version of this oft-told tale that you’d be mistaken. A jacket blurb by Michael Collins calls this book “the best book on Apollo that I have read.”
Kathy Lueders Selected to Head NASA’s Human Spaceflight Office
The National Space Society (NSS) congratulates Commercial Crew Program Manager Kathy Lueders for her appointment to head the Human Exploration and Operations (HEO) Mission Directorate, and thanks NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine for moving swiftly and wisely in...
First Aussie: Dr. Philip Chapman, Apollo’s Astronaut from “Down Under,” Part Three
This Space Available, by Emily Carney. In the previous installment of This Space Available, Dr. Philip Chapman brainstormed one of the Apollo program’s most famous televised experiments, resigned from NASA’s astronaut corps following the cancellation of Skylab B, and entered into a post-NASA career that saw him rubbing elbows with Dr. Gerard K. O’Neill. In this concluding installment, we’ll return to the place where his scientific career began, undoubtedly one of the closest analogues to another planet that exists on Earth: Antarctica. Moreover, we’ll catch up with him at present time.
Opportunities and Challenges for Space Solar for Remote Installations
Research paper added to the NSS Space Solar Power Library: Opportunities and Challenges for Space Solar for Remote Installations, Naval Research Laboratory, October 2019. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Energy is critical for essentially every human activity. A practical capability...
First Aussie: Dr. Philip Chapman, Apollo’s Astronaut from “Down Under,” Part Two
This Space Available, by Emily Carney. In the last installment of This Space Available, the life and career of Dr. Philip Chapman, NASA’s first Australian-born astronaut, was discussed from the time he joined the exclusive cadre in 1967 to 1970, when he was doing his best to suggest scientific experiments to Stuart Roosa, Apollo 14’s command module pilot, to be performed as the latter astronaut orbited the Moon. However, Deke Slayton, the head of the astronaut office, was also doing his best in an effort to undermine Chapman’s suggestions at every turn.
Book Review: Rise of the Space Age Millennials
As the title implies, this book chronicles the careers, ambitions, and opinions of several young space professionals. The book’s author belongs to this group and has a solid background that includes owning a space consulting firm and doctoral work in planetary science.
SpaceX Crew Dragon Demo-2 Mission: Endeavour Spacecraft Docks at International Space Station
By George Mancuso “On 20 July 1969 humans landed on the Moon. This was not merely a historical achievement, but an evolutionary and even cosmic feat.” — Yuval Noah Harari - Sapiens The SpaceX “good ship” Endeavour accomplished a soft capture with the International...
SpaceX’s Triple Trifecta Triumph – And the Flag is Captured!
By Dale Skran Starting March 28, 2018, I initiated a series of blog posts tracking the “SpaceX Triple Trifecta” – a bold attempt by SpaceX to achieve three amazing milestones in space development: To develop and fly reliably the Falcon 9 Block 5, demonstrating...
Historic Crew Dragon Demo-2 Launch to International Space Station
By George Mancuso “Taking more and more passengers out into space will enable them, and us, to look both outwards and back but with a fresh perspective in both directions.” — Steven Hawking On May 30, 2020 at 3:22 p.m. EDT, a SpaceX commercially owned Crew Dragon...
National Space Society Lauds Groundbreaking Launch of a Crewed Commercial Spacecraft from U.S. Soil
The National Space Society applauds the successful launch of two Americans to the International Space Station—the first from American soil in nearly a decade—today aboard a SpaceX rocket. NASA astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken launched aboard SpaceX’s new Crew...
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