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This week in The Space Review… Things are rough all over…NASA is routinely criticized for failing to bring in projects on time and schedule. Dwayne Day notes that for all of NASA’s problems, the Defense Department’s project management woes are far more serious, with potentially bigger implications. Solar sailing gets its second windThe concept of solar sailing is particularly attractive for some missions, but to date no one has been able to successfully launch one. Jeff Foust reports on a new bid by The Planetary Society to do that, and by doing so build upon the legacy of one of its co-founders. All these worlds are yours, except the Moon and Mars (attempt no landing there)Much of the attention about the Augustine Committee report was with one of its options, called the Flexible Path. Michael Huang argues that while the committee might appear to prefer it, there are a number of problems with that architecture. Studying a legendTaylor Dinerman reviews a book that offers a new perspective on the life of early space pioneer Konstantin Tsiolkovskii. Previous articles:Augustine’s questionable adjectiveA key element of the Augustine Committee’s report was its emphasis on commercial providers to help support NASA’s space exploration efforts. Taylor Dinerman cautions that may be too much to ask the nascent NewSpace industry at this stage in its development. A wild finish for the Lunar Lander ChallengeThe Northrop Grumman Lunar Lander Challenge wrapped up at the end of October with the remaining prize money awarded to two teams. Jeff Foust reports on the conclusion of the competition, a bit of controversy, and future plans. Losing gravityThe short-lived TV series Defying Gravity went off the air before American viewers could see all 13 episodes. Dwayne Day recounts what you missed and what the series’ failure says about public interest in space exploration. Review: The Case for PlutoMore than three years after Pluto was “demoted” from planetary status, the decision remains controversial. Jeff Foust reviews the latest book to examine the debate and how Pluto should fit into the solar system’s pantheon of worlds. Boring but important policy developmentsNASA’s exploration program has been getting all the space policy attention in recent months, but it’s not the only space policy issue of interest in Washington. Jeff Foust reports on a couple of lesser-known, but important, issues that are making some headway in Congress and the White House. Don’t forget the robotsWhile people focus on the future of NASA’s human spaceflight efforts, its robotic missions are also facing a variety of issues. Taylor Dinerman discusses those concerns and potential future budget pressures on those missions. An open letter to President ObamaThe Planetary Society’s Louis Friedman calls on the president to take the report of the Augustine Committee and turn it into a blueprint for a bold new space exploration program. Breaking up may be good to doDARPA is studying a concept of taking a large spacecraft and splitting it up into several smaller, interconnected components. Jeff Foust reports on the implications this could have not just for spacecraft development but the overall industry. And now we waitFor months the space community had been waiting for it, and on Thursday they finally got it: the final report of the Augustine committee. Jeff Foust reports on the reaction and how the report is the next step, but not the last step, in crafting a new space policy. Saddam’s space programBefore the first Gulf War, Iraq was actively developing a launch vehicle for placing a satellite into orbit—and perhaps other purposes. Dwayne Day looks at what’s known about this effort from a United Nations report. Is the RLV industry emerging from hibernation?The development of reusable launch vehicles has been left almost entirely to entrepreneurial space companies for nearly a decade. Taylor Dinerman sees some encouraging signs that big companies and the government are taking a renewed interest in the field. Clinical immortality and space settlementNew research shows that babies born in 2007 will have a median lifespan of 104 years. Sam Dinkin looks at how further improvements in morbidity can make space settlement imminent. Launcher out capabilityMany exploration architectures that feature heavy-lift launch vehicles do so because they are an efficient way of launching large payloads. Ronald Menich argues for a more robust approach of using smaller vehicles that provides redundancy in the event of a launch failure. Using the space station: where does the US go from here?With the International Space Station nearly completely assembled, attention now turns to how to best utilize it. Taylor Dinerman explains how that will depend on how much access scientists will have to it once the shuttle is retired. How competitive is commercial launch?A coalition of commercial satellite operators is seeking policy changes that would open up the launch market to EELVs and even Chinese vehicles. Jeff Foust reports on those efforts and the perspectives of the commercial launch industry. The second fifty years: expanding human presence on the space frontierMany see Mars as the ultimate goal of any new space exploration policy. Doris Hamill describes the steps needed to make human missions to the Red Planet possible. Capsule reviewsJeff Foust briefly reviews a couple of new books, one featuring a tour of observatories in the American Southwest, and the other providing technical details of an unconventional launch concept. The promise of innovation from university space systems: are we meeting it?Many in the space industry have emphasized the importance of supporting university-built small satellites, but what benefits do such programs provide beyond their educational value? Michael Swartwout identifies two key innovations that have shaped the smallsat field as a whole. The Emperor needs new clothesThe spirit of innovation and experimentation that dominated the early years of the Space Age in the US has faded. Brian Horais argues that the country needs to embrace this spirit again to maintain its lead in space technology. Thinking a little differently at NASAA few months into the job, NASA and those in Washington who deal with space are starting to get used to new administrator Charles Bolden. However, as Jeff Foust reports, Bolden is not the type of person who appears willing to get used to Washington. To reach ever further: a mission and a vision for NASAThe last few decades of NASA may seem like to many to be a disjointed collection of programs, both successes or failures. Doris Hamill argues that, upon closer inspection, there is a clear mission and vision for the agency that connects those efforts. Schriever V: in dubious battleEarlier this year the US military conducted the latest in a series of war games about military operations in space. Taylor Dinerman questions how relevant and useful these exercises are. Water on the MoonAs scientists sift through the data from last week’s LCROSS impacts, other recent findings suggest that water may be far more common on the Moon than onc thought. Arlin Crotts makes the case for an alternative source of the water. Which way is up?The fact that NASA’s exploration program has run into budget and other difficulties is hardly surprising; the question now is how the White House and Congress will respond to the conclusions of the Augustine committee report. Dwayne Day summarizes a recent forum that brought together experts from government, industry, and elsewhere to tackle this issue. A committee member speaksWith the Augustine committee’s work nearly done, some of its members are starting to speak individually about their work. Jeff Foust reports on a speech last week by a committee member who provided his own insights into the work on crafting a new direction for NASA’s human spaceflight plans. The other 40th anniversaryThis summer marked the 40th anniversary of Apollo 11, but this month marks a very different, yet important, 40th anniversary. Bob Werb recalls the work of Gerard K. O’Neill and how it set into motion a completely new way to look at spaceflight. Is Ares 1 too little, too late?A center of attention in the current review of NASA’s exploration plans is the fate of the Ares 1. Edward Ellegood argues that while its technical problems might be overcome, its cost and schedule issues make it unwise to continue. Five years later, is now the time?A center of attention in the current review of NASA’s exploration plans is the fate of the Ares 1. Edward Ellegood argues that while its technical problems might be overcome, its cost and schedule issues make it unwise to continue. The gospel according to MikeIn his nearly four years as NASA administrator Mike Griffin left a major impact on the space agency, particularly in the implementation of exploration. Taylor Dinerman uses a book of speeches by Griffin as administrator to reflect on his time in office. Adios, Star PeopleNASA’s LCROSS spacecraft is on track to hit a crater on the Moon early Friday. Dwayne Day imagines the mission as a cover for something more belligerent in this short story. A tipping point for commercial crew?In recent weeks several companies have expressed new or renewed interest in developing commercial systems for carrying people to low Earth orbit. Jeff Foust reports on these recent developments and the potential political opposition to any greater emphasis on commercial crew transportation. In the space industry, who is a contractor and who is commercial?The Augustine committee report has provided new impetus to efforts to further commercialize space access. Taylor Dinerman describes the challenges of separating true commercial companies from those that are primarily government contractors. An electrifying conference?Earlier this month a Canadian organization hosted a three-day conference on space-based solar power. Jonathan Coopersmith summarizes the conference and the key issues facing this concept. The space security implications of missile defenseThe Obama Administration recently decided to replace planned ground-based interceptors in Europe with SM-3 missiles. Brian Weeden describes how this decision has implications for space security, since it was a modified SM-3 that intercepted a decaying US satellite last year. Planet Hollywood, part 2: Red PlanetNearly a decade ago space enthusiasts had high hopes as two Mars-themed movies hit the theaters; both were disappointments. Dwayne Day reviews the second of those two films, Red Planet, which while not a good movie was at least the better of the two. The $3-billion-a-year questionThe debate in the two weeks since the Augustine committee released its summary report has focused on which report option to pursue and how to get the extra funding needed to carry out that option. Jeff Foust argues that a bigger question has been ignored: why we do human space exploration in the first place. NASA’s next step: Augustine (and Obama) versus CongressThe Augustine committee’s summary report got a strong, and not necessarily positive, reaction in two Congressional hearings last week. Taylor Dinerman describes how this debate could put more pressure on the White House to provide additional funding for the current Constellation program.
Human space flight: in praise of (a modified) Option 4BWhich of the several options presented by the Augustine committee should the White House and Congress adopt? Edward Ellegood makes the case for a version of one of the options that could close the gap and preserve thousands of jobs. Planet Hollywood, part 1: Mission to MarsNearly a decade ago space enthusiasts had high hopes as two Mars-themed movies hit the theaters; both were disappointments. Dwayne Day reviews the first of those films, Mission to Mars, whose efforts at technical accuracy were spoiled by a bad plot. A Xombie over MojaveLast week Masten Space Systems became the latest team to attempt a flight in the Northrop Grumman Lunar Lander Challenge. Jeff Foust reports on the flight which, while not qualifying for any prize money, demonstrated the progress the small company has made. Playing the waiting (and winning) gameOn Saturday Armadillo Aerospace performed a pair of flights in pursuit of Level 2 of the Northrop Grumman Lunar Lander Challenge. Jeff Foust reports on the flights and the waiting on both the weather and the competition. Gallery: Armadillo Aerospace Lunar Lander Challenge Level 2 flightPhotos from the Lunar Lander Challenge Level 2 flights by Armadillo Aerospace on September 12. PANdora’s BoxThe mysterious PAN launch took place last week as satellite observers and other speculated on what the purpose of the satellite launched by that Atlas 5 was. Dwayne Day summarizes what we now know—and don’t know—about PAN. Can we sustain a commercial launch industry to meet NASA’s needs?The release of the Augustine committee’s summary report last week provided more fodder for the debate about the commercialization of cargo and crew transportation to low Earth orbit. Edward Ellegood looks to the lessons from the EELV program to see whether and how this could work.
Taming the fire: the Ares 1 first stage development testLast week ATK carried out a successful static test of a five-segment rocket motor designed to be the first stage of the Ares 1. John Jurist provides an eyewitness account of the test and its implications for the controversial launch vehicle. Tyrannosaurs flying F-14s!The early space age featured magazines with cover art of fantastic spaceflight concepts. Dwayne Day describes how at least in one case the contents didn’t match up with the cover. NASA, politics, science, and skepticismA proposed NASA Earth sciences mission could provide a new level of accuracy in climate data. Taylor Dinerman warns, though, that the agency needs to tread carefully to avoid getting mired into climate change disputes. “COTS-like”: the future of space procurementNASA’s COTS program has demonstrated a new approach to developing commercial capabilities that can serve government and industry needs. Max Vozoff describes how the same model can help a cash-strapped space agency develop other capabilities it might not otherwise be able to afford. When space and art intersectMany people in the space field are happy to talk about scientific and technical issues, but rarely discuss the interaction with, and relevance of, art. Jeff Foust looks at some recent examples of the role of art in space and space art, and how it could help generate interest in space among the public. We watch so you don’t have toWhen Defying Gravity premiered last month, it was met by collective groans from space-savvy viewers who perceived it just a bad soap opera set in space. Dwayne Day kept watching, though, and finds that later episodes have gotten better—or at least not as bad. Iridium: were they right too soon?The 1990s saw the rise and fall of several companies planning LEO satellite communications systems, which later found renewed life after going through Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Taylor Dinerman argues that as these companies now plan to refresh their satellite fleets they can offer some lessons for government satellite efforts. The Sputnik non-surpriseIt’s been widely accepted for decades that the launch of Sputnik took the world, and especially the US, by surprise. Dwayne Day finds an article written just a year after the launch that explains why it shouldn’t have been surprising. Giving NASA a clear missionA common refrain among space advocates is that NASA is given too much to do and too little funding to accomplish it. G. Ryan Faith makes the case for giving NASA a straightforward mission—space exploration—and prioritizing its tasks accordingly. Protecting the space workforceCancellation of Defense Department programs and the uncertainty surrounding NASA’s exploration plans could lead to the loss of thousands of aerospace jobs. Taylor Dinerman warns that such cuts could lead to a brain drain like the ones seen after previous mass layoffs. Is the near-Earth space frontier closed?Much of what made the Space Age possible was driven by the development of ICBMs and related spacecraft systems. Andrew Tubbiolo argues that this legacy may make it more difficult for commercial and civil entities to expand their activities in Earth orbit. Review: Pluto ConfidentialThe recent IAU General Assembly has come and gone without any changes in the definition of “planet” or Pluto’s classification. Jeff Foust reviews a new book that takes yet another look at the controversy surrounding Pluto’s status and how it compares to previous planetary controversies. Coping with the closingSpace enthusiasts have coped with the relative lack of progress in the four decades since humans first walked on the Moon in varying ways. John Hickman describes these various approaches and how they can pose obstacles to the future. Still on the ground floorSeveral years ago there was renewed interest in the concept of the space elevator, but that enthusiasm has yet to translate into major progress. Jeff Foust reports on a recent conference where the space elevator community took stock of the current situation and made plans to forge ahead. PAN’s labyrinthAn Atlas 5 is scheduled to launch next month a mysterious satellite identified only as PAN. Dwayne Day sheds a little more light on this spacecraft and its possible mission. Review: The New Solar SystemHundreds of books have been published about the solar system, making it difficult for new ones to stand out. Jeff Foust reviews one that succeeds at standing out thanks to updated material and good design. Why is human Mars exploration so surprisingly hard?In the heady aftermath of Apollo 11, it appeared likely humans would journey to Mars by the end of the century; 40 years later, though, such missions seem as far in the future as ever. James Oberg discusses why such missions have proven far more difficult than originally envisioned and how we’ll know that we’re finally ready to go. Doubts about depotsOn-orbit propellant depots are getting increased attention as a possible part of alternative space exploration architectures being studies by the Augustine committee. However, Josh Hopkins argues that proponents of the concept need to address a number of technical and business issues regarding them. Ares 1 launch abort: technical analysis and policy implicationsAn Air Force analysis leaked last month concludes that there are phases of flight of the Ares 1 from which the Orion capsule could not safely escape. Kirk Woellert examines both the rationale for leaking the report and its technical merits. Remembering the lessons of SEIAs the Augustine committee completes its work, the next big question will be how the White House and Congress act on its conclusions. Taylor Dinerman looks back on the late, lamented Space Exploration Initiative for insights on how not to act. Launch failureLast month the publishers of LAUNCH Magazine officially pulled the plug on that space publication. Dwayne Day reflects on what its passing means for space journalism, online and in print. The crucible of manBritain is undertaking another review of its national space policy, leading the country down the path of creating a full-fledged space agency. Andrew Weston makes the case for the country to be even more ambitious with its long-term space goals. Review: Heavenly AmbitionsMany expect the Obama Administration to change course in the area of military space policy, moving away from the philosophy of “space dominance” endorsed by the previous administration. Jeff Foust reviews a new book that examines changes in space policy and explains why space dominance is problematic, at best. Microspace and human spaceflightAt first glance, there doesn’t seem to be much in common between the burgeoning small satellite industry and human spaceflight. However, Grant Bonin argues that the philosophy that has guided smallsat developers over the years may be key to enabling breakthroughs in human access to space. The ISS: a very expensive educationAs the International Space Station nears completion, what will the US and others get for the massive investment put into the project? At the very least, says Taylor Dinerman, they’ve learned how to run (or not run) major space projects.
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