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ISDC 2024

Articles previously published in The Space Review:

June 2023:

India joins the Artemis Accords

In a development that took some by surprise, India signed the US-led Artemis Accords last week. Ajey Lele examines the implications of that signing, from cooperation in human spaceflight to space resource policy complications.
Monday, June 26, 2023

A veteran astronaut adjusts to a new era of private spaceflight

Peggy Whitson has more time in space than any other American astronaut, but her latest trip to space required some changes. Jeff Foust talks to Whitson about commanding the Ax-2 mission to the International Space Station and how it supports Axiom Space’s long-term commercial space station plans.
Monday, June 26, 2023

How artificial photosynthesis may be key to sustained life beyond Earth

Life support is one of the biggest challenges for long-duration spaceflight. Katharina Brinkert describes research into a promising new technology that could make it easier to keep people alive on the Moon and Mars.
Monday, June 26, 2023

Review: Under Alien Skies

The solar system can offer vistas to travelers that boggle our terrestrial imaginations. Jeff Foust reviews a book that uses hypothetical journeys to other worlds to set the stage for discussions of astronomy and planetary science.
Monday, June 26, 2023

From the sky to the mud: TENCAP and adapting national reconnaissance systems to tactical operations

By the early 1970s, satellite systems developed by the US for strategic military purposes started to find tactical applications. Dwayne Day examines the Tactical Exploitation of National CAPabilities (TENCAP) program and how the US Army in particular helped push to find new applications of space systems.
Monday, June 19, 2023

A chaotic trajectory for NASA’s budget

In its fiscal year 2024 budget request three months ago, NASA sought a 7% increase that now looks increasingly unlikely. Jeff Foust reports on how broader fiscal debates between the White House and Congress could bring NASA’s budgetary ambitions back down to Earth.
Monday, June 19, 2023

The implications of the UK’s National Space Strategy on special operations

The British government advanced a National Space Strategy last year that outlines its ambitions in both civil and military space activities. Four researchers examine that strategy and what it means for one aspect of the country’s military.
Monday, June 19, 2023

Review: From the Earth to Mars

While the Space Age may have begun with the launch of Sputnik, there was decades of work leading up to that launch. Jeff Foust reviews a book that examines some of those earliest efforts in the 1920s in Germany and the Soviet Union.
Monday, June 19, 2023

Why laws and norms matter in space

Growing activity, and threats of conflict, in space emphasize the need for rules for responsible use of space. Senjuti Mallick explains why such rules are more essential than ever.
Monday, June 12, 2023

Mars 2033: can we do this?

For several years, Mars exploration advocates have proposed a human mission to orbit or fly by Mars in 2033, a particularly favorable launch window. Jeff Foust reports that, even with only a decade to go, some still believe such a mission is feasible.
Monday, June 12, 2023

A case for space in the Caribbean: a historic and strategic perspective

The island nations of the Caribbean are often overlooked in discussions about the future of space exploration and commercialization. Kaylon Paterson examines how those countries can benefit from, and contribute to, the growing space economy.
Monday, June 12, 2023

Review: After Apollo

The 50th anniversaries of all the Apollo lunar landing missions have come and gone, but the historical reflections of that era continue. Jeff Foust reviews a book that offers an eclectic assessment of the impact of Apollo on society.
Monday, June 12, 2023

Barbarian in space: the secret space-laser battle station of the Cold War

In 1987, the Soviet Union launched a spacecraft called Polyus intended to be a prototype of a system to disable American satellites with lasers. Dwayne Day and Robert Kennedy discuss the history of this secret, and unsuccessful, response to America’s Strategic Defense Initiative.
Monday, June 5, 2023

Whither Starliner?

Days after a SpaceX Crew Dragon splashed down after its tenth crew flight, Boeing and NASA announced another delay in the first crewed flight of the CST-100 Starliner. Jeff Foust reports on the diverging fortunes of the two commercial crew vehicles.
Monday, June 5, 2023

Cultural considerations in space exploration: Insights for NASA’s Artemis 2 mission

When the four Artemis 2 astronauts embark on their mission, they will be going to a destination not visited by humans in more than 50 years. Deana Weibel examines some of the cultural implications of that mission, including seeing sights no active astronaut has seen before.
Monday, June 5, 2023

A review of Japan’s space policy after the H3 launch vehicle failure

The failure of the first H3 rocket in March had implications beyond that vehicle development program. Junji Miyazawa explains how policy decisions in Japan shaped that failure and how the government should change those policies.
Monday, June 5, 2023

Review: For the Love of Mars

Just as our knowledge of Mars has changed over the centuries, so has our perceptions of what the Red Planet represents. Jeff Foust reviews a book that examines those changing views from ancient history to future human missions there.
Monday, June 5, 2023


May 2023:

Death of a launch company

Virgin Orbit executives hoped someone would buy the company out of Chapter 11 bankruptcy and allow it to resume operations. Instead, Jeff Foust reports, the company’s assets were sold at auction last week to several other aerospace companies, marking the end of the air-launch venture.
Tuesday, May 30, 2023

Red planet reality

A space-themed reality show, hosted by William Shatner, will premiere on the Fox network next week. Dwayne Day discusses how, in the long history of efforts to create space reality shows, you have to fake it to make it.
Tuesday, May 30, 2023

The case for space ethics

Government officials often talk about the importance of responsible space behavior, but what it means to be responsible is not defined. Magdalena Bogacz describes the importance of establishing an ethical framework for space.
Tuesday, May 30, 2023

Navigating space bioethics

Human spaceflight poses a number of medical challenges, and with them ethical issues. Vanessa Farsadaki outlines those bioethical questions posed by humans in space.
Tuesday, May 30, 2023

China’s spaceplane returns: is this a new weapon in their counterspace arsenal?

An uncrewed Chinese spaceplane landed earlier this month after about nine months in orbit. Ajey Lele examines what little is known about the spaceplane and its potential role in potential future conflicts in space.
Tuesday, May 30, 2023

Saving Skylab the top secret way

NASA launched Skylab 50 years ago this month, but immediately ran into problems that threatened the space station. Dwayne Day examines how the NRO came to the assistance of NASA to get imagery of the station to support rescue efforts.
Monday, May 22, 2023

A lunar lander makeover

NASA announced last week that it selected Blue Origin to develop a second lander for Artemis missions, joining SpaceX’s Starship. Jeff Foust reports on how the company’s Blue Moon lander is significantly different from earlier designs, as well as the challenges NASA faces in getting support for those landers and Artemis in general.
Monday, May 22, 2023

The dawn of the age of DART

Last year’s DART mission showed that we have the ability to deflect the trajectory of an asteroid, a key technology for planetary defense. Daniel Deudney describes how that enables capabilities beyond planetary defense, for better or worse.
Monday, May 22, 2023

Review: Destination Cosmos

A number of “immersive” experiences offer people a taste of spaceflight without leaving the ground. Jeff Foust reviews one such experience that takes people through the solar system and beyond from an old bank building in New York.
Monday, May 22, 2023

A vastly different approach to space stations

A new startup jumped into the race last week to develop commercial space stations. Jeff Foust reports on Vast’s plans to launch a single-module station as soon as 2025 in cooperation with SpaceX.
Monday, May 15, 2023

Congress must reject the Defense Department’s hope-based strategy in space

Defense Department officials frequently point out the threat that China poses to American space assets. Christopher Stone argues, though, that those officials aren’t taking the right approach to dealing with that threat.
Monday, May 15, 2023

Falcon Heavy to the rescue

While SpaceX’s Starship may one day be successful, it could take some time. Ajay Kothari describes how the company’s Falcon Heavy rocket could be used to send large payloads to the Moon, keeping Artemis on track.
Monday, May 15, 2023

Review: When the Heavens Went on Sale

The early success of SpaceX helped enable a new wave of space startups, with varying degrees of success. Jeff Foust reviews a book that profiles four such companies and the diverse range of people working there who were geniuses, misfits, or both.
Monday, May 15, 2023

Stonehouse: Deep space listening in the high desert

During the 1960s and 1970s, the National Security Agency had a listening post in Ethiopia with a very specific mission: eavesdrop on communications from Soviet deep space missions. Dwayne Day examines the history of the site and what American intelligence learned from those transmissions.
Monday, May 8, 2023

Strategizing planetary defense

The success of NASA’s DART mission to deflect a small asteroid was a major milestone for planetary defense, but not the end of efforts to protect the planet from potential impacts. Jeff Foust reports on new strategies released last month by NASA and the White House to improve efforts to discover and, if necessary, deal with potentially hazardous asteroids.
Monday, May 8, 2023

How government and industry should reshape the business of space

Developing new space capabilities, from satellite servicing to space traffic management, requires coordination between the public and private sectors. Adam Routh and Brett Loubert offer some proposals to government and industry to improve cooperation in those and related fields.
Monday, May 8, 2023

Review: Photographing America’s First Astronauts

While it’s been 62 years since Alan Shepard became the first American to go to space, the history books have yet to be closed on the Mercury program. Jeff Foust reviews a book that publishes previously unseen photos of the program taken by NASA’s first photographer.
Monday, May 8, 2023

The Moon is harsh on missteps

Japanese company ispace attempted to land on the Moon last week, only to have its lander crash. Jeff Foust reports on the failed landing that comes as American companies prepare to launch their first NASA-supported lunar lander missions.
Monday, May 1, 2023

Building telescopes on the Moon could transform astronomy, and it’s becoming an achievable goal

As lunar exploration increases, so do the opportunities to do science there. Ian Crawford describes how missions can enable a new era of astronomy, particularly on the lunar farside.
Monday, May 1, 2023

Starship after the dust settles

A week and a half after SpaceX’s first Starship/Super Heavy rocket lifted off for the first time, new details are emerging about that brief flight. Jeff Foust recaps comments from Musk about the launch and reaction from NASA and environmental groups.
Monday, May 1, 2023

Review: The Possibility of Life

As the field of astrobiology matures, scientists are only now beginning to come to grips with the challenge of finding evidence of life beyond Earth. Jeff Foust reviews a book that explores the state of our understanding, or lack thereof, of prospects of life elsewhere.
Monday, May 1, 2023


April 2023:

Grading on a suborbital curve

SpaceX’s long-anticipated first Starship/Super Heavy launch took place last week, ending explosively just four minutes after liftoff. Jeff Foust reports on the launch and whether even a truncated test flight can still be considered a success.
Monday, April 24, 2023

India’s space policy and national security posture: what can we expect?

The Indian government released a new space policy this month. Namrata Goswami discusses the policy’s implications for commercial space development in the country as well as national security.
Monday, April 24, 2023

Is the US in a space race against China?

In congressional testimony last week, NASA administrator Bill Nelson said he felt the United States was in a space race with China. Svetla Ben-Itzhak examines whether there is much of a race between the two nations in civil spaceflight.
Monday, April 24, 2023

Review: The Space Law Stalemate

International space law has struggled to keep pace with expanding space activity, posing challenges for companies and countries. Jeff Foust reviews a book that examines those challenges and proposes ways to move space law forward.
Monday, April 24, 2023

The truth is up there: American spy balloons during the Cold War

A Chinese spy balloon that floated over the United States earlier this year brought renewed attention to the use of high-altitude balloons for reconnaissance. Dwayne Day examines American efforts to develop such balloons during the Cold War and their links to satellite reconnaissance.
Monday, April 17, 2023

Go big or go home?

Earlier this month Virgin Orbit filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy when it failed to raise more money, while Relativity Space has shifted away from its own small launch vehicle after a single launch. Jeff Foust reports in the changing fortunes for the small launch vehicle industry.
Monday, April 17, 2023

Internet of Things: the China perspective

China is seeking to become a dominant player in many technologies, including Internet of Things. Henk H.F. Smid describes those efforts and the role space plays in those plans.
Monday, April 17, 2023

Review: The Space Economy

The space industry has run into some headwinds with recent financial problems many companies have faced, including Virgin Orbit’s bankruptcy. Jeff Foust reviews a book by an investor who remains bullish about the long-term prospects of the overall space economy, though.
Monday, April 17, 2023

First four

Last week, NASA announced the four astronauts who will fly on Artemis 2, the first crewed SLS/Orion mission. Jeff Foust reports on the crew selection and plans for that first human mission beyond low Earth orbit in more than half a century.
Monday, April 10, 2023

The spaceport bottleneck

The handful of US spaceports that host orbital launches are straining to keep up with growing launch demand. Tom Marotta examines this bottleneck and one potential solution for it.
Monday, April 10, 2023

How satellites and space junk may make dark night skies brighter

Astronomers have warned for several years that the growing population of satellites would interfere with their observations, but often could not quantify their effects. Jessica Heim describes recent research that put a dollar value on how growth in space objects will affect one observatory.
Monday, April 10, 2023

Review: Off-Earth

The vision of humans living and working in space has been around for decades, but has more than just technical challenges to overcome. Jeff Foust reviews a book that explores some of the ethical quandaries posed by space settlement.
Monday, April 10, 2023

Robotic Mars exploration after sample return

As NASA focuses on returning samples to Mars, it has virtually no other robotic missions planned to the Red Planet. Jeff Foust reports on the release last week of a draft strategy that offers a first glimpse of what kinds of missions NASA might fly after Mars Sample Return as it prepares for human exploration of the planet.
Monday, April 3, 2023

Sustainability lessons from Artemis: How SLS and Orion succeeded

NASA this week is announcing the astronauts who will go on the first crewed Artemis mission to the Moon. Frank Slazer examines the factors that enabled key elements of the effort, Orion and the Space Launch System, to survive various political changes.
Monday, April 3, 2023

Exploitation beyond our planet: the risks of forced labor in space mining

Throughout history, mining on Earth has involved the use of forced labor. Julia Muraszkiewicz argues that it’s worth thinking about how to prevent it from also happening in the future in space.
Monday, April 3, 2023

Review: Reclaiming Space

The surge in commercial space activity has been remarkably divisive with debates about those efforts and the people backing them. Jeff Foust reviews a book that seeks to add new voices to that debate from often overlooked perspectives.
Monday, April 3, 2023


March 2023:

Indian ASAT: Mission Shakti should be a comma, not a full stop

Four years ago, India demonstrated its anti-satellite capabilities by destroying a satellite with a direct-ascent missile. Ajey Lele argues India needs to discuss what other ASAT technologies it is developing and its space deterrence strategy.
Monday, March 27, 2023

Europe contemplates a space revolution

The European Space Agency has considered developing human spaceflight capabilities, but first sought the advice of an outside group. Jeff Foust reports on the conclusions of that group that support not just an expansive European human spaceflight program but a more commercial approach for doing so.
Monday, March 27, 2023

Space policy: why a step-by-step plan matters

People widely discuss the content of space policies by the United States and other nations, but talk far less about how such policies are created and implemented. Namrata Goswami examines the five-step process of space policy development and how it is put to use in various countries.
Monday, March 27, 2023

Review: Comet Madness

While some publications today are full of of stories about threats, real or imagined, posed by asteroids, such melodrama is not new. Jeff Foust reviews a book about how newspapers treated the flyby of Comet Halley in 1910, including fears of worldwide disaster.
Monday, March 27, 2023

The hard truths of NASA’s planetary program

NASA is proposing spending more than $3.3 billion next year on its planetary science program, but that program is strained by increasing costs and institutional issues. Jeff Foust reports on how those problems have delayed a Venus mission and could spread to other NASA science missions.
Monday, March 20, 2023

Space storm rising

The growth of the space industry has made it increasingly difficult for companies to hire and retain skilled employees. Joseph Horvath and Christopher Allen make the case for changing how the industry does professional development.
Monday, March 20, 2023

A solution to the growing problem of satellite interference with radio astronomy

As the number of satellites of all types increases, so does the interference their transmissions cause for radio astronomy. Three experts describe the problem and one approach to resolving it.
Monday, March 20, 2023

Review: NACA to NASA to Now

Can you effectively condense more than a century of activity into a relatively short book? Jeff Foust reviews a book that offers a concise yet comprehensive overview of NASA and its predecessor, NACA.
Monday, March 20, 2023

Russia returns to the Moon (maybe)

Later this year, Russia is scheduled to launch a long-delayed lunar lander mission, its first mission to the Moon in decades. Dwayne Day, though, warns that the mission’s odds of success are long given the current state of Russia’s space program.
Monday, March 13, 2023

Searching for life and grappling with uncertainty

As the number of known exoplanets grows, so do the hopes of scientists searching for evidence of life beyond Earth. Jeff Foust looks at new efforts to use exoplanets to better understand the formation of life as well as the challenges communicating those findings to the public.
Monday, March 13, 2023

Building a catalog to track the trash around the Moon

The increase in activity around the Moon brings with it an increase in defunct spacecraft and other debris in cislunar space. Vishnu Reddy discusses work he is leading to catalog that debris and ensure safe operations around the Moon.
Monday, March 13, 2023

Suborbital spaceflight and the Overview Effect

The Overview Effect, or change in mindset from going to space, has been well-documented among those who have gone to orbit but some doubted a brief suborbital spaceflight could trigger it. Jeff Foust reports that the person who popularized the Overview Effect now believes it can.
Monday, March 13, 2023

Suborbital spaceflight’s next chapter

Suborbital human spaceflight appeared to open a new era nearly two years ago, but those flights have recently been on hold because of mishaps and maintenance. Jeff Foust reports on those companies’ plans to resume flights of customers, including researchers, and the role NASA is playing to support the industry.
Monday, March 6, 2023

Managing ocean sustainability from above: leveraging space capabilities to combat illegal fishing

There would seem to be little in common between the space industry and efforts worldwide to stop illegal fishing. Cody Knipfer explains how satellites have become key tools in efforts to identify and halt such fishing operations.
Monday, March 6, 2023

The Falcon 9 achieves the shuttle’s dreams

SpaceX’s Falcon 9 is launching at a frenetic pace for both its own Starlink satellites as well as for government and commercial customers. In the process, Francis Castanos notes, it has passed a goal set long ago for the Space Shuttle.
Monday, March 6, 2023

Review: Original Sin

Recent events can make it seem like we are entering a new era of militarization or even weaponization of space. Jeff Foust reviews a book that argues that the military use of space has been spaceflight’s “original sin” among all major space powers.
Monday, March 6, 2023


February 2023:

Journey to a cold and curious moon

Neptune’s largest moon, Triton, is one of the most intriguing worlds in the solar system and might even be able to support life below its icy surface. Dwayne Day examines a proposed mission that would have flown by Triton, one that ultimately was not selected by NASA.
Monday, February 27, 2023

New rockets spring to life

Springtime is for lovers… of new rockets, that is. Jeff Foust reports on impending first flights of several new launch vehicles, some reaching the pad after years of delays.
Monday, February 27, 2023

Three rules for peace in orbit in the new space era

There are various proposals for space traffic management regimes and rules of the road for space behavior. Brian Chow and Brandon Kelley describe three tenets they believe are critical to establishing such systems so they do not undermine space security.
Monday, February 27, 2023

Assessing NASA advisory activities: What makes advice effective

NASA gets plenty of internal and external advice about its activities, but what makes that advice effective? Joseph K. Alexander discusses the key features of effective agency advice based on experience from several efforts over the years that had a major impact on the agency’s work.
Monday, February 27, 2023

India’s space security policy, part 2: getting space security right

In the second part of an examination of Indian space security policy, Pranav R. Satyanath examines how India should look beyond ASATs when crafting a policy for securing its interests in space.
Monday, February 20, 2023

Trials and tribulations of planetary smallsats

Smallsats have revolutionized many aspects of spaceflight, including science, but not without challenges. Jeff Foust reports on the problems a line of small planetary missions funded by NASA has faced trying to get off the launch pad, including finding rides to space.
Monday, February 20, 2023

Will a five-year mission by COPUOS produce a new international governance instrument for outer space resources?

A United Nations committee has started work on a five-year project to develop a potential governance framework for utilization of space resources. Dennis O’Brien analyzes the viewpoints of various nations and organizations involved in that effort.
Monday, February 20, 2023

Making something from the great balloon incident: space policy at the fringes

The Chinese spy balloon that floated over the United States and was eventually shot down has raised awareness about what is going on in the stratosphere and the need to better track it. Roger Handberg argues it may also provide some data on another topic at the fringes of space policy.
Monday, February 20, 2023

Review: Wild Ride

Of all the private astronaut missions to date, none was quite like Inspiration4, which flew four non-professional astronauts on a Crew Dragon in 2021. Jeff Foust reviews the memoir by one of the four, Hayley Arceneaux, who recounts both her childhood battle with cancer and a trip of a lifetime to space.
Monday, February 20, 2023

Too many or two few? The launch industry’s conundrum

Two small launch vehicle developers suffered high-profile launch failures last month, the latest sign of struggles for that sector. Jeff Foust reports that while some see financial and technical problems leading to a weeding out of the industry, others are calling for even more vehicles to meet growing demand.
Monday, February 13, 2023

Trends in NASA authorization legislation

Congress passed a NASA authorization act as part of a broader bill last year, the first NASA authorization enacted in five years. Alex Eastman and Casey Dreier discuss how NASA authorization acts have become less frequent, but also longer, in recent decades.
Monday, February 13, 2023

India’s space security policy, part 1: history’s second cut

India abstained in a recent UN vote on an antisatellite testing moratorium, even as 155 nations voted in favor of it. Pranav R. Satyanath examines India’s policy towards development of ASATs and international regulation of them.
Monday, February 13, 2023

Galactic dissonance for the Space Force

The US Space Force has proposed a range of new activities, from debris removal to monitoring cislunar space. Matthew Jenkins argues that the service should focus first on demonstrating how it protects American interests at home and abroad.
Monday, February 13, 2023

What is the environmental impact of a supercharged space industry?

The space industry has long downplayed the environmental impact of launches, given their historically small number. Jeff Foust reports that, as launch activity soars, concerns grow about how emissions from both launches and spacecraft reentries might affect the upper atmosphere.
Monday, February 6, 2023

National Reconnaissance Program crisis photography concepts, part 2: PINTO

In the second part of an examination of efforts more than a half-century ago to develop rapid-response reconnaissance systems, Joseph T. Page II discusses one concept that repurposed flight-proven hardware to rapidly collect and return images.
Monday, February 6, 2023

Comparing the NASA Advisory Council and NASA’s external advisory bodies

NASA has multiple places it can turn to for advice, from its own advisory council to external committees run by the National Academies. Joseph Alexander explores the differences between those internal and external advisers.
Monday, February 6, 2023

Review: The New Guys

Forty-five years ago, NASA selected 35 people that would include the first women and Black astronauts. Jeff Foust reviews a book that examines many members of that historic astronaut class and the challenges they faced to get an opportunity to go to space.
Monday, February 6, 2023


January 2023:

Human spaceflight safety in a new commercial era

This week, as NASA marks the 20th anniversary of the loss of Columbia, the agency says it’s redoubling its efforts to learn from that and past accidents to avoid another. Jeff Foust reports that those efforts come as human spaceflight shifts to the private sector, creating a new set of issues to ensure safety.
Monday, January 30, 2023

Space-to-ground capabilities are the answer to deterring invasion of Taiwan

The US military raised concerns last year that China may be developing fractional orbital bombardment systems and other space-to-ground weapons. Christopher Stone argues that the best way to counter such weapons is for the US to develop similar ones.
Monday, January 30, 2023

Our solar system is filled with asteroids that are particularly hard to destroy

The recent success of NASA’s DART mission might suggest that scientists have figured out how to deal with a potentially hazardous asteroid. Fred Jourdan and Nick Timms explain their research that shows that asteroids like the one DART hit might actually be difficult to handle.
Monday, January 30, 2023

Review: Apollo’s Creed

Many astronaut memoirs follow similar paths recounting experience before, during, and after NASA. Jeff Foust reviews a book that offers a different approach, looking at the post-NASA life of an Apollo-era astronaut as remembered by his stepdaughter.
Monday, January 30, 2023

Persistent cooperation on the space station

Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, NASA officials have emphasized that operations of the ISS remained unaffected. Jeff Foust reports that was put to the test when a Soyuz spacecraft docked to the station was damaged last month.
Monday, January 23, 2023

Not-so ancient astronauts and Area 51: the Skylab Incident

During the final Skylab mission, astronauts photographed a secretive base in Nevada, creating a headache for the CIA. Dwayne Day revisits that incident to explore the issue of secrecy and classification.
Monday, January 23, 2023

What the United States should do regarding space leadership?

The United States is a leader in space, but that future leadership is not assured. Namrata Goswami argues that the US needs to revise its space priorities to address growing interest in using space for economic development.
Monday, January 23, 2023

Mawu and Artemis: Why the United States should make Africa a priority for space diplomacy

Rwanda and Nigeria became the first African nations to sign the Artemis Accords last month. Nico Wood discusses why, despite this milestone, the United States needs to do more to work with African nations in space diplomacy.
Monday, January 23, 2023

Unlocking the next great observatories

At a conference last week, astronomers celebrated the James Webb Space Telescope as it continued to surpass expectations. Jeff Foust reports that they also discussed how to develop future space telescopes, including a series of new “great observatories” that may take decades to launch.
Monday, January 16, 2023

From the sand to the stars: Saddam Hussein’s failed space program

Shortly before the first Gulf War, Iraq embarked on an effort to launch its own satellite. Dwayne Day examines what we know about efforts to build a satellite and small launch vehicle, and potential ties to missile development.
Monday, January 16, 2023

China’s new space station opens for business in an increasingly competitive era of space activity

China effectively completed its space station last year, enabling it to be permanently crewed for research. Eytan Tepper and Scott Shackelford discuss the geopolitical ramifications of that station as the International Space Station enters its final years.
Monday, January 16, 2023

Review: Dinner on Mars

While there is plenty of discussion about how to send humans to Mars, there’s far less about how they’ll live there. Jeff Foust reviews a book that explores how emerging technologies and techniques could allow people on Mars to sustainably grow a variety of foods while also helping terrestrial agriculture.
Monday, January 16, 2023

Moon denied: the 1993 Early Lunar Access proposal

Exactly 30 years ago, General Dynamics unveiled a concept for returning humans to the Moon faster and less expensively than other proposals. Dwayne Day examines Early Lunar Access and why it demonstrated there was no such thing as easy lunar access.
Monday, January 9, 2023

To go to Mars, do a backflip at Venus

NASA is currently implementing a Moon-to-Mars strategy with lunar missions serving as precursors for eventual human expeditions to Mars. Jeff Foust reports on a recent study that argues that a human flyby of Venus could be a key intermediate step between the Moon and Mars.
Monday, January 9, 2023

A COTS-like alternative for planetary exploration

NASA is struggling to carry out an ambitious series of planetary science missions within a flat budget. Louis Friedman argues it’s time for NASA to take a page from other parts of the agency and consider public-private partnerships for some missions.
Monday, January 9, 2023

Review: A Brief History of Black Holes

Black holes have become established in both astrophysics and popular culture. Jeff Foust reviews a book where an astrophysicist argues that both the “black” and “hole” part of the name are misnomers based on the science of those objects.
Monday, January 9, 2023

After all, it’s rocket science (and bureaucracy)

While 2022 was a record year for the number of launches, some vehicles had trouble getting off the pad or reaching orbit successfully. Jeff Foust reports on the challenges several companies faced in the final weeks of the year, both technical and regulatory.
Tuesday, January 3, 2023

M is for MONSTER ROCKET: the M-1 cryogenic engine

During the first half of the 1960s, NASA embarked on a number of projects that looked beyond the initial Apollo lunar landings. Dwayne Day describes one of those projects, an effort to develop an engine that would have dwarfed those being produced for the Saturn V.
Tuesday, January 3, 2023

The critical importance of resiliency for US missile warning satellites

The US military is in the process of transitioning from a fleet of geostationary missile-warning satellites to a constellation in lower orbits. Brian Chow discusses why resilience must be a central tenet of that transition.
Tuesday, January 3, 2023

Space resilience and the importance of multiple orbits

Growing concerns about anti-satellite weapons have led some to propose alternative architectures like LEO constellations. Matthew Mowthorpe argues that resilience from such threats comes from having satellites in a variety of orbits.
Tuesday, January 3, 2023


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