Thoughts on it from Laura Montgomery, with its implications for Outer Space Treaty interpretation.
Category Archives: Space
The Deep Space Network
Shannon Stirone has a nice essay on the history and state of affairs, and Congress’s skewed space-budget priorities.
I think the future of deep-space comm will be lasers, and it may be provided commercially.
SpaceX Had To Deliver
An article adapted from Christian Davenport’s new book, which I’m reading in Florida.
Space Law In The UK
Behold, the new British Space Act. I and others had not-insignificant influence in forming this. They were headed down a bad European road a few years ago. They were originally going to allow the European aviation safety agency regulate it, which would have been disastrous. Instead, as we recommended, it is modeled closely on the U.S. launch-licensing system.
The Warning From Elon At SXSW
The first Mars visitors will probably die. Of course, we’re all going to die somewhere.
As I note in the book, it’s very unlikely that the Shackleton ad was real. If it had been published in a London broadsheet, it would have been spelled “honour.”
[Update a couple minutes later]
And per usual, a lot of ignorance and stupidity in comments over there.
Books In The Mail
I’ve got review copies of Tim Fernholz’s
Planetary Protection
…is not required by Article IX of the Outer Space Treaty. I suspect a lot of people at COPUOS would disagree.
[Update a while later]
Sorry, bad link fixed.
A Harbinger For Space Policy?
Trump apparently is impressed with commercial space.
Stratolaunch
…wants to use Birdzilla to launch a reusable spaceplane.
Not sure what this means, though:
The Black Ice space plane — should it be built — would be about as big as the former space shuttle developed by NASA and capable of staying up for at least three days.
What does “as big” mean? Similar dimensions to a Shuttle orbiter? If it has to carry propellant, it won’t have much payload. I wonder what kind of GLOW that aircraft can handle?
[Update a few minutes later]
Here’s another story on the subject from Eric Berger. Haven’t looked at comments yet, but there may be some discussion of performance there.
NASA Needs A Reset
I agree, it’s long overdue. Fundamentally, the space establishment cannot let go of the Apollo paradigm, but it will have to, or be completely left behind.