The Space ReviewArticles, essays, and commentary about all facets of space explorationNASA and space solar power- May 19, 2008 What role should NASA have in the development and promotion of space solar power Taylor Dinerman suggests that the space agency's role will have to be limited given all the other projects it's grappling with.http://www.thespacereview.com/article/1130/1 Notes on the state of the RLV industry in 2008 (part 2)- May 12, 2008 While some RLV companies have faded away over the years, a few have managed to survive, if not yet prosper. Taylor Dinerman takes a look at what set two of those companies apart.http://www.thespacereview.com/article/1126/1 All hail the mighty Skycrane- May 12, 2008 While one small helicopter company had an odd proposal in the 1960s to develop a giant helicopter to retrieve Saturn 5 stages, a much larger helicopter company took a different tack. Dwayne Day unearths a concept from that era of using a large helicopter to ferry missiles.http://www.thespacereview.com/article/1123/1 Why the Moon- May 12, 2008 With the current presidential candidates showing lukewarm interest, at best, at continuing the Vision for Space Exploration, developing a strong rationale for returning to the Moon becomes ever more important. Eric Hedman argues that it's vital to play up the long-term benefits to society of exploration.http://www.thespacereview.com/article/1125/1 Propellant depots: an idea whose time has (almost) come- May 12, 2008 On-orbit propellant depots has for years been an interesting concept, but one that was still far in the future. Jeff Foust reports on why some people believe that the depots' time has nearly come.http://www.thespacereview.com/article/1127/1 Review: To a Distant Day- May 12, 2008 The 50th anniversary of the beginning of the Space Age has triggered a wave of historical accounts about that era, but less about the prehistory of the Space Age. Jeff Foust reviews a book that provides an overview of the decades of effort that led to the first satellite launches.http://www.thespacereview.com/article/1122/1 They're no Jack Kennedys- May 12, 2008 As president, John F. Kennedy provided the nation's infant space program with strong direction and a bold goal. However, Jeff Brooks notes, the Massachusetts Democrats currently in Congress don't share Kennedy's public support for human spaceflight.http://www.thespacereview.com/article/1124/1 Point-to-point suborbital transportation: sounds good on paper, but...- May 5, 2008 Suborbital point-to-point spaceflight would seem to be a logical step between the current generation of suborbital vehicles under development and orbital RLVs. David Hoerr cautions that such vehicles face considerable technological obstacles to their development.http://www.thespacereview.com/article/1118/1 Dead trees and the final frontier- May 5, 2008 In an era of online publications (like this one), are magazines an anachronism Dwayne Day examines the strengths and weaknesses of space magazines as an introduction to a review of a number of these publications.http://www.thespacereview.com/article/1120/1 A quick guide to space news publications in print- May 5, 2008 Dwayne Day provides brief reviews of major space-related magazines currently published in the United States and elsewhere.http://www.thespacereview.com/article/1119/1 |