Space policy roundup – Aug.21.13 [Update]

August 21, 2013 TopSpacer

The latest selection of space policy items:

Update:

Update 2: A conceptual lunar mission designed by a NASA team uses two SLS launches separated by 6 months and a large lander. It would allow a crew of four to stay a week on the Moon. The high cost of two SLS launches plus a multi-billion dollar lander, however, means such a mission falls far outside expected NASA funding levels: Dual SLS launch campaign required for NASA’s Lunar return – NASASpaceFlight.com.

Update 3: Bob Zimmerman comments on the Global Exploration Roadmap (GER) released yesterday by NASA and other space agencies: Space agencies of the world unite! – Behind The Black

Education, Rocketry, SpaceCasts

Video: A rocket engine intro

August 21, 2013 TopSpacer 1 Comment

Benjamin Higginbotham at Spacevidcast gives a brief tutorial titled, “How do rocket engines work”

For more detailed tutorials, see:

Space Science, The Moon

Video: Recovering 1960s lunar images at McMoon’s

August 21, 2013 TopSpacer

In this Bloomberg BusinessWeek video, Dennis Wingo describes the Lunar Orbiter Image Recovery Project carried out in the old McDonald’s restaurant (renamed McMoon’s) on the NASA Ames Research Center site. The goal is recover images of the surface of the Moon made by the first orbiters in the 1966-67 time frame and recorded on ancient magnetic tapes: Abandoned McDonald’s Holds Glimpse of Life on Moon – Businessweek

Asteroids & Comets, Space Policy, The Moon

Interviews: Doug Plata and Lunar COTS + Joel Achenbach and asteroid capture

August 20, 2013 TopSpacer

Moonandback has posted two parts of an interview with Dr. Doug Plata, who is an advocate of a Lunar COTS program. With Lunar COTS, NASA would encourage faster, less expensive lunar development by buying commercial hardware and services in a manner similar to the successful COTS (Commercial Orbital Transportation System) program for cargo delivery to the International Space Station:

“Doug Plata answers the question about how people can get involved in the Lunar COTS petition, talks about why he’s involved in this project and offers advice on what others can do” : Doug Plata – Activism Will Get Us There – Moonandback
“Doug Plata continues to examine details of the Lunar COTS program, discusses potential off-world health issues, the potential for genetic mutation, and the need for stepped-up research on different gravity health implications” : Doug Plata – Off-World Health Issues – Moonandback

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In this PBS NewsHour interview, Washington Post science reporter Joel Achenbach talks about NASA’s proposed project to capture a small asteroid and about the budget and policy problems the agency is having: Facing Budget Battles, NASA Still Aims High With Asteroid Capture Mission – PBS NewsHour -Aug. 19, 2013

He is writing a series about the agency’s problems, e.g. on Sunday he had this long front page article: