Buzz Aldrin is releasing a new book on space policy:

Mission to Mars: My Vision for Space Exploration by Buzz Aldrin (Author), with Leonard David and foreword by Andrew Aldrin.

Publisher: National Geographic and out on May 7, 2013.

Chapter 1: The View from Air Force One
Chapter 2: Time for Decision-making
Chapter 3: Your Space: Building the Business Case
Chapter 4: Dreams of My Moon
Chapter 5: Voyage to Armageddon
Chapter 6: The March to Mars
Chapter 7: Homesteading the Red Planet
Chapter 8: The Clarion Call

He will be out promoting the book including two events in Washington D.C. in May:

National Geographic Events – Buzz Aldrin: Mission to Mars, Thursday, May 9, 2013
National Press Club: Buzz Aldrin “Mission to Mars: My Vision for Space Exploration”, Friday, May 10, 2013, http://press.org/events/aldrin

Science and Technology

Research to protect astronaut vision + Research into better satellite vision

January 26, 2013 TopSpacer

NASA lays out a plan to investigate the effects of prolonged weightlessness on vision: ISS Program Takes On Astronaut Vision Problems – Aviation Week.

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DARPA is supporting a project called Membrane Optic Imager Real-Time Exploitation (MOIRE), which is developing very lightweight optical elements that could greatly improve the resolution of imaging from geostationary orbit: DARPA Moire Project Seeks Real-Time Space Imaging – CitizensInSpace.org.

The Moon

A map of the geology of the Moon

January 26, 2013 TopSpacer

Paul Spudis writes about the history of geologic mapping of the Moon, particularly regarding the work of the late Gene Shoemaker: Geological mapping of another world – The Once and Future Moon/Air & Space Mag.

He provides a link to this map document: Lunar Photogeologic Chart (LPC 58).

Space Policy

Views of another lost in space panel + Safety at the south pole and space

January 26, 2013 TopSpacer

Here are two more critiques of the space policy panel discussion at Rice University on Thursday (see earlier post):

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Rand Simberg highlights a case illustrating the double standard regarding risks to which NASA spaceflight is held: The Hazards Of Scientific Research – Transterrestrial Musings