The Space Show hosted by: Dr. David Livingston

Dr. David Livingston

The Space Show focuses on timely and important issues influencing the development of outer-space commerce and space tourism, as well as other related subjects of interest to us all.

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Broadcast 632 (Special Edition)	Listen to the show!
Aired on December 1st, 2006
Guest: Robert Zimmerman
Robert Zimmerman returned for this Space Show program. With some sarcastic humor and serious commentary, Bob Zimmerman spent much time during this program connecting the dots to a future successful space program to a resolution of many of the global political and economic threats facing the U.S. and the free world. No doubt many listeners will disagree with Mr. Zimmerman's political assessment of issues facing America and how they might impact space development but Mr. Zimmerman is clearly not the first to express these concerns nor he is the first to do so in the context of space policy. He gave us his assessment of possible changes in space policy with new Democratic congress and he seems to think the change to really watch might be on the regulatory side for the developing private space industry, especially in terms of risk and space tourism. This concern is based on the wishes of some members of Congress to regulate the industry back at the time President Bush signed the Dec. 2004 legislation giving the industry a regulatory holiday for many years providing this period remains major accident free during this time. Zimmerman also discussed aspects of the NASA VSE, the Stick and other hardware issues. He talked about the future of the program, lunar settlement and the active involvement of China, Russia and India with their lunar programs. He gave us his assessment on their progress and future. We discussed Hubble, the recent press articles about Russia and its selected partners wanting to build their own version of a Hubble. His comments on the potential of a Russian space telescope were most informative. The telescope discussion included comments on the James Webb telescope being made and much more. Listeners asked him questions about the US budget deficit and how it might impact the space program. You will want to hear his comments. Throughout the program he was asked about the military presence in space and here Mr. Zimmerman did a comprehensive analysis of the military presence in space and the fear of weaponization of space. This discussion topic generated considerable interest and listener questions during the program. At one point during the program I suggested to Bob that he was like a rubber band during the show, always snapping back to the global threats he discussed up front at the beginning of the show. All roads led him back to the global threats during this program and in response to listener comments, he compared the present situation and the US to the 1930's rather than agreeing with listeners that our situation today reminded us all of the 60's and Viet Nam. You need to hear Bob's commentary on analysis and why he uses the 1930's for his comparison point. He concludes this two hour discussion with a look ahead into 2007 to see what space may offer for the year. His answer surprised me. Perhaps it will you as well. This show is classic Robert Zimmerman regarding space issues and geopolitics and space development in the broader context of our world of today. Mr. Zimmerman will gladly respond to your questions and comments and send them to him through me at drspace@thespaceshow.com. Mr. Zimmerman returns to The Space Show in April 2007.

About our guest...

Robert Zimmerman
Robert Zimmerman is a well known and respected space historian and author. He posts regularly at his new website, http://behindtheblack.com, on space, science, and other matters relating to cultural and political issues. Mr. Zimmerman is also an award winning author. His most recent book, THE UNIVERSE IN A MIRROR: THE SAGA OF THE HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE AND THE VISIONARIES WHO BUILT IT (Princeton University Press) was just released in paperback. The book tells the poignant tale of the men and women behind the telescope, and how many had to sacrifice careers and family to get it built. It also describes in detail the importance of Hubble both scientifically and culturally. More than any other instrument sent into space, the Hubble Space Telescope reshaped the human perception of our place in the universe. Robert's previous book, LEAVING EARTH: SPACE STATIONS, RIVAL SUPERPOWERS, AND THE QUEST FOR INTERPLANETARY TRAVEL, is a must read! It describes in detail the history of manned space flight, post Apollo. Thus, it includes a lot of information about the Soviet/Russian space program that is unknown to most Americans. In 2003 American Astronautical Society awarded LEAVING EARTH the Eugene Emme Award as that year's the best space history for the general public. Mr. Zimmerman has also authored GENESIS, THE STORY OF APOLLO 8 (published by Four Walls Eight Windows in 1998), telling the family and political tale behind the first human journey to another world, and THE CHRONOLOGICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA OF DISCOVERIES IN SPACE (published by Oryx Press, now ABC-CLIO, 2000), a detailed reference book describing what was accomplished on every space mission beginning in October 1957 with Sputnik and continuing through December 1999. His work is published regularly in such magazines as SCIENCE, ASTRONOMY, THE WALL STREET JOURNAL, INVENTION & TECHNOLOGY, FORTUNE, AD ASTRA, AMERICAN HISTORY, STARDATE, and many other major magazines. In 2000 he was co-winner of the David N. Schramm Award, given by the High Energy Astrophysics Division of the American Astronomical Society for Science Journalism. He can be reached at zimmerman at nasw dot org.

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