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 698 (Special Edition)	Listen to the show!
Aired on April 10th, 2007
Guest: Robert Zimmerman
Robert Zimmerman returned to The Space Show for this program. We discussed many topics from the shuttle schedule and repairs, to spaceports at Wallops and in New Mexico. Regarding the shuttle, Bob explained the importance of engineering delays and the fact that these types of delays are certainly a welcome change from the past when NASA might have compromised engineering for a specific schedule. For the spaceport discussion, we were joined by Jack Kennedy who gave us the latest information on the Mid Atlantic Spaceport and by Joe Latrell from Roswell who brought us current on the vote and the development progress for Spaceport America in New Mexico. The spaceport discussion took us into commercial perspectives versus government space program. We also talked about the recent Space X Falcon 1 launch and Bob had lots to say about it and its importance not just for Space X but for the industry. Later in the show we talked about Hubble, we talked about the science missions and the discovery of caves on Mars and the huge hexagonal shape discovered on Saturn. Bob discussed the public view of the science and robotic missions in comparison to the human space program. Bob also talked about space tourism and toward the end of the show, we discussed Administrator Griffin's 50 year view of the space program. Near the end, Bob talked about science, the lack of open science going on and the agenda behind compelling science to march to a specific point of view. I brought up the freedom issue and the fact that space offers us the potential of unlimited resource development, not a world of limitation and I used the upcoming program on Sunday, April 15 with Reda Anderson as an example of the power of looking forward to the unlimited, not buying into a world of limitations. As always, Bob's comments were clear, sharp, and to the point. Check him out at his website, http://members.bellatlantic.net/~vze3cxxp/zimbib.htm. Bob will take your email comments and questions and he always offers a reply. Please send them to him through me at drspace@thespaceshow.com. Robert Zimmerman will be returning to The Space Show several more times during 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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