Date Aired: Sunday 16 Mar 2008
Guest: Chris Carberry, the new Executive Director of The Mars Society was the guest for this Sunday Space Show program. We started out by discussing the new Mars Society and his personal and organizational goals for the organization under his leadership. Increasing both membership and funding are high priorities, as is getting ready for the 11th Annual Mars Society Conference to be held in Boulder, CO from August 14-17, 2008. Chris went through the list of many of the keynote speakers and the...
Date Aired: Friday 14 Mar 2008
Guest: Per Wimmer. Per Wimmer of Wimmer Space and Wimmer Financial was the guest for this Space Show program. During the first segment, we discussed basic business requirements for entrepreneurial space businesses and start-up companies to follow when seeking venture capital or other financing. Mr. Wimmer grouped these requirements into three main areas focusing on: making early returns for the business and establishing cash flow, quality management teams, and a quality market analysis. He...
Date Aired: Tuesday 11 Mar 2008
Dr. Roger Launius returned as the guest to The Space Show for this important, interesting, and fun program. We started our discussion asking if NASA itself might find that it is an artifact worthy of being collected by the Air and Space Museum. While this was a tongue-in-cheek question, it took us right to the point about the future for the VSE, NASA programming, its budget, and its programming. Don't miss his response! Listeners asked Dr. Launius several questions about the Smithsonian, their...
Date Aired: Monday 10 Mar 2008
Dr. Eligar Sadeh returned to The Space Show to update us on the recent National Space Forum which was held in Washington, DC. in early February 2008. Dr. Sadeh summarized most of the panels and presentations at the Forum, so we addressed U.S. space policy for the upcoming administration, U.S. space leadership and its effectiveness, space commerce, and civil space. It was brought to his attention that many attending the Forum were disappointed that NewSpace / alt.space were not a significant...
Date Aired: Sunday 09 Mar 2008
Theresa Hitchens, Executive Director of the World Security Institute's Center for Defense Information, was the guest for this Space Show program. We started our interview by asking Ms. Hitchens about the recent U.S. shoot-down of its ailing satellite and considering this event from the perspective on U.S. space policy and how others around the world see us as a nation. Don't miss this important discussion. We then discussed U.S. space policy now and for the future by looking at space weapons,...
Date Aired: Friday 07 Mar 2008
Tracey Knutson, Atty., was the guest for this Space Show program which focused on informed consent for spaceflight participants as required by the AST. This was a comprehensive discussion, largely from the spaceflight operator's perspective, but also pointing out what a participant or a participant's family would likely encounter were there an accident and litigation against the spaceflight operater. There were many listener questions covering all kinds of variables and scenarios that could...
Date Aired: Tuesday 04 Mar 2008
Charles Pooley of Microlaunchers (www.microlaunchers.com) returned as the guest for this Space Show program. Charles started the discussion by explaining the Microlaunchers concept, which is to design a spacecraft for a 200 grams or less payload in order to take advantage of new FAA regulations as well as the continuing evolution in the components and technology of small mechanisms. He also cited the example of the Google Lunar X Prize as a potential outlet for the Microlaunchers concept. You...
Date Aired: Monday 03 Mar 2008
Dr. Tahir Rahman was the guest for this Space Show program to discuss his new book, "We Came In Peace For All Mankind: The Untold Story of the Apollo 11 Silicon Disc." Please refer to Dr. Rahman's website www.silicondisc.com for more information about his book and this interesting topic. This is a meticulously researched book on the subject of the goodwill silicon message disc which the Apollo 11 astronauts left on the moon. Dr. Rahman took us through many of the special goodwill messages that...
Date Aired: Sunday 02 Mar 2008
Ken Davidian returned to The Space Show as the NASA EMSD (Exploration Systems Mission Directorate) Commercial Development Policy Lead. You can follow part of Ken's discussion with the following URLs. The first is part of his presentation from the recent Space Exploration Conference and can be found at: http://www.nasa.gov/pdf/214648main_1015-Davidian%20.pdf. The second URL is a complete list of presentations from the conference: www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/exploration/main/3rd_exploration_conf....
Date Aired: Friday 29 Feb 2008
Guest: Alan Steinberg was the guest for this Space Show program. Alan represents the brightest of the brightest of the American youth who we talk about frequently on The Space Show. Today, we get to hear about common Space Show topics and themes through the eyes, ears, and perspective of our future policy makers. We talked about many topics that, while not unique to youth, clearly have a special meaning for young Americans. For example, you will definitely want to hear how Alan responded to...
Date Aired: Tuesday 26 Feb 2008
Guest: Dr. Jeff Bell returned to the Space Show for a two hour controversial discussion on many important topics. This is a program you will not want to miss. For example, did you know that we might soon see the cancellation of the human spaceflight program? Listen and see if you agree with Dr. Bell and his analysis. We also talked about the much needed human factors research which is not being done as well as other problems with NASA along with its focus on the VSE/Aries 1. Dr. Bell suggested...
Date Aired: Monday 25 Feb 2008
Guest: David Hook. David Hook was the guest for this special program in order to discuss the unusual topic of security regulations for space tourism. As President of his company, Planehook Aviation Services in San Antonio, Texas, David specializes in security work for general aviation, but he has quietly expanded this interest to space tourism. During the first segment of the program, David referenced the FAA/AST regulations dealing with security issues and told us what they mean and how they...
Date Aired: Sunday 24 Feb 2008
Guest: Don Beattie. Don Beattie returned to The Space Show in order to continue our discussion about the current Vision for Space Exploration, NASA, and our future in space. Don started us off with a bit of NASA lunar history and then took us forward to three planned NASA lunar missions, GRAIL which is to use twin satellites to study the Moon's gravitational pull, another program to measure factors within the lunar atmosphere, and yet a third program to do penetration experiments of the Moon...
Date Aired: Saturday 23 Feb 2008
Guest: Dr. Madhu Thangavelu. Key Topics: Altair, Cislunar system, CEV, NASA, teleoperations, time delay, ISRU, education, medical problems. Dr. Madhu Thangavelu returned to The Space Show to discuss the creative problem-solving evidenced by his recent December 2008 USC class, "Return to the Moon: Looking Glass 204 Team Project." Dr. Thangavelu explained the focus of the class and then went through some of the student team solutions to problems we face in returning to the Moon. The subject range...
Date Aired: Friday 22 Feb 2008
Guest: Dr. Sean Casey. Topics: SOFIA, astronomy, student interns, NASA science missions. Dr. Sean Casey returned to The Space Show to update us on The Stratospheric Observatory For Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) project. In the process of discussing SOFIA and infrared astronomy (please see http://www.sofia.usra.edu/ for more details), we talked about other types of astronomy, atmospheric, and space observation. We also learned that there were possibilities for student interns on the project, so if...
Date Aired: Friday 22 Feb 2008
Guest: Dr. Louis Friedman. Dr. Louis Friedman returned for this special Space Show program to discuss the recent Stanford University workshop regarding "Examining The Vision: An Independent Look At The Future Of Human Space Exploration." You can read the workshop's statement at http://www.planetary.org/programs/projects/advocacy_and_education/space_advocacy/20080214.html. Dr. Friedman explained the purpose of this workshop, the many issues and subjects which were discussed, as well as the...
Date Aired: Tuesday 19 Feb 2008
Guest: Dr. James A. Dewar. Dr. James Dewar returned to The Space Show to explain and discuss nuclear rockets and what they would mean for space and economic development were they to be used to obtain low cost space access. Dr. Dewar began our discussion with a good explanation of how a nuclear rocket engine works and the advantages such an engine provides in terms of specific impulse. An engine with a higher specific impulse means a significantly larger payload can be brought to space faster...
Date Aired: Monday 18 Feb 2008
Guest: Rick Citron. Rick Citron was the guest for this Space Show program to discuss what it takes to be successful with a space business. This is a must-hear program for space businessmen and women, for entrepreneurs, or those considering their own business of any kind. Some of the important business concepts Rick talked about included the need for the entrepreneur to build a team of qualified and experienced people and to have the ability to let go of different jobs and work in favor of those...
Date Aired: Sunday 17 Feb 2008
Guests: Ross Tierney, Chuck Longton, Stephen Metschan. Ross Tierney, Chuck Longton, and Stephen Metschan returned to The Space Show for an important discussion about the Direct 2 alternative to the NASA ESAS approach for returning to the Moon. To follow along with this discussion, please visit www.directlauncher.com and up near the top, you will see a link to download this special Space Show presentation material in the format of your choice. If you do this and follow along, you will find that...
Date Aired: Friday 15 Feb 2008
Guest: Taylor Dinerman. Taylor Dinerman returned to The Space Show in order to discuss U.S. space policy, the current U.S. plans to shoot down a malfucnctioning U.S. spy satellite, and much more. During our first segment, we discussed the plans to use a U.S. Navy SM-3 missile to bring down the spy satellite, NRL- 21/USA 193. This prompted several listener questions about possible Outer Space Treaty violations, space debris, and why is this OK when the anti-satellite test that China performed in...
Date Aired: Tuesday 12 Feb 2008
Guest: Bruce Pittman. Bruce Pittman returned to The Space Show to talk about fusion energy, specifically aneutronic fusion from hydrogen (Deuterium) and Boron. During the program, Bruce explained the difference between the ITER/Tokamak approach to fusion vs. aneutronic fusion. Aneutronic fusion is fusion which does not release very much energy in neutrons so it reduces the need for radiation protection. Next, we discussed the funding of this as well as other fusion projects . He told us about...
Date Aired: Monday 11 Feb 2008
Guest: Burke Fort. Burke Fort was the guest for this Space Show program to discuss the 8th Continent Project (www.8cproject.com). Mr. Fort explained how the 8th Continent Project integrates technology with space business concepts and projects and incorporates them into the global economy. When asked what type of technology or space related activity was the easiest or smoothest to integrate, he said those activities which use data in the form of a data stream are probably the easiest type of...
Date Aired: Sunday 10 Feb 2008
Guest: Dr. John Jurist. Dr. John Jurist, long time friend and supporter of the Space Show, was the guest on this slightly over 2 hour Sunday program. In this discussion, we covered many topics including science education, human factors, the balkanization of various components of the space industry , radiation, microgravity experiments, commercial space, suborbital and orbital space tourism, spaceport talk, and more. Dr. Jurist was asked about his science education ideas and what he would do to...
Date Aired: Saturday 09 Feb 2008
Guest: James Bamford. James Bamford was the guest for this special Saturday morning Space Show program in order to discuss the upcoming NOVA PBS Television Special, "Astrospies." Mr. Bamford is the co-producer of the program and is an investigative journalist known for his expertise on the Manned Orbital Laboratory (MOL) and the National Security Agency (NSA). During this hour long program, Jim talks with us about the information he learned from both the Americans and the former Soviets about...
Date Aired: Friday 08 Feb 2008
Guests: Dr. Charles Lundquist, 1st hour; Dr. David Livingston, 2nd hour. Dr. Charles Lundquist was the guest for the first hour of this Space Show program. He was one of the original team members who launched Explorer 1, America's first satellite in space, on Jan. 31, 1958. Listen to Dr. Lundquist tell the story of Explorer 1, his work with the Von Braun team, the Army Ballistic Missile Center at the Redstone Arsenal and much more. Dr. Lundquist tells us some fascinating stories as we walk back...
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