Date Aired: Tuesday 19 Dec 2006
Kathleen Connell, Principal of the Connell Whittaker Group, LLC, was the guest for this special program on The Space Show. We began our discussion by asking Ms. Connell about lessons learned and her cutting edge research based on her work with the award winning videographer Michael Danty in their film about societal impacts from Apollo. Ms. Connell discussed this subject in detail in three different categories: Culture, technology, and economic. This is an important discussion based on solid...
Date Aired: Sunday 10 Dec 2006
Dr. Mary Lynne Dittmar was the guest for this Space Show program, here to discuss her recent research study, "The Market Study for Space Exploration." As we found out during the program, this study is an important guide to our attitudes toward and perceptions to all aspects of the space program, the VSE, even some segments of the private-sector space program. As much of her research focuses on the 18-25 age group, so did this program. This group is important because if the VSE unfolds on the...
Date Aired: Sunday 03 Dec 2006
Chuck Lauer returned to The Space Show for this special program to discuss Rocketplane-Kistler and more. We started our discussion with Chuck asking him about some of his past innovative ideas for recreational space development. This led Chuck to telling us how he got interested in space and a listener asked him about his preference regarding the regulatory world of real estate versus developing a space ship. The listener wanted to know if Chuck preferred working with a zoning commission or AST...
Date Aired: Tuesday 28 Nov 2006
Dr. Henry Hertzfeld returned to The Space Show for this special program. Last on the show April 9, 2003, we opened up discussing the changes in the space world since his earlier guest appearance on the program. We talked about changes resulting from the Columbia accident, the VSE, SS1 and more. In addition, we discussed his 2005 paper, "Launch Vehicles: An Economic Perspective." You can find this paper and many others of his as well as others from the Space Policy Dept. at GWU by visiting the...
Date Aired: Tuesday 14 Nov 2006
Michael Belfiore was the guest for this Space Show program. We began our discussion with Michael with a focus toward his new book, "Rocketeers: How a visionary hand of business leaders, engineers, and pilots is boldly privatizing space." Michael told us how he got the idea for the book, his interviews with the leaders he refers to in the title, we discussed the contents of the book through the Table of Contents and learned that the book will be available around July 2007. His publisher is...
Date Aired: Thursday 09 Nov 2006
Paul Eckert, Robert Dickman and Carl Walz were the guests for this special program to discuss making the VSE a long-term reality as well as the coming AIAA Dec. 4-6 2nd Space Exploration Conference which will be held in Houston. We started the panel discussion with Bob Dickman explaining why the AIAA has this conference and its role in helping to establish the VSE as a long-term reality for the nation. Paul Eckert of Boeing was next and he went through the conference agenda with us, focusing on...
Date Aired: Tuesday 07 Nov 2006
Dr. Wendell Mendell returned to The Space Show for this program. Dr. Mendell started the discussion looking back over his 40 plus years of being with NASA and discussing how things have changed within the organization and based on my question, with the American public regarding space issues. I asked about his thoughts with the various NASA administrators that he has known and then we turned our attention to the main topic of the evening which focused on changes at NASA based on the VSE. Dr....
Date Aired: Friday 03 Nov 2006
Professor Haym Benaroya returned for this Space Show program. We began the discussion with Dr. Benaroya updating us on his upcoming conference, the Rutgers Symposium on Lunar Settlement, June 3-8, 2007 in New Brunswick, NJ (www.lunarbase.rutgers.edu). The professor highlighted the keynote speakers and talked about the conference format, goals, and objectives. In the second segment of the interview, we spoke mostly of lunar and space settlement engineering and technology. As a result of listener...
Date Aired: Thursday 02 Nov 2006
Cathy Shields, Jim Chilton and David Brock were the special guests for this program which discussed how small businesses can work with NASA in supporting the nation's VSE and Partnering with New Orleans which is focused on how to do business with Boeing Space Exploration. This program was most informative as we learned about NASA Small Business Specialist Center Industry Assistance programs, how these programs work with companies such as Boeing, and then how Boeing mentors and works with...
Date Aired: Tuesday 24 Oct 2006
Joan Horvath returned to The Space Show to discuss her new book, "Saturn: A New View." We started the discussion with a short review of the Personal Spaceflight Symposium and the X Prize Cup held last week in Las Cruces, NM. After returning from the first break, Joan talked with us about the book, the cooperation involved to put it together, the amazing photos used in it and the editing process to put the photos and book together. We then discussed the VSE, NASA, JPL, science funding and...
Date Aired: Sunday 22 Oct 2006
Constance Adams returned to The Space Show for this special program. The theme of this program was reality check. Ms. Adams is a specialist in designing closed loop systems for space, space stations, future settlements, etc. We went into depth about what is required for a closed loop system, what our state of the art is today, what is needed for the future, what our problems and issues are and how these problems are solved. We also talked about evolving new technologies in the field, the...
Date Aired: Friday 13 Oct 2006
Dr. Sam Dinkin returned as the guest for this Space Show program. We began the interview with a brief update from Dr. Dinkin on his new blog, Decisive Win (www.decisivewin.com). Check it and comment on it. Dr. Dinkin continues to write for The Space Review but his posting on his own blog will now constitute his blogging rather than his previous contributions to Transterrestrial Musings. The conversation then moved on for updates about SpaceShot, Sam's new start-up skill game to allow people the...
Date Aired: Friday 29 Sep 2006
Shubber Ali was the guest on this special program and we thank Shubber for being with us live at the unheard of time of 2:30-4:30AM in Sydney, Australia! During the first part of this program, Shubber talked about space tragic and why he does not like the term "space industry." We then looked at recent developments in the space world since his last appearance on the show and asked for his analysis. This included CEV, COTS, Lockheed, Kistler, Atlas 5, Bigelow, space tourism and Ms. Ansari on the...
Date Aired: Tuesday 26 Sep 2006
Dr. Buzz Aldrin was the very special guest for this Space Show program. Buzz outlined a three point engagement plan for moving forward with space development, education, and engaging the public in space, specifically the VSE. This program started with his description of his ShareSpace Foundation, its educational work and objectives, followed by explaining the importance of coming up with the right nomenclature to properly describe those going to space as adventurers or explorers, not just...
Date Aired: Sunday 17 Sep 2006
Dr. Paul Webb was the guest for this Space Show program to discuss his innovative Space Activity Suit, a different type of spacesuit that holds great potential for lower costs, more maneuverability by the astronaut, greater safety, less maintenance, and less required training. As explained by Dr. Webb, this new spacesuit is a mechanical counter pressure spacesuit made from a special type of elastic-like material. The Space Activity Suit would have no joints, no pressurizing gas, it would have...
Date Aired: Wednesday 30 Aug 2006
Jeff Krukin, Executive Director of the Space Frontier Foundation (SFF) was with us today to talk about their important new White Paper. The White Paper, "Unaffordable and Unsustainable? Signs of Failure in NASA's Earth-to-orbit Transportation Strategy," is available for download at http://www.space-frontier.org/Presentations/UnaffordableUnsustainable.pdf. This paper puts fourth four recommendations by SFF to change current NASA policy regarding the VSE. Jeff received many listener questions...
Date Aired: Monday 28 Aug 2006
Howard Bloom was the guest for this special program to discuss the importance of having a space vision, the idea of a "killer application" for inspiring the public regarding space, and a four point program that could form the basis for the needed space vision. The four point program he discussed includes biofuels, space solar power, lunar development, and going to Mars. We talked about economics and several listeners asked questions about the economics and the priority of SSP or the other...
Date Aired: Tuesday 18 Jul 2006
Dr. Jordin Kare returned to The Space Show to update us on laser launch. Laser launch, as we learned from Dr. Kare, is making progress and the price for components is coming down. In this program, we learned the basics and the theory behind laser launch, we discussed many of its applications from LEO uses, to launching nuclear waste to deep space, to space solar power, and to playing a significant role in the VSE in conjunction with on orbit construction. We discussed the economics of laser...
Date Aired: Sunday 18 Jun 2006
Donna Shirley was the guest for this special Space Show program which aired originally on Friday, June 16, 2006. We began our two hour discussion with Ms. Shirley about the state of the NASA science budget and cuts within science programming to facilitate the VSE. As part of this discussion, Ms. Shirley explained the budget and science process given her JPL experience, the politics of these issues, and the constraints faced by Dr. Griffin and others. We spoke about cost overruns with the James...
Date Aired: Tuesday 23 May 2006
Dr. Pascal Lee returned to The Space Show for this program. We began our discussion with Dr. Lee about Mars and its importance with the VSE. Dr. Lee also explained why the Moon is an important part of realizing the vision to go to Mars. We also spoke about radiation issues for long term space flight to Mars and nuclear electric propulsion for faster transit times to and from Mars. Pascal then spoke to us about the importance of visiting Phobos and the Martian moons, maybe even before going to...
Date Aired: Sunday 30 Apr 2006
Professor Freeman Dyson was the very special guest for this Space Show program. Professor Dyson offered his perspective on a wide ranging list of topics including alt.space investment, the private sector and space access, cosmic radiation, Mars, the VSE, the ISS, shuttle, and humans versus robotic/scientific space missions. We also talked about nuclear power for space and his famous Project Orion. He provided us with his thoughts on HE3, fusion, and why space is not a great draw across America...
Date Aired: Sunday 16 Apr 2006
Col. (RET) Mike Mullane was the guest for this special Easter Sunday Space Show program. Col. Mullane began the interview talking about his new book, "Riding Rockets: The Outrageous Tales of a Space Shuttle Astronaut." First among the many stories told us by retired astronaut Mullane and unique to the information the public learns about was the fear factor experienced by astronauts and their families regarding a ride to space on a rocket. Mike even compared these rocket rides to his combat...
Date Aired: Thursday 13 Apr 2006
Commander (Ret) William F. Readdy was the guest for this special Space Show program. We began our discussion noting that this was the 25th anniversary of the Space Shuttle and Commander Readdy had been a shuttle commander, NASA astronaut, and the former NASA Associate Administrator for Space Flight/Operations, leading the shuttle's return to flight program. Mr. Readdy provided us with his insights on many topics related to NASA, the VSE, technology, engineering, our future in space, the Moon,...
Date Aired: Tuesday 11 Apr 2006
Eric R. Hedman was the guest for this Space Show program. Mr. Hedman began the discussion with an overview of engineering as it relates to alt.space and the larger space industry. In this discussion, we explored alt. space being too simple for complex engineering tasks or making things overly complex when they could be done much simpler. The same set of questions was asked about NASA. Mr. Hedman explained to us how reality was a little of both so you won't want to miss this complete discussion...
Date Aired: Tuesday 28 Mar 2006
Dr. Tom Jones was the guest for this Space Show program. Dr. Jones began the interview speaking about his new book, "Sky Walking: An Astronaut's Memoir." This is an exceptional book and it provided the basics for this program as we discussed space walking, on orbit construction, our spiritual connection to space, space food, exercise in space, space suits, even the astronaut's family remaining back here on Earth and the effect of the launch and space mission on the family staying behind. We...
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