When all else fails – and your butt is on the line with a major PR catastrophe looming, it is best to man-up, square your shoulders and do your duty as organizational lead by assuming responsibility before The Big Guy…unless you are the head of Russia’s ROSKOSMOS space agency. Then you can hint darkly about…
If news reports coming from South Korea and echoed through the West are to be believed, North Korea is moving towards another attempt at launching a Taepo Dong – 2 IR/ICBM, ostensibly as a space launch vehicle (SLV). This would be the third such attempt, with previous attempts in July 2006 and Sept 1998 ending…
A little over two years ago, China conducted the now notorious direct ascent ASAT shot on the Fengyun-1 satellite which was in a polar orbit. We’ve commented extensively at the time and a year hence on the issues raised by this shot. So where do we stand just past the second anniversary? Well, like rabbits,…
Forty years ago, man had slipped the gravitational pull that had kept him shackled  in orbit around his home planet, and boldly struck out for the Moon.  Forty years ago, in a live broadcast on Christmas Eve  for the ages, he sent back stunning images of his world and our perspective was forever changed: William…
“I’ll take ‘Space’ for $100B Alex” “Russia, South Ossetia, Georgia and the ISS.” “What is – How the US could find itself locked out of the ISS after 2010 Alex” Russia’s invasion and occupation of South Ossetia could have far reaching effects off world. In a scenario strikingly reminiscent of the movie, 2010, increased tensions…
Blasting, billowing, bursting forth With the power of ten    billion butterfly sneezes Man with his flaming pyre Has conquered the wayward breezes Climbing to tranquility Far above the cloud Conceiving the heavens Clear of misty shroud… – Moody Blues, Higher and Higher Growing up we were insatiable in our appetite for anything related to…
Requirement: 1) place a satellite in orbit during the IGY; 2) accomplish a scientific experiment in orbit; 3) track the satellite and ensure its attainment of orbit. Because of an ongoing classified program to put reconnaissance satellites in orbit (Project WS-117 using Air Force Thor MRBM’s – which later became the Korona-series of reconnaissance…
"At a minimum, Washington should delay the planned 2010 retirement of the Space Shuttle until a new space plane can replace it, as a way to retain a deterring potential military capability. China’s unwillingness to comment on its military space plans, coupled with the Shenlong space plane, confirms its larger aversion to military transparency. The…
About this time last year (11 Jan), China conducted the now infamous direct-ascent ASAT (Anti-Satellite) hit-to-kill test. We have written to some degree about it already – notably here and here. Both articles describe the notorious aspect of the test – the addition of significant amounts of debris to Low Earth Orbit (LEO). How much? …
November 19th, 1969: 115:22:16 Conrad: (As he lands) Whoopie! Man, that may have been a small one for Neil, but that’s a long one for me. (Pause) [Jones – "I understand that there was a bet on your saying that."] [Bean – "Who’d you bet?"] [Conrad – "You know who I bet."]…
