Becoming Spacefaring: Integrated Space Policy
The Case for Becoming a Spacefaring Society: Proposals for an Integrated US Space Policyby Jonathan Goff and Ferris ValynThroughout history, mankind has learned to master the environments around...
View ArticleBecoming Spacefaring: Technology investment
The Case for Becoming a Spacefaring Society: Recommendations for Space Technology Investmentby Jonathan Goff and Ferris ValynTo become a spacefaring nation, there are critical infrastructure...
View ArticleWhy Scott Gration might be the next NASA administrator?
Tonights diary is dedicated to my Grandmother, Catherine Luceil Oesterle - she passed away earlier todayThis whole diary is predicated on the assumption that Scott Gration is going to be the next NASA...
View ArticleWill we get our first space policy hint from the FAA?
There has been extensive speculation about the direction that President Obama will take space policy. A lot of it has been centered around who he might appoint as NASA administrator. But there might...
View ArticleSpace Panels at Netroots Nation, 2009
Last year, we had an awesome panel at Netroots Nation. Largely thanks to the work by Andrew Hoppin, although myself and Bill White also contributed. Join me over the fold, for a discussion about a...
View ArticleSenator Bill Nelson, be a statesman
There is much speculation and hope that President Obama will be nominating a NASA administrator soon. However, a recent report by the Orlando Sentinel has me concerned, and many in the space industry,...
View ArticleLiberals, Space Activists, and the Great Orange Satan
This week, I had an article published in The Space Review, about liberals, and space activism.I reproduced it below. Join me over the fold.
View ArticleColumbia almost came 15 years early
Yesterday, Atlantis launched into space to service Hubble. Unfortunately, there is slight damage to the tiles. At this point, there isn't any real concern.However, earlier this year, we found out...
View ArticleBreaking: NASA Administration is Charlie Bolden
2 sources, independent, are saying that the next NASA administrator is Major General Charles Bolden. More over the fold. BTW, This is my one breaking diary, so I get to use breaking
View ArticleSpace Revolution News: Notes from the Subcommittee on Space & Aeronautics
Last week, on Thursday, the House Subcommittee on Space & Aeronautics held a hearing, to bring in external perspectives, as they relate to the proposed NASA budget. The witnesses were: Mr. John C....
View ArticleSenator Shelby extorts $400 million
It appears Senator Shelby has shaken down the Obama administration to the tune of $400 million dollars, from the American Recovery & Reivestment Act (IE the stimulus bill)$400 million he voted against
View ArticleConcerning the future of Human Spaceflight
Yesterday, today, and tomorrow, are 3 days worth of public deliberations by the Review of US Human Space Flight Plans Committee, aka the Augustine Committee. I've listened to a lot of it, and...
View ArticleHuman Spaceflight: Where we stand
I am starting a short mini-series of diaries, talking about the White House's Review of Human Space Flight Plans Committee. The point of this mini-series is to advocate action for a specific plan...
View ArticleWaPo endorses democratizing spaceflight
Today the Washington Post endorsed the idea of democratizing spaceflight aka space commercialization. This is the smart direction that we need to go - the Review of Human Space Flight Plans Committee...
View ArticleWhy space commercialization is progressive
I promised a 2nd part to a small mini-series, in preparation for the release of the Review of Human Space Flight Plans committee report, which is expected to happen very soon. There are those who say...
View ArticleReplanning our future in Space - The Executive Summary
The Committee concluded that the ultimate goal of human exploration is to chart a path for human expansion into the solar system. This is an ambitious goal, but one worthy of U.S. leadership in concert...
View ArticleCool space videos making the rounds
Hey everyone,I thought I'd share some cool space videos making the roundsJump over the fold to see em
View ArticleMore endorsements of Commercial Spaceflight
Yesterday, in an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal, a bunch of former astronauts joined Dr. Sally Ride, the first US female to fly to space, and former astronaut Dr. Leroy Chiao, in endorsing the idea...
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Space Entrepreneur: AWST Person of the year
Sorry for being gone for so long - life has been busy. Aviation Weekly & Space Technology has named the Space Entrepreneur as its person of the year, this year. And those of us supporting...
View ArticleOutsourcing NASA
In case you haven't seen it, there is a report over at the Wall Street Journal. The title of the article isWhite House Decides to Outsource NASA Work. However, I feel the article probably should've...
View ArticleA Remembrance of those in the sky (Picture diary)
Today is NASA's Day of Remembrance. Its done to honor the astronauts lost during the Apollo 1 fire, the Challenger accident, and the Columbia accident
View Article"Senate Majoirty Leader" Shelby has to be beat
I wanted to add my thoughts on the current situation with Shelby. This isn't the first time he's pulled something like this, and it wont' be the last, I fear
View ArticleFirst Flight
I was suppose to be in DC this week, helping to sell President Obama's new ambitious human space program. Yes, thats right, it is human, it is ambitious, and its very cool. Unfortunately, the weather...
View ArticleThe New York Times wants a Spacefaring Future
In an earlier article, the New York Times asked "For Human Spaceflight, Can Measured Beat Bold?" Its clear that The New York Times think that it can, and that it will get us to a spacefaring future....
View ArticleSpace Shuttle Replacement Pt 1: Dragons take to flight
In an earlier diary, I promised to talk about the shuttle replacements (yes, thats plural, we will have more than one). The first one I am going to talk about is SpaceX's Dragon/Falcon 9 combo.
View ArticleScientists supporting Obama's NASA
As mentioned in a previous diary, I was going to mention some of the people who are supporting Obama's re-alignment at NASA. Here I want you to hear it from the scientists mouth, about why this is the...
View ArticleSpace Shuttle Replacements Pt 2: Birds in Space
In a previous diary, I said that there were multiple shuttle replacements on the way. And in a separate diary, I showed the first one, and probably the most well known - The SpaceX Dragon/Falcon 9...
View ArticleSpace Shuttle Replacement Pt 3: Weight-loss for Spacecrafts
In a previous diary, I talked about Obama's push for commercial space. And in a couple of other diaries, I talked about 2 of the shuttle replacements that are being worked on - The SpaceX...
View ArticleSpace Shuttle Replacement Pt 4: Chasing Dreams & Mysteries
Hey,So this is the last in my series of diaries about the space shuttle replacementsYou've seen: The DragonThe CygnusThe Orion-liteI now present the last 2 in the series (and there is a reason I am...
View ArticleA Presidential Space Summit
Well, for those of you who don't know, there has been a lot going on regarding space policy, by President Obama. First, he created the Augustine Committee, to review Project Constellation. The...
View ArticleIs Rep Bart Gordon trying to screw Obama on Space?
Last week, the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation held a hearing on the future of human spaceflight. The witness list included both supporters and opponents of Obama's proposed...
View ArticleMilitary Spending & NASA overlaps that Rep Frank should be looking at
As you may have heard, last week, Representative Barney Frank and Ron Paul, along with Senators Ron Wyden and Walter Jones, announced they believe that we need to determine ways to reduce defense...
View ArticleRocketing Restarts - Space Geek Diary :D
Okay fellow space enthusiasts - its time to get your geek on. Tomorrow, I'll have a diary that is very disturbing about something going on in the House & Senate Science Committees, but its Sunday,...
View ArticleNASA: Privatization vs Commercialization
So, last week, Darksydes' had a great piece about the current situation with regard to space policy. However, it became very clear to me that there are some fundamental misunderstandings about the...
View ArticleHelp end Bush's NASA failure
NASA's future is being decided right now. Sometime TOMORROW, House Leadership is deciding whether to bring HR 5781 up for a vote or not. HR 5781, for those of you who don't know, is the NASA...
View ArticleThe House is backing another failed Bush Program
So, the House attempted to compromise with the Senate over the NASA bill. Only, they decided to do it the Republican way - with land minds and a "You'll compromise by accepting what we want." Which...
View ArticleMore reasons not to take the Catfood commission seriously
Hey, So, I know its been a few days since the chairmen of the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform released their initial proposal. I wanted to highlight one piece of their...
View ArticleThe Tea Party is backing Democratic Senators
Before I start....Yes, you read that correct. No, this is not a snark diary.On Monday this week, the Tea Party in Space group (part of the Tea Party Patriots) publicly endorsed Senators Barbara Boxer...
View ArticleWhy I endorsed Newt Gingrich (not snark)
Yes, I am a liberal, a long time member of the Democratic Party. And yet, I am endorsing Newt Gingrich. Explanation below the fold
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The loss of a trailblazer - for women, minorities, and spaceflight
There are certain industries where we have a good mix of men and women, equality of races, and so on. Unfortunately the Space Industry is not one of those industries. While it’s changing for the...
View ArticleNASA’s Rememberance Day - Spaceflight’s lost heros
Every year, NASA hold’s remembrance day. This honors those astronauts who lost their lives in the service of spaceflight. It’s been a while since I’ve written a piece for Dailykos (although I have...
View ArticleWhat are you willing to give up – Space Settlement
(This is the first in a two-parter)A few days ago, at thenib.com, there was a piece talking about spaceflight, space exploration, and space settlement. The article begins by talking about the...
View ArticleSpaceflight, language, who and how many get to go, and why
This is the 2nd in a two-parter diary. Here is a link to the first part. I originally started writing this back in November, but, like all good things, life got in the way. Anyway.…I was reminded of...
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Space Settlement and Jeff Bezos - Once in a Blue Moon
Yesterday, Jeff Bezos’ held an event to talk about his Blue Moon project. Jeff Foust (over at SpaceNews) provides a nice overview of the event. And for those with the time, here is the entire event’s...
View ArticleWhat is a progressive future in Space
Today there will be much celebrating about Apollo’s 50th anniversary — on the National Mall, there is a whole bunch of celebrations happening, and of course there is the Saturn 5 on the Washington...
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Artemis gets some landers
Last Thursday, NASA announced it had selected 3 companies to do developmental work on Lunar Lander systems. The first is Blue Origin, aka The National Team (yes, that is what they are calling...
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Back to Space - Thanks Obama
Falcon 9/Dragon — Getting ready to goIf all goes according to plan today, at 4:32 pm Eastern, astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken will lift off from the Kennedy Space Center, and become the first...
View ArticleRace in Space
As opposed to the Space Race….Ok, so, with all of the discussion and protests going on about racism in our country, I did want to talk a little about the final frontier — space. The simple fact is...
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A Self-Sustaining Marketplace in Earth Orbit
There are many meaningful space policy options for a Biden administration. I recommend focusing on enabling and creating space infrastructure in Earth Orbit for commercial development. Making this the...
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The Space Station is getting old - what do we do?
It’s a few days old, but the Washington Post’s Christian Davenport wrote a piece on the the International Space Station, and the future of space stations. The space agency is confident Congress and...
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