Liveblogging
ISDC 2008 - Day 3
31/05/2008
Morning
Session 1: NEO Panel: Hobbyspace / Instapundit
Session 2: Personal Spaceflight Indicators: Hobbyspace / Glenn Reynolds/Popular Mechanics / Space News
Session 3: Personal Spaceflight Experience: Hobbyspace
Afternoon
Part 1: Google Lunar X-Prize: Hobbyspace / Instapundit / Space Prizes / X-Prize: The Pomerantz Report
Part 2: SBSP Economics: Hobbyspace / Space Cynics / Energy Outlook
Part 3: Space Elevators: Space Elevator Blog / Space Prizes
Mmmmm…Astronaut ice cream
The Space Show interviews
A Babe in the Universe sums up her out of this world experience in ISDC, Gala Dinner and Witnessing the Dream, and The Techie Nerd Physicist in ISDC 2008 - Celebrating Space Exploration and Some Amazing Scoops.
Update:
If you missed this year’s ISDC, next year’s will be held during the first week in May in Orlando, FL, overlapping Space Day. Here’s the official site. It looks like an astounding three NSS chapters will be working together to make it happen. Given all the neat options in Florida, this could be a really cool conference! (I want to go to EPCOT) Do your part to help out by joining NSS, and your local chapter, and if you’re in Florida be sure to volunteer so you can get behind-the-scenes access.
Just a reminder to non-NSS members - you do not need to be a member of NSS to attend. You just need to register and pay. These conferences are open to EVERYONE interested in space.
Special Note: Will Pomerantz notes in his Part 1 blog post that he will be speaking at the Goddard NASA Academy right after the ISDC. Young Will was one of my charges when I worked as program support staff at the 2002 GSFC Academy (I won’t link directly to his participant’s page…). He’s an example of what the Academy does, train young space leaders. This year’s program has already started, but graduate-level students should consider applying to next year’s Academy.
Librarian’s Note: It looks like once again the hometown newspapers for the host city of the ISDC have completely dropped the ball on a major space conference right in their own back yard. I couldn’t find any stories in either the Washington Times or Washington Post. Last year, the Dallas Morning News was four months late in even mentioning the conference. Of course, it is easier to transcribe corporate press releases as news than to actually investigate and report. And the newspapers wonder why their circulation numbers continue to decline… Still, the Orlando paper seems to be on top of things space.
“Life and Work on the Moon” Art Contest now open!
NASA Langley Research Center
01 Aug - 01 Dec 2007
The Moon: Back to the Future homepage
-Open to college students from the arts, including industrial design, architecture, computer design, and the fine arts
-Entries will be accepted in three major categories: 2D, 3D & digital.
-Cash prizes, certificates of achievement, and exhibit opportunities are planned.
-Winners likely announced in Jan 2008.
-All entries initially submitted digitally as 300 dpi jpeg images.
-An on-line gallery is planned for public viewing of the artwork.
-Winners will be asked to ship their work to NASA for exhibit purposes.
Update - Winners Announced!
NASA Langley has posted the list of winners of the art contest. My favorites were ‘Pole Colony’ and ‘Enabling Exploration’. Congratulations are in order for everyone who participated.
Liveblogging
ISDC 2008 - Day 2
30/05/2008
Morning
Session 1: Constellation panel: Hobbyspace
Session 2: ISS panel: Hobbyspace I / Hobbyspace II
Afternoon
Part 1: Managing Growth in a Small Space Company/Space Angels Network: Hobbyspace
Part 2: Apollo vs Constellation/Yuri’s Night/Space Tourism and The Space Treaties: Hobbyspace
Part 3: Low Cost Access to Space panel: Hobbyspace
Part 4: Election 2008 Space Panel: Space Politics / Instapundit / The Space Review / Space Prizes
Part 5: Government Acquisition: Space Prizes
Evening
Gala Dinner: Canadian Cincinnatvs / Instapundit
Space Elevator Blog
Part I / Part II / Part III
C-SPAN broadcast!
Space Development Conference
Constellation Panel
Future of the International Space Station
Campaign 2008 and Space Policy
Space Medicine
Cooperation in Space Exploration
NASAWatch / Tony’s Blog (not offensive post, though has warning) / Making Good Mondays
The Space Show interviews
Kate in DC gives us a bit too much information in Musings on a Boy. She should just offer to meet him for drinks later to talk about, you know, space stuff.
Librarian’s Note: The Hobbyspace link for Part 2 mentions Yuri’s Night, and the Dancing Snoopy award that is given to volunteers that go above and beyond the call of duty. I think they give out certificates these days, but back in the first year, 2001, the volunteers got medals. Here’s the inside scoop. Back in early 2001 I was doing my ISU internship at Boeing HSF&E, Loretta was, IIRC, at JPL (we knew each other from SGF). I was looking for a stuffed astronaut Snoopy. I knew that Knott’s Berry Farm had Peanuts characters, and so rode my bike out to KBF and visited their giftshop. There I found a few astronaut Snoopy items, mainly keychains. Later, when I was showing the space Snoopy booty to Loretta, and we were talking about the upcoming inaugural 2001 Yuri’s Night in L.A., she had the insight to take the dancing astronaut Snoopy off of the keychain and put it onto a ribbon. Voila, instant award for the volunteers, and not too expensive either. Mine is on the left, and is one of my most cherished possessions.
Hulsey, Bill
“Technology Law & Inventions Monitor”
Hulsey IP Law
Spring 2008
Publisher’s Web Site
Librarian’s Note: I met Bill at a meeting of the Texas Space Authority and promptly got on the mailing list. An interesting peek at some of the space-related technologies being patented these days.
Liveblogging
ISDC 2008: Day 1
29/05/2008
Morning
Session 1: Virgin Galactic Hobbyspace / Personal Spaceflight I / Personal Spaceflight II
Session 2: Elon Musk Hobbyspace
Session 3: Private Spaceflight Panel Hobbyspace
Afternoon
Part 1: Space-Based Solar Power (SBSP)/Lunar Regolith Issues Hobbyspace / CNN SBSP story
Part 2: How Lunar Rocks Could Save the Earth Hobbyspace
Part 3: Space Media Panel Hobbyspace / Instapundit
Part 4: Spaceports Panel Hobbyspace
Part 5: Chinese Space Program: Glenn Reynolds/Popular Mechanics
Part 6: Interstellar Colonization Overcoming Bias
Space Elevator Blog
Part I / Part II / Part III
Glenn Reynolds notes the gender ratio at the conference (here’s Cassie at my conference, flirting with Pixel), and the winners of the Space Settlements competition.
and my favorite Babe…in the Universe had the good sense to entitle her post on the Space Investment Summit as “Fly Me to the Moon” (and I couldn’t agree more with her sentiment).
Librarian’s Note: Unfortunately I can’t make this year’s ISDC, but if it’s as good as the one I co-chaired last year, it should be a great success!
“From the Ground Up”
Vol. 4,#5
Near Earth, LLC
05/2008
On-Line Text (pdf)
Librarian’s Note: Includes coverage of the Space Investment Summit 4, held in conjunction with ISDC 2008
Baldwin, Emily and Kulvinder Singh Chadha
“The magic of the Moon”
Astronomy Now
May 2008
Publisher’s Web Site
Librarian’s Note: I especially liked the piece on the orbital mechanics of the Moon.
Via Satellite
Access Intelligence LLC
May 2008
Publisher’s Web Site
“Word World: Rocket to the Moon”
PBS Kids
2008
Publisher’s Web Site
Librarian’s Note: Meant for the youngest audiences, a fun visit to the M-o-o-n in a r-o-c-k-e-t.
Hsu, Jeremy
“Tackling Moondust for Future Lunar Living”
Space.com
28/05/2008
On-Line Text
The D-Zone at Denny’s
D-Fusion Rocket Cup
(Drinks with Attitude)
Publisher’s Web Site
Life Less Normal Review
Mini Art of War customizing thread
Librarian’s Note: Hey, if it gets rockets in the hands of youngsters so that they can have imaginary space adventures, then I’m all for it.
LaFontaine, Bruce
“Big Book of Space Exploration to Color”
Dover Publications
2008
ISBN: 0-486-46680-9
Publisher’s Web Site
Librarian’s Note: Comprises three earlier Dover coloring books: Exploring the Solar System, History of Space Exploration, and Constellations of the Night Sky. As much for adults as youngsters, these are probably the best and most informative space coloring pages around.
Space Voyagers Astro Squad
“Commander Wolf Perry - Apollo Lunar Explorer”
Action Products International, Inc.
2007
Item #49210
Publisher’s Web Site
Librarian’s Note: Comes with a set of scientific instrumentation tools. Perfect for those expeditions out onto the Lunar surface.
LaFontaine, Bruce
“Moon Exploration: Fact & Fantasy”
Dover Coloring Books
2001
ISBN: 0-486-41549-X
Publisher’s Web Site
Librarian’s Note: Took the nephews to Frontiers of Flight Museum today, and picked up an extra copy of this one to donate to the NSS of North Texas Santa Space Toy drive this year. It’s the best Moon-related coloring book I’ve found.
Moore, John
Moonposter & Map
59.5cm x 84cm
Publisher’s Web Site
Out of the Cradle Review
Librarian’s Note: This is a nicely done poster that really isn’t comparable to any of the other maps in the Selenography section of the Lunar Library. It’s much more colorful,and well-illustrates the variety of Lunar concepts it describes. Well-suited for an educational setting, I’ll guess that as young as junior high would find it helpful, though it really seems more geared to the high school/college level. Presented in telescope view, meaning upside down to naked-eye view.
President and Fellows of Harvard College
“Impact: An Asteroid’s Journey to Earth”
2008
00:09:45
Publisher’s Web Site
“Moonlight Mile” by Yasuo Ohtagaki. Exec. Dir. of Animation is Isao Sugimoto. Volume 3, “Conspiracy of Honor”, comprises episodes 9-12 of what appears to be the first season.
We open in NYC. The paparazzi are hounding Lostman, looking for a scoop. He’s not pleased at the helicopter hovering outside his window, Goro is back on Earth and back in Japan, a hero for his work in saving Sydney, Australia from certain destruction at the hands of the errant Doner Kabob. He’s working on the robot units that will be used to aid in the construction of the Nexus project on the Moon to harvest Helium-3 for power for Earth. The giant walkers seem to be a nod to some kind of Mecha fixation in Japanese manga and anime. These, mechas, however are more like Ripley’s cargo loader in ‘Aliens’ than any kind of mecha-fantasy like ‘Gundam’. They’re being tested on the seabed off of Japan, and tests are not going well. They exhibit a tendency to tip. Goro meets Kosuke Sawamura, a supervisor of the engineers on the project, and his cute sister. Bipedal robotics is a tough technology, and an accident takes out a diver. It looks like Goro is going to be one of the fall guys, his space career over. Or was it really an accident? There’s a ‘formal’ investigation, but will Goro be able to figure out what’s really going on?
READ MORE…
Yasuo Ohtagaki
Moonlight Mile Vol.3: “Conspiracy of Honor”
ADV Films/Shogakukan, Inc.
2008
Publisher’s Web Site
Out of the Cradle Review
Best of the Moon 2008 - Moon Manga/Anime
Discovery Place Inc.
“Lunar Nautics: Designing a Mission to Live and Work on the Moon”
NASA Marshall Space Flight Center
2007
EG-2007-01-006-MSFC
Publisher’s Web Site
Educator Guide (pdf)
Student’s Employment Guide (pdf)
Lunar Nautics — CD-ROM
Phillips, Dr. Tony
“100 Explosions Recorded on the Moon”
Science@NASA
05/21/2008
On-Line Text
Lunar Impact Monitoring News
Wingo, Dennis
“To ISRU or Not to ISRU, This is the Dumbest Question”
SpaceRef.com
05/18/2008
On-Line Text
The Space Show Interview
Librarian’s Note: Dennis continues to outline a reasoned and straightforward approach to Lunar development using materials found on-site. He makes a good case for the North Lunar Pole region, though I’m still biased towards South Pole/Aitken Basin (SPAB) because of the scientific interest of the biggest smack in the Solar system, and the fact that the deepest parts of the Basin exhibit some scant mare-ish characteristics. He outlines a 1 MW power supply structure using power towers that rotate to follow the Sun around the horizon. He also suggests a sinter-dozer that microwaves regolith until it melts and which then cools quickly to form glass, which helps minimize the dust kicked up by landings and take-offs. Well worth a read!
Klesius, Michael. Illus. by Paul DiMare
“The Million Mile Mission”
Smithsonian Air & Space Magazine
June/July 2008
On-Line Text
Best of the Moon 2008 - Big Rocks from Space
Librarian’s Note: This issue also features an article on Space Solar Power Satellites, a technology that’s looking increasingly promising as energy prices rise. Why waste our efforts digging up and burning, at great cost to the ecosystem, dead dinosaurs when we can pipe it in directly from the Sun? It’s available 24/7/52 (except for a few hours at the equinoxes), and peak sunlight isn’t expected for another few billion years. It won’t be cheap, but it is a long-term source of energy, the foundation of our prosperity. Most of the materials will not come from Earth, but rather should come from the Moon and the asteroids, which is why the main article is interesting. Whatever architecture we use to get to an asteroid we do need to start going out and visiting them because they can provide most all of the resources necessary for a space-faring civilization.
Foroohar, Kambiz
“Rocket Man”
Bloomberg Markets
June 2008
On-Line Text
Librarian’s Note: Even more interesting than the story is the magazine in which it’s found, one that goes to everyone who has an account on a Bloomberg terminal. The article hints at a billion dollar equity IPO, one for which I’m certainly going to keep an eye open!
NASA
Tech Briefs
May 2008
Publisher’s Web Site
Librarian’s Note: Features an interview with Dr.William Farrell, a Lunar scientist at GSFC, and the article that caught my eye: “Printed Flexible Solar Cells Provide Embedded Renewable Power”. This is really amazing technology, and apparently not only NASA, but also DARPA, USAF, NSF, DoE and DoC, had roles in its creation. It uses a broader spectrum than conventional Solar cells, and can be made with inkjet printing. Also, important for Lunar use is a new type of power cell with operational temperatures up to 500°C. Even “Direct Metal Laser-Sintering of Titanium”. Reading this magazine is like getting a glimpse of five years into the future.
Mohit, P. Surdas
“The Two-Faced Moon”
American Scientist
May/June 2008
On-Line Text
Librarian’s Note: An interesting article exploring why the far side of the Moon looks so different from the mare-covered near side. The real question is how long the Moon has been tidally locked with the near side facing Earth. If it has been so for a fair proportion of the time the Moon has been in orbit, then my conjecture would be that the Earth exerts a preferential pull on the magma deep in the Moon that attracts it through the crevices of the near side. The lunar geological map on the cover is by Desiree E. Stuart Alexander, and can be found here
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