Tag Archives: public perceptions
Redirect: “The Impact of Sally Ride’s Contributions in Space and Education”
On Friday, May 17, 2013, we held at the National Air and Space Museum here in Washington, D.C., a wonderful program on Sally Ride and her place in the history of spaceflight and science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education. … Continue reading
Exoplanets: The Kepler-62 System Compared to Our Solar System
This is so cool. This graphic diagram comes courtesy of the stunning Kepler mission searching for extra-solar planets. Here is the description of this poster: The diagram compares the planets of the inner solar system to Kepler-62, a five-planet system … Continue reading
Wednesday’s Book Review: “The Culture of the Cold War”
The Culture of the Cold War. By Stephen Whitfield. Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1991, second edition 1996. I was preconditioned to appreciate this book when I first picked it up for a reading. I have been devouring studies … Continue reading
Nuclear Power Systems for Spacecraft: The Transit Navigational Satellite Connection
Flying in space requires reliable, uninterrupted, stable electrical power, not only for engines to maneuver and navigate but for systems on spacecraft performing a range of functions. During the first two decades of the space age in the 1950s and … Continue reading
Redirect: Chicken Little Was Right
I published on March 4, 2013, a new commentary on the policy issues surrounding what to do about asteroid/meteor/comet impacts. Chicken Little Was Right just appeared on the National Air and Space Museum’s blog. It notes that yes, indeed, the … Continue reading
Are Humans or Robots the Future of Space Travel?
On February 20 I participated in a NASA “Social,” an event for space observers who tweet, blog, and otherwise electronically communicate to the world about what they see. I talked about the two robots we have in the National Air … Continue reading
Wednesday’s Book Review: “US Presidents and the Militarization of Space, 1946—1967″
US Presidents and the Militarization of Space, 1946—1967. By Sean Kalic. College Station: Texas A&M University Press, 2012. I was quite pleased when Sean Kalic’s book, US Presidents and the Militarization of Space, 1946—1967, appeared in the Centennial of Flight … Continue reading
Wednesday’s Book Review: “Twilight of the Elites: America after Meritocracy”
Twilight of the Elites: America after Meritocracy. By Christopher Hayes. New York: Crown Books, 2012. Is the meritocracy that runs the United States both dysfunctional and corrupt? Is it one or the other? Is it neither? Those are questions that … Continue reading
How Do Space Activities Contribute to Our Daily Lives?
I was recently asked this question, how do space activities contribute to our daily lives? I must confess that I have been asked it many times previously. Virtually every time this question is asked, however, it is because the person … Continue reading
