Space Forum / Space Policy / February 2004

Several of the space news sites are carrying articles claiming that
Energia is developing a 6-man reusable capsule. Yuri Koptev is saying
that they are well along in development of this new vehicle. Details
are sketchy, but it sounds like they have pulled the old

It doesn't fit in with NASA's new paradigm of better, smaller, faster.  
That's the single most important thing that Bush has thrown away with this
new direction.  We've gotta get the Kuiper Express back.  That was
visionary.

Christopher,
Thanks for responding to my letter with more than a soundbite of
information! You obviously care about our future in space. While I
agree with you about private enterprise being required to cut access

Assuming that a robotic mission to de-orbit Hubble is not likely to
succeed (or even be launched), it looks like the cancellation of SM4
will result in an uncontrolled re-entry of Hubble. So, whose fault
will this be? Or will this be yet another big space screw-up for which

For those who might be interested:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/kerryspace/
Frankly, these people are wasting their time. But there might be some window
into whatever space thinking exist (if any) in the Kerry Campaign.

... how little of the U.S. Federal budget is spent on NASA compared to
other expenditures.
I'm looking for tiny little slivers of pie slices, and anecdotal
comparisons like JFK's, "The amount of money spent on cigarettes is less

Take a secondhand 747-400ER, upgrade the outer two engines with something
slightly more powerful, around 70,000 lbf, and preferably ETOPS-rated though
we aren't going far. The 747 will fly on two engines, no problem.
Replace the inner two engines with 240-ton fixed thrust rockets. ...

Obivously NASA has to do something with Hubble, they just can't let it
do an uncontrolled reentry.  I've heard of some plans on building a
deorbit module for Hubble, but instead of having NASA build & launch a
piece of hardware that is going to have one use or purpose, why not

The MER's may have found evidence for salt water just below the Martian
surface. Salt water has a lower freezing temperature, but I'm wondering how
much salt concentration life can withstand. Anyone know?

I ran across some info that hints of an early morning,
perhaps pre-dawn, launch time for the first Delta IV-H
on July 3/4, 2004.  Anyone know if this is true, and if
so, why would an inaugural launch occur during darkness?

Here's a leader who seems interested in spaceflight.
"http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/040220/ids_photos_india_wl/ra1644
109572.jpg"
"http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/040218/ids_photos_wl/r3802659068.jpg"
"http://story.news.yahoo ...

Dear Pete Aldridge,
I write you today with a very heavy heart. I now realize that my dream
of settling Mars in my lifetime is now lost. I have been a fool. I
thought with Republicans in office, that we would see movement toward

I saw this the other day while driving near GSFC in Greenbelt, MD.
Eric

but, as Robert Zubrin notes, it does seem to be the best place to set
up a colony.
However, are there any other alternatives that might be even more
attractive?

Does anyone know of any assessments of the accuracy of the listings of
various intelligence satellite launches that can be found among the
other launches in Table C.3 (1988-1997 Missions Not Included in the
COMSTAC Commercial GTO Mission Model) in the May 1998 report of the