TTSIQ #5 page 1 OCTOBER 2013 Reducing space transportation costs considerably is vital to achievement of mankind’s goals & dreams in space NEWS SECTION pp. 3-70 p. 3 Earth Orbit and Mission to Planet Earth p. 17 Cislunar Space and the Moon p. 26 Mars and the Asteroids p. 45 Other Planets and their moons p. 62 Starbound ARTICLES & ESSAYS pp. 72-95 p. 72 Covering Up Lunar Habitats with Moondust? - Some Precedents Here on Earth - Peter Kokh p. 74 How can we Stimulate Greater Use of the International Space Station? - Peter Kokh p. 75 AS THE WORLD EXPANDS The Epic of Human Expansion Continues - Peter Kokh p. 77 Grytviken, South Georgia Island - Lessons for Moonbase Advocates - Peter Kokh K p. 78 The “Flankscopes” Project: Seeing Around the Edges of the Moon - Peter Kokh p. 81 Integrating Cycling Orbits to Enhance Cislunar Infrastructure - Al Anzaldua p. 83 The Responsibilities of Dual Citizenship for Our economy, Our planet, and the Evolution of a Space Faring Civilization - David Dunlop p. 87 Dueling Space Roadmaps - David Dunlop p. 91 A Campaign for the International Lunar Geophysical Year: Some Beginning Considerations - David Dunlop STUDENTS & TEACHERS pp. 97-100 p. 97 Lithuanian Students Hope for free Launch of 2 Amateur Radio CubeSats p. 98 NASA Selects 7 University Projects For 2014 X-Hab Innovation Challenge Penn State University “Lions” take on the Google Lunar X-Prize Challenge p. 99 Do you experience “Manhattan Henge” in your home town? Advanced Robot with more sophisticated motion capabilities unveiled The Ongoing CubeSat Revolution: what it means for Student Space Science p. 100 Do you Have a Telescope to look at the Moon, Mars, and the Stars? p. 101 Archaeological Preserve in New Mexico, USA, Named New Dark-Sky Park Mars Society’s International Student Design Competition: Inspiration Mars 1 TTSIQ #5 page 2 OCTOBER 2013 TTSIQ Sponsor Organizations 1. About The National Space Society - http://www.nss.org/ The National Space Society was formed in March, 1987 by the merger of the former L5 Society and National Space institute. NSS has an extensive chapter network in the United States and a number of international chapters in Europe, Asia, and Australia. NSS hosts the annual International Space Development Conference in May each year at varing locations. NSS publishes Ad Astra magazine quarterly. NSS actively tries to influence US Space Policy. About The Moon Society - http://www.moonsociety.org The Moon Society was formed in 2000 and seeks to inspire and involve people everywhere in exploration of the Moon with the establishment of civilian settlements, using local resources through private enterprise both to support themselves and to help alleviate Earth's stubborn energy and environmental problems. The Society has a network of chapters in the US and has been an afliate of NSS since 2005. About Moon Miners’ Manifesto - http://www.moonsociety.org/chapters/milwaukee/mmm/ MMM, has been published 10 times a year since issue #1 December 1986 by the Milwaukee Lunar Reclamation Society chapter of the National Space Society. It has also served the Moon Society and its predecessor, Artemis Society International, since October 1995. Most issues deal with the opening of the Lunar frontier, suggesting how pioneers can make best use of local resources and learn to make themselves at home. This will involve psychological, social, and physiological adjustment. Much of what will hold for the Moon, will also hold true for Mars and for space in general. There is one Mars theme issue each year, and occasionally other space destinations are discussed: the asteroids, Europa (Jupiter), Titan (Saturn), even the cloud tops of Venus, and interstellar destinations beyond. About Space Renaissance Initiative - http://www.spacerenaissance.org/ SRI’s focus is on use of space resources to address the challenges of runaway population growth and increasing use of Earth resources at a non-sustainable pace. “The settlement of space would benefit all of humanity by opening a new frontier, energizing our society, providing room and resources for the growth of the human race without despoiling Earth, and creating a lifeboat for humanity that could survive even a planet-wide catastrophe.” About The Mars Foundation - http://marsfoundation.org/ - http://marshome.org/ The Foundation seeks to involved interested persons in the design of Mars outposts and settlements, maximizing use of building materials that can be produced on Mars, to illustrate the near-term feasibility of establishing a permanent human presence on Mars. About Open Luna Foundation - http://openluna.org/missions The OpenLuna Foundation aims to return to the moon through private enterprise. Astepped program of robotic missions, thena short series of manned missions to construct a small, approximately 8 person outpost . About SEDS: Students for the Exploration and Development of Space - http://www.seds.org/ SEDS is an independent, student-based organization which promotes the exploration and development of space by educating people about the benefits of space, through a network of interested students, providing an opportunity This issue is online at: www.moonsociety.org/international/ttsiq/ and at: www.nss.org/tothestars/ 2 TTSIQ #5 page 3 OCTOBER 2013 SPACE TOURISM Virgin Galactic's Private Spaceship Ofers Enticing Science Opportunities http://www.space.com/22024-virgin-galactic-spaceshiptwo-suborbital-research.html [Editor’s summary. For the full article see the link cited above] July 19, 2013 - With all the attention being given to Virgin Galactic's impressive list of future celebrities, its spaceship's impressive capabilities for microgravity research have been largely overlooked. The private space plane, SpaceShipTwo, is set to begin carrying passengers to the edge of space on suborbital rides in 2014. Some 600 people have already signed up for flights, including famous actors and singers, and Virgin Galactic's celebrity founder himself, Sir Richard Branson. SpaceShipTwo has 14 cubic meters) (500 cubic feet) of interior space available for experiments. The passenger cabin can fit the equivalent of 20 space shuttle mid-deck locker equivalents as well as a flight test engineer who to run experiments. In total, SpaceShipTwo can carry 600 kg (1,300 lb) to an altitude of up to 110 km (361,000 ft), where experiments will experience 3-4 minutes of microgravity. For researchers who do not need to go all the way to space, SpaceShipTwo's mothership, WhiteKnightTwo, will be capable of carrying up to (30,000 lbs) 13.6 metric tonnes 15 tons) of payload to altitudes higher than15 km (50,000 feet) and linger for extended durations. The mid-deck locker equivalents and cargo transfer bags are the smallest-sized units used to house experiments on SpaceShipTwo. Each can hold up to 50 lbs (22.68 kg) [see link for bag sizes] The cost per payload will vary depending upon several factors: size and mass of your experiment, the relative complexity of approving the payload for flight and of physically integrating it into SpaceShipTwo, and any special requirements that afect flight time or flight profile, according to Virgin Galactic's payload users guide. Flying a simple, non-hazardous single cargo transfer bag or mid-deck locker payload would run around $50,000, according to the guide. "We would be open to allowing diferent experimenters to share the space of a middeck locker (or cargo transfer bag, et cetera)," Pomerantz said. "Additionally, there may be third party payload integrators that ofer this as a service." Research missions will begin one to three months after the first commercial passenger flight takes place, which is now scheduled for sometime in 2014. Mixed tourism/research flights would begin the first year after commercial service begins. Chartered research missions by single users and shared flights purchased by multiple experimenters would commence 18 months after the maiden commercial voyage. High-altitude research missions aboard WhiteKnightTwo are scheduled to begin in 2016. That same year, the company's orbital rocket, LauncherOne, is set to make its debut. The vehicle will be launched from midair by WhiteKnightTwo. ## Record-Breaking SpaceShipTwo Test Flight - Passenger Trips By 2014 September 6, 2013 - http://www.space.com/22669-virgin-galactic-spaceshiptwo-test-milestones.html www.space.com/22664-spaceshiptwo-tests-rocket-engine-again-in-2nd-powered-flight-video.html 3 TTSIQ #5 page 4 OCTOBER 2013 [Editor’s summary. For the full article see the link cited above] Virgin Galactic's Spaceship 2 flew higher and faster than it ever had before on September 5th, boosting confidence that the vehicle can start carrying passengers on suborbital jaunts next year. The Spaceport Terminal seems ready for business - http://www.thespacereview.com/article/2363/1 In its second-ever rocket-powered test flight from the Mojave Air and Space Port in California, SpaceShipTwo reached a maximum altitude of 19,800 m (65,000 ft) and a top speed of Mach 1.6. Its previous record was 17,000m (56,000 ft) and Mach 1.2 on April 29. Its engine burned for 16 seconds during that first test, compared to 20 seconds on this flight. The craft also demonstrated its unique re-entry mechanism during, rotating its wings and tail upward into a "feather" for a slow and steady descent. The vehicle had done this previously on unpowered without a rocket firing. This flight demonstrated a longer burn duration and robust testing of the feather mechanism, supersonic aerodynamics and wing lift structure," Virgin Galactic CEO George Whitesides said "Each powered flight of SpaceShipTwo yields cumulative progress that builds the foundation for safe and exciting commercial spaceflights." "We are on track for a 2014 start of commercial service," Virgin Galactic founder Branson said. He and his family will be on SpaceShipTwo's maiden commercial voyage. SpaceShipTwo is carried aloft by a plane called WhiteKnightTwo, which drops the vehicle at an altitude of about 15,000 m (50,000 ft).