This week's focus over at Space Politics is what is the compelling case for human space exploration. Jeff Greason of XCOR has provided some of his own views at a space symposium for investors. I commented that the polls taken here on DKos by Vladislaw indicated that perhaps there is already strong level of support among the American public for human spaceflight. This contention is supported by a Gallup poll taken last July during the Apollo 11 landing 40th anniversary celebration. I argued that the real issue is the perceived level of necessity on the part of our government for the space program which is fairly low compared to the days of the Apollo program.
Nella's Top Ten Space Stories
- White House Seeks to Restore Human Spaceflight Funding Space News Apparently, the big todo last May and June over NASA's proposed FY2010 Budget was much ado about nothing as now the White House has requested that Congress restore the original budget request for NASA's exploration program.
- In the space industry, who is a contractor and who is commercial? The Space Review Taylor Dinerman attempts to provide a distinction between commercial space companies and government contractors. You be the judge.
- Mercury Probe Shuts Down During Key Flyby Discovery.com Some disappointing news for science observation of Mercury by MESSENGER spacecraft.
- Acrobat Space Tourist Rockets Into Orbit Space.com As Darksyde mentioned this morning, the first clown to enter orbit. Well, according to some people.
- Universe has more entropy than thought Science News Well, dang that entropy will just kill us all!
- Illegal toxic waste spotted from space New Scientist One more reason why the space program is critical to climate monitoring and environmental protection.
- WHAT'S NEXT FOR X? MSNBC Alan Boyle talks about the X Prize Foundation and what is next on their agenda.
- Fifth Ariane 5 launch of 2009 ESA The Ariane launchers continue to perform magnificently. Check out the video of the latest launch.
- Augustine Panel to Hold Teleconference Oct. 8 Space News Surprise! Another public conference about human spaceflight! Hope this one answers those pesky little questions. But I doubt it.
- First NASA Astronaut on Twitter Tops a Million Followers NASA Since when do astronauts rate 1 million Twitter fans? Some movie stars might jealous.
Astronomy Corner
Gravitational Corridors Act Like Space Lanes Space.com
Weird Space
Artificial ionosphere creates bullseye in the sky Nature News
Space Photo of the Week
Beautiful image of nebula from the ESA's Herschel Space Observatory.
Update: One of the joys of fatherhood is that when my kids spend the weekend the heckle me for computer time, in my rush to appease their feral howls I forgot to shout out Neon Vincent's Overnight News Digest: Science Saturday. I am always grateful to be mentioned on his posts. :-)