Projects: Space Information
The Planetary Report
Volume XXIII, Number 4, July/August 2003
Credit: Courtesy Rex Ridenoure, Ecliptic Enterprises |
On the Cover
On June 10, 2003, Spirit, the first of NASA's Mars Exploration
Rovers, left Earth for its seven-month journey to Mars. These still images
were extracted from live video returned by the RocketCam™ onboard
imaging systems attached to the Delta II launch vehicle.
From The Editor
It’s not often you can look at a span of
time—a season—and know that it
will truly mark a turning point in human
endeavor. This summer is one such turning
point. The Columbia Accident Investigation
Board (CAIB) will issue its recommendations
for future human spaceflight.
The CAIB report will alter the world’s
largest space agency and change the way
humans get into space. The process will
not be easy. Any entity as large and
powerful as NASA does not alter course
with alacrity. But with change comes
opportunity. As you’ll read in this issue,
The Planetary Society, with other space
interest leaders, has taken action to shape
future spaceflight.
Meanwhile, an unprecedented fleet of spacecraft is on its way to the next
human destination in space—Mars. To increase support for space exploration,
the Society is working to involve everyone in this adventure. Our Red Rover
Goes to Mars project is riding with the Mars Exploration Rovers. Mars Watch
aims to get at least half of this planet’s population to look at the
Red Planet this summer. And Planetfest ’04, the world’s largest
celebration of planetary exploration, is on its way. We hope that by next winter,
nearly everyone on Earth will in some way have been touched by this ambitious
and uplifting endeavor of humanity.
— Charlene M. Anderson
Features
Mars Looms Large
On Earth, this will be the year of Mars. Four spacecraft
are on their way to join two colleagues already exploring the Red Planet.
Never before have so many spacecraft explored one world at the same time.
Meanwhile, Mars will be at its brightest this summer, making its closest
approach on August 27. This will be the best opposition (when the planet
and the Sun are on opposite sides of Earth) in more than 50,000 years.
The Planetary Society is taking advantage of these opportunities with
an array of programs to appeal to anyone fascinated by Mars. Our director
of projects, Bruce Betts, reports on all the happenings.
Searching for Vulcanoids
Only the most inventive of scientists can find means
of discovery that are more exciting than the greatest roller coaster on Earth.
Dan Durda, coordinator of the Society’s
Gene Shoemaker NEO Grant program, is using an F/A-18B Hornet fighter jet
to hunt for vulcanoids, tiny asteroids that may be orbiting our Sun inside
the orbit of Mercury. Dan and his colleagues have yet to track down their
elusive quarry, but they haven’t given up.
Propelling Humans Beyond Earth Orbit
From the ashes of the Columbia
tragedy could come a vibrant and focused program of human spaceflight.
Earlier this year, the Association of Space Explorers and the American
Astronautical Society joined with The Planetary Society to consider the
options for sending humans to Earth orbit and beyond. Days of discussion among
leaders of the space program produced a set of recommendations that have been
sent to the NASA administrator, heads of congressional committees overseeing
NASA’s
programs, and the Columbia Accident Investigation Board. Society Executive
Director Louis Friedman here reports on these recommendations.
Departments
Members’ Dialogue
We Make It Happen!
World Watch
Questions and Answers
Society News
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