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The Planetary Report • September/October 2010
Akatsuki to Venus
On the Cover: In the early hours of May 21, 2010, Japan launched <i>Akatsuki</i>, its first Venus explorer, from the Tanegashima Space Center. <i>Akatsuki</i> (also called Venus Climate Orbiter) got its name because Venus is known as "the morning star" and <i>akatsuki</i> is the Japanese word for "dawn."
Features
4 Your Place in Space: Learning More, Faster...Like Rocket Science: Bill Nye looks at exciting times ahead.
6 Out of This World Books: Must-reads for both you and your childrens' bookshelves.
10 LightSail Update: Louis D. Friedman briefs us on the International Solar Sailing Symposium.
12 Akatsuki: Toward the Morning Star: Takeshi Imamura discusses Japan's first mission to our nearest neighbor.
18 We Make it Happen! New Design Competition: Human Mission to an Asteroid: Bruce Betts announces this new contest for society members.
Departments
11 World Watch NASA's budget is in Congress' hands.
20 Q&A Planetary defense, exoplanets, and SETI
21 Factinos New exoplanet discoveries from orbit and the ground
22 Members' Dialogue The society's focus; contacting ET
23 Society News Ray Bradbury's 90th birthday celebration
The Planetary Report • September/October 2010
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