Ready for Space: LightSail 2 Update

The Planetary Society’s LightSail 2 solar sail spacecraft is ready to be packed away for its ride to orbit on a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket. Mat Kaplan checks the mission’s status with team members including Project Manager Dave Spencer and Society CEO Bill Nye the Science Guy. In addition to his regular What’s Up segment, LightSail Program Manager Bruce Betts provides his assessment of the effort. Casey Dreier reviews the just-announced NASA budget proposal from the Trump Administration.

Related Links:

• Signed, sealed but not delivered: LightSail 2 awaits ship date
• The LightSail Project
• LightSail Partner Ecliptic Enterprises
• Prox-1 Concept of Operations
• Trump's first budget proposal is out. Here's how NASA fared
• Stargazing Live!
• Humans To Mars Summit 2017

This week's prizes are a Planetary Radio t-shirt, now available in both men’s and women’s styles. Also, a 200-point iTelescope.net astronomy account, and a Planetary Society rubber asteroid.

This week's question:

What is the only Apollo Command Module flown in space that is currently on display outside the United States?

To submit your answer:

Complete the contest entry form at http://planetary.org/radiocontest or write to us at [email protected] no later than Wednesday, March 29th at 8am Pacific Time. Be sure to include your name and mailing address.

Last week's question:

In the film Men in Black, where was one of Agent J’s teachers from? He thought she was from Venus, but he was wrong.

Answer:

The answer will be revealed next week.

Question from the week before:

What is the diameter of the primary mirror on the great observatory on the Spitzer Space Telescope?

Answer:

The Spitzer Space Telescope’s Primary Mirror has a diameter of 85 centimeters.