Movers and Shakers at SpaceCom Expo

We join 1,600 space entrepreneurs and visionaries in Houston, and talk with Boeing, XCOR, Johnson Space Center Director Ellen Ochoa and more. Emily Lakdawalla was there when the preliminary design for a zoom lens on Mars was approved. Bill Nye looks forward to the return of humans reaching Earth orbit aboard U.S. spacecraft. What’s Up offers a Black Friday prize package in the new space trivia contest.

Related Links:

• SpaceCom Expo
• XCOR Aerospace
• Boeing in Space
• Johnson Space Center
• Destination Imagination
• Aquila Space
• Mastcam-Z Has Passed its Preliminary Design Review!
• Watch the entire Cassini mission image catalog as a movie
• 2016 Year In Space Desk and Wall Calendars

This week's prizes are a lovely Planetary Radio t-shirt, a set of 2016 Year In Space Desk and Wall Calendars, and a 200-Point iTelescope.net astronomy account.

This week's question:

What was the only time a launch escape system was fired with a crew aboard while the rocket was still on the pad?

To submit your answer:

Complete the contest entry form at http://planetary.org/radiocontest or write to us at [email protected] no later than Tuesday, December 1st at 8am Pacific Time. Be sure to include your name and mailing address.

Last week's question:

What were Pete Conrad’s first words spoken as he stepped out of the Lunar Module onto the surface of the Moon?

Answer:

The answer will be revealed next week.

Question from the week before:

What was the only space shuttle mission that experienced a main engine failure yet still made it to its planned orbit?

Answer:

The STS-51-F mission of Challenger experienced a main engine failure yet till made it to orbit.