National Space Society

September 2024

Welcome to the NSS blog. Feel free to comment on any post (comments are moderated so won’t show up immediately). Contributors to the NSS Blog are unpaid volunteers. Unless specifically labeled an NSS position or press release, all blog posts represent the views of the author and not of NSS, even if written by an NSS officer.

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Inside the 45th Weather Squadron’s Critical Role in Space LaunchesForecast for Crew-9 Launch Currently FavorableImage: 45th Weather Squadron Control Room. Credit: Robert Sherman, Fox News...

Category: Nonfiction Reviewed by: Casey Suire Title: Reentry: SpaceX, Elon Musk, and the Reusable Rockets that Launched a Second Space Age Author: Eric Berger Format:...

By Burton DichtNSS Managing Director of Membership The chartered Gulfstream jet touched down at the Kennedy Space Center’s Space Shuttle Landing Facility on Saturday, September...

You Are Invited to Apply for the 2026 Christa McAuliffe National Space Educator Award. Apply by November 30, 2025. By Lynne F. ZielinskiVice President of...

Category: Nonfiction Reviewed by: Casey Suire Title: Creature Comforts in Space: Designing Enjoyment and Sustainability for Off-World Living Author: Samuel Coniglio Format: Paperback/Kindle Pages: 162...

The National Space Society invites you to the next Town Hall Thursday, September 19, 2024, 9:00 pm to 10:15 pm EST Accelerating Space Education: University...

Record-Breaking Mission Helps Pave the Way for Private Citizens in Space On September 10, the first Polaris Dawn mission departed the Kennedy Space Center for...

Also Supports the Decision to Return the Spacecraft Without Astronauts Aboard Image: Starliner firing maneuvering thrusters as it departs the International Space Station. Credit: NASA...

There are Better Options than Outright Cancellation of this Valuable Mission Image: Rendering of NASA’S VIPER rover on its originally intended mission to the Moon....

The National Space Society invites you to the next Space Forum Thursday, September 12, 2024, 9:00 pm to 10:15 pm EDT Behind the Headlines: A...

Executive Summary The recent NASA proposal to cancel the VIPER mission underscores the significant risks inherent in large, complex, and high-cost lunar missions. However, VIPER...

The International Space Elevator Consortium (ISEC), in conjunction with the National Space Society (NSS), is conducting a student academic challenge contest regarding the concept of...

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Book Reviews

Lunacy

Lunacy: A Book Review Essay

This long essay defends the NSS Vision against those who, like the author of the book being reviewed, think “we shouldn’t colonize Mars or the Moon, or even vacation there.” Ben Bramble, an Australian philosopher who teaches at Australian National University, has penned a YAASS (Yet Another Anti-Space-Settlement) book. These books are multiplying like flies, so space settlement advocates must be gaining ground to generate such an abundant response.

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HOTOLSkylon

Book Review: HOTOL & Skylon: The Story of Britain’s Spaceplanes

In HOTOL & Skylon: The Story of Britain’s Spaceplanes, Rob Coppinger covers the story of both in great detail, with the reminiscences of many who played integral roles in these ambitious programs. The book shines when it captures the enthusiasm and excitement of those involved, and there are extensive quotes from many who devoted years of work on these projects.

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Out of This World

Book Review: Out of This World

Anyone seeking a short but comprehensive introduction to human spaceflight would do well to start with this book. It reviews its history, highlights the accomplishments and tragedies, and describes the equipment used. It also looks at living in space, what space travelers experience, and how they work.

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The National Space Society has just released a Position Paper on Selected Space Environmental Sustainability Issues. Below is the Conclusion section. The full paper can...

What do National Space Society members think about the future of space and how should their views help shape the priorities of NSS? Join us...

By Robin Scott NSS Chapter Middle Tennessee Space Society (MTSS) President Chuck Schlemm performs outreach, directly contacting about 560 attendees (STEM teachers, school faculty, students,...

The future depends on leaders who can collaborate across disciplines, communicate effectively, and bring diverse teams together to solve complex challenges. The National Space Society...

By Burt Dicht NSS Space Coast Correspondent Some weeks in spaceflight are just busy. This one was something more. Over a period of four days,...

By Burt Dicht NSS Space Coast Correspondent A large anvil cloud hanging over Florida’s Space Coast added some uncertainty to the final hours of the...

Applications open 1 Oct – 1 Dec, 2026 The National Space Society’s Global Space Debates is a unique, 100% virtual program that brings high school...

This long essay defends the NSS Vision against those who, like the author of the book being reviewed, think "we shouldn’t colonize Mars or the...
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