Features

First Moon, Mars and Beyond Conference Set for Next February. NASA, the Coalition for Space Exploration, the AIAA, the AAS and Lockheed Martin will be sponsoring the “1st Space Exploration Conference” set for 2-4 February next year in Orlando Florida. The event will be an appropriate follow-up to a pivotal space year for America, in which – so far – new agendas have been set to transcend LEO and return to the Moon and on to Mars through both government and private efforts. Retired Admiral Craig Steidle, NASA associate administrator of Space Exploration Systems, will serve as conference chair alongside program chair John Karas of Lockheed Martin. Industry, academia and government are welcome to participate, network and experience some “not-to-be-missed” keynote speakers and discussion panels. Papers will be accepted on topics that include space exploration architecture, ISS plans, human missions to the Moon and beyond, space transportation, Crew Exploration Vehicle concepts, science, robotics, safety, affordability, public outreach, international cooperation and commercial opportunities. Abstracts are due by 30 September and acceptance letters will be issued on 30 October. Authors are advised to be aware of technology transfer guidelines. Info at aiaa.org.

Lunar Lighthouse Would Point Humanity Toward Its Survival. For the past four years, Robert Strong, director of the West Liberty State College SMART Center in Wheeling VA, has been leading an effort to establish the 'Lunar Lighthouse' (LL) – a first step for humanity's survival and expansion into the cosmos. As envisioned, the polar-located LL is a 7.5 - 11.4 kg multi-functional lander that would relay optical observations back to Earth, act as a guide for human landing missions and be visible from Earth. The green LL Beacon Light would scan the lunar surface twice every second, producing a flashing effect that would be visible from Earth, but only thru use of 7x50 binoculars. Observation time could be sold to individuals and organizations, and special receivers could be purchased that allow computers to directly download LL's observational data. By providing an interactive medium on the Moon, LL could awaken humanity to the Moon's importance and the concept of lunar settlement. Strong estimates the mission cost at US$25M, $5M for development and $20M for transportation. He has proposed combining LL with Lunar Enterprise Corporation's International Lunar Observatory initiative. The two missions have similarities; each utilizes peaks of eternal light and low cost private enterprise, looks to conduct as much groundbreaking science as possible and seeks to motivate humanity toward the Moon. Info http://moonwatch.org.

International Space Station Leaders Reach Agreement on Enhanced Crew. Space agency leaders from the USA, Russia, Japan, Europe and Canada unanimously endorsed an ISS permanent crew of greater than three people by 2009, barring new safety concerns that would prompt a temporary evacuation. John Kelly writing for Florida Today points out the deal requires the US to provide an advanced life support system and other elements that would make room for as many as 6 astronauts and cosmonauts. NASA says that if the Shuttle returns to flight next spring as planned, it can finish building ISS by 2010. Completing the job will take 25 to 30 more Shuttle flights, a rate of four to five missions per year, and that could prove challenging under new safety restrictions imposed after the Columbia fatalities. Russia is obligated to provide three more Soyuz vehicles under the station agreement, which is enough to launch three more crews to the station and keep a lifeboat docked there through spring 2006. Peter B. de Selding, in a Space.com article, says ISS partners also approved purchase of a second Russia Soyuz that would be needed to boost the crew size. A meeting will take place in early 2005 to determine how that can be done without violating the Iran Non-Proliferation Act.