Category Archives: space industry

2016 Columbia Medal of the American Society of Civil Engineers

Posted on April 15, 2016 by Paul Spudis

Yesterday, while I was 38,000 feet above the Atlantic on the way home from London, I was to have received the 2016 American Society of Civil Engineers Columbia Medal.  I am very honored to receive this award and note with … Continue reading →

Posted in Lunar development, Lunar exploration, space industry, space policy, space technology, Space transportation | 22 Comments

Reusable Launch Vehicles and Lunar Return

Posted on January 15, 2016 by Paul Spudis

I have a new post up at Air & Space with some follow-on thoughts on the the long-term significance of SpaceX’s recent recovery of the Falcon 9 first stage.  Comment here if desired.

Posted in Lunar development, space industry, space policy, space technology, Space transportation | 31 Comments

SpaceX’s Accomplishment

Posted on December 23, 2015 by Paul Spudis

The carnival sideshow that is our national manned space program continues apace. These past few months we’ve watched as the space “community” swooned over a movie depicting an astronaut forced by circumstance to innovate and survive alone on Mars. Nothing … Continue reading →

Posted in space industry, space policy, space technology, Space transportation | 66 Comments

The New Space Resources Law – Close But No Cigar

Posted on November 27, 2015 by Paul Spudis

There’s some over-the-top commentary in the space press on the new “commercial space” bill just signed into law (The U.S. Commercial Space Launch Competitiveness Act, H.R. 2262). In particular, the law is touted as “… the single greatest recognition of … Continue reading →

Posted in Lunar development, space industry, space policy, space technology, Space transportation | 12 Comments

Blame Game

Posted on November 9, 2015 by Paul Spudis

“I urge you to beware the temptation of pride – the temptation of blithely declaring yourselves above it all and label both sides equally to blame.” – President Ronald Reagan, March 8, 1983 Wayne Hale’s speech at the 2015 von … Continue reading →

Posted in Lunar development, Lunar exploration, planetary exploration, space industry, space policy, space technology, Space transportation | 50 Comments

Lunar Water Creates New Capabilities in Space

Posted on October 8, 2015 by Paul Spudis

I have a new post up at Air & Space on the real value of going to the Moon to learn how to extract, process and use the water at the poles.  Comment here if so inclined.

Posted in Lunar development, space industry, space policy, space technology, Space transportation | 26 Comments

Commercial Crew Cuts

Posted on August 27, 2015 by Paul Spudis

The space media is in an uproar over the funding levels for NASA’s Commercial Crew Development (CCDev) program. Congress has appropriated less money than the administration requested for the last five years. Has legislative parsimony held us back in our … Continue reading →

Posted in space industry, space policy, space technology, Space transportation | 20 Comments

To the Moon – Again

Posted on July 23, 2015 by Paul Spudis

A NASA-sponsored study has been released which outlines a plan to return to the Moon with people and set-up an outpost at one of the poles to mine water for propellant. This report has drawn both attention and puzzlement within … Continue reading →

Posted in Lunar development, space industry, space policy, space technology | 88 Comments

Americans are good at Marketing – We used to be good at Space

Posted on July 8, 2015 by Paul Spudis

The recent launch failure of a Falcon 9 rocket on its way to deliver supplies to the International Space Station (ISS) has drawn a lot of media attention. Most of this coverage has been very sympathetic to SpaceX (the company … Continue reading →

Posted in space industry, space policy, space technology, Space transportation | 56 Comments

Dick Nixon’s Space Program

Posted on April 11, 2015 by Paul Spudis

Richard Nixon is the President all good liberals love to hate – the Darth Vader of American politics: paranoid, suspicious, duplicitous and just plain evil. It should come as no surprise then that his legacy in regard to the American … Continue reading →

Posted in Lunar exploration, space industry, space policy, Space transportation | 26 Comments