Grand Debate Research Guide

We're on the cusp of new era in the great adventure of space exploration. More than a half-century ago, humanity first hurled objects into space, and almost 50 years ago, astronauts first walked on the moon. Since then, we have explored Earth's orbit with shuttles, capsules, and space stations; sent robots to Mars, Venus, Mercury, Jupiter, Saturn, and Uranus; sampled a comet; sent telescopes into orbit; and charted most of our own planet. What does the future hold? In Space 2.0, space historian Rod Pyle, in collaboration with the National Space Society, will give you an inside look at the next few decades of spaceflight and long-term plans for exploration, utilization, and settlement. No longer the exclusive domain of government entities such as NASA and other national agencies, space exploration is rapidly becoming privatized, with entrepreneurial startups building huge rocket boosters, satellites, rocket engines, asteroid probes, prospecting craft, and even commercial lunar cargo landers to open this new frontier. Research into ever more sophisticated propulsion and life support systems will soon enable the journey to Mars and destinations deeper in our solar system. As these technologies continue to move forward, there are virtually no limits to human spaceflight and robotic exploration. While the world has waited since the Apollo lunar program for the next "giant leap," these critical innovations, most of which are within our grasp with today's technology, will change the way we live, both in space and on Earth. A new space age--and with it, a new age of peace and prosperity on Earth, and settlement beyond our planet--can be ours. Speaking with key leaders of the latest space programs and innovations, Pyle shares the excitement and promise of this new era of exploration and economic development. From NASA and the Russian space agency Roscosmos, to emerging leaders in the private sector such as SpaceX, Blue Origin, Moon Express, Virgin Galactic, and many others, Space 2.0 examines the new partnerships that are revolutionizing spaceflight and changing the way we reach for the stars.

Star Bound is a book for anyone who wants to learn about the American space program but isn't sure where to start. First and foremost, it's a history--short, sweet, and straightforward. From rocketry pioneer Robert Goddard's primitive flight tests in 1926 through the creation of NASA, from our first steps on the moon to construction of the International Space Station and planning a trip to Mars, readers will meet the people and projects that have put the United States at the forefront of space exploration. Along the way, they'll learn: * How the United States beat the Soviets to the moon * Why astronauts float in space (Hint: It's not for lack of gravity!) * How fast rockets have to go to stay in orbit around Earth * How we can "look back in time" through a space telescope With technology evolving and humanity's understanding of the universe expanding, we are entering an exciting period of space exploration. Authored by two veteran space writers with unique insights into the topic, Star Bound offers up the story of Americans in space with a focus on the cultural and societal contexts of the country's most important missions rather than engineering and technical minutiae. Vibrant, positive, and humorous, Star Bound is packed with facts and stories for novice space fans. And sprinkled in with the history are lists of the greatest space songs, books, movies, and more--all designed to make space exploration accessible to even the casual reader.

Throughout history, humans have explored new places, making both good and bad moral decisions along the way. As humanity proceeds to explore space, it is important that we learn from the successes and not repeat the mistakes of the past. This book provides the first comprehensive introduction to ethics as it applies to space exploration and use. It examines real-world case studies that exemplify the ethical challenges we face in exploring beyond Earth: space debris, militarization in space, hazardous asteroids, planetary protection, the search for extraterrestrial life, commercial and private sector activities in space, space settlements, very long duration missions, and planetary-scale interventions. Major themes include human health, environmental concerns, safety and risk, governance and decision-making, and opportunities and challenges of multidisciplinary and international contexts. Ideal for classroom use and beyond, the book provides ways of thinking that will help students, academics and policymakers examine the full range of ethical decisions on questions related to space exploration.

With a focus on China, the United States, and India, this book examines the economic ambitions of the second space race. The authors argue that space ambitions are informed by a combination of factors, including available resources, capability, elite preferences, and talent pool. The authors demonstrate how these influences affect the development of national space programs as well as policy and law.

National Security Space Institute 2025 Space Professional Reading List A foundational, accessible overview ofspace policy in the United States Thisbook provides readers with the first comprehensive overview of major spacepolicies in the United States and a framework through which to analyze them. Itexamines all facets of space policy--civilian, military, and commercial--andpresents this material accessibly for use by readers at multiple levels, from undergraduatecourses to government practitioners making and implementing policy. Thefirst section offers a history of space exploration, focusing on the USwithin a global context. The second section looks at the actors andinstitutions involved in setting space policy in a government based on theseparation of powers, including the president, Congress, NASA, and theDepartment of Defense. The book concludes with chapters on the differentsectors of space policy, as well as questions this field will face in the future. Aspolicymakers and business leaders become increasingly aware of the everydaysystems that depend on space technologies, such as communications, mapping, andweather monitoring, and as space becomes a more visible arena for commercialcompetition, potential humanitarian gain, and military threats, Space Policyfor the Twenty-First Century helps students and professionals navigate thecomplexity of space as a policy area. 

This SpringerBrief explores the technological, economic, physiological, and psychological comparisons between a journey to the Moon versus a journey to Mars, taking into consideration the national and international perspectives at play. The author spent over six years interviewing leading space experts from around the world to learn why lunar habitats and the creation of a permanent presence on the Moon are an essential next step to human exploration and settlement in space.   Practical reasons related to energy, telecommunications and networking, robotic systems, medical and scientific research, material processing, and more show why it must be the Moon First and Mars Second. These findings and recommendations have been adopted by current NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine, as well as the current U. S. president.    The research in this text reflects the author's experiences working internally within NASA Headquarters, the FAA Commercial Spaceflight Office, as well as the International Space University. It is partially based on Reneau's award-winning Harvard thesis in conjunction with her Master's in International Relations.

Breaking new ground in criminology, this book reflects on the expansion of outer space endeavours, the new pathways this presents for crime, challenges to Earth-based conceptions of justice, and the ethical issues raised.

A little-known yet critical part ofNASA history   Life in Space explores the many aspects andoutcomes of NASA's research in life sciences, a little-understood endeavor thathas often been overlooked in histories of the space agency. Maura Mackowskidetails NASA's work in this field from spectacular promises made during theReagan era to the major new directions set by George W. Bush's Vision for SpaceExploration in the early twenty-first century.             At thefirst flight of NASA's space shuttle in 1981, hopes ran high for the shuttleprogram to achieve its potential of regularly transporting humans, cargo, andscientific experiments between Earth and the International Space Station.Mackowski describes different programs, projects, and policies initiated acrossNASA centers and headquarters in the following decades to advance research intohuman safety and habitation, plant and animal biology, and commercialbiomaterials. Mackowski illuminates these ventures in fascinating detail bydrawing on rare archival sources, oral histories, interviews, and site visits.             While highlighting significant achievements and innovations such asspace radiation research and the Neurolab Spacelab Mission, Mackowski revealsfrustrations--lost opportunities, stagnation, and dead ends--stemming fromfrequent changes in presidential administrations and policies. For today'sdreams of lunar outposts or long-term spaceflight to become reality, Mackowskiargues, a robust program in space life sciences is essential, and the historyin this book offers lessons to help prevent leaving more expectationsunfulfilled.

Within the pages of this eclectic pop-history, scientist and educator Sten Odenwald at NASA examines 100 objects that forever altered what we know and how we think about the cosmos. From Sputnik to Skylab and Galileo's telescope to the Curiosity rover, some objects are iconic and some obscure-but all are utterly important. The Nebra sky disk (1600 BCE) features the first realistic depiction of the Sun, Moon, and stars. The Lunar Laser Ranging RetroReflectorfinally showed us how far we are from the Moon in 1969. In 1986, it was the humble, rubber O-ring that doomed the space shuttle Challenger. The Event Horizon Telescope gave us our first glimpse of a black hole in 2019. These 100 objects, as Odenwald puts it, showcase "the workhorse tools and game-changing technologies that have altered the course of space history . . . the tools and devices that, taken together, represent the major scientific discoveries-and celebrate the human ingenuity-of space technology, showing the ways physics and engineering have brought about our greatest leaps in understanding the way our universe works. . . . They make it clear that we have made giant strides in our quest to search ever more deeply into the farthest reaches of the universe-and behind each new discovery is an object that expands our appreciation of space as well as the boundless imagination and resourcefulness we carry within us."

The first in-depth, fully illustrated history of global space discovery and exploration from ancient times to the modern era "The Smithsonian History of Space Exploration examines civilization's continued desire to explore the next frontier as only the Smithsonian can do it." --Buzz Aldrin, Gemini 12 and Apollo 11 astronaut and author of No Dream Is Too High Former NASA and Smithsonian space curator and historian Roger D. Launius presents a comprehensive history of our endeavors to understand the universe, honoring millennia of human curiosity, ingenuity, and achievement. This extensive study of international space exploration is packed with over 500 photographs, illustrations, graphics, and cutaways, plus plenty of sidebars on key scientific and technological developments, influential figures, and pioneering spacecraft. Starting with space exploration's origins in the pioneering work undertaken by ancient civilizations and the great discoveries of the Renaissance thinkers, Launius also devotes whole chapters to our space race to the Moon, space planes and orbital stations, and the lure of the red planet Mars. He also offers new insights into well-known moments such as the launch of Sputnik 1 and the Apollo Moon landing and explores the unexpected events and hidden figures of space history. The final chapters cover the technological and mechanical breakthroughs enabling humans to explore far beyond our own planet in recent decades, speculating on the future of space exploration, including space tourism and our possible future as an extraterrestrial species. This is a must-read for space buffs and everyone intrigued by the history and future of scientific discovery. "This oversize offering is a space nerd's dream come true." --Booklist