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Contents

The Global Comsat – Part 3 Intelsat IVA
Dwayne A Day carries the story of the spinners to a conclusion with coverage of the Intelsat IVA series satellites by looking at their pedigree and the legacy they left.

Tereshkova’s Secret Sisters
Tony Quine has made a detailed study of the female cosmonauts selected for training alongside Valentina Tereshkova and begins a two-part description of who they were.

Orion’s Belt
NASA’s plan for introduction of the Space Launch System is a key to getting the deep-space exploration mission underway despite an uncertain destination. We examine the first two test flights.

The Mighty Atlas Part 4 Atlas in Orbit
Use of the Atlas to press home a propaganda coup made possible by the availability of America’s first big rocket saw an orbiting Atlas send a Christmas message from President Eisenhower in 1958.

Ship Firings off Cape Canaveral
Joel W Powell has dug up the history of the USS Observation Island and traced its history as an important adjunct to Polaris missile test operations off Cape Canaveral beginning in the summer of 1959.

ISS Servicing Demo a Success
Ken Kremer has been keeping an eye on the latest robotic device aboard the ISS, one designed to test servicing and refuelling operations, and describes a hands-on inspection at the Kennedy Space Center.

Regular Features

Britain in Space – A UK competition to find the next generation of innovative applications for navigation satellites was launched in early April. We look at what is on offer.

World News Analysis – Is space commercialization a myth?

International News – Discovery touches down at Dulles

In brief – News shorts from around the world

A View from the Hill – political space news hot from Washington DC

Satellite Digest – 473 March 2012

ISS Operations Summary – 16 March to 15 April 2012

Book Reviews – 18 Questions about life and the Universe; Jane’s Strategic Weapon Systems; Hitler’s Rocket Soldiers; Planetary Surface Processes; Space Exploration and Humanity – A Historical Encyclopedia; James Van Allen – The first Eight Billion Miles.

Letters

Society News – BIS Vision Statement; BIS Survey Results; Marcus Allen faces Jerry Stone; Wings into Space; The Huish College Award; Sir Raymond Lygo obituary; Apollo Symposium.

Contents

Roadmaps to the Future: Moon-Next
Third in our series looking at future options presented by the International Space Exploration Coordination Group with this month a route to Mars via the Moon.

Writing About the Right Stuff
Colin Burgess tells Spaceflight what motivated him to write his book about those astronaut candidates that never made it to the launch pad.

The Mighty Atlas Part 3 From ICBM to Launch Vehicle
Transformation of the Atlas ICBM to a satellite launcher began long before its first successful flight and began with a stage called Agena.

The Global Comsat – Part 2 Intelsat IV
Dwayne A Day continues his look at the development of international telecommunications with the Intelsat IV series satellites.

Teens Launch Lego Man
Ken Kremer tells an inspiring story about two teenagers who decided to send a Lego Man to the edge of space – and return with pictures to prove it!

Preparing for Space
Nick Spall interviews UK astronaut Tim Peake as he treads the long, arduous and sometimes lonely road to a place in space.

Regular Features

Britain in Space – Baroness Wilcox visits SSTL – Monospheric Sprites and Elves – UK space on the up – Dr Unwin gets justified award

World News Analysis – Record lift but a work in progress – Cuts to Canada’s space budget – Satellite industry to grow – Europe steams ahead

International News – Shuttle facility gets CST-100

In brief – news shorts from around the world

A View from the Hill – political space news hot from Washington DC

Satellite Digest – 472 February 2011

ISS Operations Summary – 15 February to 15 March 2012

Letters

Society News – A Life Honoured; Dr Leslie R Shepherd obituary and reflections – Retro Rockets; Back to the Future – BIS gets new camera

Contents

Roadmaps to the Future: Asteroid-Next
Second in a series looking at future options presented by the International Space Exploration Coordination Group with a proposal to send astronauts to an asteroid.

NASA Rewrites its Future
An analysis of the all-important fiscal year 2013 NASA budget and the significant changes it will bring to US and international programmes.

The Global Comsat – Part 1 Intelsat III
Dwayne A Day reflects on the pioneering work carried out for international telecommunications by the Intelsat III family of satellites.

The Mighty Atlas Part 2 A Cold War Imperative
The birth of the definitive Atlas ICBM came when Cold War tensions were high and intercontinental missiles were a new form of deterrent.

Regular Features

Britain in Space – Keplar Building opened – Trade Minister boosts industry – Taking textiles to space

World News Analysis – Is there money in satellite launchers?

International News – Urgent need for Earthwatch satellites – Commercial crew in 2017 – New stage for Moon-orbiting Orion

In brief – news shorts from around the world

International News – An end to Evolution – Russia to launch Sentinel – China spots Lunar Modules

Coming up – a schedule for what’s next in space

Satellite Digest – 471 December 2011

A View from the Hill – political space news hot from Washington DC

ISS Operations Summary – 15 January to 14 February 2012

Society News – Droitwich – Derek Dempster obituary

Letters

Contents

The Mighty Atlas Part 1: Early Days
Spaceflight begins a series on the background to familiar launch vehicles and asks where they originated and when.

Friendship 7 – The reluctant flight
When John Glenn made the first US manned orbital flight 50 years ago it was after a long and frustrating series of delays.

John Glenn – The ‘almost nearly’ man
John Glenn was a natural for NASA’s elite astronaut corps, but he very nearly missed his chance.

Roadmaps to the Future
Spaceflight starts a three-part series examining the future options for international human space flight initiatives beginning with a change in strategic thinking.

Boris Chertok 1912-2011
Noted space historian Frank H Winter provides a fitting obituary to a great Russian rocket engineer.

Watching André Kuipers’ training
Gerard van de Haar and Rudolf van Beest spent time with the latest ESA astronaut during his training in Russia.

Regular Features

Britain in Space – 2011 good for Astrium – Planck on the blink – TechDemoSat payload milestone – Pleiades images

World News Analysis – Can Europe benefit from US human flight uncertainties – eye witness to Kuipers’ launch – uncertainties cloud international Mars plans – Thales Alenia helps US commercial hardware

International News – MSL gets course correction – NASA under a microscope – CZ-5 hardware development – Japan plans enviro-duo

In brief – news shorts from around the world

International News – WGS-9 agreement in $19bn programme – Zapped by mistake? – ISRO dedicates new control centre – ESA in the vineyard – Navstar GPS on test

Coming up – a schedule for what’s next in space

Satellite Digest – 470 December 2011

A View from the Hill – political space news hot from Washington DC

ISS Operations Summary – 12 December to 14 January 2012

Letters

Society News – Alan Marlow gets Sir Patrick Moore Medal – Sheila Kanani lecture on the solar system 14 December – Odyssey Special

Contents

SPECIAL FEATURE!

Is X-37B stalking China’s space station?

In a world exclusive, Spaceflight examines the evidence that suggests the US Air Force is testing a new orbit-to-orbit space surveillance system, focusing on Tiangong-1.

US Space Commercialization

Dwayne Day takes a look back to the early days of space commercialization and reviews the changes made with successive decades as both NASA and industrylearned to cope with changing demand.

Curiosity heads for Mars

Spaceflight’s Ken Kremer joins Editor David Baker to open a year-long watch on NASA’s latest Mars mission with a report from Cape Canaveral and news about the mission so far.

The second generation Shenzhou

Philippe Coué turns the telescope on China’s latest manned spacecraft and describes its first test flight to Tiangong-1, reporting on plans for 2012 to put a crew aboard the mini-station.

GMES – are Europe’s plans at a crossroads?

In one of the biggest programmes for monitoring the European natural and socio-economic environment, GMES faces major challenges in times of fiscal; austerity and EU intervention. Is that good or bad?

Olaf Stapledon: The finest of the First Men

Kelvin Long and Richard Osborne host a seminar on one of the giants in futures thinking, an inspiration to many and a model for the philosophical debate on humanity’s purpose in space and time.

Regular Features

Britain in Space – A ‘go’ for NovaSAR – Low-thrust at Surrey University – Overdue retirement for aging satellite – Manchester zaps the Canaries

World News Analysis – Is X-37B stalking China’s space station – Air force wings in orbit

International News – Astrium to manage ISS operations – Building security – Renaissance for rocket research – Middle age spread for Ariane – Leinbach goes private

In brief – news shorts from around the world

International News – Stratolaunch aims for air-drop market – Reusable booster system studied – SBIRS buildup – More carbon data sought

Coming up – a schedule for what’s next in space

Satellite Digest – 468 October 2011

A View from the Hill – political space news hot from Washington DC

Book Reviews – Jane’s Space Systems and Industry 2011-2012 – A Vertical Empire, History of the British Rocketry Programme, Rockets and Missiles

ISS Operations Summary – 12 November to 11 December 2011

Letters

Society News – NASA astronaut receives BIS award – SpaceX comes to London

Volume 54 No. 1 January 2012

16 Prospero
Vic Adams recalls the day, 40 years ago, when the UK sent a satellite into orbit using a British rocket. By this time the government had already cancelled Black Arrow and would increasingly withdraw from ever again possessing an independent launch capability.

20 Starship Symposium
A UK project is in the running to win the competition for a ‘100 year Starship’ study organised by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), as Kelvin Long reports.

22 China’s Heavenly Palace
Philippe Coué describes Tiangong-1, the first module launched by China in a continuing programme aimed at assembling a manned space station, and previews upcoming events.

28 On the Shoulders of Giants
Mark Stewart looks back over the decades to catalogue the achievements made by early BIS stalwarts in progressing the science of astronautics and the furtherance of space flight.

31 A Matter of Record
Largely ignored by official histories, former BIS President and for many years Editor of Spaceflight, Kenneth W Gatland played more than a minor role in the successful launch of America’s first satellite, as the current Editor explains.

Regular Features

4-5 Britain in Space – UK heads for Mars – Westminster goes weightless – political disinterest in government

6-7 World News Analysis – rhetoric in EEU but no money – persistent risk for ISS – fuel dump versus big lift – seeking consensus on space

8-9 International News – Jury out on Mars 500 – Boeing on fast track to ISS – Orion to fly sooner – life on Europa?

9 In brief – news shorts from around the world

10-11 International News – On the move – Vega on track – WGS ready for launch – Shuttle engines for SLS

11 Coming up – a schedule for what’s next in space

12 Satellite Digest – 468 October 2011

14 A View from the Hill – political space news hot from Washington DC

25 ISS Operations Summary – 17 October to 11 November 2011

32 Book Reviews

35 Letters

36-39 Society News

Contents

International Space News
US forges ahead with new super rocket, Six million mile view from Jupiter-bound Juno, Critical year ahead for ESA and EU space affairs , First space bound Orion crew cabin, Microgravity research debated by UK MPs, Gagarin show in Scotland, Peek inside Apollo 10 command module, Dutch astronaut to embark on ISS mission, Secret programmes declassified, Starchaser sets test launch date

Satellite Digest
Geoff Richards

Journey to the centre of the Moon
Ken Kremer

International Space Station Chronology
George Spiteri

Brave new future worlds
Kelvin Long, Pat Galea and Adrian Mann

First craft orbits Mars
Philip Corneille

Russia weighs lunar options
Dwayne Day

Book reviews

Letters and emails
Eye-witness to Shuttle history, Monitoring the Northwest Passage, Contacting Prospero, BIS lectures on YouTube, Playalinda beach view, Astronaut’s best wishes, Life of Apollo mission controller, BIS facade sponsorship

Heavy lift is part of balanced system
Mike Armitage

Society news
Vision of new BIS Council member, Society’s Annual General meeting, Oral history of science, Volunteers needed, New BIS members

Contents

International Space News
Dragon gets go ahead for Space Station berthing, Military spaceplanes under test, SSTL commissions Nigerian satellites, GRAIL duo all set for lunar gravity expedition, China ready to start space station, Briton to become Virgin Galactic’s chief astronaut, New head attempts to re-shape Roscosmos organisation, Solar shift could bring more storms, Launch preps for third ATV, Progress loss impacts ISS operations

Satellite Digest
Geoff Richards

Five year trek to giant planet
Ken Kremer

Observatory’s rocky road
Philip Corneille

NASA flies Shuttle for the final time
Clive Simpson, Ken Kremer and Gerard van de Haar

International Space Station Chronology
George Spiteri

Radio hams tune in to space airwaves
John Heath

Silenced thunder
Dwayne Day

Letters and emails
World’s first rocket patch, Half-hearted compromise, Embracing science fiction, Proud of our endeavours, Film poster

Dream makers of the future
Kelvin Long

Society news
Patrick’s picnic proves big success, Prize for survey views, Spaceflight’s new golden age, New BIS members

Contents

International Space News
Space Shuttle slips into history, Europe’s space plans could end key ESA principle, Countries refine space spending, New approach for 2011 UK Space Conference, BIS promotes space roadmap, Virgin Galactic faces technical challenges, Gagarin statue unveiled in London, Vesta vistas exceed expectations, Shuttle’s final hypersonic test data

Satellite Digest
Geoff Richards

Detecting exo-Earths
Philip Corneille

International Space Station Chronology
George Spiteri

Chinese space film drama
Xu Weilong

Movie shot at Star City and Baikonur
Tony Quine

Water in the Moon
Geoffrey Bowman

Falling to Earth with Al Worden
Neil Da Costa and Ken MacTaggart

Close encounters with our Sun
Stuart Eves

Letters and emails
Battle to witness Shuttle finale, Clarke book, Volunteers bring about change, Sustainable spaceflight, Shirley Jones, Celebrations in Star City for Gagarin

Society news
BIS convention with science fiction slant, Astronaut lecture, Shirley Jones - obituary, New BIS members, Competition winners

Contents

International Space News
Plan to gather asteroid dust, Soyuz at French Guiana, Suborbital spaceflight - private human access, America needs strategy for space settlement, Space stations on the Isle of Man, Chinese whispers at Paris Air Show, Ceremony recreates first US flight, Iranian booster launches second satellite, SpaceX wins Thaicom 6

Satellite Digest
Geoff Richards

Danger from solar storms
David Todd

Heavenly bodies - Pt 2
Kira Bacal and Kieran Smart

Endeavour’s perfect finale
Ken Kremer and Clive Simpson

International Space Station Chronology
George Spiteri

Letters and emails
Music of the spheres, Justifying the cost, Turning back the clock, Apostles of Apollo, Gifts for Gagarin, Piecemeal progress

Cosmonaut's reflection
Dorin Prunariu

Book reviews

Society news
A brighter future for the BIS, Cultural impact, BIS Chines/Soviet forum, Icarus appeal, New BIS members

Contents

International Space News
Endeavour launch, Atlantis photo-call, NASA’s next Discovery class mission, ‘Black box’ recorder survives Kounotori reentry, NASA celebrates with new space stamps, Space in the shadow of the Rockies, Skylon spaceplane passes technical review, Atlas launches new missile warning surveillance satellite

Satellite Digest
Geoff Richards

Heavenly bodies
Kira Bacal and Kieran Smart

International Space Station Chronology
George Spiteri

Lockheed pursues Orion potential
Ken Kremer

Chelomey and Korolev – cooperation and competition
Vladimir Polyachenko

Book reviews

Letters and emails
Finding way out of financial crisis, Human visit to Halley’s Comet, Selection of Yuri Gagarin, Access to BIS meetings, Apollo 12 commander, Space Shuttle retirement

Viewpoint
Mark Stewart

Society news
Discussion of future of BIS, Play celebrates ‘Chief Designer’, New BIS members, New BIS Fellows, Competition Winners

Contents

International Space News
SpaceX ambitions for new Falcon Heavy rocket, MESSENGER begins year of Mercury observations, GOCE gravity map, NASA selects Shuttle museums, UK and India collaborate, Meteosat-6 sent to graveyard orbit, Nuclear needed to visit Mars, Sounding rocket experiments, NASA awards commercial crew contracts

Satellite Digest
Geoff Richards

Stardust-NExT comet legacy
Ken Kremer

International Space Station Chronology
George Spiteri

Booster retrieval
Ken Kremer

Chinese flights marked with stamps
Jeff Dugdale

Soviet space sleuths
Dominic Phelan

Book reviews

Letters and emails
TIROS-1 – a case of mistaken identity, Gagarin and Tereshkova, Sänger-Bredt anniversary, Accepted form of spelling, BIS rules and fund-raising, A leap in the wrong direction, BIS could foster links in Holland, Grades of membership, Return to Earth and acute prostatitis, Russian ‘first’

Society news
No ordinary Gagarin event!, Westcott celebration, Long service presentation, New BIS members, Classified ads

Contents

International Space News
More secret X-37B missions planned, Shuttle veteran, Enhanced Meteosats, Broadband satellite goes operational, TOPCAT targets plasmasphere, Endeavour readied for last mission, Astronaut reflects on NASA sacking, Students create designs of future, Russian Mars rover, IAF celebrates 60th anniversary

Satellite Digest
Geoff Richards

Discovery’s final voyage into orbit
Ken Kremer and Gerard van de Haar

The man who changed history
Nick Spall

International Space Station Chronology
George Spiteri

Earth photos from on high
Michael Trudeau

Educational ballooning
Joel Powell

Postcards from Mars
Ken Kremer

Book reviews

Letters and emails
Apollo 1 connector, Star-studded occasion, TV series from 1950s, Meteorite close-up, Magnificent Discovery, Where is everyone?, BIS should use media, Member solution, Members want stronger voice

Society news
Your Society needs you!, Bridging the gap between imagination and reality, Project Icarus - a future starship, Student paper competition 2011, New BIS members

Contents

International Space News
US and European firms propose crew launcher, Burnt Dragon on display, Unexpected revival of Nanosail-D2, ESA aiming for Moon before Mars, IAF celebrates 60 years, August date for Guiana Soyuz launch, UK Space Conference, Robotic lunar adventure, Rookie Italian to fly in 2013

Solar watch
Stuart Eves

Satellite Digest
Geoff Richards

Romancing the stone
Dwayne Day

Homing in on asteroids
Ken Kremer

Strategic role of asteroid mining
Stephen Ashworth

Starships of the future
Kelvin Long and Richard Obousy

International Space Station Chronology
George Spiteri

First cometary close encounter
Philip Corneille

Letters and emails
BIS space ‘hardware’, Imagination versus reality, Debate on space humanisation, BIS on YouTube, BIS on Facebook, Agreement on grade, Cyrillic translation

Book reviews

Society news
A statement from the BIS on membership grades, The future of the BIS, New members, Membership discount incentive scheme, BIS medals, Recruitment campaign

Contents

International Space News
Romantic date with Comet Tempel 1 for Stardust NExT, Chinese space drama mixes fact and fiction, MESSENGER prepares to orbit Mercury, New Leicester research facility, Landing by laser light (and Air-Crane), Last minute crew changes, Environmental monitoring payload, Second flight for ESA cargo craft, Modules arrive in Isle of Man, Space Station to get more tourists, Navigation system needs more euros

Satellite Digest
Geoff Richards

International Space Station Chronology
George Spiteri

Record-breaking Martian Odyssey
Ken Kremer

Setting sail to the stars
Philip Corneille

Illness in orbit
Bark Hendrickx

Letters and emails
ESA Mars lander lacks science, Spaceplane a perfect Shuttle replacement, AFBIS grade, Contrasting worldview, BIS Associate Fellow grade, One-sided discussion, BIS works on new future, Equal voting rights for all, Future shape and organisation of BIS, Towards a more friendly Society, Necessity for change of heart, A day to remember

Training as Soyuz backup cosmonaut
Neil Da Costa

Book reviews

Society news
Astronomer Royal gives talk at the BIS, Spaceguard Centre, BIS Library, New members

Contents

International Space News
SpaceX moves step closer to crewed missions, Air Force mini-shuttle’s record-breaking flight, UK space conference, Venus probe fails to achieve orbit, Explore the Sun from your desktop, Roscosmos link with NASA, The Moon - an important place in human affairs, Orion abort rocket on display, Virgin targets orbital market, Busy time for new ISS crew

Satellite Digest
Geoff Richards

Robonaut to join Space Station crew
Ken Kremer

International Space Station Chronology
George Spiteri

Seven years of MER operations on Mars
Philip Corneille and Ken Kremer

Training ESA’s new space cadets
Nick Spall

Telescope fulfills decades of dreams
Philip Corneille

Letters and emails
Origins of life, Use ISS for celebration, Accelerated aging in orbit, Cosmonauts commemorated, Humanism a threat to science, Tour of EAC facilities, Society empowerment, Fully interactive website needed, Elegant solutions, Campaign to energise BIS, All members should have say, Ongoing discussion, Sellers gives London lecture

Book reviews

Society news
BIS awards latest British astronaut pin, Festive gathering, Competition winners, New members

Contents

International Space News
Identity of female taikonaut confirmed, JAXA names next HTV, UK space shows healthy growth, Work begins on Russian base, UKSA starts CubeSat pilot, Asteroid particles, New generation of European Meteosats, Eutelsat abandons new spacecraft, SSTL satellite repositioned to minimise debris threat, Leak impacts Space Shuttle schedule

Satellite Digest
Geoff Richards

International Space Station Chronology
George Spiteri

Five year focus on planets and moons
Robert April

Comet-chaser’s latest rendezvous
Philip Corneille

Spacecraft’s moment of ‘pure’ exploration
Ken Kremer

Splish, splash, roar!
Dwayne Day

The enigmatic Mace hardsite
Joel Powell

Letters and emails
UK needs space passion, Improbability of life, Dear Arthur..., Brunel of Space Age, Makeover not ‘rocket science’, Rights of BIS members, Membership ‘apartheid’, Fully reusable spacecraft

From test pilot to first lunar geologist
Shane Hannon

Book reviews

Society news
Project Icarus – latest team news, The Planets – An HD Odyssey, BIS works on a new future, New members