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SPACE TIMES • March/April 2010 1 THE MAGAZINE OF THE AMERICAN ASTRONAUTICAL SOCIETY ISSUE 2 VOLUME 49 MARCH / APRIL 2010

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Page 1: MARCH / APRIL 2010 - American Astronautical Society · SPACE TIMES • March/April 2010 3 PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE ON THE COVER FRONT: Backdropped by Earth’s horizon, the International

SPACE TIMES • March/April 2010 1

THE MAGAZINE OF THE AMERICANASTRONAUTICAL SOCIETYISSUE 2 VOLUME 49

MARCH / APRIL 2010

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2 SPACE TIMES • March/April 2010

T H E M A G A Z I N E O F T H E A M E R I C A N A S T R O N A U T I C A L S O C I E T Y

MARCH / APRIL 2010

ISSUE 2–VOLUME 49

AAS OFFICERSPRESIDENT

Frank A. Slazer, Northrop GrummanEXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT

Lyn D. Wigbels, RWI International Consulting ServicesVICE PRESIDENT–TECHNICAL

Srinivas R. Vadali, Texas A&M UniversityVICE PRESIDENT–PROGRAMS

Kathy J. NadoVICE PRESIDENT–PUBLICATIONS

David B. Spencer, Penn State UniversityVICE PRESIDENT–STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS ANDOUTREACH

Mary Lynne Dittmar, Dittmar AssociatesVICE PRESIDENT–MEMBERSHIP

Patrick McKenzie, Ball AerospaceVICE PRESIDENT–EDUCATION

Angela Phillips DiazVICE PRESIDENT–FINANCE

Carol S. Lane, Ball AerospaceVICE PRESIDENT–INTERNATIONAL

Clayton Mowry, Arianespace, Inc.VICE PRESIDENT–PUBLIC POLICY

Peggy Finarelli, George Mason University/CAPRLEGAL COUNSEL

Franceska O. Schroeder, Fish & Richardson P.C.EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

James R. Kirkpatrick, AAS

AAS BOARD OF DIRECTORSTERM EXPIRES 2010Linda Billings, George Washington UniversityRonald J. Birk, Northrop GrummanRebecca L. Griffin, GriffinSpace LLCHal E. Hagemeier, National Security Space OfficeDennis Lowrey, General DynamicsMolly Kenna Macauley, Resources for the FutureErin Neal, ATKLesa B. RoeRosanna Sattler, Posternak Blankstein & Lund LLPRobert H. Schingler, Jr.Woodrow Whitlow, Jr.

TERM EXPIRES 2011Peter M. Bainum, Howard UniversityRobert H. Bishop, University of Texas at AustinMark K. Craig, SAICJ. Walter Faulconer, Applied Physics LaboratoryJonathan T. Malay, Lockheed MartinChristopher Nelson, Oceaneering Space SystemsArnauld E. Nicogossian, George Mason UniversitySuneel Sheikh, ASTER Labs, Inc.Patricia Grace Smith, Patti Grace Smith ConsultingGregg Vane, Jet Propulsion Laboratory

TERM EXPIRES 2012A. William Beckman, The Boeing CompanySteven Brody, International Space UniversityLance Bush, Paragon Space Development CorporationJürgen Drescher, German Aerospace CenterPaul Eckert, The Boeing CompanySteven D. HarrisonFelix Hoots, The Aerospace CorporationKim Luu, Air Force Research LaboratoryNicole Jordan Martinez, X PRIZE Foundation

SPACE TIMES EDITORIAL STAFFEDITOR, Jeffrey P. Elbel

PHOTO & GRAPHICS EDITOR, Dustin DoudPRODUCTION MANAGER, Diane L. Thompson

BUSINESS MANAGER, James R. Kirkpatrick

SPACE TIMES is published bimonthly by the American AstronauticalSociety, a professional non-profit society. SPACE TIMES is free tomembers of the AAS. Individual subscriptions may be ordered fromthe AAS Business Office. © Copyright 2010 by the AmericanAstronautical Society, Inc. Printed in the United States of America.ISSN 1933-2793.

PERIODICALSSPACE TIMES, magazine of the AAS, bimonthly, volume 49,2010—$80 domestic, $95 foreignThe Journal of the Astronautical Sciences, quarterly, volume 58,2010—$180 domestic, $200 foreignTo order these publications, contact the AAS Business Office.

REPRINTSReprints are available for all articles in SPACE TIMES and all pa-pers published in The Journal of the Astronautical Sciences.

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE 3

FEATURESCollaboration in Space: A Strategic Move 4International cooperative ventures in space explorationcould support the continued success of the U.S. spaceprogram.by Laura M. Delgado

Happy Anniversary! 50 Years of Exobiology andAstrobiology at NASA 9This year marks the 50th anniversary of NASA’s researchprogram in the study of the origin, evolution, distribution,and future of life in the universe.by Linda Billings

AAS NEWSAwards Presented at the Space Flight Mechanics2010 Winter Meeting 15

New Budget Impacts Goddard Symposium Discussion 16by Michael Calabrese and Dewayne Washington

CALL FOR PAPERS12th International Space Conference of Pacific-basinSocieties (ISCOPS) 18Montréal, Quebec, Canada

UPCOMING EVENTS 21

NOTES ON A NEW BOOKTwilight War: The Folly of U.S. Space Dominance 22Reviewed by R. Cargill Hall

6352 Rolling Mill Place, Suite 102Springfield, VA 22152-2370 USATel: 703-866-0020 Fax: [email protected] www.astronautical.org

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SPACE TIMES • March/April 2010 3

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

ON THE COVER

FRONT: Backdropped by Earth’s horizon, the International Space Station orbits Earth in this image captured by a STS-130crewmember on space shuttle Endeavour. (Source: NASA)

BACK: A crewmember eye view of the International Space Station’s Cupola in the Alenia Spazio clean room in Turin, Italy.The view outside of the window is covered by a colorful protective mask. (Source: Alenia Spazio/NASA)

AAS – Advancing All Space

Frank A. [email protected]

To begin this issue, I wanted to briefly share with our broader membershipsomething that occurred at the highly successful 2010 Goddard Symposium.* AfterNASA Deputy Administrator Lori Garver finished providing an excellent summaryof the Fiscal Year 2011 NASA Budget and started taking questions, a man in theaudience rose to make a statement. He said he was from Haiti, and he wanted tothank NASA and the United States for the assistance being given to his earthquakeravaged homeland. Apparently, since the time the earthquake struck on January 12,NASA has been providing detailed imagery to aid in damage assessment, logisticsplanning, and rebuilding, and this assistance has been invaluable. Needless to say,Lori – and all of us in the audience – was deeply touched. In nearly twenty years ofattending Goddard Symposia, I cannot remember a more inspiring moment.

It was an unintentional yet stunning rebuttal to the (fortunately) few critics whoquestion why we “waste” money in space when there are more pressing needs here on Earth. The answer is, of course,that spending on space programs never puts a dime into space proper, and whether its better understanding climatethrough comparative examination of other worlds and our sun or the response of the human body or other organisms in themicrogravity, it really is about life on Earth.

It is not lost on the Obama Administration that spending money on space improves life on Earth. NASA’s total budgethas increased, both in the coming fiscal year and by an additional six billion dollars over the next five years, at a time whenoverall domestic discretionary spending has been frozen. While the AAS is not taking an official position on theAdministration’s plan to terminate the Constellation program because we have stakeholders with strong feelings – andarguments – on both sides of the issue, we welcome the endorsement of NASA’s value as shown by this increasedinvestment. Our next issue of Space Times will include a more detailed examination of this complex issue and otheraspects of the new NASA budget.

Meanwhile, one part of the new NASA budget that is almost universally welcomed is the decision to support theInternational Space Station (ISS) through at least 2020 and to fully fund ISS outfitting and utilization. The ISS is thelargest international scientific and technical project in history and is now almost complete after over a decade of construc-tion. ISS is an incredible example of true international cooperation and a model for future international exploration pro-grams, and is now beginning to enable cutting edge microgravity research. I am also proud to note that NASA is the 2010recipient of the Collier Trophy – aerospace’s highest honor – for its role in creating the ISS, a nomination the AAS stronglyendorsed.

It is with this background in mind that I am pleased to announce that the AAS 2010 National Conference will be heldNovember 17-18 in Cocoa Beach, Florida, and will focus on ISS research and utilization. Stay tuned for more details asthe planning committee begins to develop the program.

*Along with a heartfelt thanks to our planning committee, chaired by Harley Thronson from the Goddard Space FlightCenter – they rocked!

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Collaboration in Space: A Strategic Moveby Laura M. Delgado

An important issue to be decided withthe upcoming revision of U.S. explorationplans in space is the extent to which theseemingly contradicting trends ofcooperation and competition should besought. Past policies – which have stressedcompetition for national prestige andleadership – will prove unsustainable in amultipolar space system where competitionwill be more costly and risk intensive forthe United States. While balance is still achallenge and several of the reasons thathave supported competition overcollaboration are still in place today, theObama Administration has the opportunityto revise this trend and move forward withincreased cooperation in space explorationmissions and reinforce its ability tocompete in other sectors, thus potentiallystriking the right balance.

What began as a raceThe birth and thrust of the nascent Space

Age back in the ‘60s was that ofsuperpower competition. Space activitiesbecame at one point the focus of a battlethat was fought on diverse and creativegrounds, mainly that of technologicalachievement swaying national andinternational public opinion and impactingthe very real security crisis. Looking back,it is easy to note the series of space “firsts”as the charges of two adversaries inconflict. The creation of the U.S. NationalAeronautics and Space Administration(NASA) can also be seen in this light; itwas justified on the grounds that thecivilian aspect of space should become thepresentation card of the United States infavor of an image of openness, while itsimultaneously became the forum for themost important overt competition of theSpace Age: the race to the Moon.

A model of Sputnik 1, the first artificial satellite successfully placed in orbit around the Earth.The success of the Sputnik launch fueled the beginnings of the Space Race. (Source: NASA)

Space activities had reached such anunequivocal meaning as elements ofsuperpower projection and leadership, thatearly ideas of cooperation gained littlefooting. In a radical move, PresidentKennedy at one point considered the Apolloprogram as a possible venue forcooperation with the Soviets. In a 1963 UNspeech, the President asked rhetoricallywhy the first flight to the Moon had to be“a matter of competition” and called on to“do the big things together.” According tonoted historian Walter McDougall,“Kennedy’s dramatic UN speech actuallyhelped to steel the congressional will to seean American flag planted alone, on the

moon.” Naturally, this short-lived aspectof the early stages of the Apollo Programis often ignored. The unassailable impactof the Apollo success on national pridecontributed to stressing space as an elementof competition: once the United States won,any possibility of thinking of humanexploration to the Moon as anything but arace lost its luster.

When the uproar of Apollo died down,space cooperation again received someattention but was pursued largely in favorof prestige-oriented programs. In 1993,John Logsdon wrote that with U.S. spaceleadership uncontested and with othercountries having little to offer in joint

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ventures, “the dominant U.S. position inspace made cooperation optional.” But thatsituation eventually changed. By the endof the 20th century, two dozen nationswielded the equivalent of the space andmissile technology the United States andthe Soviet Union had been privy to fortyyears before – and those numbers keepgrowing. The new landscape has seen therise of several countries that also see spaceas an important element of the nationalinterest. In a drastic turn from the bipolarnature of the Cold War world, there arenow more than two competitors.

One venue of competition is, of course,military. While capturing the securityimplications of increased activities in spaceis beyond this article’s scope, what isimportant to understand is that space is nowan integral part of U.S. military activities,from peace-keeping to war operations. Thefact that space is a force multiplier for theUnited States, and has been instrumentalin its success in military operations sincethe 1990’s has increased the dependenceand vulnerability associated with thesesystems. The militarization of space is sureto increase, and the United States can onlyexpect more competition in this area. Butthat may not be unwelcome. It isundeniable that the context of competitiondrove the development of the first U.S.reconnaissance satellites, the successors ofwhich now perform important missions insurveillance and treaty oversight. To shyaway from the possibility of fruitfulmilitary space competition wouldnecessitate that the United States step backfrom the advantages these have providedin the last twenty years, a move that is notpolitically or strategically responsible.Alternatively, to compete effectively, spacepower projection should return to theforeign policy rhetoric. The United Statesshould underline that space is an integralpart of its military and national securityportfolio, and engage in debate about howto protect those assets.

Another area of competition enhancedby the new landscape is space commerce.With revenues of $91 billion in 2008 in

global space products and services – a10.4% increase from 2007 according to theSpace Report 2009 – it is clear that thecommercial space sector is an importantarea of opportunity in the global market.But despite repeated commitment tosupporting the U.S. commercial sector,recent policies – the most notorious ofwhich is ITAR - have mired the ability ofU.S. companies to compete internationally.Prompted by technology transfer concernsthat arose in the 1990’s and the apparentlaxity of the Commerce Department tocontrol these transactions, Congresstransferred licensing jurisdiction on allcommunication-satellite exports under theState Department’s International Trade inArms Regulation (ITAR). Althoughintended to protect the U.S. satelliteindustry, the move tainted it withcumbersome processes and ambiguously-worded requirements that increased delayand uncertainty. Countries seeking to buyor rent satellite technology sometimesopted to bypass the United States entirely,producing a sharp decline in U.S. demandand competitiveness. This, in turn,strengthened competing foreign markets.Prior to the change in 1999, the UnitedStates had an average market share of 83%in the commercial satellite field. Thenumber declined to 50% by 2006, a trendlargely associated to stricter exportcontrols. Therefore, efforts to remove ITARrestrictions from impinging oninternational satellite transactions shouldcontinue. Easing trade restrictions forspace commercial ventures wouldstrengthen the national economy andincrease the ability of U.S. companies tocompete in the growing commercial spacesector.

The new landscape has also broughtforth fresh opportunities for cooperation inhuman and robotic exploration. Asdemonstrated by international initiativessuch as the Global Exploration Strategy –through which fourteen international spaceagencies expressed common goals andvalues in space exploration – there is thegeneral feeling that the second phase of

space exploration should not be pursuedsolely for national prestige. Should theUnited States join in these collaborativeventures? Would it benefit by a change inpolicy that emphasizes internationalcooperation in exploration missions? Todetermine whether such a move would bebeneficial in the long run, it is imperativeto understand the challenges and benefitsinherent in any large scale scientificcooperation venture.

The challenge of collaborationIn 1995 the Office of Technology

Assessment (OTA) published a documentthat paints an accurate picture of thisconundrum. It includes the followingbenefits of international collaborativeR&D ventures:

- Reducing net U.S. costs/risks (as theseare divided up among all participants)

- Enhancing scientific capabilities(allowing scientists to be exposed tocutting-edge work being done abroad)

- Enhancing the stability of sciencegoals and funding (assuming unwillingnessof Congress to cut funding in programswith international participation)

- Supporting U.S. foreign policy(cooperation has strong politicalsymbolism)

At first glance all of these seem ideal toadvance U.S. interests in space.Considering current budgetary constraintsthat limit the scope of the space program,pursuing international collaboration couldbe an answer to ensure that the UnitedStates continues to have a strong voice inspace while simultaneously supportingnational goals, such as reduced federalspending and the revival of a dwindlingskilled workforce. But as OTA also pointsout, these benefits are not alwaysforthcoming. The inclusion of Russia in theInternational Space Station (ISS) in 1993is an apt example. This move wasmotivated in part by the expectation thatRussian technical expertise and experience– demonstrated through the Soviet spacestation Mir – would translate to elevatedlevels of time and cost savings for the ISS.

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An artist’s conception of the ESA/ThalesAlenia ITAR-Free Spacebus 4000B2. (Source: ESA/ThalesAlenia)

However, by 1996 considerable delays hadstarted. The launch of the Russian Zvezdamodule – needed to control the station inorbit – came in 2000, after an eighteen-month long delay. In 1998, the NASAAdvisory Council published a reportidentifying the frail state of the post-ColdWar Russian economy as the main causeof delay. The report added that thisrepresented a source of risk for the UnitedStates since it reduced considerably theestimated savings ($1.5 billion) expectedthrough Russia’s participation. Then again,one intangible benefit for including Russiawas that it delivered the political impactnecessary for the ISS to survivecancellation and remain in development tothis day. This, nevertheless, has underlinedthe nature of a project whose scientificvalue was questioned from the beginning,a caveat that OTA also mentions as anegative result of large-scale internationalprojects pursued predominantly for theirpolitical, not scientific value.

In addition to the mixed results thatfollow from these benefits, there are alsoother potential downsides associated withinternational cooperation efforts, including:

- Loss of national leadership, prestige,and project control;

- Unintended transfer of leadingnational technologies (particularly thosethat have national security or commercialimplications);

- Difficulty of distributing costs/benefits equitably;

- Increased management complexity,which can include the need of mechanismsto guarantee long-term commitment to aproject.

It would be fair to say that the UnitedStates has mostly been concerned with thefirst and second as powerful disincentivesfor increased cooperation in space.Protecting sensitive technology – a concernthat necessarily arises due to the dual-usenature of most space technology – willalways impose risks, but is undoubtedlyexacerbated by U.S. reliance anddependence in this critical technology.Moreover, since prestige has been the

underlying value of U.S. space activities,it is easy to understand why the possibilityof undertaking a collaborative venturewhere the U.S. flag is not the biggest andbrightest would not be popular.

A new assessmentDespite such challenges, a careful look

at the benefits of cooperation suggests thatthe current landscape posits the UnitedStates to gain more by cooperation in spaceexploration than ever before. The 2004report of the President’s Commission onthe Implementation of US SpaceExploration Policy seemed to acknowledgethis as well, by considering internationalcapabilities as having “significant value.”Nevertheless, the document established thescope of international cooperation in afamiliar way, where cooperation is notthought of as a mutually beneficial venturebut where the United States thinks first to“protect” and then determines what role itis “willing to cede” to other countries inits exploration vision. The tone of thiscommitment represents a continuation of

policies that stress U.S. unrivaledsupremacy in space and that always makecooperation optional. This may not proveto be the optimal approach. It assumes thatthe United States cannot learn enough fromits partners, and is thereby granting thema favor. But this situation has undoubtedlychanged. While still thinking of itself as aprimus inter pares the United States shouldstart realizing and taking measures thatreflect that it is, in fact, surrounded bypotential equals, at least in what respectsto space exploration.

Three overarching benefits make astrong case for increased cooperation inspace: cost sharing, political stability, andsoft-power. In the current fiscal context,international ventures may well prove tobe the only way in which the United Statescould be involved in aggressive humanexploration activities beyond low Earthorbit. Initiatives that look to share the costsand technical risks inherent in theseventures would potentially free up apercentage of the limited NASA budgettowards other missions – such as scientific

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International collaboration has allowed the International Space Station to be constructed and staffed by international teams. Here anastronaut installs the Cuplola module, which was built by ESA/ThalesAlenia. (Source: NASA)

research or applied R&D for launchtechnology – and thus may shorten the timespan before the next series of space firsts.

Another challenge to success in large-scale, long-term exploration missions ismaintaining political commitment (whichis tied to budgetary support). As suggestedabove, substantial internationalparticipation in a space project lends to itan increased level of security in terms ofpolitical support. President Bush’s 2004Vision for Space Exploration directed theISS to be completed in 2010 and U.S.participation to end by 2015. Theinternational outcry that followed from theISS partners brought many to question thewisdom of this move. In its 2009 report,the Review of Human Space Flight Plans

committee found that terminating the ISSin 2015 would negatively impact U.S.relationships with its partners and that onlyby continuing operations until at least 2020would it be able to build upon theserelationships for the future. Therefore,even as priorities have shifted throughoutthe long life of the ISS, its future has beentied more securely thanks to the addedstability provided by internationalinvolvement.

The strength of that politicalcommitment is tied to the symbolismattached to international cooperation. Inthis increasingly multipolar landscape,collaboration could be an important toolin exercising soft power. Coined by JosephNye in 1990, soft power describes a

situation where “one country gets othersto do want what it wants” without the hardor command power of ordering others todo so. According to Nye, in a world ofincreased political complexity, thetraditional ways to employ force are toocostly and other instruments become moreimportant. By the power of “attractiveideas” – such as multilateral Marsexploration program – soft power providesthe ability to set the political agenda, whilealso providing legitimacy. Exclusivelynationalistic Apollo-like ventures wouldnot be well received in an internationalenvironment where the collaborativeimperatives for space exploration arecontinually discussed. If instead the UnitedStates were to commit to meaningful

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Laura M. Delgado is a graduate studentof International Science and Technol-ogy Policy at George WashingtonUniversity’s Elliott School of Interna-tional Affairs. She can be reached [email protected].

A simulated view of the debris caused by the Chinese ASAT destruction of the FENGYUN1C satellite in 2007. (Source: Center for Space and Standards Innovation / AGI)

international collaboration with other spacefaring countries, it may hope to find betterreception abroad.

In order to move in this direction, theUnited States should transform its imageinto that of a reliable partner. Logsdonfound that in its constant quest for prestigeand projection of leadership, the UnitedStates “has tended to equate leadership ina particular cooperative project withcontrol over its design and implementation”an attitude leading to “stress and conflict.”The long-standing success of the ISS mustbe paired with its lessons for futurecooperation, particularly the fact that U.S.control of the project has made it clear thatinternational partners are not treated asequals. In addition to considerableredesigns that were motivated solely bybudgetary and political constraints in theUnited States, other important decisionswere made without any input from the ISSpartners such as the inclusion of Russia intothe project. Establishing meaningfulpartnership relationships in the futurerequires a change in attitude.. This

transformation will allow the United Statesnot only to take advantage of the benefitsof collaboration discussed above but alsoto be better placed to leverage negationsin a way that reduces its inherent risks.

Striking the right balanceAs discussed above, while the United

States should transform its legacy ofunilateral prestige-oriented collaboration,the end result should not be a headlong rushthat disregards its inherent challenges. Theguiding principle in striking the rightbalance can be found in strategic alliancesliterature, particularly through the conceptof “collaborative advantage” developed byLeonard Lynn and Hal Salzman.Collaborative advantage means the pursuitof “mutual gain policies” through which“leadership comes from developing andbrokering mutual gains among equalpartners.” Recent trends show that firmsare more and more seeking internationalstrategic alliances and collaborativearrangements overseas, in order to sharecosts and risks. Not surprisingly, research

has shown that U.S. firms have sought theleast amount of international alliances thantheir counterparts in Japan and Europe. Aninitiative undertaken by the government toprocure international alliances with otherspace faring countries will provide a modelfor U.S. firms to follow.

International cooperation need not be amatter of concession, as worded in theAldridge report, but a strategic move withan eye for the benefits enabled bycollaboration. A balanced approach will becoupled with policies that enhance theability of the United States to compete inthe military and commercial sectors. Asnational space security expert Peter Hayspoints out, “space policies and regulationshould be directed towards maximizing thedevelopment of robust competition” whichallows a growing commercial space sectorto provide spillover benefits to other areas.It is possible that collaboration could alsoincrease space security through theengagement of issues such as spacesituational awareness and space debrismitigation, both key prerequisites ofsustainability.

Collaboration presents a mixed bag ofpros and cons, and rushing to partake injoint space ventures with other countrieswithout giving these due considerationswould be irresponsible. If approachedcorrectly, however, internationalcooperative ventures in space explorationcould support the continued success of theU.S. space program. A revision of long-held beliefs about what it means for theUnited States to cooperate in space wouldgo a long way towards striking the rightbalance between cooperation andcompetition, even if it was more than fiftyyears in the making.

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Happy Anniversary! 50 Years of Exobiologyand Astrobiology at NASAby Linda Billings

This year marks the 50th anniversaryof the National Aeronautics and SpaceAdministration’s research program inexobiology and astrobiology, and a veryfruitful half century it has been for this fieldof study.

What is Astrobiology?Astrobiology is the study of the origin,

evolution, distribution, and future of lifein the universe. It is a multidisciplinary

field of research, drawing on knowledgeand expertise in astronomy, biology(particularly microbiology andevolutionary biology), chemistry, earth andplanetary sciences, physics and manyhybrid disciplines or sub-disciplines.Astrobiology also involves studies in thehumanities (primarily philosophy andtheology) and social sciences.

Astrobiology encompasses the searchfor evidence of prebiotic chemistry

(chemical steps leading to the origin oflife), signs of past or present life on Marsand other bodies in our solar system,habitable environments in our solar system,and habitable planets outside our solarsystem. It also includes laboratory and fieldresearch focused on understanding theorigins and early evolution of life on Earth,and of Earth itself, and studies of thepotential for life to adapt to challenges onEarth (such as climate change) and in space

An artist’s conception of the Viking I and II spacecraft, which landed on Mars and conducted astrobiology experiments in 1976. (Source:NASA)

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(such as cosmic radiation and reducedgravity).

The term “astrobiology” was officiallyestablished in the lexicon of space sciencein the mid-1990s when NASA establishedits astrobiology program. The term is notnew, however, nor is the scienceencompassed by the field of astrobiology.Scientific study of the origin, evolution, anddistribution of life in the universe was wellunder way before NASA was establishedin 1958. For example, the theory of cosmicevolution that underlies the study of theorigin, evolution and distribution of life inthe universe predates the 20th century, thetheory of chemical evolution leading to theorigin of life dates back to the 1920s, andlaboratory synthesis of amino acids undersimulated early-Earth conditions first tookplace in 1953.

Origins: ExobiologyThe idea that life might exist beyond

Earth is thousands of years old. The ideaof searching for evidence of extraterrestriallife is as old as the Space Age. As soon asit became clear that nations would startlaunching spacecraft to explore our solarsystem, scientists started talking about howthey might take advantage of access tospace to look for evidence ofextraterrestrial life and how this endeavorfit in with ongoing research into the originand evolution of life on Earth.

One of those scientists was JoshuaLederberg. As early as 1957, Lederbergwas communicating with colleagues in thescientific community about the possibilityof searching for evidence of extraterrestriallife. Lederberg quickly became a keyplayer in the field of exobiology. He iswidely credited with coining the term“exobiology,” and he was one of the firstbeneficiaries of NASA’s ExobiologyProgram, receiving funding to develop adevice for conducting biochemical analysesof soil samples. He served as a member ofthe Biology Team for NASA’s Vikingmission to Mars.

In 1958, the year that NASA wasformed, Lederberg, at age 33, won theNobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.

A cleanroom view of the Kepler Spacecraft being assembled. Kepler’s mission is to searchfor planets that are similar to Earth. (Source: Ball Aerospace)

Also in 1958, Science published an articlecoauthored by Lederberg making the casefor studying lunar dust as a “record ofcosmic history” that might yield

information about “the biochemical originsof life.”

In 1960, Lederberg presented a paperon exobiology at a meeting of the

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Dramatic plumes, both large and small, spray water ice out from many locations along thefamed “tiger stripes” near the south pole of Saturn’s moon Enceladus. The tiger stripes arefissures that spray icy particles, water vapor and organic compounds. (Source: NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute)

international Committee on SpaceResearch (COSPAR). Later that year, thejournal Science published an article byLederberg, at that point a professor ofgenetics at Stanford University, entitled“Exobiology: experimental approaches tolife beyond Earth,” based on his COSPARtalk. “”Exobiology is no more fantasticthan the realization of space travel itself,”Lederberg declared, “and we have a graveresponsibility to explore its implicationsfor science and for human welfare with ourbest scientific insights and knowledge.”The article was later published in aNational Academy of Sciences reportentitled “Science in Space.” Thus, one ofthe world’s leading scientific journals andthe leading U.S. arbiter of scientificlegitimacy validated exobiology as science.

By 1960, thanks to Lederberg and hiscolleagues, exobiology had a wellarticulated rationale, one that embeddedthis line of research firmly in the contextof the broader scientific enterprise.

At the same time, some scientistsespoused a minority view that exobiologywas not “real science.” In 1964, forexample, another solidly credentialedscientist, George Gaylord Simpson, thenAlexander Agassiz professor of vertebratepaleontology at Harvard University,disagreed with Lederberg in the pages ofScience, responding to ongoing discussionsin the scientific community “of the viewthat life exists not only elsewhere but eveneverywhere in the cosmos.” Simpsonargued, “We are now spending billions ofdollars a year and an enormouslydisproportionate part of our badly neededengineering and scientific manpower onspace programs. The prospective discoveryof extraterrestrial life is advanced as oneof the major reasons, or excuses, for this.Let us face the fact that this is a gamble atthe most adverse odds in history.”

In 1959, NASA funded its firstexobiology investigation, a life-detectionexperiment intended for launch on theViking mission to Mars. While thisinvestigation ultimately did not fly on themission, it did help to kick-start exobiologyat NASA. In 1960, the agency established

an exobiology research and analysisprogram, whose early managers adoptedan approach to advancing this field of studyby funding forward-thinking, boundary-bending, multidisciplinary researchprojects that the National ScienceFoundation and other government researchorganizations tended to judge as too risky.Later managers of the program maintainedthis approach, which continues today.

NASA’s Viking missions to Mars,launched in 1976, included threeexobiology experiments designed to lookfor evidence of life on that planet. Thescientific consensus was, and still is, thatthose experiments did not yield anyevidence of biological activity on Mars.Nonetheless, Mars remains a primary focusof astrobiology.

By the 1980s, NASA expanded itsexobiology program to encompass studiesof evolutionary biology. In the 1990s,NASA again expanded the breadth anddepth of this program, broadening theboundaries of “exobiology” to establish“astrobiology” as a program encompassingstudies of chemical evolution in interstellarspace, the formation and evolution of

planets, and the natural history of Earth inaddition to exobiology and evolutionarybiology.

Astrobiology TodayNASA’s Astrobiology Program

addresses three fundamental questions:How does life begin and evolve? Is therelife beyond Earth and, if so, how can wedetect it? What is the future of life on Earthand in the universe? In striving to answerthese questions and improve understandingof biological, planetary and cosmicphenomena and relationships among them,experts in astronomy and astrophysics,Earth and planetary sciences, microbiologyand evolutionary biology, cosmochemistry,and other relevant disciplines areparticipating in astrobiology research andhelping to advance the enterprise of spaceexploration.

Astrobiology is a research and analysisprogram of the Planetary Science Divisionin NASA’s Science Mission Directorate(SMD). As an R&A program, it supportsresearch and technology development thatcontribute to missions. The NationalResearch Council, in its 2006 assessment

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A false color composite of Jupiter’s moon Europa as captured by the Galileo spacecraft.Triple bands, lineae and mottled terrains appear in brown and reddish hues, indicating thepresence of Contaminants in the ice. The icy plains, shown here in bluish hues, subdivideinto units with different albedos at infrared wavelengths probably because of differences inthe grain size of the ice. (Source: NASA/JPL)

of balance in NASA’s science programs,described the role that Astrobiology playsin the SMD’s science portfolio:

“The decadal surveys for astrophysicsand for solar system exploration bothembraced astrobiology as a key componentof their programs, with the questionsencompassed by astrobiology serving asoverarching themes for the programs as awhole. The missions put forward in thesolar system exploration survey are all keymissions in astrobiology, whether they arelabeled as such or not. And issues andmissions related to astrobiology representone of the key areas of interest identified

in the astronomy and astrophysicscommunities.”

The Astrobiology Program has severalelements: Exobiology and EvolutionaryBiology, a basic grants program;Astrobiology Science and TechnologyInstrument Development, which supportsresearch and development on missioninstruments and concepts; AstrobiologyScience and Technology for ExploringPlanets, which funds field expeditions toconduct research and test systems forplanetary missions; and an AstrobiologySmall Payloads program. The AstrobiologyProgram is guided by a “roadmap” of goals

and objectives that is generated by thescience community and updated every 5years. The work of the Program is closelycoordinated with NASA’s MarsExploration Program and the agency’sPlanetary Protection Officer.

The Science of AstrobiologyThe study of the origins and evolution

of life on Earth, the origin and evolutionof Earth itself and its sister planets, theorigins and evolution of life in the universe,and the origins and evolution of theuniverse itself are intricately intertwined.In their research on these topics,astrobiologists have learned that life as weknow it – that is, carbon-based cellular life– can survive in virtually all terrestrialenvironmental extremes, from nuclearradiation to permafrost and Earth’s deepsubsurface. At the same time that studiesof the origin, evolution, and distribution oflife on Earth are revealing that life is highlyresilient, these same lines of research arehelping to reveal how life and itsenvironment are deeply interdependent,improving understanding of life on Earthand prospects for life elsewhere, andcontributing to understanding of globalclimate history and evolution.

Since the formal establishment of theNASA Astrobiology Program in the ‘90s,the field of astrobiology has grown rapidly,the pace of discovery has been brisk, andthe possibility of extraterrestrial life hasbecome a serious scientific question.Recent research findings that are relevantto astrobiology include evidence of pastand perhaps even present liquid water onMars, an ice-covered liquid water oceanon Europa, the discovery of hundreds ofextrasolar planets, plumes of water-iceparticles erupting from Saturn’s moonEnceladus, the possibility of liquid waterbeneath the surface of Titan, andidentification of new forms of microbiallife in an ever-widening range of extremeEarth environments. Mars is nowconsidered the best – though not the only– place to look for evidence ofextraterrestrial life, past or present, in oursolar system.

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SPACE TIMES • March/April 2010 13

Astrobiologists are identifying“biomarkers” – for instance, the presenceof certain gases at certain levels in aplanetary atmosphere – that would besignals for the possible presence ofextraterrestrial life as we know it. Earthlife is carbon-based, requires water as asolvent, and needs energy (solar,geothermal, or chemical). At the same time,they are also attempting to definebiomarkers for extraterrestrial life as wedon’t know it – non-carbon-based, usingsolvents other than water, involvingdifferent energy sources and chemicalreactions.

In the 21st century, astrobiology is afocus of a growing number of NASAmissions. While the search for extrasolarplanets, including habitable planets, is amajor element of NASA’s program inastronomy and astrophysics, theAstrobiology Program sponsors efforts toidentify and characterize habitable

planetary environments. In 2009, NASAlaunched the Kepler mission, which seeksto discover Earth-sized planets aroundother stars by measuring minute changesin the star’s light curve as the planet passesbetween the star and the spacecraft.Astrobiologists are watching this missionclosely.

In 1996, a NASA-sponsored team ofscientists claimed that they had found whatthey believed to be fossil evidence ofancient microbial life in a martianmeteorite (ALH 84001). While this teamis continuing its analyses, the scientificconsensus today is that while fossilevidence of past microbial life on Marsmay very well exist, analysis of ALH84001 or any other martian meteorite fundon Earth has not yet yielded any evidenceof biology on Mars. Meanwhile, planetarymissions such as Mars Odyssey, the MarsReconnaissance Orbiter, the MarsExploration Rovers, and the Phoenix

lander have generated data thatastrobiologists are using to probe themartian environment for evidence ofhabitability and to further understand thehistory of water there. In 2011, NASAplans to launch its first dedicatedastrobiology mission to Mars since Viking– the Mars Science Laboratory, a multi-billion-dollar lander/rover that willcontinue the search for past or presenthabitability on Mars.

On a smaller scale, the AstrobiologySmall Payloads initiative is supportinginstrument and concept development forsmall missions, including a proposed“ExoplanetSat” mission. Astrobiology’sfirst Small Payloads project is a so-callednanosat mission known as O/OREOS(Organism/Organic Exposure to OrbitalStresses), which is scheduled to launchsome time in 2010 from Kodiak Island. TheNASA Ames Research Center’s SmallSpacecraft Division has developed the firsttriple-cube nanosatellite with twocompletely independent, interchangeablebiological-and-chemical science payloadsfor the O/OREOS mission. The dual aimof this mission is to do science anddemonstrate technology.

Other technology developmentssupported by the Astrobiology Programinclude new trace gas/isotope detectors, anovel sampling technique involvingdesorption by sputtering with meta-stablehelium, and a microscale capillaryelectrochromatography instrumentconceived for Titan exploration.

Astrobiology WorldwideLike many fields of research,

astrobiology is inherently transnational.Australia, Canada, France, Germany,India, Russia, Spain, and the UnitedKingdom are among a growing number ofnations that are funding astrobiologyresearch. International collaborations inastrobiology are common, and NASAastrobiologists collaborate with otherscientists around the world on dataanalysis, field research, flight experiments,mission planning, and more. Field sites for

A rendering of the O/OREOS cubesat which will test how micro-organisms survive andadapt to the stresses in space as well as monitor the stability of organic molecules in space.(Source: Chris Beasley/NASA)

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Dr. Billings is a Research Professor inthe School of Media and Public Affairsat The George Washington University,a Principal Investigator for the NASAAstrobiology Program, and a memberof the AAS Board of Directors. Formore information on NASA’sAstrobiology Program, see http://astrobiology.nasa.gov.

astrobiology research have ranged fromAntarctica to Alaska, Australia, Canada,Chile, China, Mexico, Norway, andHawaii, as well as elsewhere in thecontinental United States.

In 2009, NASA and the European SpaceAgency (ESA) agreed to collaborate on ajoint Mars exploration program.Astrobiology will be a growing focus offuture missions to Mars. The NASAAstrobiology Program supports the workof U.S. investigators who are developinginstruments for the ESA’s ExoMarsmission to study the biochemicalenvironment on Mars. The ultimate goalfor the global astrobiology community is aMars sample return mission.

NASA also collaborates withastrobiologists from other nations throughinternational organizations such as theCommittee on Space Research (COSPAR)of the International Council for Science.COSPAR’s Scientific Commission F onLife Sciences as Related to Space has aSubcommission (F3) on Astrobiology, andCOSPAR maintains a Panel on PlanetaryProtection that draws heavily oninternational astrobiology expertise todefine measures to avoid planetary cross-contamination.

The science community organizesbiennial astrobiology science conferences(called “AbSciCons”) to report on latestresearch findings and plans for futurestudies. AbSciCon 2010 will take place inApril in League City, Texas. Among keyscience questions to be addressed at thismeeting are: Did life on Earth begin in an“RNA world,” a “DNA world,” or someother kind of world? What was early Earthlike, and how and when did it becomehabitable? How hellish was the HadeanEarth? How do catastrophic events, suchas asteroid or comet impacts, shapeplanetary environments and affecthabitability?

The FutureIf the first 50 years provide any hints,

what we can expect to learn about life inthe universe over the next 50 years is, put

simply, the unexpected. Thirty years ago,for example, the scientific consensus wasthat Mars was, and likely always had been,cold and dry and lifeless. Today, theconsensus is that Mars was, and perhapsstill is, wet and habitable, and space-faringnations worldwide are working on plansfor the further exploration of this planet.Seasonally fluctuating quantities ofmethane in the atmosphere of Mars,detected in recent years, are of greatinterest to astrobiologists as a possibleindicator of subsurface microbial life. Thesource of the methane could be abiogenicas well, and research is under way toresolve this mystery.

On Earth, the study of extremophiliclife, virtually unknown when NASAinitiated its exobiology program andspurred on by NASA support, is now athriving and growing field of study whoseimportance extends far beyond the field ofastrobiology. In attempting to learn aboutthe origin and evolution of life,astrobiologists studying microbialcommunities in extreme environments onEarth have discovered in recent years thatthe limits within which terrestrial life canexist are far broader and that the diversityof microbial life here is far greater thanscientists used to think. These findings arecontributing to the important field ofgenomics (the study of genes and theirfunctions), aiding planning for experimentsand missions to search for evidence ofpossible life on Mars and other planetarybodies, and generally improvingunderstanding of the nature and diversityof life.

Exobiology and astrobiology haveturned out to be highly fruitful lines ofscientific inquiry, and they promise to bemore and more productive as an increasingnumber of space exploration missionsinclude biology investigations. Prospectsare rosy for increasing cross-disciplinarycollaborations and interagency andinternational cooperation. The subject ofastrobiology is of great interest to a widevariety of audiences, and this interest willcontinue to grow as astrobiology

investigations are launched on a risingnumber of space exploration missions.Communication, education, and publicoutreach are important to the scientificenterprise of astrobiology, and studenttraining is especially important to its future,from undergraduate to post-doctoral levels.

It is, of course, impossible to predictwhat astrobiologists will know about theorigin, evolution, distribution, and futureof life in the universe when the time comesto celebrate the 100th anniversary ofexobiology and astrobiology. But it isreasonable to expect that it will be a greatdeal, and that it may be profound.

A popular way of donating to anorganization is through a gift by means ofa will (i.e., to make a bequest). You maydecide to consider either a general bequestto the American Astronautical Society(AAS) or a bequest targeted to an existingor new AAS scholarship or an award fund.

These bequests are deductible againstestate and inheritance taxes. There arealso tax advantages when makingcharitable donations to the AAS while youare living. Such gifts could contribute tothe memory of someone who has passedaway or be made in the honor of a personwho is still alive. In addition, specialoccasions offer opportunities for gifts to bedirected to the Society.

As a final note, although the AAS is ableto provide suggestions for charitable giving,your financial or legal advisor should beconsulted about such actions.

Charitable Givingand the AAS

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AAS NEWS

Awards Presented at the Space FlightMechanics 2010 Winter Meeting

President’s Recognition Award recipient Peter Bainum (left) andFrank Slazer

President’s Recognition Award recipient Bob Jacobs (left) and AASPresident Frank SlazerBrouwer Award recipient Bruce Conway (left) and Daniel Scheeres

Deadline for 2010 AASFellow nominations is

June 14.

Deadline for 2010 AASaward nominations is

July 26.

See www.astronautical.org fordetails and past recipients

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New Budget Impacts Goddard SymposiumDiscussion

AAS NEWS

The 48th annual Robert H. GoddardMemorial Symposium was held March 9-11, 2010 at the Greenbelt Marriott Hotel inGreenbelt, Maryland. This was the firstgeneral professional meeting within theaerospace industry since the recent NASAbudget announcement.

“This year’s symposium was well-timed,just weeks after the announcement ofNASA’s upcoming budget,” noted Dr.Harley Thronson, second-year chair of thesymposium planning committee. “As wehad anticipated, there was lots of livelydiscussion, and we enjoyed the largestturnout in years.”

Rob Strain, Goddard Center Director,provided opening remarks for two days ofpresentations and discussion under thetheme ‘Earth and Beyond: The NextDecades’. He also introduced the first-day

keynote speaker, NASA DeputyAdministrator Lori Garver.

“The 2011 NASA budget enables NASAto align with the priorities of the Nationincluding economic development,international leadership, education, and theenvironment,” Garver said. She spoke of abudget that will provide an additional $6billion over the next five years for newtechnology and additional provision forspace station operations. According toGarver, the new plan is predicated oncommercial capability for cargo and crew,transformational capability with technologydemonstrations, and sustainableexploration.

A panel discussion moderated by AlanLadwig, Deputy Associate Administrator forPublic Outreach at NASA, concluded themorning session. Panel participants

included Ed Weiler, AssociateAdministrator for Science, Doug Cooke,Associate Administrator for ExplorationSystems, and Jaiwon Shin, AssociateAdministrator for Aeronautics Research.Also on the panel, David Radzanowski,Deputy Associate Administrator forProgram Integration, Space OperationsMission Directorate, stated the additional$2 billion in the 2011 budget will allow theInternational Space Station to operateproductively for the next five years.

Luncheon speaker, Jeff Greason,President of XCOR Aerospace and memberof the Review of Human Spaceflight PlansCommittee, spoke of an inadequate budgetfor NASA’s Constellation Program. “It wasdesigned for a budget twice what it got,”Greason said. He outlined a strategy basedon available technology as prerequisite indetermining future exploration destinationsincluding Mars.

Following Greason, Frank Slazer, AASPresident, presented the 2008 Eugene M.Emme Award for Astronautical Literatureto David Mindell for his book DigitalApollo: Human and Machine in Spaceflight,the AAS Melbourne W. Boynton 2009Award to Joan Vernikos, and the 2010 AASAdvancement of International CooperationAward to Arnold Frutkin.

Afternoon sessions addressedCommercial Missions to the ISS andBeyond, moderated by Brett Alexander, andImpact of Extreme Space Weather onLogistics and the Economy moderated byMolly Macauley. Former astronaut BrewsterShaw of The Boeing Company provided thefirst day wrap-up. He stated the 2011 budgetis not the exit for human spaceflight butprovides enabling technology to continueand sustain human spaceflight.

Second-day keynote speaker BobbyBraun, NASA’s Chief Technologist,described a new technology programrecommended in both the Augustine and

by Michael Calabrese and Dewayne Washington

NASA Deputy Administrator Lori Garver (Source: NASA GSFC)

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AAS NEWS

National Research Council reports. Hecharacterized NASA’s technology efforts asa major component of the Nation’sinnovative engine.

Robert Jacobs, Deputy AssociateAdministrator for NASA Public Affairs,moderated a media panel entitled Excitingand Informing the Public. The panel,consisting mostly of journalists, spoke of thedeclining resources and media dedicationto the reporting of space and science news.They also challenged what they considernews-making events. “You’ve already beento the moon, but if you were to go to anasteroid, now that would be news,” said JeffFoust of The Space Review.

The day two luncheon featured ElizabethRobinson, NASA Chief Financial Officer,providing detailed information about the2011 budget. Afternoon highlights includeda panel discussion entitled Science andNASA’s Human Space Flight Programmoderated by Hubble-servicing astronautJohn Grunsfeld. A panel of representativesfrom the European, Indian, Japanese, andChinese space agencies spoke of theircountry’s ‘International Goals for Space’,moderated by Brendan Curry.

which emphasized the importance ofindependent and redundant space andground climate observation systems in orderto guarantee reliable data.

Closing out the symposium, Jim Crockerfrom Lockheed Martin presented somethoughts about the two-day event writtenby a large group of students attending fromthe University of Illinois. The students wroteof being inspired by the big picture andcompelling topics of space exploration.

“The feedback from our AAS membersand attendees indicates that they were blownaway by the quality of this year’s program,”said Jim Kirkpatrick, Executive Director,AAS. “The timely theme supported a spacepolicy discussion of NASA intransformation with a breadth of topicscovered by a diversity of presenters. We alsowere thrilled by the excellent attendance.”

Presentations are posted atwww.astronautical.org

The final presentation, Space and GlobalClimate Change, moderated by NancyColleton, featured a highly interactive panel

Michael Calabrese is a NASA GoddardSpace Flight Center Emeritus. DewayneWashington is a public affairs specialistfor the NASA Goddard Space FlightCenter.

Left to right: Harley Thronson, Alan Ladwig, Doug Cooke, David Radzanowksi, Jaiwon Shin,and Ed Weiler (Source: NASA GSFC)

University of Illinois students among the 400 attendees (Source: NASA GSFC)

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CALL FOR PAPERS DEADLINE FOR NEW ABSTRACTS: April 30, 2010

Announcement and Call for Papers

AIM OF THE CONFERENCEThe American Astronautical Society (AAS), the Chinese Society of Astronautics (CSA), and the Japanese Rocket Society(JRS) are pleased to hold jointly the 12th International Space Conference of Pacific-basin Societies (ISCOPS) from July 27-30, 2010 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The aim of the conference is to provide a forum for space decision-makers, experts,engineers, and scientists to exchange ideas and experiences in space technology and discuss the future of space developmentand its applications, mainly in the Pacific Basin countries, under the theme “Applications of Space Technology for Humanity.”

CONFERENCE VENUE AND LANGUAGEThe 12th ISCOPS will be held in Montreal, Canada, at the Delta Montreal Hotel. English will be the working language of theconference.

MAIN SESSIONSA. National and International Space ProgramsB. International Students Conference and Competition (graduate level)C. Technical Sessions

C.1. Astrodynamics, Guidance and Control (including space robotics and ground operations)C.2. Satellite Communications, Broadcasting and Tracking, Telemetry and CommandC.3. Satellite Remote Sensing, Meteorology, Small Satellite Systems/Constellations, etc.C.4. Human Space Flight, Space Station and Pacific Space Ports, and Lunar Research and

ExplorationC.5. Materials and StructuresC.6. Space Transportation and PropulsionC.7. Micro-gravity Sciences, including Space Debris Environment, and Life SciencesC.8. Moon, Mars, and Robotic Exploration

ABSTRACTSAuthors of previously accepted abstracts will be required only to indicate that they wish to continue or wish to withdraw theirabstract. New abstracts for proposed papers must be received by April 30, 2010. An abstract of 1,000 to 1,500 words inEnglish should be submitted to the regional representatives with Microsoft Word and/or PDF documents as attachments.Student abstracts for Session B should clearly indicate the level (Masters or Ph.D.) and the name of the student presenter.Supporting figures and tables are encouraged. Authors are requested to prepare their abstracts as follows: single spacing;starting in the top quarter of the page include title, full names of all authors, affiliation and mailing addresses of all authors,a designated contact author, email addresses, phone, and facsimile numbers, and no less than two key words. Authorsshould suggest the most suitable session for their presentation. The AAS Instructions for the Preparation of Manuscriptsremain unchanged.

REGIONAL REPRESENTATIVESAAS – Professor Peter Bainum AAS – Professor Arun MisraDepartment of Mechanical Engineering Department of Mechanical EngineeringHoward University McGill University2300 Sixth Street NW 817 Sherbrooke Street WWashington, DC 20059 USA Montreal, Quebec H3A 2K6 CANADATel: 1-202-806-6612 or 1-301-530-9690 Tel: 1-514-398-6288Fax: 1-202-806-5258 or 1-202-483-1396 Fax: 1-514-398-7365Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected](for North and South American and all other participants) (for North and South American and all other participants)

12th International Space Conference of Pacific-basin Societies (ISCOPS)Delta Montréal Hotel, Montréal, Quebec, CanadaJuly 27-30, 2010

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JRS – Professor Yasuhiro Morita CSA – Ms. Zhang ChiThe Institute of Space and Astronautical Science, JAXA Chinese Society of Astronautics3-1-1 Yoshinodai PO Box 838Sagamihara, Kanagawa 229-8510 JAPAN Beijing 100830 CHINAFax: +81-42-759-8458 Fax: +86-1068768624Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected](for Japanese participants) (for Chinese participants)

PROCEEDINGS AND REPRINTSProceedings will be published by the AAS after the conference. Although participants will receive the proceedings on a CD,hardcopy versions may be ordered for an additional charge. Full papers in English should be prepared according to formatand instructions supplied by the AAS publisher. These will be sent to the authors of all accepted papers. Authors arerequested to bring a one hardcopy of their own papers to the conference, plus a copy on a memory stick. Following theconference, the authors will have time to make corrections to their manuscripts before submission to the AAS publisher.

CONFERENCE FEES Full Participant USD 550 Full Participant (Retired) USD 350 All Student Participants USD 70 Accompanying Person USD 150

Full participant and student registration fees include admission to all technical sessions and social programs, including thewelcome reception, the award banquet, coffee breaks, and a half-day technical visit, as well as the proceedings of theconference. Additional banquet tickets may be purchased for USD 50.

TECHNICAL VISITA half-day technical visit to the Canadian Space Agency will be organized on Friday afternoon, July 30, 2010, free of chargefor full and student participants. Roundtrip bus transportation will be provided between the conference site and the CanadianSpace Agency. All participants of the technical tour must be pre-registered, even if conference fees will be paid at theconference. Names, affiliations, addresses, and passport information must be provided. At the time of the visit, all participantsmust display passports, and Canadians must have passports or other appropriate identification.

SOCIAL EVENTSThe welcome reception will be held on the evening of July 27, 2010. A banquet will be held on the evening of July 29, 2010,together with the award presentations for full and student participants. Additional banquet tickets may be purchased for USD50.

ACCOMMODATIONSAccommodations are available at the Delta Montreal Hotel at special rates through June 25. Individual reservations may bemade at http://www.deltamontreal.com/gnaas1, by telephone (1-514-286-1986) or fax (1-514-284-4306). Within North America,the following toll-free telephone number may be used: 1-877-286-1986. Low cost transportation is available by bus fromMontreal International Airport (YUL) to downtown hotels. Alternatively, a taxi may be more convenient, especially for groupsof two or more.

POST-CONGRESS TOURSISCOPS does not plan to organize post-congress tours. However, Montreal is close to Quebec City, Ottawa, Toronto,Niagara Falls, and other attractions in eastern Canada. Please check with your travel agency or airline to obtain the leastexpensive combined airfare.

VISASCertain participants of the 12th ISCOPS will require visas in order to enter Canada. Those participants should identifythemselves as soon as possible, and official individual letters of invitation will be sent on behalf of ISCOPS, signed by anappropriate Canadian ISCOPS official.

For additional information, please contact Professors Peter Bainum or Arun Misra, or Mr. Jim Kirkpatrick, Executive Director,AAS Business Office, 6352 Rolling Mill Place, Suite 102, Springfield, Virginia 22152-2370 USA, Tel: 1-703-866-0020, Fax:1-703-866-3526, Email: [email protected]

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___________________________________________________________________________________Mr./Ms./Dr. Last Name First Name

___________________________________________________________________________________Title Company

___________________________________________________________________________________Address

___________________________________________________________________________________City State Zip Code

___________________________________________________________________________________

Membership Application703-866-0020

www.astronautical.org

Membership TypeMember .............................. $85Affiliate ........................... $85Senior Member ............ $100Retired ............................. $35Teacher (K-12) .............. $35Student (full-time) ....... $35

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Mail to: AAS6352 Rolling Mill Place, Suite 102Springfield, VA 22152-2370

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Membership Benefits Include: Subscriptions to the quarterly The Journal of the Astronautical Sci-

ences and the bi-monthly Space Times magazine, as well as reduced rates at all AAS conferences.

Visit the AAS website for additional information about benefits.

In MemoriamAaron Cohen, an engineer who worked on the

spacecraft used in the Apollo moon program and wholater, as director of the Johnson Space Center, helpedNASA recover after the Challenger explosion, diedFebruary 25 at his home in College Station, Texas.He was 79.

Michael L. Coats, the Johnson Space Center’scurrent director, wrote in a message to employeesannouncing Mr. Cohen’s death that his efforts hadbeen critical to the successes of all six American lunarlandings. He was a leader in the space program formore than three decades, “with scientific andprogrammatic experience that is unparalleled,” Mr.Coats wrote.

“Aaron provided the critical and calm guidanceneeded at the Johnson Space Center to successfullyrecover from the Challenger accident and return thespace shuttle to flight,” Charles F. Bolden Jr., theadministrator of NASA, said in a statement.

Mr. Cohen left NASA in 1993. He then taughtengineering at Texas A&M University, his alma mater.He is survived by his wife, Ruth, and his three children,Daniel, David, and Nancy Santana.

Paul McCall, graduate student, Florida InternationalUniversity, has been awarded the annual Lady MamieNgan Memorial Scholarship to attend the SpaceStudies Program at the International Space University(ISU).

Held this year, June 28 through August 27, inStrasbourg, France, the 23rd Space Studies Programis a nine-week immersion in the study of humankind’sevolving experience of space. Thanks to the generosityof Dr. Horace Ngan, who funds the scholarship inmemory of his mother, recipients receive welcomeassistance to help meet the $23,000 tuition.

For more information on ISU, visit www.isunet.edu.

AAS Awards 2010 LadyMamie Ngan Memorial

Scholarship

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UPCOMING EVENTS

AAS Events Schedule

*AAS Cosponsored Meetings

AerojetThe Aerospace CorporationAir Force Institute of Technologya.i. solutions, inc.Analytical Graphics, Inc.Applied Defense Solutions, Inc.Applied Physics Laboratory / JHUArianespaceAuburn UniversityBall Aerospace & Technologies Corp.The Boeing CompanyBraxton Technologies, Inc.Computer Sciences CorporationDittmar Associates, Inc.Edge Space Systems, Inc.Embry-Riddle Aeronautical UniversityGeneral Dynamics AISGeorge Mason University/CAPRHoneywell Technology Solutions, Inc.International Space UniversityJet Propulsion LaboratoryKinetX, Inc.Lockheed Martin CorporationNational Institute of AerospaceN. Hahn & Co., Inc.NoblisNorthrop GrummanOrbital Sciences CorporationParagon Space Development CorporationThe Pennsylvania State UniversityPhillips & CompanyRaytheonRWI International Consulting ServicesSAICThe Tauri GroupTechnica, Inc.Texas A&M UniversityUnited Launch AllianceUnivelt, Inc.Universal Space NetworkUniversities Space Research AssociationUniversity of Alabama in HuntsvilleUniversity of FloridaUniversity of Texas at AustinUtah State University / Space Dynamics LabWomen in Aerospace

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May 13-14, 2010George H. Born SymposiumUniversity of ColoradoBoulder, Coloradowww.space-flight.org

May 17-19, 2010Kyle T. Alfriend Astrodynamics SymposiumMonterey Plaza Hotel & SpaMonterey, Californiawww.space-flight.org

June 11-13, 2010*6th Student CanSat CompetitionAmarillo, Texaswww.cansatcompetition.com

July 27-30, 2010*International Space Conference of Pacific-basin Societies(ISCOPS)Delta Montréal HotelMontréal, Quebec, Canadawww.astronautical.orgDeadline for new abstracts is April 15, 2010

August 2-5, 2010*AIAA/AAS Astrodynamics Specialist ConferenceSheraton Centre TorontoToronto, Ontario, Canadawww.aiaa.org

November 17-18, 2010AAS National Conference“ISS Utilization”Cocoa Beach, Floridawww.astronautical.org

February 4-9, 2011AAS Guidance and Control ConferenceBeaver Run Resort and Conference CenterBreckenridge, Coloradowww.aas-rocky-mountain-section.org

February 13-17, 2011*AAS/AIAA Space Flight Mechanics Winter MeetingLoews New Orleans HotelNew Orleans, Louisianawww.space-flight.org

March 30-31, 201149th Robert H. Goddard Memorial SymposiumGreenbelt MarriottGreenbelt, Marylandwww.astronautical.org

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NOTES ON A NEW BOOK

Twilight War: The Folly of U.S. Space DominanceReveiwed by R. Cargill Hall

R. Cargill Hall retired as Chief Historian of the NationalReconnaissance Office. He currently serves as a consultantto ManTech International Corporation.

Twilight War: The Folly of U.S. Space Dominance by MikeMoore. Oakland, California: The Independent Institute, 2008.391 pages. $24.95 (hardback, introduction, endnotes, appendices,index).

Mike Moore is a Research Fellow at the Independent Institutein Oakland, California, and a former editor of The Bulletin ofthe Atomic Scientists, a “peace and security magazine” foundedby members of the Manhattan District (atomic bomb project)after World War II. The author it must be said, is up front withhis reader. He identifies himself as a “liberal internationalist”and, in the Preface and Introduction, affirms that the U.S. isintent on securing world-wide military space dominance by meansof earth- and space-based weapons. Moore points to PresidentsReagan, Bush 41 and 43, and Clinton, as the leaders primarilyresponsible in recent years for space policies that embrace thisunwise objective, an objective reinforced culturally by “Americanexceptionalism” and “triumphalism.” The Chinese anti-satellite(ASAT) test against one of its decommisioned weather satellitesin 2007, which incidentally created a cloud of dangerous highaltitude oribital debris, was, he asserts, a reactive shot acrossthe bow of American efforts at space dominance. Moore is movedto declare that “if a Cold War in space develops, . . . the UnitedStates will have incited it” (page 2).

How might we avoid an American-prompted military armsrace in space? The answer, he insists, is an international spacetreaty that would exclude the development and use of space relatedweapons. Moore calls this prospective treaty “Prevention of anArms Race in Outer Space” (PAROS), which, if properly drawn,he believes might be made fully verifiable. Signatories wouldhave to be willing to destroy the spaceports of those states thatviolated treaty provisions.

To support his U.S. space dominance paradigm, Mooredevotes the bulk of 16 chapters to historical surveys of Americanmilitary space affairs, policy, and doctrine as it unfolded afterWorld War II. Much of his history is credible, but he selects asplaceholders some of the most unrestrained pronouncements ofspace enthusiasts, from Generals Arnold, Gavin, White, andSchriever to von Braun, Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld, andothers who have at one time or another recommended unilateralspace control. These statements woven together with assertions

contained in various Air Force space strategy and planningdocuments, and U.S. space commission reports, lead the authorto conclude that an arrogant America is moving inexorably towardmilitary domination of space, with PAROS as the only answerto it. But neither the musings of government officials nor thecontentions of commission reports make national space policy.It is made through presidential pronouncements that are endorsedby Congress, public law and international convention, and,perhaps most important, classified presidential NSC directives.Although Moore is familiar with the relevant international spacetreaties and domestic statutes (e.g., the National Aeronauticsand Space Act) that help shape U.S. space policy, he did nothave access to (or at least did not use) the declassified presidentialspace policy directives issued through the National SecurityCouncil, beginning with President Eisenhower. These directives,which explicitly set forth national military and intelligence spacepolicy, became publicly available in 2007 (Journal of SpaceLaw, Vol. 33, No. 1). And, with the possible exception of PresidentReagan’s Strategic Defense Initiative, they do not portend thedire threat to international peace and security that so conflictsthe author. A more balanced historical assessment of this subjectcan be found in Politics of Space Security: Strategic Restraintand the Pursuit of National Interests by James Clay Moltz.

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