May 2018
PLATO the habitable zone explorer
... from or approaches the Earth), astronomers were able to identify a periodic signal arising from the gravitational tug-of-war between the star and the planet. This let them work out the planet’s mass and...
July 2018
A moment in space and time
...of civilization of Earth shows that humankind is moving in a spiral and cannot break the circle of endless bloody wars and separation of territories and resources,” said Dr Ashurbeyli. “All this is referred to by a peaceful sounding word ‘geopolitics...
August 2018
Flouting the rules on satellite registrations
...provide information “promptly”. Given the enormous technological progress since the 1970s and the absence of Cold War antagonisms, “as soon as practicable” can be inferred as “promptly”. At present the delay in registering satellites generally stands...
October 2018
The ethics of space exploration
...that narrative of space exploration. As a technology enthusiast, I am delighted – except, of course, for the seemingly inevitable space war. The progress we are making is beyond all hope. Part of me, however, is concerned by the wasteful rush towards...
February 2019
Reflections on the future human condition
... an “endless frontier”, to employ the expression used by Vannevar Bush, mastermind of US scientific research during the Second World War, to describe science in a report prepared for President Roosevelt in 1945. But how far is the human being himself...
April 2019
Space launch industry analysis
... laid out his plans for a new ‘Space Force’ branch of the US armed services, he declared that “Space is a war-fighting arena, just like the land, air and sea”. China has carried on with its own...
