Projects: Space Information
The Planetary Report
Volume XXI, Number 3, May/June 2001
Credit: NASA / JPL / Malin
Space Science Systems |
On the Cover
In the afternoons of Mars' northern summer, it's not
uncommon to see clouds over the planet's Tharsis volcanoes, visible just
below center in this image. The bright white cloud at left hovers over Olympus
Mons. This portrait, completed on April 10, 1999, is a computer-enhanced
color composite of red and blue image strips taken by Mars Global Surveyor
in March 1999.
From The Editor
This year, Planetary Society activities
will be dominated by Cosmos 1, our
project to launch the first solar sail. So far
the press has focused on either the technical
aspects of the story or the possibility that a
membership group, and not a space agency,
may be the first entity to launch such a
craft. But there is another aspect of the story,
a personal one, that we will be telling in
this issue.
In my 20 years at the Society, I've been
privileged to meet and become friends with
fascinating people from around the world,
and this has been one of the greatest benefits
of working here. Also, I've watched extraordinary
relationships develop, and none has
been more fruitful than that between Lou
Friedman and Slava Linkin. I want to tell
the story of their friendship because, without
it, there would be no Cosmos 1. This story
teaches us that, whatever the forces of history,
human relationships are what really
move the world forward.
So in this issue we'll depart slightly from our accustomed technical and scientific
subject matter and examine a spaceflight project from a more personal angle.
Also, watch for us to continue our in-depth coverage of Cosmos 1, which we
will feature in every issue at least to the end of the year.
Cosmos 1 is an extraordinary effort, involving not only spacecraft scientists
and engineers and our sponsor, Cosmos Studios, but also each and every member
of The Planetary Society. Ours is truly a team with 100,000 members. We are
all involved in every step, each dependent on the others. And together we will
see Cosmos 1 fly.
— Charlene M. Anderson
Features
We Can All Go to Mars
An observer from Mars, carefully following Earth's
various programs designed to
reach the Red Planet, might be profoundly confused about schedules, goals,
and objectives.
Each terrestrial revolution around the Sun brings a new suite of plans
and projects. No wonder
the Earthlings can't reach Mars! The officers of The Planetary Society,
who have also noticed
these constantly shifting targets, have developed an overarching theme
that might provide a
focus for exploring Mars and so get us there a little faster.
To Fly a Solar Sail: A Story of Friendship
Flying a mission to space
is one of the most difficult tasks that groups of humans have
ever attempted. Accomplishment of the task requires that team members be
dedicated not only
to the project but also to one another. The leaders of Cosmos 1, The Planetary
Society's solar
sail mission, have long since proved their dedication to one another and
their goals. Even a
recent accident, which set back the test flight about a month, has not
derailed the mission.
A NEAR Perfect Landing
NEAR Shoemaker has landed on Eros! We first reported
in the November/December
1999 issue of The Planetary Report the possibility that this orbiter might
attempt to touch
down on that small world. Since then, the NEAR team overcame their share
of adversity and
a missed orbital insertion to perform their mission and even go beyond
what some thought
possible. Here are some of the results of their skill and daring.
Red Rover Goes to Mars: Student Scientists Make History
The first round of our Red Rover Goes to Mars contest is over, and the
winners had a
wonderful time this past winter exploring Southern California and investigating
Mars.
They also made an extraordinary discovery using the Mars Global Surveyor
camera: some
mysterious boulders whose appearance even professional scientists cannot
yet explain.
Mars Odyssey: A Good Day to Launch
Glenn Cunningham, former head of
Mars Global Surveyor and now Project Manager of
our Red Rover Goes to Mars project, offers a first-hand report on the launch
of the Mars Odyssey.
DEPARTMENTS
Members’ Dialogue
World Watch
Questions and Answers
Society News
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