Special to CosmicTribune.com, May 12, 2024 Excerpts from weekly Sky&Telescope report. SUNDAY, MAY 12 ■ The thickening crescent Moon shines just left of Pollux this evening. About twice as far to their right, Castor lies nearly on the same line. MONDAY, MAY 13 ■ After dark, use binoculars or a good finderscope to look 3° lower left of […]
Special to CosmicTribune.com, May 8, 2024 Geostrategy-Direct By Richard Fisher On April 17 before the U.S. House of Representative Committee on Appropriations, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) director Bill Nelson expressed his concerns about China beating the United States back to the Moon: “It is incumbent on us to get there first and to […]
Special to CosmicTribune.com, May 1, 2024 Geostrategy-Direct By Richard Fisher Elon Musk’s “surprise” April 28 visit to China to meet with Chinese Premier Li Qiang, blowing off a meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is a continuation of the strategy he has employed to rise above, even to survive near-violent U.S.-China strategic contest: Increase […]
Special to CosmicTribune.com, April 17, 2024 Geostrategy-Direct By Richard Fisher American allies Japan and Turkey have chosen divergent paths to the Moon: Japan via its longstanding alliance with the United States and Turkey via a new potentially problematic alliance with China. Japan long ago decided that its alliance with the United States formed the basis […]
Special to CosmicTribune.com, April 14, 2024 Excerpts from weekly Sky&Telescope report. SATURDAY, APRIL 13 ■ This is the time of year when, as the last of twilight fades away, the bowl of the dim Little Dipper extends straight to the right of Polaris. High above the two end-stars of the Little Dipper’s bowl, you’ll find the two end-stars […]
Special to CosmicTribune.com, April 6, 2024 Excerpts from weekly Sky&Telescope report. FRIDAY, APRIL 5 ■ Shortly after nightfall around this time of year, Arcturus, the bright Spring Star climbing in the east, stands just as high as Sirius, the brighter Winter Star descending in the southwest (for skywatchers at mid-northern latitudes). These are the two brightest stars in […]
Special to CosmicTribune.com, April 3, 2024 Geostrategy-Direct By Richard Fisher A key determinant for future geostrategic space power will be speed, the ability to access distant destinations more rapidly than opponents. Chemical engines dependent on kerosene, methane and oxygen are very slow compared to the potential of nuclear fission propelled engines, that could halve the […]
Special to CosmicTribune.com, March 27, 2024 Geostrategy-Direct By Richard Fisher The United States Space Force is catching on: China’s Moon program is of direct concern to the security of the United States and its allies. During a March 18 program sponsored by the Aerospace Corporation, Brigadier Gen. Anthony Mastalir, Commander of the U.S. Space Forces […]
Special to CosmicTribune.com, March 25, 2024 Excerpts from weekly Sky&Telescope report. SUNDAY, MARCH 24 ■ If you haven’t spotted Mercury yet this season, look for it lower right of Jupiter as twilight fades as shown below. Jupiter is magnitude –2.1. Mercury this evening is magnitude –0.1, meaning one sixth as bright. And that’s not counting the extra […]
Special to CosmicTribune.com, March 20, 2024 Geostrategy-Direct By Richard Fisher On March 14, the world’s largest man-made flying platform, the 5,000-ton SpaceX Starship, made its partially successful third flight, with 6 more planned for 2024 alone, and with SpaceX leader Elon Musk on March 18 vowing that Starship will reach Mars by 2030. The caveat […]
