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, April 1, 2024 Excerpts from weekly Sky&Telescope report. MONDAY, APRIL 1 ■ The huge, bright Winter Hexagon is still in view early after dark, filling the sky to the southwest and west. Start with brilliant Sirius in the southwest, the Hexagon’s lower left corner. High above Sirius is Procyon. From there look higher upper right […]
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 […]
Special to CosmicTribune.com, February 18, 2024 Excerpts from weekly Sky&Telescope report. SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 18 ■ Canopus, the second-brightest star after Sirius, happens to lie almost due south of Sirius: by 36°. That’s far enough south that it never appears above your horizon unless you’re below latitude 37° N (southern Virginia, southern Missouri, central California). And near there, you’ll […]
Special to CosmicTribune.com, February 4, 2024 Excerpts from weekly Sky&Telescope report. SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 4 Today is the center of winter; we cross the midpoint between the December solstice and the March equinox at 10:16 a.m. EST (15:16 UT). That minute is the very bottom of the wheel of the year, astronomically speaking. In ancient Gaelic cultures this day […]
Special to CosmicTribune.com, January 22, 2024 Excerpts from weekly Sky&Telescope report. MONDAY, JANUARY 22 ■ The gibbous Moon shines in a starry area of the winter sky. Face east in early evening. Upper left of the Moon sparkles bright Capella. A little farther upper right of the Moon is orange Aldebaran. Lower left of the Moon are Castor […]
Special to CosmicTribune.com, January 3, 2024 Geostrategy-Direct By Richard Fisher The year 2023 was significant for China’s space program on a number of levels, starting with the largest number of space launches — 65 — one more than 2022, while 17 were from new “commercial” space companies (CAS Space, Galactic Energy, Landspace, Space Pioneer, Expace, […]
Special to CosmicTribune.com, December 26, 2023, 2023 Excerpts from weekly Sky&Telescope report. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 26 ■ Full Moon tonight (exact at 7:33 p.m. EST). Now shining above the feet of Gemini in the evening, the Moon forms a deeper triangle with Capella and Aldebaran than it did last night. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 27 ■ As the stars come out, face due […]
Special to CosmicTribune.com, October 25, 2023 Geostrategy-Direct By Richard Fisher There are now three countries with announced ambitions to place their people on the Moon; in addition to the United States (late 2025) and China (by 2029), on Oct. 17 Indian Prime Minister Nahendra Modi announced India’s intention to place Indians on the Moon by […]
Special to CosmicTribune.com, October 3, 2023 Excerpts from weekly Sky&Telescope report. SUNDAY, OCTOBER 1 ■ The waning gibbous Moon rises in the east-northeast around the end of twilight. Ten or fifteen minutes later, Jupiter rises just 2° or 3° to the Moon’s lower right. Later in the evening the two shine high, as shown below. These are currently […]
