More ‘Mischief’ as China plans space launch center In Malaysia

More ‘Mischief’ as China plans space launch center In Malaysia

Special to CosmicTribune.com, May 7, 2025 Geostrategy-Direct By Richard Fisher Thirty years ago in early 1995, Chinese paramilitary naval forces began a crucial phase in the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) objective to impose its control over the South China Sea, clearing the way to secure global hegemony and also, hegemony in space. In those early […]

The sky, May 3-11: Three stars bright

The sky, May 3-11: Three stars bright

Special to CosmicTribune.com, May 4, 2025 Excerpts from weekly Sky&Telescope report. SATURDAY, MAY 3 ■ Now the waxing Moon shines next to Mars. They’re only couple degrees apart. Meanwhile, Mars is less than 1° to the right of the Beehive star cluster, as binoculars or a telescope at low power will reveal. SUNDAY, MAY 4 ■ Mars skims […]

China’s future heavy space launch vehicle was clearly inspired by SpaceX Starship

China’s future heavy space launch vehicle was clearly inspired by SpaceX Starship

Special to CosmicTribune.com, April 20, 2025 Geostrategy-Direct By Richard Fisher April 24 was an active day for the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC); It successfully launched its 20th Shenzhou manned space capsule mission atop its 3.35-meter diameter Long March-3F space launch vehicle (SLV). New information that surfaced the same day affirmed that its […]

The sky, April 27 – May 4: Summer triangle appears in the East

The sky, April 27 – May 4: Summer triangle appears in the East

Special to CosmicTribune.com, April 28, 2025 Excerpts from weekly Sky&Telescope report. SUNDAY, APRIL 27 ■ Arcturus is the brightest star high in the east these evenings. Spica shines lower right of it by about three fists at arm’s length. To the right of Spica by half that distance is the distinctive four-star constellation Corvus, the springtime Crow. […]

Facing fiscal gravity, NASA weighs options for Mars sample return

Facing fiscal gravity, NASA weighs options for Mars sample return

Special to CosmicTribune.com, April 16, 2025 Geostrategy-Direct By Richard Fisher In December 2017, President Donald Trump revived the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) manned mission to the Moon after it had been cancelled by President Barack Obama in 2010. Then, in his Jan. 20, 2025 inauguration speech, Trump lifted NASA’s goals higher by declaring, […]

Space Force issues doctrine as basis for U.S. warfighting capabilities in space

Space Force issues doctrine as basis for U.S. warfighting capabilities in space

Special to CosmicTribune.com, April 9, 2025 Geostrategy-Direct By Richard Fisher President Donald Trump’s first term establishment of the U.S. Space Force in December 2019 was a long-delayed response to China’s creation of a dual-use manned and unmanned military space capability. But a new Space Force Doctrine Document issued on April 4 now outlines the justification […]

The sky, March 29-April 6: The Pleiades, the Moon and Jupiter and the 1st and 2nd

The sky, March 29-April 6: The Pleiades, the Moon and Jupiter and the 1st and 2nd

Special to CosmicTribune.com, March 31, 2025 Excerpts from weekly Sky&Telescope report. SATURDAY, MARCH 29 ■ A partial eclipse of the Sun happens for northeastern North America, Greenland, Iceland, and most of Europe. For most the northeastern U.S. and the Canadian Maritimes, the eclipse will already be under way at sunrise. SUNDAY, MARCH 30 ■ Mars is passing 4° south of […]

To ‘Mars and even far beyond’

To ‘Mars and even far beyond’

Special to CosmicTribune.com, March 12, 2025 Geostrategy-Direct By Richard Fisher It has been a week of momentous space news for the United States, with the March 2 landing of the Firefly Aerospace Blue Ghost unmanned Moon lander, the March 6 failure of the second Intuitive Machines unmanned moon lander, and the March 6 spectacular failure […]

Emphasis on Mars overlooks China’s Moon momentum

Emphasis on Mars overlooks China’s Moon momentum

Special to CosmicTribune.com, February 26, 2025 Geostrategy-Direct By Richard Fisher As the Trump Administration and new National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Administrator Jared Issacman review and reassess the Artemis Moon Program and determine the best way to pursue President Donald Trump’s additional priority to put Americans on Mars, it is also important to keep […]

Putin reminds great powers of Russia’s Mars ambitions

Putin reminds great powers of Russia’s Mars ambitions

Special to CosmicTribune.com, February 13, 2025 Geostrategy-Direct By Richard Fisher President Donald Trump’s Jan. 20 oath to “…plant the Stars and Stripes on the planet Mars” has not gone unnoticed in Russia — and very likely also in China. On Feb. 7 Russian dictator Vladimir Putin touted Russia’s longstanding Mars ambitions even though his space […]