The Politics and Perils of Space Exploration ─ Who Will Compete, Who Will Dominate?

Written by a former Aerodynamics Officer on the Space Shuttle program, this book provides a complete overview of the “new” U. S. space program - what NASA is planning to do, how NASA coordinates and provides funding for commercial enterprises, and what is planned for space tourism and outer space exploration. The U.S. space program has changed considerably over the past 50 years as NASA's funding has been cut, and the future of space exploration has become increasingly dependent on other countries and private enterprise. The relationships between NASA and these entities is complex and somewhat dependent on political agreements. In addition, there is doubt whether private enterprise can fill the shoes of NASA and provide the same expertise and safety measures and lessons learned of the NASA space programs. Yet there have also been great accomplishments in this new era, from ESA's Rosetta mission to innovation from commercial space companies. As the environment of space policy changes, Dawson argues why it is still important for America to be at the head of the space frontier and the relevant discoveries of the universe. Now that there are some “failures” in the new space program, such as the crash of the SpaceShipTwo for Virgin Galactic and the explosion of the Antares rocket bringing supplies to the ISS, there is some reason to reconsider how things are working now and what this means going forward.
In order to tell this story, it is important to understand the dangers of outer space, why it is so difficult to explore and utilize the resources in outer space. The science of exploring space is explained, including types of rockets, current technologies and uses. To illustrate the dangers associated with space exploration, some recent and past failures will be discussed, such as the specifics of the SpaceShipTwo crash and the reasons why mistakes become deadly under the conditions required for space travel. The risks are high, and a successful space policy must include learning how to mitigate them.

Linda Dawson received her BS in Engineering Aeronautics and Astronautics from MIT and a Engineering Aeronautics and Astronautics MS from George Washington University at NASA Langley Research Center. She is a Senior Lecturer in Physical Science and Statistics at the University of Washington, Tacoma. Dawson served as Aerodynamics Officer for the Mission Control Center Ascent and Entry Flight Control Teams during the first space shuttle mission. During orbital phases, she served as an advisor on the impact of system failures on the orbiter's re-entry trajectory and configuration. From re-entry through touchdown, she was responsible for monitoring the orbiter's stability and control, advising the crew of any necessary corrective actions. Additionally, she serves on the Education Committee and the Space Committee for the Museum of Flight in Seattle.