Rod Pyle - Space 2.0: How Private Spaceflight, a Resurgent Nasa, and International Partners Are Creating a New Space Age

CONTENTS

T his book involved well over one hundred individuals who gave generously of their time, effort, and in some cases hard-earned dollars to support its creation. My deepest thanks to all of you.

The next generation of space exploration, what I call Space 2.0, is a moving target. While writing this book, which took almost three years, each set of revisions involved not just editing and improving the manuscript, but updating content due to rapid changes in the spaceflight landscape. As the manuscript progressed, a new US president was inaugurated, NASA cancelled some programs and added new ones, the National Space Council was reactivated, and a dozen new promising, well-financed space start-ups appeared. Large private space efforts, such as those from SpaceX and Blue Origin, matured and evolved over the same period. New spacecraft flew, notable among them being the Falcon Heavy, which launched successfully in February 2018 and removed most remaining doubts about the viability of privately developed reusable rockets. Its been an amazing few years.

I would like to single out a few key individuals who contributed greatly to the publication of Space 2.0.

During the roughly five years from first conception to completion, my stalwart agent, John Willig of Literary Services, Inc., was encouraging and helpful throughout the process. While interest in the marketplace waxed and waned with regard to NewSpace, John continued to represent and promote the book, regardless of my own frustrations. Finding a partner in the publishing business who will work so hard and diligently, both with publishers and the author, is not easy. John has been that partner with unceasing good cheer, optimism, and words of support. He is a rare individual.

To the wonderful folks at BenBella Books, I extend my deepest thanks. Glenn Yeffeth took the leap of faith to engage what has turned out to be a mammoth project. Vy Tran, Lindsay Marshall, Sarah Avinger, Monica Lowry, Adrienne Lang, Alicia Kania, and Heather Butterfield all contributed much to the successful completion of the project. Finally, Jim Lowder, the fine editor assigned to this challenging project, was insightful, balanced, and deeply thoughtful in his editorial suggestions. The book simply would not have been a finished product without his invaluable guidance.

Stan Rosen of the National Space Society brought new life to the project just as I was placing it on the back burner to concentrate on other works. His unstinting support and generosity with his time prompted funding from people outside the publishing marketplace to underwrite the books creation, resulting in an unusual but innovative commissioning process, and to him I will be forever grateful. From soliciting funds to technical input on the manuscript to marketing support, Stan is one of those rare individuals who does exactly what he says he will. He is a leader of the highest order.

Bruce Pittman, also of the National Space Society, was similarly helpful in the process, handling agreements and revisions despite heavy commitments for his work with NASA and the NSS. Bruces leadership of the NSS made navigating sometimes murky waters almost easy, and I am grateful not just for the sake of Space 2.0, but for all the members of the NSS. My deepest thanks.

Mark Hopkins has been deeply and meaningfully engaged with the NSS and its precursor organization, the L5 Society, since the 1970s. He gave freely of his time for interviews and other input for the book, and his leadership of the NSS over many years is to be lauded.

Buzz Aldrin stepped up to write a wonderful foreword from a perspective that only he can claim. He is asked by many to provide much, and it is a testament to his belief in Space 2.0 that he took the time to support the book in a way that only he can. He is a brilliant man with ideas and program concepts that could carry us well into the twenty-second century. I am humbled by his participation in this project.

Jim Vaughan has been a friend for many years, and I have admired his illustration work for far longer than I have known him. His diligent and detail-oriented art speaks for itself, and I am grateful for its inclusion in this book. Jim infuses his space illustrations with a sense of optimism and a dynamic flair that is rare in this field, and he speaks to the viewers heart as few can.

Edwin Sahakian is one of the books key financial supporters and is credited as such, but he is also a newfound friend with a deep interest in the future of space exploration. Owner of a very successful air freight company, Edwin was among the first to step forward when we began the search for underwriting for this important project. His enthusiasm for aerospace and spaceflight is infectious and has doubtless inspired the many students he teaches in his second career as an academician.

To the many folks engaged in opening the space frontier as professionals who generously granted me time for interviews, my deepest thanks. It is not uncommon for such people, all leaders in their fields, to be hesitant to participate in book interviewsyou never know how your statements will be reflected or interpreted after the fact. I appreciate the vote of confidence from these highly placed professionals. Ive done my best to represent them as accurately and thoroughly as time and space allowed. I wish I could have included more of their statements, but books are limited with regard to word counts, so some of their thoughts, observations, and opinions are reflected more strongly in summary text than in direct quotes. My thanks to all of them.

Thanks are also due to the National Space Society, and its many thousands of members and hardworking volunteers, for giving people like myself a second home. While I have enjoyed my various stints with NASA and other spaceflight organizations, the NSS provides a forum to exchange thoughts and ideas that is incredibly beneficial. There are thousands of well-informed individuals in the organization, and many of them contributed to this book either directly or indirectly. To each, my thanks.

Finally, my deepest thanks to Aggie Kobrin, Mike Kobrin, Dave Dressler, Geoffrey Notkin, Howard Bloom, Lynne Zielinski, Art Dula, Buckner Hightower, Ronnie Lajoie, Joe Redfield, Fred Becker, Hoyt Davidson, Gary Barnhard, Dave Stuart, Larry Ahearn, Dale Skran, Al Anzaldua, Madhu Thangavelu, Ken Hoagland, Kirby Ikin, Carol Stoker, Greg Autry, Rhonda Stevenson, John Mankins, Nat Sushereba, Chantelle Baier, Ken Hoagland, and the many other volunteers who work hard each year to keep the dream alive via the International Space Development Conference. Without their untiring work, the NSS would simply not be what it is. The International Space Development Conference (ISDC) is a place to meet, network, learn, and have a few much-needed laughs. Along with a fine quarterly magazine, Ad Astra, which I am privileged to edit, the ISDC is a primary benefit of belonging to the NSS. If you love space but have not been to the conference, you owe it to yourself to attend.

R od Pyle is a space author, journalist, and historian who has written thirteen books on space history, exploration, and development for major publishers that have been published in seven languages. He is the senior editor of Ad Astra magazine, the quarterly print publication of the National Space Society, and his articles have frequently appeared in Space.com, LiveScience, Futurity, Huffington Post, and WIRED.

Pyle has written extensively for NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory and Caltech, and authored the