Space Technology

Studies and Customers

M/B Research has assisted the Space Dynamics Laboratory, Utah State University, in both the technical and marketing arenas for its space-based sensor technologies.

M/B Research has produced two major technical books relevant to space technology: Emerging Technologies Vol. III (which has a chapter on advanced space propulsion) and the two-volume Electromagnetic Launch Systems. Both were published by Forecast International/DMS International of Newtown CT, (203)426-0800. The president of M/B Research, Carolyn Meinel, also wrote a significant portion of the first edition of Forecast International's World Space Systems Forecast. This book is the bible of space technology market research.

M/B Research has also done proprietary studies on space technologies for companies including Shimizu, IHI and Science Applications International Corp., and has provided marketing assistance to American Rocket Company.

National Space Society

M/B Research President Carolyn Meinel has been active in space technology since founding the L-5 Society for Space Development in 1975. L-5 stands for Lagrangian Libration Point number 5 (as everyone knows!:^)), a place in space equidistant from the Earth and Moon. Because of intriguing orbital mechanics aspects of these libration points, they are likely to someday be the home of the cities, farms and factories that will be the foundation of civilizations in space. In 1986 the L-5 Society and National Space Institute merged to form the National Space Society.

Space Technology Sites

NASA Advanced Concepts Office
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Naval Research Lab
Air Force Research Lab

News Groups

There are several news groups on Usenet which are invaluable for gathering information on space technology:

• Sci.space.policy is unmoderated. For this reason, it is the fastest -- but also least reliable -- way to get news. In addition, several top space policy gurus regularly post there, most notably John Pike of the Federation of American Scientists and Dwayne Allen Day of Georgetown University. Other stars post there, for example, prolific author and UFO-basher James C. Oberg; and Lori Garver, executive director of the National Space Society. However, this group also gets lots of posts from UFO mavens, mad scientists and obsessed flamers. A newsreader with a killfile is recommended.
• Sci.space.tech, by contrast, is moderated. If you want to understand the basics of space technology without being bombarded on the one hand by nuts and flamers, or on the other hand by abstruse material about, say -- Michelson interferometers! -- this is a great newsgroup.
• Sci.space.news is a moderated group carrying NASA press releases and reports, typically of a highly technical nature.
• Sci.space.science is a moderated group more appropriate for space science professionals.
• Sci.geo.satellite-nav is a moderated group serving professionals working on navigation satellite systems.
• Sci.geo.eos is a moderated group serving those working on NASA's Earth Observation System program.
• Sci.astro.research is a moderated group that covers astronomy and astrophysics.