====== Resources : Space and spaceflight ====== A list of online resources concerning space, astronomy, historical and contemporary astronautics, and other related topics. ---- ==== Astronomy and orbital sciences ==== **[[http://www.alternatehistory.com/discussion/showthread.php?t=359615|Medieval cosmology confuses me]]**, discussion thread on medieval astronomic/cosmologic ideas started by [[offtopic:Emperor Norton I]] **[[http://www.atlasoftheuniverse.com/12lys.html|The Universe within 12.5 Light Years - The Nearest Stars]]** - An overview. **[[http://h2g2.com/edited_entry/A87768382|The Closest Stars - Facts, Fiction and Fantasy]]** - A thorough article on the topic. **[[http://www.universetoday.com/92148/what-if-the-earth-had-two-moons/|What if the Earth had Two Moons ?]]** - An article dealing with the subject. **[[http://exoplanet.eu/|The Extrasolar Planets Encyclopaedia]]** - Established in February 1995, regularly updated. **[[http://eea.spaceflight.esa.int/portal/|Erasmus Experiment Archive]]** - ESA's database of scientific experiments performed in space. Very useful as a historical reference tool for science in space. **[[https://twitter.com/FakeAstropix|FakeAstropix]]** - Debunking photoshopped or hoaxed astronomy pictures spread on the Internet. "Bringing you all the best (and worst) fake, misidentified & uncredited astro images! We follow cool astro types and not fakers! Favourited not an endorsement!" ---- ==== Websites of space agencies ==== **[[http://www.nasa.gov/|NASA.gov]]** - Homepage of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. YouTube channel [[https://www.youtube.com/user/NASAtelevision|here]]. **[[http://www.esa.int/ESA|ESA.int]]** - Homepage of the European Space Agency. YouTube channel [[https://www.youtube.com/user/ESA|here]]. Facebook [[https://www.facebook.com/EuropeanSpaceAgency|here]] and [[https://www.facebook.com/EuropeanSpaceHistory|here]]. **[[http://roscosmos.ru/|Roscosmos.ru]]** - Homepage of the Russian Federal Space Agency. YouTube channel [[https://www.youtube.com/user/tvroscosmos|here]]. **[[http://global.jaxa.jp/JAXA.jp|JAXA.jp]]** - Homepage of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency. **[[http://www.isro.org/|ISRO.org]]** - Homepage of the Indian Space Research Organisation. **[[http://www.aeb.gov.br/|AEB.gov.br]]** - Homepage of the Brazilian Space Agency. ---- ==== General interest websites ==== **[[http://www.braeunig.us/space/glossary.htm|Glossary of Spaceflight and Rocket Technology]]** **[[http://www.astronautix.com/|Encyclopedia Astronautica]]** - Detailed information on past and planned space operations, vehicles and technologies. **[[http://historicspacecraft.com/index.html|Historic spacecraft]]** - An excellent database on launch vehicles and spacecraft, past and present. The [[http://historicspacecraft.com/Archives.html|comparison schematics page]] and [[http://historicspacecraft.com/Space_Graphics.html|schematics page]] are particularly useful resources. **[[http://www.russianspaceweb.com/|Russian Space Web]]** - The website of Anatoly Zak. A very comprehensive and information packed overview of Russian cosmonautics, past, present and future. Regularly updated with the latest news about developments in Russian spaceflight. **[[http://www.esa.int/About_Us/Welcome_to_ESA/ESA_history/Space_history_on_the_Web|Space History on the Web]]** - A concise list of various online sources on spaceflight history. **[[http://web.archive.org/web/20091023090326/http://geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/Launchpad/6133/index.html|Britain in Space]]** (website archived via archive.org) **[[http://www.retrospaceimages.com/|Retro Space Images.com]]** - High Resolution Mission Image Discs from the Mercury, Gemini, Apollo and STS missions. **[[https://www.youtube.com/user/SpaceRip|Space Rip]]** - Official YouTube channel for roughly half hour long documentaries on astronomy and astronautics. Includes topics like extrasolar planets, future spaceflight concepts, the history of robotic planetary exploration, etc. **[[http://www.projectrho.com/rocket/|Atomic Rockets]]** - Information on how space travel and spacecraft work within physics and actuality. Also tackles numerous tropes and misconceptions. **[[http://usspaceobjectsregistry.state.gov/registry/|U.S. Registry of Space Objects]]** - The 1974 UN Convention on Registration of Objects Launched into Outer Space provides for the national registration by launching states of space objects launched into outer space and for the maintenance of a central register of objects launched into outer space by the Secretary-General of the United Nations. The United States, as a party to the Registration Convention, maintains an official US Registry of Space Objects Launched into Outer Space and provides quarterly updates to the UN Secretary-General on each space object carried on the US Registry. To improve the timeliness and accuracy of the information contained in the US Registry and to make such information more accessible to the public, the Department of State now maintains the US Registry online. **[[http://eea.spaceflight.esa.int/portal/|Erasmus Experiment Archive]]** - ESA's database of scientific experiments performed in space. Very useful as a historical reference tool for science in space. **[[http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Preparing_for_the_Future/GSP/Study_Reports/%28print%29|ESA Study Reports]]** - A list of completed GSP studies, ordered by starting date. **[[http://space.skyrocket.de/index.html|Gunter's Space Page]]** - "Information on spaceflight, launch vehicles and satellites." **[[http://math.ucr.edu/home/baez/physics/Relativity/SR/rocket.html|The Relativistic Rocket]]** ---- ==== Free books on spaceflight topics ==== **[[https://web.archive.org/web/20131227042146/http://www.dunnspace.com/leo_on_the_cheap.htm|LEO On The Cheap]]** - A free, online book that discusses various ways of getting into space in cheaper ways than have been used in reality. Should be useful for ATLs where different space flight strategies are wanted... **[[http://books.google.com/books?id=JnoZTbVLx0MC&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false|Stages to Saturn: A Technological History of the Apollo/Saturn Launch Vehicle]]** - A free, online book that covers the history of the Saturn V rocket. **[[http://history.nasa.gov/sp4801-part1.pdf|Dick, S. J. (ed.); Launius, R. D. (ed.); Societal Impact of Spaceflight]]** - A freely downloadable .pdf format, 281 page, 2007 non-fiction book about the impacts of spaceflight and spaceflight research history on developments in human society, culture and politics. ---- ==== Launchers and satellites ==== **[[http://www.silverbirdastronautics.com/LVperform.html|Launch Vehicle Performance Calculator]]** **[[http://web.archive.org/web/20120316061755/http://www.pmview.com/spaceodysseytwo/spacelvs/index.htm|Introduction to Future Launch Vehicle Plans (1963-2001)]]** - Database of launch vehicle and manned/cargo spacecraft concepts from the early 1960s to the 2000s. Compiled and updated by Marcus Lindroos. **[[http://books.google.com/books?id=JnoZTbVLx0MC&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false|Stages to Saturn: A Technological History of the Apollo/Saturn Launch Vehicle]]** - A free, online book that covers the history of the Saturn V rocket. **[[http://www.spaceuk.org/index.html|British Rockets and Satellite Launchers]]** **[[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/3388535.stm|Britain's first space pioneers]]** ---- ==== Manned spaceflight ==== **[[http://eea.spaceflight.esa.int/portal/|Erasmus Experiment Archive]]** - ESA's database of scientific experiments performed in space. Very useful as a historical reference tool for science in space. **[[http://io9.com/how-the-u-s-almost-beat-the-soviets-to-the-first-man-i-1517622370|Article on earlier possible first US manned mission (suborbital)]]** **[[http://www.fastcoexist.com/3036887/out-of-this-world-the-mysterious-mental-side-effects-of-traveling-into-space|The Break-Out Effect - The Mysterious Mental Side-Effects of Traveling Into Space]]** **[[http://lsda.jsc.nasa.gov/lsah_home1.aspx|Lifetime Surveillance of Astronaut Health (LSAH)]]** - NASA's long-term medical research programme. Additional info [[http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK215995/|here]]. **[[http://web.archive.org/web/20120316061755/http://www.pmview.com/spaceodysseytwo/spacelvs/index.htm|Introduction to Future Launch Vehicle Plans (1963-2001)]]** - Database of launch vehicle and manned/cargo spacecraft concepts from the early 1960s to the 2000s. Compiled and updated by Marcus Lindroos. **[[https://web.archive.org/web/20120616210332/http://www.deepcold.com/index.html|Deep Cold]]** - "Secrets of the Cold War in Space, 1959-1969." (archived via archive.org) **[[http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/beyondapollo/|Beyond Apollo]]** - Plans for the exploration of space from the age of Apollo, 1959-1979. **[[http://falsesteps.wordpress.com/|False Steps : The Space Race as it might have been]]** - A website with similar content to Beyond Apollo. A detailed blog specialising in cancelled and unrealised spaceflight projects from the era of the Space Race. **[[http://360vr.com/2012/02/16/discovery-flight-deck_2193/|Space Shuttle Discovery (OV-103) 360° Interactive Virtual Tour]]** **[[http://www.pmview.com/spaceodysseytwo/station/sld094a.htm|1980s Japanese Manned Spaceflight Plans]]** **[[http://www.daviddarling.info/encyclopedia/H/HOTOL.html|David Darling's HOTOL website]]** **[[http://www.esa.int/About_Us/Welcome_to_ESA/ESA_history/History_Hermes_spaceplane_1987|Hermes spaceplane]]** **[[http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/cosmo.html|Cosmonaut biographies]]** **[[http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Human_Spaceflight/Astronauts|ESA astronauts]]** **[[http://www.spacefacts.de/bios/international/english/sharman_helen.htm|Helen Sharman biography]]** ---- ==== Lunar exploration ==== **[[http://history.nasa.gov/Apollomon/Apollo.html|Project Apollo: A Retrospective Analysis]]** **[[http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/History/SP-4205/contents.html|Chariots for Apollo: A History of Manned Lunar Spacecraft]]** **[[http://publicdomainreview.org/collections/apollo-11-onboard-recordings/|Apollo 11 Onboard Recordings (1969)]]** ---- ==== Planetary exploration ==== **[[http://mentallandscape.com/V_Venus.htm|Venera: The Soviet Exploration of Venus]]** **[[http://web.archive.org/web/20110427004925/http://beagle2.open.ac.uk/index.htm|Beagle 2 : The British led exploration of Mars]]** (website archived via archive.org) ---- ==== Space news sites ==== **[[http://www.thespacereview.com/|The Space Review]]** - "Essays and commentary about the final frontier." **[[http://www.universetoday.com/|Universe Today.com]]** - "Space and Astronomy News." **[[http://spaceflightnow.com/|Spaceflight Now]]** - "The leading source for online space news." **[[https://www.youtube.com/user/SpaceRip|Space Rip]]** - Official YouTube channel for roughly half hour long documentaries on astronomy and astronautics. Includes topics like extrasolar planets, future spaceflight concepts, the history of robotic planetary exploration, etc. ---- ==== Discussions on AH.com ==== **[[http://www.alternatehistory.com/discussion/showthread.php?t=260554|Space Exploration Politics/Events Open Thread]]** **[[http://www.alternatehistory.com/discussion/showthread.php?t=285999|Freezing in space ?]]** ---- ==== See Also ==== **[[pods:Spaceflight|Spaceflight Points of Divergence]]** **[[timelines:spaceflight alternate histories|Spaceflight Timelines]]** **[[offtopic:The Space Jockeys]]** ---- ==== Navigation ==== **[[resources:resources|Useful Resources Main Directory]]**