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Table of Contents
Resources : Space and spaceflight
A list of online resources concerning space, astronomy, historical and contemporary astronautics, and other related topics.
Astronomy and orbital sciences
The Universe within 12.5 Light Years - The Nearest Stars - An overview.
The Closest Stars - Facts, Fiction and Fantasy - A thorough article on the topic.
What if the Earth had Two Moons ? - An article dealing with the subject.
The Extrasolar Planets Encyclopaedia - Established in February 1995, regularly updated.
Erasmus Experiment Archive - ESA's database of scientific experiments performed in space. Very useful as a historical reference tool for science in space.
Websites of space agencies
NASA.gov - Homepage of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. YouTube channel here.
ESA.int - Homepage of the European Space Agency. YouTube channel here. Facebook here and here.
Roscosmos.ru - Homepage of the Russian Federal Space Agency. YouTube channel here.
JAXA.jp - Homepage of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency.
ISRO.org - Homepage of the Indian Space Research Organisation.
AEB.gov.br - Homepage of the Brazilian Space Agency.
General interest websites
Glossary of Spaceflight and Rocket Technology
Encyclopedia Astronautica - Detailed information on past and planned space operations, vehicles and technologies.
Historic spacecraft - An excellent database on launch vehicles and spacecraft, past and present. The comparison schematics page and schematics page are particularly useful resources.
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.
Space History on the Web - A concise list of various online sources on spaceflight history.
Britain in Space (website archived via archive.org)
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.
Atomic Rockets - Information on how space travel and spacecraft work within physics and actuality. Also tackles numerous tropes and misconceptions.
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.
Erasmus Experiment Archive - ESA's database of scientific experiments performed in space. Very useful as a historical reference tool for science in space.
ESA Study Reports - A list of completed GSP studies, ordered by starting date.
Gunter's Space Page - “Information on spaceflight, launch vehicles and satellites.”
Free books on spaceflight topics
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…
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.
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
Launch Vehicle Performance Calculator
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.
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.
British Rockets and Satellite Launchers
Britain's first space pioneers
Manned spaceflight
Erasmus Experiment Archive - ESA's database of scientific experiments performed in space. Very useful as a historical reference tool for science in space.
Article on earlier possible first US manned mission (suborbital)
The Break-Out Effect - The Mysterious Mental Side-Effects of Traveling Into Space
Lifetime Surveillance of Astronaut Health (LSAH) - NASA's long-term medical research programme. Additional info here.
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.
Deep Cold - “Secrets of the Cold War in Space, 1959-1969.” (archived via archive.org)
Beyond Apollo - Plans for the exploration of space from the age of Apollo, 1959-1979.
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.
Space Shuttle Discovery (OV-103) 360° Interactive Virtual Tour
1980s Japanese Manned Spaceflight Plans
Lunar exploration
Project Apollo: A Retrospective Analysis
Chariots for Apollo: A History of Manned Lunar Spacecraft
Apollo 11 Onboard Recordings (1969)
Planetary exploration
Venera: The Soviet Exploration of Venus
Beagle 2 : The British led exploration of Mars (website archived via archive.org)
Space news sites
The Space Review - “Essays and commentary about the final frontier.”
Universe Today.com - “Space and Astronomy News.”
Spaceflight Now - “The leading source for online space news.”
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.