#81 - March 2019 Part 2

The Discussion: Professor Michelle Dougherty talking Enceladus at
the annual Schrodinger lecture, the proficiency (or otherwise) of
making science accessible to the layman and emails about
inspiring anyone to do the job they want.


The News: Rounding up the space exploration news this month we
have:


Have SpaceX paved the way for the US to return to human
spaceflight?

The Japanese Hyabusa spacecraft begins exploring asteroid
Ryugu

The first Israeli lunar lander makes its way to the moon

Virgin Galactic take a long awaited return to commercial
spaceflight tests

NASA’s science experiments for the moon on their commercial
landers

Ultima Thule actually resembles a bag of Revels.



Main news story: New Horizons at Ultima Thule


The Debate: We want you to influence the next few debates. We
want you to email us with what you think is the greatest space
mission of all time (crewed or robotic). We’ll compile a Top Ten
and advocate for your choices, court-style, on the coming shows.


Q&A: Listeners’ questions via email, Facebook & Twitter
take us on a journey into the astronomy issues that have always
plagued our understanding or stretched our credulity. This month
we take a look at something we discussed in a recent show,
commercialization of space:


Isn’t commercial branding at NASA already here and wouldn’t
increased spacecraft branding diminish the science?? Andy Burns,
UK.