Explaining Technology

• Wikipedia - an open source encyclopedia of frankly encyclopedic dimensions.
• Explore Space Travel - a collection of articles on space travel past, present and future.
• How Stuff Works - a great source of explanations of the principles behind all sorts of technology, including space travel.

Private Space Activity

News

The first solar sailship, Cosmos 1 is within weeks of launch. The Planetary Society is currently expecting to launch Cosmos 1 in June or July 2005, although the exact date depends on the Russians. Their earlier craft failed to open its sails but it's hoped that the second try will prove more successful.

White Knight prepares for a new mission: the innovative carrier plane used to air launch SpaceShipOne has a new mission. At the Mojave, California inland spaceport, the White Knight mothership has been involved in fit and high-speed taxi checks with a new passenger – the X-37, an unpiloted, reusable spaceplane.

Current Activity

Between governmental projects and private enterprise, there's still plenty of space development and exploration going on. The private organisations may not have the same budgets, but they are able to explore a wider range of options with greater flexibility, and who knows which of them may prove to be a winner?

• The Space Review - essays and commentary.
• Space Today - space news from around the web.
• The Planetary Society - a nonprofit, nongovernmental space advocacy group.
• J P Aerospace - a volunteer-based organization dedicated to achieving cheap access to space.
• X-Prize Foundation - an organisation that attempts to encourage technological breakthroughs by offering prizes and organising competitions.
• Tier One - a private manned space program and winner of the X-Prize in 2004.
• Reaction Engines - designers and developers of space transportation systems.
• Hobby Space - a web guide to space hobbies and activities.
• Space.com - an online space magazine.
• Spaceflight Now - online space news.

Thanks To

Institution of Mining and Metallurgy - for their help and encouragement.

Pandromeda for creating Mojoworld.