Editor, Author at Filling Space

Is the US launch industry experiencing a “bubble”?

The US launch industry is in a state of rapid expansion. For the past several decades, government policies have promoted its development. In the last…

Starter Kits

What do you need to set up an at-home astrophotography platform?

Editor December 7, 2019 astroguiding astronomical imaging astronomy astrophotography cameras equatorial mounts Robotics stargazing telescope platforms telescopes

Astrophotography is a rich and rewarding hobby, but the barrier to entry can be intimidating for beginners. The dizzying array of choices is a boon…

Worlds

What is it like studying faraway worlds like Titan?

Editor December 6, 2019 celestial objects liquid methane moons planetary science rocky worlds Saturn space exploration surface liquid the Solar System Titan

Titan, Saturn’s largest moon, is unique in many ways. It is the only moon in our Solar System known to have a thick atmosphere. Other…

Starter Kits

What are five books you should read about space philosophy?

Editor November 29, 2019 ethical challenges evolution Mars philosophy space colonies space colonization space exploration space settlement space travel Spaceflight

Have you ever pondered the philosophical implications of space travel? Do you want to read about it, but don’t know where to start? That’s why…

Starter Kits

What are five spaceflight history books you should read?

Editor November 22, 2019 biographies history books Konstantin Tsiolkovsky Robert Goddard rocketry Sergei Korolev Spaceflight the Space Age Werner von Braun Willy Ley

There is no shortage of books covering the history of spaceflight. You can be forgiven for not knowing which ones are worth reading. To identify…

Cosmos

White dwarfs’ exoplanets – what do we know about them?

Editor November 15, 2019 astronomy Earth-like planets exoplanets geochemistry geophysics Habitability magnetic fields planetary systems space science white dwarfs

A booming area of space science is the study of “exoplanets”, the term for planets outside our Solar System. Telescopes like the Transiting Exoplanet Survey…

Life

How do meteorites’ impacts affect life?

Editor November 1, 2019 astrobiology bedrock craters deep environments impact craters meteorite impacts meteorites microorganisms panspermia planets

Fans of astrobiology may be aware of the theory of panspermia – that objects such as meteorites may carry life from one planet to another.…

Machine Worlds

How did MESSENGER revolutionize our understanding of Mercury?

Editor October 25, 2019 comets exoplanets flybys geology magnetic fields Mariner 10 Mercury NASA planetary science rocky planets

Mercury, one of Earth’s rocky neighbors, is one of our Solar System’s most enigmatic planets. It is notoriously difficult to study due to its close…

Cosmos

What will happen to our Solar System after the Sun dies?

Editor October 18, 2019 astronomy Astrophysics chaotic orbits earth gravity planetary debris planetary systems the asteroid belt the Solar System the Sun

When the Sun dies, it will become what we call a white dwarf. White dwarfs are small and incredibly dense – a teaspoon of white…

Society

How do you break an African amateur rocketry record?

Editor October 11, 2019 aerodynamics amateur rocketry electronics propellant rocket launches rocketry rockets South Africa the South African Rocketry Association two-stage rockets

A four-man team in South Africa recently broke an amateur rocketry record by launching a homemade rocket to ten kilometers’ altitude. Two of the members…