Mike Hodel's Hour 25

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Dr. Alan B. Binder                Listen to this show

On Friday - April 11th, 2008 - Hour 25 brings you our interview with Dr. Alan Binder, the Principal Investigator for the Lunar Prospector mission. {Though as you'll hear in our interview his responsibilities on that project were so wide ranging that you could easily consider him to have been the Czar of the mission.} We'll be chatting with him about Lunar science and exploration and how he managed to overcome all the odds and fly a mission to the Moon.

In addition to all of those things we'll also be talking with him about his two books, Lunar Prospector - Against All Odds and Moon Quake. Each of these deal with the exploration of the Moon, using both fiction and non-fiction to give a unique insight into how real scientists and engineers work.

Lunar Prospector - Against All Odds tells the story of the development of the Lunar Prospector spacecraft and of its mission to the Moon, as seen through Alan Binder's eyes. In this book you will learn about not just the technical issues associated with designing and operating a Lunar probe, but also the politics and personalities that play such significant roles in those activities.

In Against All Odds Alan Binder takes a very different tack from most authors writing books about space exploration. He uses a very personal viewpoint and does not pull any punches when expressing his feelings about various people and organizations. Some people might be put off by this. And others might disagree with his opinions about various people or his perceptions concerning events that transpired during the development of Lunar Prospector and their root causes. But that cannot take away from the unique and valuable point of view that Dr. Binder provides in this book.

For persons working in the field of space exploration this can be an eye opener for the back room dealings that go on in the development of a space project. But it also is an excellent technical overview of all the things that have to be done to make a space project successful. {And along the way it shows some of the things to avoid when desigining a spacecraft that is going to go to another planet.}

For persons who wish to write fiction about scientists and engineers this book will show how technical projects are really developed as opposed to the bland histories that are normally published. {Just be aware that the old adage about law and sausage applies also to technical projects.} It shows that scientists and technologists are just people with the same faults and virtues as everyone else.

Lunar Prospector - Against All Odds is a fascinating and thought provoking book. I'm sure that not everyone will agree with the sentiments in this book or with Dr. Binder's take on certain events, but the intense personal viewpoint of the book is quite engaging and makes this a book that is hard to put down. Strongly recommended.

Moon Quake is a fictional account of the development of a Lunar outpost and what life at such a base might be like. It is very similar to classic hard SF in that it places great importance on technical accuracy. As a result, a certain amount of the book gets taken up with discussions of the technical issues forming the background for the story - which can be fascinating but some people might feel that these things get in the way of the action. Midway through the book there is a natural disaster that turns a tale of exploration into a tale of survival. The story of how the astronauts work to survive this disaster is written with sensibilities right out of the Golden Age of Science Fiction. I enjoyed it. If you like hard SF then you might enjoy it also.


cover for Moon Quake   cover for Lunar Prospector - Against All Odds


Listen to this week's show

webcasting     

Click here to listen to the entire show. {1:26:50}

Or

  • Click here for the show's intro music.{0:41}
  • Click here for the show's opening. {3:50}
  • Click here for our thoughts on the death of Sir Arthur C. Clarke. {7:25}
  • Click here for news about the flight of the Jules Verne.{2:20}
  • Click here for news about current and future Lunar missions. {1:08}
  • Click here for news about Cassini's recent encounter with Enceladus. {3:20}
  • Click here for our interview with Dr. Alan Binder. {1:06:16}
  • Click here for the show's closing.{1:50}

  • Click here to listen to our most recent Shows.
  • Click here for links to all of our previous Shows that you can listen to on the Hour 25 Web Site.


If you enjoyed this show and would like to know when other interviews are uploaded to the Hour 25 Web Site, then send an email to me at wwjames@earthlink.net and I will add your name to the free Hour 25 Newsletter mailing list. That way you'll get a brief notice in your email every time a new show gets uploaded to the web.




Links for more information relating to this week's show

Dr. Alan Binder and Lunar Prospector
  • You can learn more about Dr. Alan Binder and his work at the Lunar Research Institute Web Site.
  • More information about Lunar Prospector can be found at Web Sites from NASA, the Lunar and Planetary Institute, or the National Space Science Data Center.
  • You can purchase Moon Quake at the Apogee Books Web Site, along with lots of other great space books.
  • You can find a great deal of information about past and future Lunar missions - and related subjects - at the Lunar and Planetary Institute Lunar Missions Web Site.

    Sir Arthur C. Clarke
  • Sir Arthur C. Clarke inspired many of us and his work continues through the efforts of The Arthur C. Clarke Foundation.
  • Here's a link to one of the last interviews with Arthur C. Clarke.
  • A selection of the wit, wisdom and insight of Sir Arthur can be found at the Arthur C. Clarke Quotations Page.
  • Additional information about Arthur C. Clarke can be found at this site and remembrances of Sir Arthur can be found at this BBC web page.

    Space News - This week
  • Much information about the ATV Jules Verne can be found at this ESA Web Site. Make sure you check out this page to see how ESA is thinking about evolving the ATV for future applications.
  • Information about China's Lunar probe Chang'e 1 can be found here, here and here. Images and other data from that mission can be found here.
  • The mission of Japan's Lunar probe Kaguya is described at this Web Site provided by the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency with more information about the H-IIA launch vehicle being presented here. More information about the spacecraft can be found at this NSSDC Web Site.
  • India's upcoming Lunar mission is described here and here.
  • You can learn more about America's upcoming unmanned Lunar Orbiter at this NASA Web Site.
  • Updates and additional information about the the Cassini mission to Saturn can be found at the project's Home Page at JPL and news about the Enceladus flyby can be found here.

    Space News - Dawn - A Mission to the Asteroids
  • Updates and additional information about the mission of the Dawn spacecraft can be found at the project's Home Page at JPL or at this NASA Web Site.
  • Additional information about asteroids can be found at the NASA Near Earth Asteroid (NEO) Web Site.
  • Dawn is a part of the Discovery Program of deep space missions. Information about Dawn and other missions can be found at the Discovery Program Web Site.

    Space News - Mars
  • For more information about the Mars Exploration Rovers be sure to check out the MER Web Site at JPL or this Mars Rover site at Cornell University. You can also get information about the MER mission by reading the News Updates posted by Dr. Steve Squyres, the project's Principal Investigator.
  • To learn more about the Mars Express mission you can go to this ESA Mars Express Web Site, this Mars Express Web Page from JPL, this NSSDC Mars Express Web Page, or this Web Page from Mars News.Com.
  • For more information about the Exploration of Mars be sure to go to the JPL Mars Exploration Site, the Center for Mars Exploration at NASA Ames, or the Mars Missions Web Site at the Planetary Society.
  • Information about the data returned by previous Mars missions can be found at this Mars Web Page at the NSSDC.
  • Information about the Phoenix Mission to Mars can be found at this Press Release from the University of Arizona. You can view a 3D picture of the Mars Phoenix spacecraft here.
  • For more Mars news be sure to check out the Mars News.Com Web Site.
  • Percival Lowell did much to shape our ideas about Mars in the early years of the 20th Century. You can learn more about his work by reading this on-line copy of his 1895 book Mars.

    Space News - The Cassini Mission to Saturn
  • Much information about the Cassini mission can be found at the Project's Official Web Site at JPL.
  • JPL is constantly releasing pictures from Cassini. You can find them by going to this JPL Web Page.
  • Additional information about the Cassini mission can be found at this ESA Web Site.
  • The University of Arizona Web Site for the imaging system used to take the Huygens pictures of Titan has much information about how they were obtained and processed as well as a collection of processed and unprocessed images.
  • The Huygens probe carried a microphone and recorded the various sounds that it heard while descending to the surface of Titan. You can listen to those sounds at this Web Page sponsored by the Planetary Society.

    For On-Going Updates on Space News
  • Links relating to the loss of Space Shuttle Columbia can be found here.
  • The Reusable Launch & Space Vehicle News Web Site Web Page that is part of the Hobby Space Web Site is a really good place to watch for news about, well... Reusable Launch Vehicles and related subjects. I check it out just about every day and often find news there that doesn't show up anywhere else. Give it a look. {And while you're there be sure to check out some of the site's other pages. Wow! Is there a lot of information there.}
  • The Space Today Web Site is a great place to find space news from all over the 'net.
  • The Spaceflight Now Web Site carries real time information about current space missions and presents a lot of space and astronomy news. This is the place I go to when I want up to the minute information about current space missions. Do I need to say more?
  • The NASA Watch Web Site is another great place for getting information about current space missions. Check there also for news about other 'goings on' within NASA. Highly recommended.

    ISS News
  • The Florida Today Web Site has a very interesting report about the causes of the ISS budget problems and their impact on the space program. It makes very interesting reading.
  • Click here to view the press kits for various ISS missions.
  • Check out the NASA International Space Station Web Page or the Boeing Web Page to learn more about this project.
  • A great source of news about Russian space activities, including their work on the ISS, can be found at the Russian Space Web.
  • Do you wonder where the Space Station is right now? You can use your browser to view real time maps showing the location of the ISS by going to this link at the NASA Space Link Web Site or here at the Johnson Spacecraft Center. Please note that your browser must support Java to make use of this satellite tracking software.
  • You can find out when the ISS - or many other spacecraft - can be seen from your location by going to this NASA Web Page. Please note; your browser must support Java for this application to work.

    Space Related Organizations
    If you are interested in learning more about current space activities there are many local and national organizations you might want to know about. Joining these organizations and taking part in their activities is a good way to stay abreast of things going on in space as well as a way to show your support for those activities. Listed below are some of those organizations.
  • The Organization for the Advancement of Space Industrialization and Settlement has long been place for persons living in the Los Angeles area to gather and discuss the promise of space. Be sure to check out their Web Site for information about their meetings and other activities.
  • The Orange County Space Society is another Los Angeles area organization that provides a focal point for persons who are interested in space developments to get together and share their ideas. They have created a number of displays explaining the history and importance of space exploration that have appeared at various public events. Be sure to check their Web Site for information about their meetings and other events.
  • The National Space Society has a long history of being an advocate for a vigorous space program and provides much information to its members through their magazine and Web Site.
  • The Space Frontier Foundation is a strong advocate for a non-governmental space program and serves as a focal point for much activity in that arena. Their annual conference in Los Angeles during the Fall is a great way to find out what is happening in the non-government space arena.
  • The Space Access Society is focused on reducing the cost of going into space by promoting non-governmental launch vehicle programs. Their annual conference in the spring is a major source of information on non-traditional launch vehicle activities.
  • The Planetary Society is focused on the exploration of the Solar System and has a wealth of information for its members and others.

  • Click here for information about the audio files used for Hour 25 and for information about configuring your browser and downloading audio players.

    Please note Web Pages from external sites will open in a separate browser window and that Hour 25 Productions are not responsible for the content of any external Web Sites.


    • Next Week

    Join us in a couple of weeks when we will again bring you an interview with a guest from the worlds of science and science fiction.

    If you'd like me to let you know exactly when our next show is available, then send me an email { wwjames@earthlink.net } and I'll add you to the Hour 25 Newsletter Mailing List. That way you'll get an email notice telling you when the next show has been uploaded and who the guest is. Most shows are uploaded over the weekend but sometimes we drop in a special edition of Hour 25 during the middle of the week. Being on the Hour 25 Newsletter mailing list will let you know when those specials are available as soon as they are uploaded. {Privacy notice: The Hour 25 Newsletter mailing list is kept in strict confidence and will not be used for any other purpose nor will it be given, sold or in any way provided to any other person or group for any other purpose.}

    Later Weeks

    Join us in the coming months when our guests will include, among others, authors Vernor Vinge, Alan Dean Foster and many more.

    Previous Shows

    Go to our Previous Shows Page to find out about previous guests on the show and to listen to some of our past shows.

    Audio Index

    Go to our Audio Index for a listing of the various shows, interviews and readings available on the Hour 25 Web Page. The exact locations of the shows will constantly be changing as this Web Site evolves, but the Audio Index page will always be your shortcut to finding what you want to hear.

    Note to Web Masters : If you wish to link your site to an Hour 25 interview you should do so using the Hour 25 home page as that page will be able to direct people to the specific information they are looking for.


    The Calendar

    Check out the links below to discover things currently happening in and around Southern California that would be of interest to folks who have an interest in science fiction and science.
     
  • This Month's Calendar
  • Last Month's Calendar
  • On-Going Calendar Events
  • Authors on Tour
  • Conventions
  • Bookstores, Hobby Shops and more
  • Literacy Education
    		•  If you have something you want to call to the attention of the Group Mind, send an email to Warren James {Be sure to put 'Hour 25 Calendar' in the subject line of your message to make sure it doesn't get lost.}


    Science Fiction Matters

    Check out the pages below for more information about matters having to do with science fiction.

  • Click here to read what Suzanne had to say concerning children's and young adult books about fantasy and magic.


  • Click here for information about the various awards in the science fiction field.




    • Hour 25 - Background

    Burt Suzanne Warren

    Burt Handelsman
    Crack Engineer

    Suzanne Gibson
    Our Producer

    Warren W. James
    Your Host
       

      Mike Hodel   Terry Hodel  
     

    Mike Hodel
    The First Host of "Hour 25" {Picture Copyright © Burt Handelsman}

    		  

    Terry Hodel
    Our Late Executive Producer {Picture Copyright © Joel Farr}

    Click here to view a page with some of our thoughts about Terry.    		  


    Links

  • Warren's Niftoidal Web Sites - Release 8

             {This file is ~77K. It may take a moment or two for the page to load.}


  • Long time listener Eric Foss has an Hour 25 archive page.

  • Science Fiction
  • Space
  • Computers
  • CGI
  • Science Fiction Modeling
  • Other Fun Stuff



    • Hour 25 Newsletter

    Hour 25 is uploaded to the 'net every weekend - but special editions of the show can appear any time. The fastest way to learn when new shows are available is to be a subscriber to the free Hour 25 Newsletter.

    Sign up now by sending me an email {wwjames@earthlink.net} and you'll get information about Hour 25 directly in your mailbox every time a new show is uploaded. {Be sure to put 'Hour 25 Newsletter' in the subject line of your message so your request does not get misplaced.}

    Concerning the privacy of your email address and the Hour 25 Newsletter... Being on the Hour 25 mailing list will get you the Hour 25 Newsletter and nothing else. I will not use the Hour 25 mailing list for any other purposes. Being on this mailing list won't cause you to get unsolicited mailings for 'work at home opportunities' or other SPAM. The mailing list for Hour 25 will never be provided to anyone else for any purpose. Period. Personal privacy on the 'net is very important to me, so I'll defend your privacy in every way possible.



    Remember to tell your friends about Hour 25. Send them an email and tell them to point their browser to hour25online.com for news and interviews from the worlds of science and science fiction. New shows are uploaded each week on Friday evening - give or take a few hours.

    Unless otherwise noted the entire content of this web site is
    Copyright © Warren W. James, 2000-2008. All rights reserved.