Broadcast 181 (Special Edition)

Jim McDade returns to The Space Show to discuss the leading space events of 2003 and to look ahead to 2004 for space development. Mr. McDade discusses the importance of space in the main news stories in the United States for 2003 and the same for the top news stories in China for 2003. He discusses Mars and challenge to get robotic missions to Mars, using Beagle 2 as an example. Mr. McDade explains why human missions are so much more likely to succeed in a space mission than a robotic mission, using several of the Apollo missions as an example. We also discussed the prospects for President Bush to announce a grand space vision in the Sate of the Union address or round the time of the first year anniversary of the Columbia tragedy, either by announcing a return to the Moon or a humans to Mars mission. As always with Jim McDade, the information shared with Space Show listeners is first rate and this program is no exception.