The Top 10 

collectSPACE has posted a list of 51 major space-related events of the past year, and asked readers to submit their list of the 10 most important. I started my list below, but didn't get 10 because I felt the cS list was missing a few major items (which I've suggested adding on the page I linked to). I'd be curious to see what others would pick (note that the cS list, for obvious reasons, includes several collecting-related items).

1. Space Shuttle Columbia and the STS-107 crew lost during reentry--Without a doubt, this had the most immediate impact, vastly changing the landscape of spaceflight for the rest of the year and most of next year. It also has the potential to bring about the most lasting change, given the push it created to establish a new vision for U.S. manned spaceflight.
   
2. China launches its first taikonaut, Yang Liwei onboard Shenzhou-5--Close to being the top story of the year for its historic unprecedentedness, this one falls to number two because of China's failure, in my opinion, to adequately follow through with it. Making a first flight is impressive, waiting 2 years for a second flight it less so.
   
3. Beagle 2 lands on Mars (forecasted)
   
4. Yuri Malenchenko weds Ekaterina Dmitriev from the Space Station--This one probably won't be of the most lasting consequence (particularly since RSA has banned future space weddings), but it did get a human interest space story in the news for a while.
   
5. Voyager 1 reaches 90 times the distance of the Earth from the Sun--I don't know how much real difference it makes, but it's exciting to see a manmade spacecraft venturing into unexplored territory, and it's very exciting to think that it will eventually be making the voyage into interstellar space.
   
6. Spirit and Opportunity launch for Mars--This one's a big deal, but for 2003, it's more about potential than accomplishment. Assuming they land succesfully, these could be high on the list for next year.

:: :: 10:05 :: David :: [permalink] ::