Mars Rover Missions - The Final Countdown
As NASA's two Mars Rovers close in on the planet, the exploration team are making final preparations for the nail biting final approach. The first Rover to arrive will be 'Spirit' on 3 January, closely followed by 'Opportunity' on January 24. There are also missions to Mars from Europe and Japan. The main task for the Rovers will be to search for more evidence of life on the Red Planet. Mars Exploration project manager Peter Theisinger has been revealing exactly what happens in the final few minutes leading up to the landing.

Mars Rovers equipped for remarkable scientific exploration
Once the NASA Rovers land, they will begin their exploration of Mars and their search for evidence of life. Spirit and Opportunity are packed with leading edge technology. They have 20/20 vision, the ability to drive around and navigate the Red Planet, plus sophisticated equipment for analysing their environment and reporting back to Earth.. Steve Squyres is the man responsible for many of these instruments. He says the tension is growing as the moment to test the technology comes closer.

NASA still on course for two shuttle missions in 2004 but warns of 'no guarantees'
NASA's return-to-flight program is working towards two shuttle launches in late 2004 but caution remains the watchword for the shuttle team. Two shuttles, Atlantis and Discovery are being prepared for a flight  window that begins in September 2004.  But there's still a long way to go. Atlantis is without several major components that were removed for testing, while Discovery is being re-assembled after major maintenance. Shuttle Program Manager Bill Parsons says the overriding concern remains safety.

Lunar experts ask for new Moon mission 'within a decade.'
The International Lunar Conference has ended with the world's leading lunar experts calling for a new mission to the Moon within the next ten years. The lunar luminaries met for a week in Hawaii to accelerate progress towards a permanent human presence on the Moon. Although the Chinese delegation was refused visas to attend the event, many believe that China's plans for lunar missions may herald a new race for the moon. Conference organiser Steve Durst of Space Age Publishing gives us this special report on the week's events in Hawaii.  

X Prize Special Feature

X Prize  - Is the Countdown Almost Over? Peter Diamandis
To mark the launch of ‘Space Radio’ on the Planet Earth Radio Network, we present a series of interviews and profiles on the top names involved in the X Prize – the $10 million global competition to find the first private group who can fly into space. In this special interview, X Prize founder Peter Diamandis tells us how he came up with his vision for the X Prize and how he’s turned the vision into a competition that has captured the imagination of space enthusiasts across the world.

X Prize Special Feature

SpaceShipOne Soars to Sixth Flight Test
Regarded by many as the favorite to win the X Prize, SpaceShipOne, the creation of aviation legend Burt Rutan, has successfully carried out a sixth successful test flight. A veil of secrecy has descended on the project's headquarters at Scaled Composites in Mojave, California. Rutan is believed to be funded by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen. He certainly has more cash than his fellow competitors - but does that guarantee success. We report on White Knight and SpaceShipOne's race for victory.

X Prize Special Feature

Canadian Arrow prepares for launch with full astronaut team
After a worldwide search for a team of astronauts, Canadian Arrow has now selected the team to lead its quest for X Prize victory. The Canadian Arrow is a 54-ft long, two-stage, three person sub-orbital rocket with the second stage doubling as an escape system.  The four solid rockets can be ignited at any point during the flight, including before launch, to initiate a zero altitude launch pad abort or an in-flight recovery sequence. Listen now as Canadian Arrow team leader Geoff Sheerin gives us the latest on his group's plans to claim this historic prize.

X Prize Special Feature

DaVinci Project use massive Helium Balloon to launch their Space Quest
The da Vinci Project will launch its spacecraft 'Wild Fire' from the world's largest helium balloon. The rocket will be tethered below the balloon and lifted over the course of an hour to an altitude of 80,000 feet. The 10,000 pound thrust, liquid oxygen, kerosene engines will fire the first stage and the rocket will fly an initial angular trajectory to clear the balloon. The rocket will reach a maximum speed on both its ascent and re-entry of Mach 4, or 2,650 mph. A flyable parachute will be deployed at 25,000 feet and the rocket will descend under control, guided by GPS, to a predetermined landing zone. Team Leader Brian Feeney tells us why DaVinci would be proud.

X Prize Special Feature

Plan for sea based launch enters X Prize race
High Altitude Research Corporation is the latest group to enter the X Pize.  'The Liberator' is launched from sea and reaches an altitude of approximately 70 miles. HARC President Gregory Allison tells us why he believes that launching from sea has many advantages such as longer launch windows, lower range costs and smoother FAA/AST licensing procedures. It also reduces the risk to population centers to nearly zero.

X Prize Special Feature

Thunderbird reaches for the X Prize Stars - Steve Bennett
Starchaser Industries in the UK is aiming for X Prize victory with ‘Thunderbird.’ The vehicle will begin her ascent in a vertical orientation using solid boosters and liquid rocket engines. At higher altitudes the main liquid oxygen/kerosene rocket engine will take over, becoming the major propulsive force in the now rarefied atmosphere. Starchaser’s founder Steve Bennett gives us the lowdown on Britain’s bid for the stars.

X Prize Special Feature

Flying high X-15 Style - David Ashford
Ascender is designed to be the first sub-orbital aeroplane since the X-15. Bristol Spaceplanes plan for Ascender to carry a crew of two and two passengers to space and back. Passengers will experience two minutes of weightlessness, will see superb views of Earth, and will see the sky turn black even in daytime. It takes off from an ordinary airfield using its turbofan engine and climbs at subsonic speed to a height of 8 km. The biggest drawback is lack of cash – but that’s not curbing the enthusiasm of Ascender’s creator David Ashford.