LAUNCH Magazine March/April issue due to hit the stands on February 24.

NEW YORK, New York USA — A package of articles on the Saturn 1B—"a marvelous machine"—and writer James Oberg's news-breaking feature on orbital tourism highlight a jam-packed new issue of LAUNCH Magazine, on newsstands later this month.

The 90-page March/April issue also features expanded coverage of "The Astronaut Farmer" film, including exclusive interviews with filmmakers Mark and Michael Polish—as well as a landmark interview with composite rocket motor legend Irv Wait. Also interviewed in LAUNCH's signature Q and A style: Apollo 7 astronaut Walt Cunningham, model rocket designer Jim Flis of FlisKits and Vashon rocket creators Alan Forsythe and Chuck Green. The issue also includes instant coverage of the Florida WinterNationals rocketry launch, held in late January.

"In every issue, we try very hard to add to the record of space and rocketry history—and not simply repeat it," said Editor Mark Mayfield. "We do this with in-depth interviews and outstanding photography. We also want to be as timely, and as informative as possible."

The LAUNCH editors expect at least one article in this issue to break some news: In his feature on orbital tourism, writer James Oberg suggests that it will likely be two South American spaceports that lead the world in launching tourists into space.

Writes Oberg, a LAUNCH Contributing Editor and space analyst for NBC News: "Within a few years, South American-bound tourists may be boarding rockets that combine Rio's excitement, Peru's breath-taking vistas and the Amazon's exotic environment into one out-of-this-world package—an orbital space expedition."

The magazine's Saturn 1B coverage includes a 5,000-word, extremely candid interview with Walt Cunningham, who together with Wally Schirra, and Donn Eisele, was part of the backup crew for Apollo One, which was consumed in a fire that killed its three astronauts during a test in 1967. Nearly 21 months later, Cunningham, Schirra and Eisele became the first crew to ever fly an Apollo command module into space.

A separate article details the 15 men who flew atop a Saturn 1B and looks at the history of the rocket itself. Also included: Contributing Editor Mario Perdue's excellent "How To" column on building the new Semroc Saturn 1B model—complete with step-by-step photos.

In addition, the issue features Tennessee rocketeer Tim Bennett's photo essay of his family's sport launches, writer Mark Johnson's Journal on the 1960s-era Virgil I. (Gus) Grissom Rocket Society in Mitchell, Indiana, and a Technology column bound to stir up some controversy: LAUNCH enters the old debate about model rocket "motors" versus  "engines."

Look for the issue beginning around February 24 at nearly 600 Barnes & Noble stores, 200 Borders stores, 38 Hastings stores and dozens of hobby shops across the country. Subscriber copies will be mailed beginning February 20.

To order a subscription or back issues, visit http://www.launchmagonline.com/ — or beginning later this month at http://www.magazines.com/. Details on advertising can also be found at the magazine's website.

02-14-2007 03:37 PM  #1
k3td Earth-bound misfit   Joined: Jul 2006 Posts: 64	James Oberg I heard James Oberg speak at the University of North Texas about 3 years ago. He talked about the history of NASA and the Shuttle program specifically. James put on a great talk and answered questions well into the evening. I think he still lives in the Houston area, I wonder if he has ever been to a Tripoli launch?