A lovely collection of vintage “space age” illustrations, promises of a future that never was (or at least, hasn’t happened yet!) Via this post.

In September 2006 I posted about NASA’s conference on the societal impact of spaceflight — when I found it, it was just concluded. I inquired about the results of the conference being published, and they assured me they would be… and here it is!

Societal Impact of Spaceflight (NASA SP-2007-4801) by Steven J. Dick and Roger D. Launius. The purpose of this volume is to examine the effects of spaceflight on society through scholarly research, making use especially of the tools of the historian and the broader social sciences and humanities. Has the Space Age indeed had a significant effect on society? If so, what are those influences? What do we mean by an “impact” on society? And what parts of society? Conversely, has society had any effect on spaceflight? What would be different had there been no Space Age? To order please contact the NASA Center for AeroSpace Information, 7121 Standard Drive, Hanover, MD 21076, 301-621-0390, help@sti.nasa.gov. Online Order Form: https://www.sti.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/ordersti.pl . The Document ID is 20080007234 and the price code is EA5 (Within U.S. $25.00 plus $2.00 shipping and handling: Outside U.S. $50.00 plus $17.00 S&H).

They also make it available as a two-part PDF: Part 1 | Part 2.

I’m very excited to read this; grabbing the PDFs as we speak! :D

A final segment of the Fortean Times collection of UFO/alien-themed stamps. Featured here are the United Kingdom’s hat-tip to two science fiction greats: War of the Worlds and Doctor Who.

Yet another find by Brian, the Fortean Times features here a collection of UFO/alien-themed stamps. Wild. Enjoy!

“No, Mom, the gum is coming out of YOUR allowance. My ray gun says so.”

Recently my husband picked up three large boxes of Atari paraphernalia at a local flea market, and this Super Breakout box was amongst the booty. I’m not really sure when astronauts started playing tennis in space (never mind the whole free-fall/lack-o-gravity bit) but it makes for an amusing scan. Don’t you agree?

Here’s a history of Super Breakout and an online, licensed Flash version of the game.

After Sputnik: 50 Years of the Space Age is a fantastic book, showcasing not only space artifacts but some of the items influenced by the space age as well. I can’t wait to purchase it, and many a future Themes article seed is nestled in the pages!

On October 4, 1957, the Soviet Union launched Sputnik, the first human-made object to orbit the Earth. This single act jump-started a new era in history — broad effort to explore, learn about, survive in, utilize, and fully understand the implications of humanity’s first steps beyond Earth. As much as any other twentieth-century undertaking, the achievement of sending humans and machines into space has transformed and shaped the way we live. From Sputnik to today, from heroic first journeys to the everyday application of space technologies, spaceflight has cut a broad swath through the contemporary experience.

As time marches closer to the 50th anniversary of the Sputnik launch, I expect we’ll see more books of this basic theme popping up.

The Telegraph reported Tuesday that Sir Patrick Moore, host of the BBC program The Sky at Night, was honored with Royal Mail stamps, commemorating the 50th anniversary of the show. The Sky at Night is the longest-running program in the world to still feature its original host. Moore selected the six astronomical objects featured on the stamps.

“I feel deeply honoured. I would like to think that we have played a part in introducing astronomy to people who would otherwise have paid no real attention to the heavens. Many years hence, philatelists will still be admiring these stamps paying tribute, not to me, but to The Sky At Night.” — Sir Patrick Moore

(Found via Centauri Dreams. I bought the above FDC on eBay from 1 Stop Stamp Shop, and the seller was most pleasant to deal with. He has a dozen or so variations of this stamp release, selling fast if you want some!)

AMAZING! A true classic, represented here by a substance-induced spacescape, a scantily-clad maiden and Robby the Robot. Another one I’d love to have on my wall, someday.

What manner of fan would I be if I neglected to include 2001 – A Space Odyssey in my list of poster greats? The beginning alone, with its flying-femur-turned-spaceship and stewardesses suited up in Pepto-Bismol pink, is enough to merit at least one viewing of this classic.