NSS Online Report Issue #15 / June 2001

Inside this issue:

• ISDC 2001 Highlights
  
• Donna Shirley Receives NSS’s Wernher von Braun Memorial Award
  
• Space Pioneer Awards presented to Robert Farquhar, Leonard David and Elaine
  
• Walker
  
• Seattle Chapter Has Videos to Share
  
• Lunar Development Conference Coming July 19-21
  
• AOL Chat on Space Tourism
  
• NSS Cosponsors 4th National Space Forum
  
• DC-L5 Hosts HST Scientist Inge Heyer
  
• Space Day 2001
  
• JSC Open House Scheduled for August 25
  
• Chapter Contact Changes
  
• Chapter Leaders Email List
  

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ISDC 2001 HIGHLIGHTS

The 20th Annual International Space Development Conference in Albuquerque,
New Mexico was an exciting journey into the current issues of space
exploration. “ISDC 2001: The Odyssey Begins” took place between May 24th and
28th, and had program themes of Leaving Earth, International Space Stations &
Earth Orbital Activities, The Moon and Mars, and The Outer Planets and Beyond
(Ad Astra) including a number of special symposia which took place on the
first day. These topics brought in a great diversity of speakers, vendors,
and exhibits, in addition to the many excited participants who attended the
ISDC. Professionals from all fields, including NSS Governor and Honorary
Chairman Harrison Schmitt, gave seminars on a broad range of topics from
Space Law to Lunar Geology to Advanced Launch Concepts and Technologies.
There was also a Student’s Program to involve children in hands-on activities
about space exploration.

Participants of ISDC had the opportunity to go on several tours, to places
such as Kirtland AFB, historic Santa Fe, a model rocket launch, and the
Manzano Mountains for stargazing. There were also many luncheons and
banquets, with respected speakers such as astronauts John Young and NSS
Governor Buzz Aldrin, and members of the cast and crew involved in the making
of “2001: A Space Odyssey,” including actor Keir Dullea, Fred Ordway, Dan
Richter and Robert McCall, and all banquet attendees enjoyed a videotape and
live telephone conversation with Sir Arthur C. Clarke. Overall, this year’s
conference was a great success, indeed marking the beginning of an odyssey.
More details and photographs from ISDC 2001 will appear in the July/August
issue of Ad Astra.

DONNA SHIRLEY RECEIVES NSS’S WERNHER VON BRAUN MEMORIAL AWARD

We are proud to announce that Donna Shirley, Assistant Dean of
Engineering for Advanced Program Development at the University of Oklahoma
was the recipient of the 2001 Wernher von Braun Award which was presented at
the National Space Society’s 20th Annual International Space Development
Conference, in Albuquerque, New Mexico on May 27.

Dr. Shirley has had a long and distinguished career in space
exploration, with over 35 years of experience in the engineering of aerospace
and civil systems. She retired in August 1998 as manager of the Mars
Exploration Program at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, which included the
highly successful Pathfinder and Mars Global Surveyor missions. Prior to
becoming manager of the program, Dr. Shirley managed the team that built
Sojourner, the $25 million microrover, which was carried to the Martian
surface by Mars Pathfinder on July 4, 1997. Before her involvement in
Pathfinder, Dr. Shirley was Project Engineer for the Cassini mission to
Saturn, Manager of Exploration Initiative Studies, Manager of Automation and
Robotics, Manager of JPL’s Space Station Program, Manager of the Mission
Design Section, and Project Engineer for the Mariner 10 mission to Venus and
Mercury. Since 1999, Dr. Shirley has been teaching at the University of
Oklahoma where she is currently participating in strategic planning and the
development of new educational initiatives.

SPACE PIONEER AWARDS PRESENTED TO
ROBERT FARQUHAR, LEONARD DAVID AND ELAINE WALKER

Three Space Pioneer Awards were also presented at the ISDC. The
Space Pioneer Award for Scientist/Engineer was given to the Near Earth
Asteroid Rendezvous Mission Team, led by Mission Director Dr. Robert Farquhar
and was accepted by Jason Jenkins on Dr. Farquahar’s behalf. The Space
Pioneer Award for Media was given to Leonard David, correspondent for
space.com. The award for Space Activist of the Year was presented to Elaine
Walker, Region 8 Chapter Organizer and President of NSS/NYC.

SEATTLE CHAPTER HAS VIDEOS TO SHARE

by John Schlick, NSS Seattle

The Seattle chapter of the National Space Society has been taping
space related events including our meetings, and Norwescon, The Northwest
Science Fiction Convention, Space Science Panels for over two years now. We
have developed a significant library of material, and presently have our own
TV series on Public Access TV here in Seattle with a two hour show once a
month.

We would like to make this material available to other chapters, and
chapter members, especially chapters that want to air these shows on other
local public access stations around the country. We can even help you with
the process. Every month, we add another two-hour show to the list, and once
a year we add all of the space science panels from Norwescon to the list
(usually totaling about 20-25 one-hours shows).

In order to make copies of these tapes, we need either $5.00 for a
VHS copy, or $8.00 for an SVHS copy. This covers the cost of the tape, and
the cost of mailing. It is highly recommended
that you get SVHS tapes if you are going to have them broadcast on your local
public access channel. We can make special arrangements if you order 10 or
more tapes. All shows come one to a tape, recorded in SP, with :30 seconds of
black at the header of the tape (that’s the way the stations like it).

For a list of shows, or to get a copy of any these tapes, please contact:

John Schlick

5284 44th Ave SW, Seattle, WA, 98136

John_Schlick@NHC.ADP.COM

(206) 932-6622

Please note: For redistribution purposes, none of this material may
be used for commercial purposes (those are the Public Access rules that we
operate under), and as a side note, none of the two hour shows are any good
if broken into two one-hour shows. Almost all shows are shot with a single
camera, so they are not slickly produced commercial TV shows. Most all of the
shows
have a “crawl” across the bottom with information on how to access the main
NSS website as well as information on who is speaking, and some information
on the Seattle NSS chapter.

LUNAR DEVELOPMENT CONFERENCE COMING JULY 19-21

Experts in lunar science, engineering, urban design, and life support
will gather at Caesar’s Palace, Las Vegas, July 19-21, 2001 to create a
blueprint for permanent human settlement of the Moon. Hosted by the Space
Frontier Foundation, the Return to the Moon III conference is co-sponsored by
the Foundation for the International Non-governmental Development of Space
(FINDS), National Space Society, Space Studies Institute, International Space
University, and American Astronomical Society (AAS). Dr. Mike Duke of the
Lunar and Planetary Institute and planetary scientist Dr. Wendell Mendell are
confirmed as conference chairs. Gemini, Apollo, and Shuttle astronaut John
Young, Apollo 17 Astronaut, NSS Governor and former Senator Harrison Schmitt,
Astronomer John Lewis, and Author Ben Bova will be featured speakers.

For more information and to register for the conference, please go to
the web site at: www.space-frontier.org/Projects/Moon/ldc2001.html.

AOL CHAT ON SPACE TOURISM

An America Online (AOL) Space Tourism Chat will be hosted by Frank
Sietzen, Editor of Ad Astra, on June 28 from 10pm-12am (EST). All are
encouraged to join in the timely discussion of Dennis Tito’s recent flight
and the future of “average” citizens in space.

NSS CO-SPONSORS 4TH NATIONAL SPACE FORUM:

“National Security Space Leadership: Military, Intelligence, Commercial and
Civil”

NSS was a cosponsor of the 4th National Space Forum with the
Astronautical Society and the National Space Club on June 5-6, in Washington
DC. A series of five panels discussed such issues as implementing commission
results, national power, service perspectives, commercial sector
perspectives, and agency perspectives. A number of highly respected
individuals from both commercial and military backgrounds presented their
views and opinions on the latest security space leadership issues.

DC-L5 HOSTS HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE SCIENTIST INGE HEYER

At its monthly meeting in June, NSS’s DC-L5 chapter hosted Inge
Heyer, from the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore, Maryland.
Ms. Heyer (sol.stsci.edu/~heyer/) is a Data Analyst supporting the Hubble
Space Telescope’s (HST) Wide Field/Planetary Camera (WFPC) 2. She presented
a brief introduction to the telescope itself and an overview of significant
observations from more than a decade of HST operations. In August, DC-L5
will videotape Heyer’s presentation for broadcast on Fairfax County Public
Access television. For more information on this videotape or the DC-L5
chapter, contact President Donnie Lowther (okl1@erols.com).

During the past ten years, Hubble has observed astronomical phenomena
ranging from planet formation and clouds of interstellar dust to supernovas
and supermassive black holes. HST observations are the property of the
scientist who proposed them for one year, but after that all data is made
available to the public. This vast archive of imagery can be accessed on the
world wide web at: hubble.stsci.edu. Also available, at
hstexhibit.stsci.edu, is “Hubble Space Telescope: New Views of the Universe”,
the online analog of a Smithsonian Institution exhibit currently traveling
around the United States.

SPACE DAY 2001

NSS was once again a proud partner of Space Day in 2001. NSS
Administrative Officer Alison Schutt attended the opening ceremony held at
the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum on May 3rd. The event is
designed to reach out to millions of students, teachers, parents, and space
enthusiasts to advance science, math, and technology education. Visit
www.spaceday.com for ideas on how you can plan to celebrate Space Day 2002 in
your community.

JSC OPEN HOUSE SCHEDULED FOR AUGUST 25

NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston will hold its annual open
house on August 25. Nineteen JSC buildings will be open to the public,
including the Space Shuttle and International Space Station Mission Control
rooms and the Space Vehicle Mockup Facility. Tours of the Sonny Carter
Training Facility and Ellington Field will also be available. JSC personnel,
including astronauts, will be on hand to answer questions and sign
autographs. The open house will run from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. For more
information, visit the web site at openhouse.jsc.nasa.gov.