Clark Lindsey has posted Henry Vanderbilt's latest announcement for Space Access, which is a month earlier this year than it's traditionally been, occurring in March instead of April. As Henry notes, if you plan to attend, you'd better hurry and make your hotel reservation.

It's one of the best conferences, if not the best, of the year to find out what's happening with the "other space program" (the one for the rest of us). Don't let the fact that I'll be there, and on a panel, dissuade you from attending.

Also, the National Space Society has moved ISDC back to Memorial Day (a big mistake, I think--one of the reasons that they had such good attendance last year in LA was, in addition to the fact that it was in LA, because it wasn't on a holiday weekend). Here's the press announcement:

National Space Society to Host 26th Annual Conference in Dallas, Convening Pioneers from Government and Private Space Programs 2007 International Space Development Conference Set for Memorial Day Weekend.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 21, 2007 – The National Space Sociiety (NSS) today announced details of the 2007 International Space Development Conference (ISDC), which will bring together leaders from NASA, the burgeoning private space industry and international space programs to share the latest news and preview tomorrow's space technologies. The premier public space event for 26 years running, this year's ISDC will begin on Friday, May 25, 2007 in Dallas, Texas.

Additionally, two pre-conference events are scheduled in the days leading up to ISDC, including the Symposium on Space Venture Finance on Thursday, May 24, and the bi-annual meeting of the Aerospace Technology Working Group (ATWG) from May 22 through May 24.

More than 30 prominent space leaders have already confirmed their participation in ISDC 2007, including: Rep. Nick Lampson, U.S. Congressman from Texas; Buzz Aldrin, legendary Apollo astronaut and Chairman of the ShareSpace Foundation; Robert Bigelow, hotel entrepreneur and founder of Bigelow Aerospace; Michael Coats, director of NASA's Johnson Space Center and former space shuttle commander; Dr. Simon "Pete" Worden, director of NASA's Ames Research Center; Laurie Leshin, Director of Sciences and Exploration at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center; John Carmack, legendary computer game designer and founder of Armadillo Aerospace; Donna Shirley, management consultant, author and former manager of NASA/JPL's Mars Exploration Program; Rick Homans, New Mexico's Economic Development Cabinet Secretary and driving force behind the state's planned spaceport; Hugh Downs, legendary journalist and Chairman of the National Space Society's Board of Governors; Rusty Schweickart, Apollo 9 astronaut and founder of the Near Earth Object-focused B612 Foundation; Dr. Shannon Lucid, astronaut, scientist and former record holder for long-duration space flight; Dr. Paul Spudis, lunar science expert; and many others. An extended list of confirmed speakers can be found on the regularly-updated ISDC Web site: www.ISDC2007.org.

The conference will include programs, presentations and exhibits focused on space exploration and settlement, astronomy and scientific research, commercial space ventures, space tourism, and other exciting topics. The conference will also feature displays of real spaceflight hardware, such as Armadillo Aerospace's historic 'Quad' rocket vehicle.

The ISDC 2007 theme, "From Old Frontiers to New: Celebrating 50 Years of Spaceflight," honors the trailblazing spirit that has always been the lifeblood of space explorers around the world.

Call for Papers. The National Space Society is seeking speakers to discuss the latest issues in space technology, science, policy, commerce, medicine, exploration, settlement and more at the conference. Individuals wishing to speak must submit an abstract of 300-500 words by Friday, March 16, 2007. Additional information on details, guidelines and the abstract submission process can be found by visiting the conference Web site.

Registration. ISDC Registration is open to the public at: www.ISDC2007.org, or by calling (202) 429-1600. Conference registration rates are:

Pre-registration by March 15 is $135 ($115 for seniors), $110 for NSS/affiliate members ($90 for senior members) and $30 for students.

Normal registration by May 11 is $150 ($125 for seniors), $125 for NSS/affiliate members ($100 for senior members) and $30 for students.

On-site registration at ISDC is $175 ($145 for seniors), $150 for NSS/affiliate members ($125 for senior members) and $50 for students.

Registration for pre-conference events – iincluding the Space Venture Symposium and ATWG Meeting –“ and for meals and tours during the conference is additional and will be available on the ISDC Web site in March.

Media Credentials. Members of the media who wish to cover one or more days of the conference may request ISDC media credentials by completing the secure online credential request form at http://www.isdc2007.org/mediaform.html .

Pre-Conference Events. The NSS Symposium on Space Venture Finance and bi-annual meeting of the Aerospace Technology Working Group (ATWG) will be held before ISDC 2007 formally opens. The Space Venture Finance Symposium will take place on Thursday, May 24 and will bring together leaders from the world of finance as well as the new generation of space entrepreneurs to discuss the future of space business. The Aerospace Technology Working Group (ATWG) will run from Tuesday, May 22 to Thursday, May 24. ATWG is a technical forum chartered originally by NASA with the purpose of facilitating an open dialogue between government, industry and academia concerning advanced space technology issues.

ISDC will be held May 25 to 28, 2007 at the Hotel InterContinental Dallas, 15201 Dallas Parkway in Addison, Texas. The hotel is located 18 miles east of DFW International Airport. More information about the conference, including a daily-updated speakers list, online media registration, hotel information, and a call for papers is available on the conference Web site at www.ISDC2007.org.

Though it doesn't mention it, I'm supposed to be on a space bloggers panel there, along with "Instapundit" (and former head of the NSS Executive Committee) Glenn Reynolds.

Not to tell you how to run your blog, Rand, but that's one of the longest posts you have right now. You usually use a "read the rest!" link for such things.

Not complaining, really, just sayin' that it made getting to other recent posts an exercise for my mouse wheel.

...an exercise for my mouse wheel

That's what scroll bars are for... ;-)

There's probably no rhyme or reason as to why I decide to put a post under the fold, or not (though I'm more likely to do it when I'm hiding something perhaps not work safe, or to make a point with a punchline).

Rand,

You touched on probably the single most contentious issue since we (NSS of North Texas) started on this back in 2004.

We heard that if it wasn't on Memorial Day weekend (MDw) it wasn't an ISDC, that if it was on the MDw no one would come, that the regulars wouldn't come if it wasn't. That we'd have more luck with locals on the holiday weekend, and that we wouldn't. We looked at other dates as early as April 12th (Yuri's Night), and as late as July 20th (Moon Day). We looked at the Space Day weekend (and I'll note that there really wasn't much Space Day tie-in in LA on Thursday, nor Astronomy Day on that Sunday).

I don't have a deep history with NSS, so the tradition aspects weren't that important to me. One thing that was was which day folks went home on, and things were winding down fast on Sunday in LA. Having the Monday available to travel was a significant factor. And, for a lot of the members who put the proposal together, so was tradition.

One factor to consider for LA was that it was co-hosted by The Planetary Society. This apparently caused a lot of confusion as to whose conference it was, exactly. Not a problem this year, as everyone is coming in under the NSS umbrella as an affiliate. The partnering is working in helping to move the space agenda forward, though this isn't always obvious. I'm working very hard to keep this a conference for the people, and our chapter is working very hard to build awareness in the metroplex, and have been for a while. Over a hundred postcards and ~30-40 buttons handed out to families just last night at the 3rd preview of 'Astronaut Farmer'. My display table was barren and thoroughly picked over at the end.

I think we can draw a larger than normal turnout of space interested people from the local communities who, and this is critical, do not normally do space conferences.
-We're not a space city, so this is not 'old hat' for the local folk. Just like I never went to the Statue of Liberty when I lived in NYC for 7 years, space cities are difficult for what could be called populist space events.
-We've developed our own local media contact list of the small press that drops below the national radar.
-We've been working the Cons, and have one this weekend at ConDFW, where our chapter president will be speaking and promoting our writing contest. We've got a party room for Saturday, and anyone who was in LA knows that we do them well.
-Just wait 'till we unleash the Cowboy Kid. I may get antsy here in the near future and give a preview of the photo at Selenian Boondocks (we have permission from the family, and it's already making their e-mail rounds).
-People are hungry for this sort of thing, and I think we can tap into that zeitgeist if we have good displays. Mr. Carmack's Lunar Lander is certainly a good start. Having an author's area for book signing will help. Connecting with Radio Disney last night at Astronaut Farmer was good too.
-Lots of other little but important things that add up to a really unique citizen space conference.

We're not yet finalized with the good professor on the details of the blogger panel, so it's not committed yet. I'm pretty sure we have the space penciled in. I am sure the media will be all over that one.

Sorry for the long reply. Are we having fun yet?

Ken
Co-chair

Posted by Ken Murphy at February 21, 2007 05:35 PM

Hard to believe that area has grown so much. When I was a "kid" I rode my bike down a "two lane" Midway road to Addison Airport to pump gas and wash planes. I soloed at Addison...back when they had the crosswind grass runway... before I left on my present gig I took the airplane back to Dallas to see the homespread and let the parents see the plane.

A tunnel under the aiport...gans (snag spelled backwards)

Robert

Ken,

I think you've been taken. The first Memorial Day ISDC was in Seattle in 1986. Yes, I was there. Since the Seattle-Vancouver area actually can be a tourist destination -- especially considering the World's Fair in Vancouver that year -- it didn't automatically seem like a mistake. It was. I once heard Joe Hopkins, the chair of that convention, say "We made a mistake -- and now it's become a tradition."

In 1990 I started work at Goddard Space Flight Center. I also went to the Anaheim ISDC that year. Greg Allison of Huntsville, noting the "tradition" of Memorial Day, stated there were good reasons to not hold it then in Alabama. He proposed instead Labor Day weekend. SF fan Pat Kelley turned to me and commented that wasn't going to fly. The competition was the World SF Con in San Francisco. SF writer Ben Bova, then chair of the board I think, accepted the bid but proposed scheduling be done later. That's when the fans of the Memorial Day ISDC went into action. I know one such person told me he "needed" that third day to get energized for working for space development back in the normal workaday world. I was not impressed.

Since then I've attended ISDCs occasionally. Two in DC, one in Ohio in the mid 90s, one in Tucson a few years ago and one in California (2003) since then.

NSS seems to be changing for the better the last few years. The society is now in the black I understand with a membership that seems to be growing again.

Still, though, the Memorial Day weekend conference seems like a mistake. I think it keeps it from being taken entirely seriously.

What kinds of people does the ISDC draw these days?