Tom Pickens, head of Spacehab, gave the lunchtime speech, in which he proclaimed that the time is right for this industry. Unfortunately, he didn’t provide much support for the thesis, and much of his speech seemed to argue that it was still too early, at least in the sense that there’s a paucity of fundable business plans. He is also much more enthusiastic about the prospects for the International Space Station and its ability to support microgravity research than I am. But then, that’s the business he’s in.

I’m blogging from the space finance session at the conference (we finally got power in the room, so I don’t have to worry about my battery dying).

Thirty-eight years ago, the first men walked on the moon. In December, it will have been thirty-five years since the last footsteps occurred there. The conference I’m attending is about figuring out ways to keep it from being that long before it happens again.

James Lileks has additional thoughts, as does Alan K. Henderson, and there’s still time to celebrate it with a commemorative dinner tonight.

Also, blogging will probably continue to be light. The wireless connection here is sporadic and iffy. However, Clark Lindsey is diligently blogging the conference. Just keep scrolling.

Their continuing to push for the US to sign and ratify the Law of the Sea Treaty. As I’ve pointed out previously, this would set a dangerous precedent, in that it will weaken the arguments against our signing on to the Moon Treaty.

Does the UK ban its citizens from going into space?

Someone better tell Sir Richard.

Does the UK ban its citizens from going into space?

Someone better tell Sir Richard.

Does the UK ban its citizens from going into space?

Someone better tell Sir Richard.

This is an idea that’s been around for decades, but Alan Boyle has a story on the latest advances in space suits, and what may be coming down the technological pike. It’s long overdue.

[Update a couple minutes later]

Clark Lindsey has more, with more links.

An interesting comment (number fourteen) by “anonymous” over at Space Politics:

The other interesting rumor from that same post is:

Thirty-eight years ago, Apollo XI left Cape Canaveral, and headed off to the moon. Friday is the anniversary of the landing. I’ll be at the Space Frontier Conference, but for those who aren’t doing that, you have all week to plan a Friday-night celebration and commemoration of the epochal event.

Brian Swiderski has taken our advice, and started a blog on space. Like most of his previous commentary on space (and little of his “progressive” commentary on anything else), it’s worth a read. It could be particularly useful for him and Ferris Valyn to educate the left on the benefits of space and spaceflight, and shoot down a lot of the egregious nonsense about it from that sector, by people who can speak their language:

Everything is a playground for the rich–that’s why most people find becoming rich desirable. However, in this case “conspicuous consumption” may result in a virtuous circle of cost reductions and greater investment, which would increasingly open space to the general public. To have the wealthy pay for the infrastructure of future generations is at the core of progressive economic values, and it makes little sense to be offended when doing so occurs voluntarily.