From mclinkor at MIT.EDU Fri Aug 1 16:24:21 2008 From: mclinkor at MIT.EDU (Ryan McLinko) Date: Fri Aug 1 16:25:31 2008 Subject: [Seds-announce] DC-X Conference Message-ID: <48939B25.7090105@mit.edu> There's a conference coming up really soon based around the DC-X, which has a solid list of speakers and should be both interesting and a good networking opportunity for those who can make it. Details: What: DC-X Conference When: Aug 17-19, 2008 Where: Alamogordo, NM If you are able/interested, let me know asap. (I've also attached the full press release below) -- - Ryan McLinko Vice Chair, SEDS-USA Massachusetts Institute of Technology Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics Class of 2009 Contact info: Cathy Harper Marketing/Public Relations Director 1-877-333-6589 or 1-505-437-2840 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 21, 2008 Space Industry Leaders to Converge on Alamogordo Alamogordo, NM August 2008 will mark the 15th anniversary of the first flight of the Delta Clipper Experimental on August 18,1993, at White Sands Missile Range, NM. In the three years following, the technical and management accomplishments of the DC-X team and the "grass-roots" support that made it happen established a vision of the future that government, industry and even commercial ventures have sought to emulate. To share this experience with the next generation of innovators, the DC-X team and advocates will come together to celebrate and share the accomplishments of the DC-X and the follow-on DC-XA on Aug. 17, 18 & 19, 2008, in Alamogordo, NM. "Planning for the DC-X/XA reunion and 21st Century Space Access Seminar and Workshop is just about finalized and the Agenda for the three-day event has been released," stated Cathy Harper, Director of Marketing/Public Relations, New Mexico Museum of Space History at Alamogordo, and Chair for the Event. "The Event Team has pulled together an international 'cast' of speakers providing both historical and visionary content. NASA will be presenting their commercial sub-orbital services initiative on Day 3. Special space and rocketry activities for the children and young adults of attendees are in place and special tours for attendees are being offered, depending on interest level." Some of the confirmed and invited speakers panel leaders and participants include: Pete Worden, Director NASA Ames Research Center, Don Steinmeyer, former Chief Engineer DC-X/XA, NASA Marshall Space Center - Dan Dumbacher, Steve Cook, Phil Sumrall, Gary Payton, Deputy Undersecretary Air Force Space, Michael Griffin, NASA Administrator, Personal Spaceflight Federation - Brett Alexander, Jeff Bezos, Jeff Greason, Elon Musk, Doug Shane, John Carmack, George French, Steve Landeene, Director Spaceport America, Jeff Krukin, President Space Frontier Foundation, Dr. John Krancz, NASA commercial Suborbital services initiative, Australia ¨C Dr. Ian Tuohy, Kirby Ikin, Japan - Misuzu Onuki Dr. Yushifumi Inatani, Tsuyoshi Saotome Dumitru Popescu, ARCA, Romania - David Masten, and Dr. Michael Simpson, President International Space University. Nino Polizzi, event Coordinator noted, "Our goal is to share the DC-X/XA experience with the next generation of innovators, helping to create aircraft-like space access for the 21st Century." He further stated, "We view this event as an opportunity to share and leverage the visions and lessons-learned from DC-X/XA with today's space community and an opportunity to share our common vision of safe, routine, aircraft-like space transportation with the potential to drive costs below $100/lb." The DC-X/XA First Flight Reunion will take center stage on Sunday, August 17. Ambassador Henry Cooper will give the opening address focusing on the program initiative. The remainder of the day will be dedicated to the DC-X/XA Team and the plan for the DC-X/XA restoration and exhibit at the Museum. That evening, a reception and dinner is on the agenda, featuring an introduction of attending team members, presentation of memorabilia, and other activities. The Reunion will take place at the NM Museum of Space History's Rocket Restoration Center, where the DC-X is housed pending refurbishment. It's "Back to the Future" on Monday, August 18, as the day's activities begin with Master of Ceremonies Dr. Pete Worden, Director of NASA's Ames Research Laboratory, giving the opening plenary "Inventing 21st Century Space Transportation". Keynote speaker for lunch will be Dr. Michael Griffin, NASA Administrator, speaking on "Space in Transition". Later that afternoon, Spaceport America Executive Director Steve Landeene will host a panel on "Bridging the Market Gap". Dr. Griffin will be one of several panelists. The evening's banquet will feature Distinguished Speaker Dr. Michael Simpson, President of the International Space University, whose topic will be "New Space Is International Space". Several other speakers and discussion panels are planned throughout the day. The event will be held at the NMSU-A Tays Special Events Center. Tuesday, August 19, NASA begins the day discussing its new suborbital flight initiatives. Dr. Pete Worden will give an overview of the initiatives and Dr. John Karcz will discuss commercial suborbital flights as a venue for scientific research. Workshops and informal meetings are planned for the rest of the day on topics such as scientific operations using aircraft-like commercial suborbital services, private sector views on commercial suborbital flight markets, and private sector preferred ways of doing business with NASA for commercial suborbital services. These activities will be held at the NMSU-A Tays Special Events Center. The theme for this seminar is ¨C "Creating aircraft-like space access for the 21st Century". It is an opportunity to share and leverage the visions and lessons-learned from DC-X/XA with today's space community. More important it is an opportunity to share a common vision of routine, aircraft-like space transportation with the potential to drive costs below $100/lb, and one day soon open the "Spaceways" to all. During the three days, attendees will relish the accomplishment of the past and invent new paths to the future. Event supporters include the New Mexico Museum of Space History, International Space Hall of Fame Foundation, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, New Mexico State University Alamogordo, Spaceport America, City of Alamogordo Promotion Board and the Space Frontier Foundation. For more information or to register for the event, call Cathy Harper at 575-437-2840 x 41153 or visit www.dcxproject.com . === EOF ===