Rocket City to Host 30th International Space Development Conference & Space Investment Summit 9
Space leaders, pioneers and enthusiasts from all over the world will take part in the National Space Society’s 30th International Space Development Conference (ISDC) on May 18-22 in Huntsville, ‘Rocket City,’ Alabama (TR). Once a humble cotton town, Huntsville emerged as the epicenter of technological innovation leading to America’s 1st satellite in space, 1st human in space, 1st humans on the Moon, 1st reusable Space Shuttle and the nation’s next-generation of launch vehicles. This year’s theme, ‘From the Ground Up’ will draw inspiration from Huntsville as well as rally the international space community to transform concepts into reality. The conference will cover topics in human space exploration, space science, NewSpace entrepreneurship, Earth-based space applications and biotechnology. The event will also showcase various space-related activities from around the country and world. Speakers include Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin (TL), Virgin Galactic CEO George Whitesides (BL), International Space University President Michael Simpson and Excalibur Almaz Founder Arthur Dula. The event will also feature representatives from 7 Google Lunar X Prize teams. SIS – 9 will take place on the 1st day of the ISDC conference, May 18. Also sponsored by the NSS, this year’s event will feature prominent investment leaders and entrepreneurs discussing innovation in space-related commerce worldwide. (Credit: ISDC, NSS, Virgin Galactic, explo.org, skyhighgallery.com)
GIS-in-Central-Asia Conference to be Held in Kazakhstan
Geographical Information Science and Technologies have become key tools for managing societies, environments and infrastructures around the world. The goal of the GIS-in-Central-Asia (GISCA) series of conferences is to build a Central Asia network of GIS professionals to support the sustained development of the region into an environmentally friendly, secure and prosperous society. GISCA 2011 will be held at the Kazakh National University (B) in Almaty, Kazakhstan, on May 19-20, and it will focus on the theme of ‘Geoinformatics: Managing Environment, Resources and Risk.’ Kazakhstan Vice-Minister of Education Prof. Murat Orunkhanov and Ambassador of Austria to Central Asia Ursula Fahringer (TR) will give welcoming speeches. Topics to be discussed at the English language conference include GIS for environmental management, development of spatial data infrastructures, and new trends and technologies in GIS&T. Kazakhstan also has a launch scheduled on May 20 from the Baikonur Cosmodrome, as a Proton Rocket with a Breeze upper stage will deploy the Telstar 14R communications satellite. (Credit: NYSGIS, Kazakh National University)
= All times for terrestrial events in local time unless noted.
= All times for international terrestrial events in local time unless noted.
= All times for space events, and…
= All times for international space / astro events in Hawaii Standard Time unless noted. Add 10 hours to obtain UT (‘Universal Time;’ Greenwich, England).
Weekly Planet Watch – Morning Planets: Mercury (E), Venus (E), Mars (E), Jupiter (E) / Evening Planets: Saturn (SSE).
MONDAY
May 16 — International Space Station, LEO: E-27 crew members continue with scientific experiments and maintenance activities while preparing for the arrival of Endeavour STS-134.
May 16 — NASA Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO), Lunar Orbit: All systems nominal in scientific phase of mission as LRO continues to make digital elevation and terrain maps that will be a fundamental reference for future human exploration.
May 16 — Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO), Red Planet: JPL MRO continues to function satisfactorily as it collects geological and climate data of the Red Planet.
NET May 16 — NASA, Launch Endeavour / ULF 6, Cape Canaveral FL: US mission STS-134 to the International Space Station set to deliver the Express Logistics Carrier 3 and Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer aboard final flight of Endeavour.
May 16 — NASA, Houston TX: NASA TV to broadcast return of 3 International Space Station crew members and the Space Shuttle Endeavour launch of 3 new station residents in the coming weeks which marks the 1st time a Soyuz undocking is expected to take place while a space shuttle is docked.
May 16-17 — The National Academies, Washington DC: ‘NASA Technology Roadmap: Entry, Descent, and Landing Panel.’
May 16-17 — American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, NASA, San Jose CA: ‘AIAA Plug-n-Play Mission Operations Workshop.’
May 16-18 — Ames Research Center, Monrovia CA: ‘5th Mars Science Laboratory Landing Site Workshop.’
May 16 — May Arietid Meteors:Radiating from constellation Aries, the May Arietids is the strongest daylight shower of the year.
Continued from . . .
May 15 — Florida Atlantic University Dept. of Physics , Boca Raton FL: ‘6th Gulf Coast Gravity Meeting;’ through May 16.
May 15 — The National Academies, Irvine CA: ‘NASA Technology Roadmap Meeting: Materials Panel;’ through May 17.
May 15 — The SOAR Telescope, Brazil Ministry of Science and Technology, et al, Maresias Beach, Brazil: ‘1st International Symposium of Science with the SOAR Telescope;’ through May 19.
TUESDAY
May 17 — NASA Headquarters, Washington DC: News briefing at 13:00 EDT on Aquarius / SAC-D Earth-observing satellite mission scheduled to launch June 9.
May 17 — Kennedy Space Center, Cape Canaveral FL: Media invited to see Space Shuttle Atlantis’ final planned move from its processing hangar to the Vehicle Assembly Building at 08:00 EDT.
May 17-19 — ESA, Pascal Institute, et al, Clermont, France: ‘7th International Microbial Space Workshop,’ featuring lecture by ESA astronaut Frank De Winne.
May 17-20 — Eurospace, Canadian Space Agency, ESA, et al, San Anton, Malta: ‘DASIA2011,’ an international space system engineering conference.
May 17 — Mercury: 1.4° SE of Venus; 21:00.
May 17 — Moon: Full Moon, 01:07;3.4° N of Antares; 22:00.
WEDNESDAY
May 18 — Monmouth University, West Long Branch NJ: ‘78th Commencement Ceremony,’ featuring commencement address by NASA Administrator Charles Bolden.
May 18 — The SETI Institute, Mountain View CA: Colloquium Series Lecture: ‘Construction of the 10,000 Year Clock Begins,’ Alexander Rose.
May 18 — Space Investment Summit Coalition, National Space Society, Huntsville AL: ‘Space Investment Summit 9.’
May 18 — Science and Technology Facilities Council, International Space Innovation Center, London, England: ‘Solar Monitoring Seminar,’ event highlights the increasing risks that solar storms present to both space based and ground based infrastructure.
May 18-20 — The National Academies, Woods Hole MA: ‘Human Spaceflight Crew Operations Meeting.’
May 18-20 — Canadian Space Agency, MDA, et al, St. Huber, Quebec, Canada: ‘4th International Conference on Spacecraft Formation Flying Missions & Technologies.’
May 18-22 — National Space Society, Huntsville AL: ‘30th International Space Development Conference: From the Ground Up,’ international event to emphasize the tools, resources, and social activities that must be accomplished to make a spacefaring civilization a reality.
May 18 — Asteroid (Near-Earth Flyby): 2006 JF42 (0.059 AU); 141432 (2002 CQ11) (0.089 AU).
THURSDAY
NET May 19 — Arianespace, Launch Ariane 5 / ST 2 & GSAT 8, Kourou, French Guiana: Arianespace flight VA202 set to use an Ariane 5 ECA rocket to launch the ST 2 and GSAT 8 communications satellites which will provide fixed and mobile voice and internet to Asia and the Middle East; GSAT 8 to serve India with a Ku-band communications payload.
May 19 — US Office of Science and Technology, Washington DC: ‘PCAST Meeting: President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology.’
May 19 — American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics – San Francisco, Mountain View CA: ‘AIAA-SF Dinner Meeting,’ featuring Kenneth Washington discussing ‘Seeing the Waking Sun in a New Light.’
May 19 — W.M Keck Observatory, Kamuela HI: ‘On the Hunt for Protoplanets,’ Geoffrey Blake.
May 19-20 — Austria-Central Asia Center for GIScience, Kazakh National University, et al, Almaty, Kazakhstan: ‘5th Annual GIS in Central Asia Conference 2011.’
May 19 – Jun 30 — Art Center College of Design South Campus, Pasadena CA: ‘Basics of Interplanetary Flight,’ JPL Scientist Dave Doody.
May 19 — Moon: 3.4° S of Pluto; 22:00.
FRIDAY
NET May 20 — Celestis Memorial Spaceflight, Launch SpaceLoft XL / Celestis 10, Las Cruces NM: UP Aerospace Spaceloft XL launch vehicle to assist in ‘The Goddard Flight,’ an Earth Rise mission to launch cremated remains into space.
NET May 20 — International Launch Services, Launch Proton / Telstar 14R, Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan: An ILS Proton rocket with a Breeze M upper stage will deploy the Telstar 14R satellite to give communications services over the United States, Brazil and other parts of South America.
May 20 — Space Enterprise Council, George Marshall Institute, Washington DC: ‘The Emergence of US National Space Policy: Considering National Space Policy Development for Carter to Obama.’
May 20 — Lunar and Planetary Institute, Houston TX: ‘LPI Seminar Series: Sustainability and the New Age of Humans: What You Should Know,’ James White.
May 20 — Committee on Space Research, Indian Space Research Organization, Online: Deadline for Main Scientific Organizers to upload event descriptions for Call for Papers for the ‘39th Scientific Assembly of Committee on Space Research (COSPAR).’
May 20-22 — The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization, Parkes Observatory, New South Wales, Australia: ‘Teacher Workshop: Astronomy from the Ground Up!’
May 20 — Mercury: 2.1° SSE of Mars; 22:00.
May 20 — Omicron Cetid Meteors: Daylight meteor shower radiating from constellation Cetus.
May 20 — Asteroid 2011 H05: Near-Earth Flyby (0.059 AU).
SATURDAY
May 21 — Mojave Transportation Museum Foundation, Mojave CA: ‘Plane Crazy Saturday,’ event to showcase Lockheed Tri-Star ‘Stargazer.’
May 21 — Zero Gravity Corporation, Las Vegas NV: Commercial weightless flight aboard G-Force One.
May 21 — Lunar Legacies, Cape Canaveral FL: ‘Lunar Legacies Space Memorabilia Auction.’
May 21-22 — Regency-Superior Ltd, Palm Desert CA: ‘Space Memorabilia Appraisal Clinic.’
SUNDAY
May 22-26 — American Astronomical Society, Boston MA: ‘218th Meeting of the AAS.’
May 22-26 — ESA, Hyeres, France: ‘20th ESA Symposium on European Rocket and Balloon Programs and Related Research.’
May 22-27 — Science Council of Japan, Japan Geoscience Union, Chiba-City, Japan: ‘Japan Geoscience Union Meeting 2011.’
May 22 — Venus: 0.99° SSE of Mars; 23:00.