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Chicago Society for Space Studies
Spacewatch - September 2014
Economy and Exploration Speakers Forum at Museum of Science and Industry
The Chicago Society for Space Studies is proud to be an official supporting organization of the Deep Space Alliance's Economy and Exploration: Why Deep Space is Vital to Advancing U.S. Leadership Speaker Forum. This free forum will be held Tuesday October 7 at the Museum of Science and Industry from 8:30am to 11:00am. Note that this is also the museum's free admission day so you can come for the forum and then tour the museum.
As a part of this unique event, CSSS will have an information table and will provide a panelist for each of forum's two panels:
* Deep Space Jobs: What the U.S. Must Do to Win Market Share in the New Space Economy
* Investing for Growth in the Deep Space Market: Leaders and Laggards
Though not strictly required, registering to attend this event is very highly encouraged. For event details, see
Economy and Exploration: Why Deep Space is Vital to Advancing U.S. Leadership Speaker Forum
CSSS A Sponsor of Gateway to Space Conference
Chicago Society for Space Studies (CSSS) is an official sponsor of the Gateway to Space Conference being held in St. Louis November 7 through November 9 at the Crowne Plaza St. Louis - Downtown. CSSS members Jim Plaxco and Lynne Zielinski will be speakers at the conference. In addition, the National Space Society Board of Directors will be meeting at the conference. For information about speakers, programming, tours, registration, etc. see:
CSSS and the Gateway to Space Conference, St. Louis.
Several CSSS members will be attending this conference. Will you?
CSSS NSS Home District Legislative Blitz Results
On August 15 CSSS President Jim Plaxco and NSS DIrector/CSSS member Karen Mermel met with Representative Tammy Duckworth of the 8th congressional district and on August 25, Jim Plaxco and CSSS Executive Vice President Larry Boyle met with Representative Randy Hultgren of the 14th congressional district.
The focus of both meetings was to emphasize our support for the extension of ISS operations to 2024; to voice our support for expanding commercial space operations in the U.S. and the need for ITAR regulatory reform as well as the need to delay FAA normalized regulation of the sub-orbital industry for at least 8 years.
A central component of our message was the importance of and support for full funding of the commercial crew program as well as the removal of roadblocks to the commercial crew program inserted into legislation by program opponents.
If you are a resident of either the 8th or 14th congressional districts, I urge you to contact your representative and voice your support for the message that the Chicago Society for Space Studies delivered in these meetings.
Randy Hultgren: 202.225.2976 / Hultgren contact form
Tammy Duckworth: 202.225.3711 / Duckworth contact form
Explore Mars ExoLance Indiegogo Campaign
In July Explore Mars launched an Indiegogo fundraising campaign to fund its Exolance project. The project's objective is to find life on Mars using a simple system capable of being delivered to the Martian surface. For more, see the article at discovery.com: ExoLance: Shooting Darts at Mars to Find Life
For campaign details and/or to donate, visit
Explore Mars Exolance Indiegogo Campaign
NOTE: This campaign closes on September 29.
Coming Events
Sept. 26: A Trip to the Moon
Georges Melies 14 minute long 1902 science fiction movie A Trip to the Moon will be shown at Block Cinema, Northwestern University. The film will be shown using a recently restored, tinted 35mm print and will be accompanied by live music. The movie will be followed by another silent film - A Girl in Every Port.
For more, see Block Cinema.
Oct. 7: Economy and Exploration: Why Deep Space is Vital to Advancing U.S. Leadership Speaker Forum
For complete details, see Economy and Exploration: Why Deep Space is Vital to Advancing U.S. Leadership Speaker Forum
October 24: Success and Failure in Engineering: A Paradoxical Relationship
A part of the Fermilab Lecture Series, this lecture by Dr. Henry Petrosky of Duke University is described as follows:
Engineering is about making and doing things that have not been done before. To be successful, it is essential that engineers properly anticipate how things can fail, and design accordingly. Case studies of past failures thus provide invaluable information for the design of future successes. Conversely, designs based on the extrapolation of successful experience alone can lead to failure. This paradox will be explored in the context of historical case studies, including the design of ocean liners and suspension bridges.
The program is at 8:00pm Friday, October 24 with a ticket price of $7.00.
For details, see the Fermilab lecture series page.
November 21: Fermilab Physics Slam III
Back by popular demand, this year's Physics Slam promises to be a fascinating look at just how far physicists will go to convince you that their area of expertise is the most intriguing. Five physicists all take the stage with 10 minutes each to impress you with their topic, and at the end YOU decide who is the Slam Champion.
The program is at 8:00pm Friday, November 21, 2014 with a ticket price of $7.00.
For details, see the Fermilab Physics Slam III event page.
Space News
Who Owns Asteroid Rights?
A Sept. 9 post on Discovery.com about a Congressional hearing on space property rights - an important issue for future space development activities.
Full story: Asteroid Property Rights
OOPS: ISS accidentally launches satellites on its own
A story from Sept 6 about the "mystery" launch of some CubeSats from ISS.
Full story: ISS Accidental CubeSat Launch
Andy Sullivan Hits Hole-in-One at KLM Open to Earn Trip into Space
On Sept. 14, The Guardian reported that when English golfer Andy Sullivan got a hole-in-one at the KLM Open, he won a trip to space courtesy of XCOR Space Expeditions.
“With this prize we wish to create awareness among the public that space is now also accessible for everyone” - Michiel Mol, the CEO of XCOR Space Expeditions.
Full story: Andy Sullivan hits hole-in-one at KLM Open to earn trip into space
Space Books Worth Reading
Support CSSS by buying a book via our Amazon affiliate link.
Suborbital: Industry at the Edge of Space
Author: Erik Seedhouse
Series: Springer Praxis Books / Space Exploration
Paperback: 184 pages
Publisher: Springer, edition - Feb. 2014
The nascent commercial suborbital spaceflight industry will soon open the space frontier to commercial astronauts, payload specialists, scientists and of course, tourists. This book describes the tantalizing science opportunities to be offered when suborbital trips become routine within the next 12 to 18 months. It describes the difference in training and qualification necessary to become either a spaceflight participant or a fully-fledged commercial suborbital astronaut and it describes the vehicles this new class of astronauts will use.
Suborbital: Industry at the Edge of Space on Amazon
Fundamentals of Space Business and Economics
Author: Ozgur Gurtuna
Series: SpringerBriefs in Space Development
Paperback: 104 pages
Publisher: Springer; edition - April 2013
This book provides an overview of key topics related to space business and management. Case studies and an integrative section are included to illustrate the fundamental concepts and to build intuition. Key topics in the field, such as risk management and cost management, are covered in detail. This book was reviewed by Jim Plaxco for Ad Astra magazine.
Fundamentals of Space Business and Economics on Amazon
CSSS SPACE BOOKS
In the near future, CSSS will be adding a Recommended Space Books page to our web site. If you have a book that you would like to suggest for our page, email your recommendation to Jim Plaxco at (email address omitted for web version).
This Issue's Quotation
"You can't predict the future but you can certainly help give it direction."
Teacher and Astronaut Barbara Morgan
What Do You Think?
If you have comments or suggestions regarding Chicago Society for Space Studies and/or Spacewatch please email Jim Plaxco at (email address omitted for web version)
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