Lee Valentine is reactivating the moribund Space Studies Institute, recently moved from its original home in Princeton to Mojave. I wonder where the conference will be this fall? All previous ones have been in Princeton (and have always been known as the “Princeton Conferences”).
8 thoughts on “Resurrection”
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As long as Lee Valentine is involved, not many people are going to be interested.
I’ve been talking to Lee about this over the last year, and we’re (Space Access) planning to support SSI in this. Given the recent progress on getting to space affordably (a long way to go still yes, but getting closer fast) a conference on what to do once there is more relevant than ever.
SSI has some really interesting possibilities for the conference site. Stay tuned. For those interested in this field, this should be worth going to.
Could be Lee will have more to say by the time of the next Space Access conference, April 8-10 in Phoenix Arizona (www.space-access.org for details) if not before.
What distinguished previous SSI conferences?
Primarily their focus on space settlement and industrialization.
As long as Lee Valentine is involved
Is there some reason we should care what an anonymous slandering troll with an idiotic screen name thinks?
The dumb screen name says it all. I think it is great that Lee is reviving SSI. Entrepreneurial space needs organizations such as SSI to help the industry develop as well as gain wider acceptance.
I think this is good news. SSI did the original work on mass drivers in the late 70’s, which demonstrated that they were, indeed, a viable technology. I think SSI’s key role now would be to develop the bio-remediation and other technologies essential to self-contained bio-spheres for space settlements. No one else is doing this AFAIK. There are plenty of other people and groups working on various space propulsion technologies. SSI should focus its efforts in areas that no one else is doing right now.
“Sim Randberg Says:
As long as…”
I dunno, Rand – the name has a certain ring (grin)
Seriously, circular firing squads are dumb, and circular firing squads of one are just plain silly. My (cribbed) 11th Commandment is “Speak No Ill Of Fellow Space Activists/Entrepreneurs” – at least not in public. Sim, whoever you are, come tell me sometime over a beer how Lee done ya wrong, and I’ll listen sympathetically, and probably have an atrocity tale or three of my own to tell about others. I’ve been in this game for near three decades now, and trust me, I’ve seen some truly impressive own-goals from a variety of (well-meaning, mostly) people. SSI’s direction is very worthwhile, and if Lee is taking on the considerable gruntwork of making their conferences happen again, more power to him. There’s no good (and considerable harm) to come of applying to the conference in public any personal grudges you may have against him.
In answer to Karl’s question, SSI has tended to emphasize discussion of the technical side of affordably operating in space – structures, life support, power sources, potential mining and refining techniques, etc. Good stuff to have a body of research on handy, when we get to the point where we can get there affordably. I’m looking forward to next October (when the SSI conference is planned for) myself.