General Meeting Minutes - 11/20/08

Josh showed the pictures that people took of Space Vision 2008
John from New Space business talked about on Dec 3rd at 4 pm is going to give a talk about the new businesses that are out there in space industry
UASEDS and H+ members announced themselves to each other
Flandrau is holding an event on Nov 29th and Nov 30th for the closest passing of Venus and Jupiter
Space Vision 2009 meeting is Sunday at noon
4 position in USASEDS excutive board are from UASEDS
NSS for a one year membership for graduating seniors who are interested
H+ joint conference for Space Vision 2009
Mike will send a meeting time for the trebuchet for next meeting
Martin talked about focusing on the research for rocket technology and start with the balloon part of the Rockoon project
The Rockoon project meeting is on Sunday at 2 pm
Triana gave a presentation on Changing our Solar System
Kyle gave a presentation on an updated version of Space Exploration in the 21st Century
Richard will give a presentation on Transhumanism
Members that went on the tours to sign the appropriate thank you cards
High Power Rocket launch Phoenix at 3 pm, contact Kevin if you are intersted

Officer Meeting Minutes 11/20/08

Flandrau is having a big event on Nov 29-30th for Venus and Jupiter
UASEDS will bring our telescope for the event
Richard will give the H+ talk
At the meeting, announcing the thanksgiving dinner at Kevin's place
Signing of thank you card for Nick of NASA
Mike will allow a question and answer session about the trebuchet for H+
Martin might give a different rocket project
Katie might talk about the Rockoon project
Space Vision 2009 meeting is on Sunday at noon
National position will be announced
UASEDS needs to make a list for them to get the Space Society benefits
Kyle ordered pizza for today's meeting
Sosa might be changing the address
Cars for the rocket demonstration will be reimbursed

SpaceVision - Day 3

Day three of the trips (second full day of the conference) saw more speakers, the highlight of which was resoundingly agreed upon to be the Mars Phoenix Lander principal investigator Peter Smith. After the talks there was a formal banquet (which I unfortunately don't have images of) after which the UASEDS telescope was set up to show to the other SEDS chapters. Already there are at least two other chapters interested in building their own telescope, so I think it was a success.


A member from the UCF chapter of SEDS peering at the moon. The seeing conditions weren't that great that night, but the moon never looks bad in an 18 inch telescope.


UASEDS members posing with the telescope at the end of the night. The red glow of a fountain can be seen behind us. In the photo from left to right are Josh Nelson, Zeke, Kyle, Mike, Katie, and Pye Pye.

SpaceVision - Day 2

Second day in Texas, and the first full day of the conference. The day saw a large host of speakers, including Peter Diamandis, founder of SEDS along with a million other space related organizations. The day also featured a number of forums to discuss various aspects of the organization and how to improve and expand it. The day was capped off by a networking party, which due to the number of enthusiasm of the SEDS members attending, was forced to move three times before the night was over.


The campus of Texas A&M University (otherwise known as Aggieland) as seen from the 11th floor of the conference tower at the center of campus.


SEDS members participating in one of the forums. UASEDS members in the picture include Tyler, Triana, Pye Pye, Kyle, and Josh Nelson.

The national conference is one of the few times when SEDS members from different chapters get to interact, and there was far from a dearth of that going on this year.

SpaceVision - Day 1

After driving for 18 hours straight (we left Tuscon at 5pm (UTC -7) and didn't arrive in Houston until noon (UTC -6)) we finally arrived at our destination. For our efforts, we were rewarded with an exclusive access tour of Johnson Space Center. We were given special tours of the Mission Control Center, of full scale mockups of the space shuttle used for training, and of the Neutral Buoyancy Lab.


The group with an astronaut who had just finished a training session in the giant pool in the Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory.


The training pool. Full scale models of the space shuttle, ISS, and Soyuz spacecraft are all inside.


The Mission Control Center, hours before being transitioned to having all public locked out so they can run the launch that's scheduled in two days.


A Saturn V rocket. The picture doesn't begin to capture just how big this thing really is.

SpaceVision: UPDATE (11/11)

IMPORTANT: After some logical thinking, we have realized that leaving at 6:30 pm will not give us very much time to get to Houston, TX. As a result, we will now be meeting in the SEDS Office at 4:30 pm to leave by 5 pm. If for any reason this time conflicts, please call me ASAP (520-850-7700). I will be up until the wee hours of the morning.

If you can at least get to the office by 5 pm, that is fine. Please respond by email if your name is on this list (everyone else has been contacted):

Josh Sosa
Keri
Martin

If you do have a problem with the time, we can work something out (i.e. one car leaves late, etc.).

Once again: We are meeting at 4:30 pm in the SEDS office.

-Kyle Stephens

SpaceVision Details

To all SpaceVision attendees:

Paperwork for dean's excuses is being taken care of. You will be receiving excuses for Thursday, Friday, and the following Monday. Please make sure to inform your professors that you will be missing class in order to make them more willing to work with you.

We are leaving Wednesday, Nov. 12 at night. We will plan to meet in the SEDS Office at 6:30 pm and leave soon after. If you are unable to meet at this time, please email me ASAP letting me know the earliest time you can meet (7 pm? 7:30 pm?). Four individuals will be driving (Triana, Mike, Josh Nelson, and me). It will be up to the driver whether or not they plan to use a secondary driver.

We have set up preliminary car arrangements:
Mike's Car: Tim, Matin, Zeke
Kyle's Car: Pye Pye, Katie, Tyler
Triana's Car: Amy, Keri, Jennifer
Josh's Car: Josh Sosa, Kelsey, Carmen, (Telescope)

If you have any problems with the above arrangements, please let me know before Wednesday. The car arrangements may shuffle on the way back.

When it comes to luggage, please pack logically (i.e. don't bring a large trunk and expect it to fit). I suggest you use a duffel bag or other non-defined luggage so we can make sure everything fits.

SEDS will take care of food during the travel from AZ to TX and back. We plan to purchase sandwiches, bagels, muffins, chips, and various drinks.

It will take about 15 hours (accounting for a few stops) to get to Houston, TX. We will need to be in Houston by Noon on Thursday in order to take our scheduled tour of Johnson Space Center. The tour will last four hours (Josh's earlier email details the tour).

With regard to the conference itself, please see http://spacevision.seds.org/schedule.php for a complete schedule.

We have reserved three hotel rooms with two double beds in each for three nights. Air mattresses will also be brought, guaranteeing that everyone will get a mattress. We are staying at the Super 8 in College Station, TX within walking distance of Texas A & M. There will be a continental breakfast each morning.

Your expenses for this trip will mostly involve food not covered by the conference or SEDS. The conference is planning to cover one meal I believe, but the rest of your meals in College Station will be at your cost. I estimate that you should plan to spend about $50 - $75 just to be safe.

In regard to what to wear at the conference, I have been told it varies. Many people will be wearing just normal street clothes while others will be in suits/ dresses. It is really up to you.

The banquet, an additional $60 cost (not covered by SEDS), is a more formal affair that will be more along the lines of business casual or formal. IMPORTANT: If you have decided to attend the banquet and

still have not informed me, please email me as soon as possible. You will be put on a list and be required to pay $60 in cash at the conference.

The weather in Texas should be fairly similar to here temperature-wise. The Ten-Day forecast shows some signs of rain, so be prepared for that.

We will return to Tucson early Monday morning (~4 AM).

If you have any questions, please email me or call me at (520)850-7700.

Sincerely,
Kyle Stephens