"From February 21-23, 2010, the Space Exploration Alliance will be holding its annual Legislative Blitz. The blitz comes at a crucial moment in the formulation of space policy. At the end of October, the Final Report of the “Review of U.S. Human Spaceflight Plans Committee”, better known as the “Augustine Commission”, was released. http://www.nss.org/resources/library/spacepolicy/HSF_Cmte_FinalReport.pdf. In that report, entitled, “Seeking a Human Spaceflight Program Worthy of a Great Nation”, the Commission found that NASA simply can not accomplish the goals with which it has been tasked unless it receives an additional $3 billion in annual funding. In the current economic climate, however, it is uncertain which path our nation’s leaders will now take in response to the Augustine Commission’s findings. An increase in funding is not necessarily the path that will be chosen." - writes Chris Carberry, Space Policy Consultant to the Space Exploration Alliance.

This is something that all advocates of Manned Space Exploration can support, whether one is a Moon only or Mars only or Asteroids only or a Moon, Mars, and asteroids person. It looks as though Ares-1 will be scrapped in favor of Commercial Alternatives such as Space-X Falcon 9 and Dragon capsule. But as Buzz Aldrin pointed out, Ares-5 would support all proposed Manned Space Options: Moon, Mars, Asteroids.

It will not be long before the interval between Kitty Hawk and Apollo 11 is matched by the interval between Apollo 17 and the next manned Moon Landing and what a sad achievement that would be for a nation founded by frontier pioneers! We cannot let our nation lose its Frontier Pioneering spirit, though it is no secret many Americans already have. Such a loss would recall the beginnings of the Fall of the Roman Empire, once deemed eternal. So pushing the nation to keep on a frontier pioneering path is vitally important, and hard budgetary times cannot and must not be allowed to interfere with pursuit of horizons beyond Earth.

Already we have a Metro-Global Economy. The amount of economic activity in low and Geosynchronous Earth Orbit is enough by itself, to rank as the 50th largest economy on Earth. And progress up that ranking ladder is bound to continue to grow. In other words, we all ready have an "Econosphere" 60,000 miles wide.
The further buildout of LEO and GEO will be accelerated with the availability of building materials brought down the gravity well from the well's shoulder, where the Moon sits. And that will expand the Econosphere to encompass the entire Earth-Moon system. Raw materials from Mars' moonlets and from the asteroids will soon follow.

Exo-economics is something new, and we'll be hearing more about it.

Space enthusiasts need to put their petty tribal rivalries to rest and support those efforts needing Congressional support that will enable all these futures.

If you live near the DC area, or consider this event worth a visit, please hookup with the Space Exploration Alliance team. Members of our affiliate, The National Space Society, and of our friendly rival The Mars Society, will be joining in the experience.

If you do live in the DC Metro Area, you may want to let Society Board member Fred Hills of Herndon, VA know. Fred is trying to arrange a meeting of Society members in the area to discuss formation of a chapter. There are more Moon Society members in the DC metro area than in any other metro area in the country! Yet we do not have a chapter there as yet. A group participation in this event would be a super way to get that ball rolling!

For further information see:
http://www.spaceexplorationalliance.org/blitz/
To register:
https://www.nss.org/cgi-bin/register/tdregister?$Origin=Blitz10

You do not need to be a member of either The Moon Society or of NSS to participate.
The experience should be interesting, rewarding, and you might meet people with whom you may want to keep in touch.

Unfortunately, I cannot be there personally to join you all, but I'll be there in spirit.

Peter Kokh
President, The Moon Society