SPACE NEWS

• 10/22/09:The Augustine Commission's Final Report is out. The future of the United States Space Program is on the line and this report tells it like it is. A MUST read for everyone with any interest time in the space program. The full .pdf is about 7mb and runs about 157 pages but there are a lot of blank pages and graphics and committee listings etc. If you just want to read the summary, it's on page 115. I really suggest reading the whole thing. There is a lot of information in it and overall, the report is very balanced. I can't stress enough how important it is that we all contact our government and let them know that we want a strong and well funded Space Program. Our country (and the rest of the world) are facing very hard economic times but the Space Program is so important to our future! I know I'm preaching to the choir here but please, let you voice be heard.
  
  
• 9/14/09:Dragon*Con 2009 – Space Track Wrap Up – Part I Dragon*Con has come and gone. If you weren't there then you really missed out! Although Space Track's Live Astronomy was almost completely rained or clouded out; Friday afternoon and Friday night in Atlanta were perfect. Most especially, Skies Over Atlanta. If you made it up to the Hilton's 3rd floor pool deck, you would have seen a beautiful full moon, big, crisp and clear. More spectacular though was Jupiter! Our Solar System's largest planet was on glorious display. Your Space Track Director was like a little kid; running back and forth between the telescopes and oooohing and ahhhhing continuously. It was so clear you not only saw Jupiter look like a real planet and not a bright spec in the sky, but you could side the colors of the cloud bands. I even saw the great red spot, only it looked brown. : - ) Jupiter is certainly never alone as it travels around the Sun and the four Galilean moons, Io, Callisto, Europa and Ganymede, could be easily seen. It was an amazing view to behold and I must give a huge thank you to the Atlanta Astronomy Club for their time and effort.
  
  As for the Space Track panels, my guests certainly out did themselves this year. A huge THANK YOU to Dr. Seth Shostak from the SETI Institute. He was a first timer to Dragon*Con and he was every where. lol Dr. Shostak did panels for Space Track (2), Science Track (1), Podcasting (1) and Skeptics Track (4, at least). He also did an hour reading from his new book Confession of An Alien Hunter, which I now have a personally signed copy of AND have already read. Dr. Shostak writes like he talks and that's a very good thing! He is a very charming man and a gracious guest. I hope we didn't scare him off and he will consider returning.
  
  There were many highlights this year beyond Dr. Shostak's panels. Dr. Stephen Granade's What's Wrong With Gravity? The Pioneer Anomaly was the first standing room only panel of the year. Another new guest this year, Kim Steadman, local to Atlanta but working at JPL on the Cassini Project, joined in with returning guests Trina Ray and Dr. Kevin Grazier for a panel on what goes on behind the scenes at with the Cassini group. They even dragged another colleague, who was not a guest, with them. Thanks to Scott Eddington for joining in. Kim also presented on the Mars Science Laboratory Rover and Trina gave updates on the Mars Rovers, Spirit and Oppotunity and Saturn's moons Titan and Enceladus, with her usual infectious enthusiasm. I again corraled Dr. Kevin Grazier and Dr. Phil Plait for a Saturday night comedy hour. Well, that's how I view it whenever these two get together! lol They did not disappoint as they ripped apart Myths in the Movies: How NOT to Do Space Exploration. I think I already have them signed on for 2010. : - )
  
  With 5 women as guests this year, Feminine Mystique: Women in Engineering and Science was a big hit. Almost as a sequel, was Kids With Stars in Their Eyes, a discussion on how to get your children interested in the sciences and keep that interest alive through the pitfalls of high school. Les Johnson joined in on that topic as well as a panel on his latest book, Paradise Regained: The Re–greening of Planet Earth, which is due out in October 2009, and joining sci-fi author Timothy Zahn for a panel on an MMO that NASA almost did. Les is writing a sci-fi novel and with luck we can bring him back next year to tell us all about it!
  
  Be on the look out for Part II!
  
  
• 8/21/09:For the last couple of years, Eureka's only presence at Dragon*Con has been their Science Liaison, our own Dr. Kevin Grazier. That changes this year. Jaime Paglia, the co–creator and Executive Producer of Eureka, has just been announced as a guest. You may be asking why the Space Track cares that Jaime Paglia is coming to Dragon*Con? Normally, we wouldn't; but – it just so happens that Jaime Paglia is the third member of what I have taken to calling “The Kevin and Phil comedy team”. The three of them did a panel at Comic Con this year and I have added Jaime to the Saturday night, 10:00pm panel with Kevin and Phil on “Myths in the Movies”. I can't wait to have the three riffing off each other. Join me!
  
• 8/4/09:  'Jupiter Impact – Act II'. The Space Track has just added this new panel for Sunday afternoon at 4:00pm in the Space Track room. You have probably hear that Jupiter is sporting a new black bruise on it's surface and it's almost been exactly 15 years since the remnants of Comet Shoemaker–Levy 9 left a string of bruises on the surface of Jupiter. Well more of our Solar System is taking hits than is generally reported! For all of you Space Freaks who don't have an interest in MMO's, stay at the Space Track room and catch Richard Jakiel and Richard Altstatt talk about where else is taking a pounding.
  
• 7/29/09:  2nd Annual Mad Scientists' Ball! Fun and frolic for all mad scientists, evil geniuses, minions, steampunks and whomever else is looking for a great party. We're pulling ARCATTACK back from an overseas tour to entertain us once again and we're adding some other entertainment as well. Those coils need to cool down every now and then. lol One Eyed Doll is sure to add to the mayhem and delight you all as well. We've also allowed jonnyX to bring out his inner 'pope' and bring in The Rev. Ivan Stang and The Church of the SubGenius! Bobtisms for everyone! lol We do, of course, highly encourage the wearing of anything that would mark you as a mad scientist, evil genius or minion. We'll even look favorably on our steampunk friends. If we can identify you as one of us – extra goodies are sure to come your way! All you worried about having to stand in line like last year; forget that!!! We've taken over two ballrooms this year! Everybody gets in! Join us for a wild night at the 2nd Annual Mad Scientists' Ball!. Sunday night, 10:00pm, Regency VI and VII at the Hyatt.
• 7/29/09:  The SETI Institute. You know that place; The Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence Institute. That's where scientists are looking for signs intelligent life beyond the planet Earth. Not the tabloids little green/gray men (although SETI doesn't care what they might look like) who beam up Earthlings at night for experiments. Remember these are scientists here. lol SEIT believes that best way to search for signs of intelligent life in the universe is to listen – as in radio waves. Remember the movie Contact? Remember all those radio telescopes? Well, they're real and the number of them is expanding. The Space Track is very excited and proud to present Dr. Seth Shostak, Senior Scientist from the SETI Institute! (rain's been trying to get him here for years!) Dr. Shostak will be giving two presentations for the Space Track. You early birds can catch him in the Track on Friday night at 8:30pm for How Are Scientists Looking for Life Beyond Earth?. Then I want everyone, and I do mean EVERYONE, to be there Saturday afternoon at 2:00pm in rooms A601/A602 of the Marriott for Dr. Shostak's panel, Why I Don't Believe That UFO's Have Anything to Do With Aliens. This is the Space Track's first large room event!! Not only will you get to hear a great talk but I want to show that my Space Track guests can bring in the crowds as well! So I want you all there!