NSS Members Write

Visions for Space

In the latest issue of Ad Astra, NSS executive director George Whitesides called on NSS members to share their "Visions for Space". Send your thoughts by email to nsshq@nss.org, or add them as comments below.

Here's George's column from the magazine:

What Is Your Vision For Space?

Colonies on Mars. Orbiting solar power arrays supplying Earth with abundant clean energy. A plasma drive to get us across the solar system in weeks, not years. A space future of cooperation and peace.

These are just a few of the personal visions of space held by the leaders profiled in this special issue of Ad Astra. Typically, we focus more on the achievements of exploration, the latest news in space technology and policy. But space is also about people. In fact, it is ultimately about people. So we thought it appropriate to devote this issue to twenty individuals who are devoting their lives to making their space dreams real.

]]> These twenty visionaries come from many different sectors of space, such as science, business, the astronaut corps, and education. We spent many weeks sifting through potential candidates, using only two guiding criteria: that they truly have an established personal vision for space, and that they are doing significant work now to make that vision real. I am proud that most of them have been associated with the National Space Society in some way over the years.

Peter Diamandis, founder of the X Prize Foundation and a longtime NSS member, has a personal motto : "The best way to predict the future is to create it yourself!" These visionaries are each creating the future and changing our world for the better. They embody the initiative and creative spirit that has always advanced humanity. They are the Isaac Newtons, the Captain Cooks, the Ibn Batutas of our time.

What do you think of our choices? Our list is necessarily incomplete, given the limit of twenty, but we believe it represents the best of space today. Who have we left out? How can we do better for a future list? Let us know via letters, email, or share your personal vision of space online at: www.nss.org.

Next year, we plan on compiling a list of the top 'Ones to Watch', future leaders from younger generations who will be taking positions of leadership over the coming years.

The Fate of Hubble

For almost 15 years, 12 years fully operational, the Hubble Space Telescope has been providing unique and amazing views of the universe, producing a wealth of scientific information. Now near the end of its original design lifetime, plans for further repairs and instrument upgrades have been in limbo in the aftermath of the Columbia accident. Many options have been proposed, but funding may be limited by the new priorities in our space program, and another shuttle mission could be riskier than originally thought. What do you think?

Voice your opinions on Hubble here, and NSS will personally communicate your messages to NASA headquarters!

Send Congratulations to Burt Rutan!

On June 21, 2004 the first privately financed piloted space vehicle, SpaceShipOne, broke through the atmosphere and touched the edge of space. Add your name and email address (and optional comments) here by clicking on the "Comments()" link and filling in the form at the bottom of the page, or scroll to the bottom of this page. On July 22nd, NSS Director George Whitesides personally presented Burt Rutan with a big congratulations card with the first four pages of signatures - we've re-opened this page to allow even more of the space community to share their enthusiasm!