International Space Development Conference

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "International Space Development Conference" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (February 2024) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

The International Space Development Conference (ISDC) is the annual conference of the National Space Society (NSS). Now in its 41st year, these conferences connect the general public and the NSS membership with leaders of contemporary space efforts. The ISDC provides a nexus for industry, government, scientists, advocates, and the public to meet and discuss the latest issues in space technology, science, policy, commerce, medicine, exploration, settlement and much more. Winners of the annual NASA space settlement Contest annually attend the conference, with several interesting activities and programs. With National Space Society's major goal being to accelerate the process of space exploration and development they also foster astronautics for students by encouraging them and getting them involved.^[1]

1982

The first ISDC was held in Los Angeles in 1982. The CoChairmen were

as chairman.

2013

The 32nd International Space Development Conference, was held at the La Jolla Hyatt Regency, San Diego, California, May 23–27, 2013. The conference theme is "Global Collaboration in 21st Century Space", inviting all nations of earth to join in the greatest human endeavor, to become an interplanetary species. ISDC 2013 was chaired by Dave Dressler of the "San Diego Space Society". The opening keynote speaker was

.

2011

The International Space Development Conference covers several broad areas of study related to building a spacefaring civilization, including transportation to and through space, technology needed to live and work in space, and Earth-based activities to advocate for or educate others about space development. The overall theme for ISDC 2011 is "From the Ground Up," emphasizing the tools, resources, and social activities that must be accomplished to make a spacefaring civilization a reality. Participants are encouraged not just to describe an ideal "future state," but to think about the technical, economic, or advocacy steps that must be accomplished to achieve a specific goal.

Although the northern Alabama region was hit by tornadoes April 27, resulting in widespread damage and many deaths and injuries, ISDC planners found that local electrical power had been restored to the Von Braun Center and Embassy Suites venues in Huntsville, and restored to the rest of the area within a week or two. Therefore, ISDC 2011 occurred on scheduled. Robert Bigelow, founder and president of Bigelow Aerospace, was the ISDC's Honored Keynote speaker at the Governors' Dinner and Gala. Mr. Bigelow also received the NSS Space Pioneers award for Space Development. The Space Pioneer Award for Science and Engineering was presented to the X-51A WaveRider Team while the prestigious Wernher von Braun award went to the JAXA Hayabusa Team. The von Braun award was presented by Frederick I. Ordway III.

2007

The theme for ISDC 2007 was "From Old Frontiers to New: Celebrating 50 Years of Space Flight" and was hosted by The National Space Society of North Texas chapter of Dallas, Texas over the Memorial Day weekend of May 24–28, 2007.

For the third straight year the presenting sponsor for ISDC '07 was the

(NASA). 2007's ISDC held two pre-conference events; the Symposium on Space Venture Finance on Thursday, May 24 and the bi-annual meeting of the Aerospace Technology Working Group (ATWG) from May 22 – 24.

ISDC 2007 included programs, presentations and exhibits focused on space exploration and settlement, astronomy and scientific research, commercial space ventures, space tourism, and other exciting topics.

The conference also featured displays of real spaceflight hardware, such as

.

ISDC 2007 was held in Addison, Texas (metro Dallas area) at the Intercontinental Hotel. Speakers included NASA

.

Events included speaker tracks on Frontier Transport, Moon and Cislunar (between Moon and Earth) Space Development, The Martian Frontier,

Solar Power Satellites

.

Other conference events included DPRG robot challenges, a game room, the premiere of "Postcards from the Future" and other space movies, filk singing, a kids program, book signings, a space art show and sale, and space-related exhibits. Some exhibits and the space art show were free to the public. For more information see the official website: [1]

ISDC public webcasts

ISDC 2007 was broadcast "live" from Dallas via

website.

2006

Although typically held over the Memorial Day holiday weekend, ISDC '06 was moved up to the first weekend in May to coincide with Space Day activities sponsored nationwide by Lockheed Martin.

The "Silver Anniversary" conference was held May 4 through May 7, 2006 in

and dozens of others from various scientific, entrepreneurial and artistic fields.

For a listing of papers scheduled to be presented at the conference, access the ISDC Archives, ISDC2005: Your Ticket to Space, or the ISDC 2006 Call for Papers.

Additionally, the National Space Society teamed up with the Space Tourism Society to host the 2nd annual ORBIT Awards, celebrating leadership in space tourism on the occasion of the fifth anniversary of Mr. Dennis Tito's historic flight as the world's first private space traveler, and the 25th anniversaries of STS-1, the first Space Shuttle mission and the ISDC.

2005

ISDC 2005 was held in

.

NSS members met and debated

brought a new twenty-foot mockup of its new space vehicle, the t/Space CXT.

2004MN4.

, then shared his personal vision of the future.

Past conferences

Previous ISDCs have rotated around the United States and Canada in the following major cities:

• 1982 – Los Angeles, California
• 1983 – Houston, Texas
• 1984 – San Francisco, California
• 1985 – Washington, D.C.
• 1986 – Seattle, Washington
• 1987 – Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
• 1988 – Denver, Colorado
• 1989 – Chicago, Illinois
• 1990 – Anaheim, California
• 1991 – San Antonio, Texas
• 1992 – Washington, D.C.
• 1993 – Huntsville, Alabama
• 1994 – Toronto, Canada
• 1995 – Cleveland, Ohio
• 1996 – New York City, New York
• 1997 – Orlando, Florida
• 1998 – Milwaukee, Wisconsin
• 1999 – Houston, Texas
• 2000 – Tucson, Arizona
• 2001 – Albuquerque, New Mexico
• 2002 – Denver, Colorado
• 2003 – San Jose, California
• 2004 – Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
• 2005 – Washington, D.C.
• 2006 – Los Angeles, California
• 2007 – Addison, Texas
• 2008 – Washington, D.C.
• 2009 – Orlando, Florida 2009 conference website
• 2010 - Chicago, Illinois
• 2011 - Huntsville, Alabama
• 2012 - Washington, D.C.
• 2013 - San Diego, California
• 2014 - Los Angeles, California
• 2015 - Toronto, Ontario
• 2016 - San Juan, Puerto Rico
• 2017 - St. Louis, Missouri
• 2018 - Los Angeles, California
• 2019 - Arlington, Virginia

See also

• List of astronomical societies

References

External links

• International Space Development Conferences, links to each year's conference
• International Space Development Conference 2013 website
• Archived webcasts from previous ISDCs
• Official Space Day website of activities
• National Space Society website