Space Access '01 Conference
April 26-28, 2001, in Scottsdale Arizona
Make your plans now to attend Space Access Society's ninth annual conference on the technology, politics, and business of radically cheaper access to space, Space Access '01. There are less than two weeks to go till the conference. You can still find very affordable airfares to Phoenix - Southwest Airlines has extended their $99 each way, anywhere-they-go sale, and when we checked we found a few of these fares still available on our dates from places as far away as the east coast. You can also still book rooms at our $72 conference rate (single or double, bring a friend to split the room and save!) Our rate is guaranteed through Saturday April 14th, it's probably still available but not guaranteed thereafter.
Two quick notes as of Thursday 4/19/01:
The guarantee on our room block at the Holiday Inn Old Town has been extended through tomorrow, Friday April 20th. After that, there will be no further extensions - the room block will no longer be held exclusively for us. Rooms will still be available, but on a first-come, first-served basis, and the hotel may or may not continue to honor our $72 rate - go ahead and ask for it anyway, but we have no guarantee they won't ask for a higher rate. (For what it's worth, the hotel's AAA discount rate for our weekend is $109 single or double.) In short, book your rooms for the conference ASAP, if possible by Friday night April 20th. Holiday Inn Old Town reservation numbers are 480 994-9203 or 800 695-6995.
Also, preregistrations at the $100 rate must be received by Wednesday April 25th for us to be able to process them before the conference.
We're concentrating almost entirely on the entrepreneurial approach this year, startup launch companies and some of the more ambitious amateurs, since the current major government launch development program strikes us as at best marginally relevant to radical access cost reductions. (At least as it's currently set up. We'll see how things look a year from now on that.)
Meanwhile, we will have on hand a cross-section of who's who in the nascent low-cost launch industry, presenting an informal snapshot of where things are this spring of 2001. (Be there or miss out - part of our relaxed atmosphere and up-to-the-second inside information is that we don't ask for formal papers and we don't do proceedings.)
Preliminary Conference Schedule, with confirmed presentations: (All scheduling subject to change; order listed in time blocks is alphabetical and doesn't indicate final order of presentations.)
Thursday evening, April 26th
- 6:30 pm - Registration opens in lower ballroom lobby
- 7:30 pm - (Possibly earlier) Hospitality suite opens, Room 406
- 8:00 pm - Thursday Evening Sessions begin in main ballroom
Jeff Greason (XCOR) "Space Basics, An Airframer's Perspective"
Dave Salt, "European Reusable Launch Developments"
Henry Spencer, "Space Basics & Recurring Controversies"
Friday, April 27th
8:00 am - Hospitality & Registration open
- Friday morning sessions (9 am start)
Andrews Space & Technology
John Carmack, on his ongoing amateur VTVL rocket testbed project
Experimental Rocket Propulsion Society
Panel, The Low-Cost Launch Investment Environment
- Friday afternoon sessions
HMX, Inc - Gary Hudson
Microcosm - Bob Conger
G.David Nordley, on low cost launch in fiction
Panel, The New FAA AST Regulations & RLV Flight Test
(XCOR Bipropellant Rocket Motor Live Fire Demo)
- Friday evening sessions (8 pm start)
Geoffrey Landis surveys future advanced launch technologies
Panel: Advanced Launch Technologies - After Reusable Rockets, What Next?
Rick Cook, Jordin Kare, Geoffrey Landis, more TBA
- Saturday, April 28th
8:00 am - Hospitality & Registration open
- Saturday morning sessions (9 am start)
Experimental Rocket Racing Association
RPI/Lightcraft Technologies - Leik Myrabo on beamed-power propulsion
TGV Rockets - Pat Bahn
Universal Space Lines - Jess Sponable
- Saturday afternoon sessions
Pioneer Rocketplane - Mitchell Burnside Clapp
Jim Ransom, on the case for intra-governmental competition
Reaction Engines Ltd - Roger Longstaff, "The SABRE Engine & Skylon"
(XCOR Bipropellant Rocket Motor Live Fire Demo)
XCOR Aerospace - Dan DeLong
- Saturday evening sessions (8 pm start)
Panel, The Low Cost Launch Political Environment
Panel, our traditional ad hoc wrapup discussion
Our hotel is again the Holiday Inn Old Town Scottsdale, twenty minutes from the Phoenix airport by cab or "Super Shuttle" van, 7353 E Indian School Road, in the heart of downtown Scottsdale's restaurant and shopping district. Our conference rate is $72.00 per night single or double, plus tax, mention "space access" for the rate when you reserve your room. For reservations call (800) 695-6995 or (480) 994-9203.
Space Access '01 registration opens in the lower ballroom lobby at 6:30 pm, and our reknowned Space Access Hospitality Suite (room 406) opens at 7:30 pm, Thursday April 26th, 2001. Thursday evening intro sessions will run from 8 pm to 10:30 pm in the main hotel ballroom. Registration and Hospitality will open at 8 am Friday and Saturday. Main sessions will run 9 am to 10:30 pm Friday the 27th and Saturday the 28th, with midmorning and midafternoon breaks plus longer breaks for (on your own) lunch and dinner.
Space Access '01 advance registration is $100, $120 at the door, $10 off for SAS members. Day rates and $30 Student rate available at the door. One year's SAS membership is $30 - buy in advance and get your conference registration plus a year's SAS membership/renewal for $120! Please include your email address for Updates. Mail checks to:
SAS, 4855 E Warner Rd #24-150, Phoenix AZ 85044.