ISDC 2013 Global Collaboration in 21st Century Space
The 32nd International Space Development Conference (ISDC) will be held at the Hyatt Regency La Jolla in San Diego, California, May 23-27, 2013. Speakers at the ISDC will discuss many breakthroughs happening in space development. ISDC 2013 will showcase the latest developments, promote new ideas, and prove fertile ground for collaboration and innovation. The conference theme is "Global Collaboration in 21st Century Space." This is the century we break free of the gravity that has limited our ability to colonize space. We will learn how to collaborate effectively in a global, soon to be multi-planetary community. ISDC promises to be the place where 21st century skills are developed for 21st century space.
ISDC will have talks on Asteroids, Business, Breakthrough Science and Space Technologies, Education, Emerging Space Applications, Living in Space, Lunar, Mars, Space Solar Power, Spae Settlement Roadmap, Transhumanism and Space Exploration, and more. These tracks are being developed to incorporate the latest information. We welcome your input on what ISDC should offer within and outside of the designated tracks. ISDC is available on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+ for staying abreast of the latest developments as well as providing opportunity for you to contribute. (See below for details.) Plenary and meal sessions will offer opportunities to hear from the giants in space science and industry.
Current News
That's a Wrap!
NSS and the ISDC 2013 Staff would like to expressed our sincere thanks to our attendees, speakers, exhibitors, sponsors and volunteers/staff for making ISDC 2013 a great success. We hoped you enjoyed the conference, and we invite you to ISDC 2014 in Los Angeles, California in May 2014.
Tribute to Dr. Sally Ride, the first American Woman in Space
Before Dr. Maria Zuber's keynote talk tonight on GRAIL, we will pay tribute to Dr. Sally Ride, the first American woman in space. Tickets for the dinner is available for purchase at the registration table.
FREE Mars Movies Night - Saturday 7:30 pm (3 hrs) at Aventine Ballroom
FREE Mars Movies Night - Saturday 7:30 pm (3 hrs) at Aventine Ballroom. Hosted by Gerry Williams, publisher of MarsMoveieGuide.com
Dave and Newl on World Syndicate Radio Talking about ISDC
World Syndicate Radio, based in San Diego, is a subsidiary of the San Diego Union Tribune/WS Radio Network, and is the largest Internet talk radio syndicate in the world. We have the pleasure of to be featured on the show. Dave Dressler and Neal Sperling had a chance to promote the ISDC to a nationwide audience of millions of entrepreneurs, business owners, and San Diego listeners, and interviewing three interesting speakers at the conference!
Well done Neal and Dave! Here are the links to the clips:
Clip #1,
Clip #2,
Clip #3, and
Clip #4
U.S. Congressman Dana Rohrabacher, Friday Morning Keynote Speaker
U.S. Congressman Dana Rohrabacher (Bio) will be our Friday Morning Keynote Speaker. Representative Rohrabacher is the U.S. Representative for California's 48th Congressional District. Rep. Rohrabacher is currently serving as the Vice Chairman of the Science, Space and Technology Committee and has also served as a member of the Space and Aeronautics Subcommittee since he first entered Congress in 1989, presiding eight years as Chairman.
Dr. Kalam, former President of India will be our Friday Night Gala Keynote Speaker and Recipient of the NSS von Braun Award
We are pleased to announce that Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, former President of India, is the recipient of the prestigious NSS von Braun Award. Dr. Kalam will be receiving the award at the ISDC 2013 Gala on Friday, May 24, where he will also be our honored Gala Keynote speaker. Dr. Kalam talk is titled "Space Solar Power: Key to a Liveable Planet Earth." Gala tickets are available for purchase now through this link.
Dr. Kalam, before becoming President of India, was the leading aerospace scientist/engineer in India. He led the development of the Indian space sector and can be rightfully referred to as the "Wernher Von Braun of India," which makes this award particularly appropriate. Today, he heads the top Indian University in the aerospace field. Read more about Dr. Kalam at his website, and Wikipedia.
The Epic Conclusion to ISDC 2013... Announcing Stellar Sojourn Party!
To celebrate mankind's future as a spacefaring civilization and look ahead to ISDC 2014 in Los Angeles and the space renaissance. ISDC 2013 is announcing the "ISDC 2013: Stellar Sojourn" Party! Sunday, May 26, 9pm to Midnight. Grand Ballroom - Hyatt Regency La Jolla. Take your picture in space alongside fashion models clothed in the latest starship attire. Ticket is Extra! You can buy it online now at or at the conference. However, it will be $15 at the event. For more information, please visit here or here. (Note: There are still conference events Monday morning)
Dave Dressler (ISDC 2013 Chair) and Neal Sperling on San Diego's Finest Business Radio Show
Listen to the 10 minute clip of Dave Dressler (ISDC 2013 Chair) and Neal Sperling (ISDC 2013 Gala Guru) talking about ISDC 2013 and what to expect at the conference on Friday May 3's San Diego's Finest Business Radio Show with Host Jack Warren on WSradio.com.
Click here 10 minute clip.
NSS and ISDC 2013 Welcomes SPACE Canada as Our Gala Sponsor!
It is our great pleasure to announce that SPACE Canada will be our Friday night Gala Sponsor featuring Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, former President of India. At the Gala, Dr. Kalam will be receiving the prestigious NSS von Braun Award and our honored Gala Keynote speaker.
SPACE Canada (Solar Power Alternative for Clean Energy) is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to the promotion of solar energy from space; an abundant and sustainable source of safe, affordable clean energy for the world. Find out more about SPACE Canada at their website.
ISDC 2013 Overflow Hotels Announced (Embassy Suites and Marriott)
To anticipate overflow and unavailability of the ISDC hotel room block at the conference hotel, the Hyatt, we have arrange two overflow hotels near by.
Embassy Suites San Diego - La Jolla, 4550 La Jolla Village Dr, San Diego CA, 92122
- Hotel Website
- Special Rates From: Tues May 21, 2013 to Mon May 27, 2013
- Rate: $139 per night + tax
- Book by May 14th to reserve your room!
- 1 mile (walking - per Google Map) to Conference Venue/Hotel (Hyatt Regency)
- Reserve Online or by calling the hotel directly at: 858-453-0400 or 800-362-2779 and use the Group Code: SPA.
- Complimentary "Cooked to Order" Breakfast and Complimentary 2 Hour Evening Manager's Reception
- Embassy Suites San Diego - La Jolla, 4550 La Jolla Village Drive, San Diego, CA, 92122
- Google Map Direction
San Diego Marriott La Jolla, 4240 La Jolla Village Drive, La Jolla, CA 92037
- Hotel Website
- Special Rates From: Wed May 22, 2013 to Sun May 26, 2013
- Rate: $139 per night + tax
- Special rate available until: Fri May 10, 2013
- 0.6 mile (walking - per Google Map) to Conference Venue/Hotel (Hyatt Regency)
- Reserve online or call the hotel directly at: 1-858-587-1414
- San Diego Marriott La Jolla, 4240 La Jolla Village Drive, La Jolla, CA 92037
- Google Map Direction
NSS Roadmap to Space Settlement Track and Press Conference Details Announced
Press Conference presenting the NSS Roadmap to the world and previewing some of the Friday (May 24) afternoon's talks, a visually stunning Luncheon Presentation, and a programming track that covers some of the exciting topics in and those that have evolved from the Roadmap. Previously, only NSS members and Ad Astra subscribers have been told about the Roadmap. Now, we are holding a Press Conference where a panel of NSS members and space experts will discuss the path towards Mankind�s future in space as many of our members see it.
With the impending cost breakthroughs in launch costs, attention is once more shifting to actual operations in space. We can now begin to dream big dreams again. The Roadmap Track will cover the future diverse paths to space development and the common and practical foundations for our impending economic breakout into space...Read more about the NSS Roadmap to Space Settlement Track here.
Dr. Robert B. Kerr, Director of Arecibo Observatory will be our Monday Lunch Keynote Speaker
It is our great pleasure to announce that Dr. Robert B. Kerr, Director of Arecibo Observatory, will be our Monday Lunch Keynote Speaker.
The Arecibo Observatory is part of the National Astronomy and Ionosphere Center (NAIC), a national research center operated by SRI International, USRA and UMET, under a cooperative agreement with the National Science Foundation (NSF). The NSF is an independent federal agency whose aim is to promote scientific and engineering progress in the United States. NSF funds research and education in most fields of science and engineering. Additional support is provided by NASA.
The Observatory operates on a continuous basis, 24 hours a day every day, providing observing time, electronics, computer, travel and logistic support to scientists from all over the world. All results of research are published in the scientific literature which is publicly available. Read more about Arecibo Observatory here.
Dr. Bob Richards, Co-Founder and CEO, Moon Express, Inc. will be our Thursday Lunch Keynote Speaker
It is our great pleasure to announce that Dr. Bob Richards, Co-Founder and CEO of Moon Express, Inc., will be our Thursday Lunch Keynote Speaker.
Moon Express Inc. is a privately funded lunar resource company created to establish new avenues for commercial space activities benefitting life on Earth. Commonly referred to as Moon Ex, the company was founded by Dr. Bob Richards, Naveen Jain, and Dr. Barney Pell in August 2010 and officially entered the Google Lunar X Prize Competition (GLXP) in October of that same year. Headquartered in the NASA Ames Research Park in Mountain View, CA, Moon Express combines Silicon Valley lean start-up principles with expertise in aerospace engineering and planetary sciences. Selected by Forbes as one of the 'Names You Should Know' in 2011, Moon Express plans to send a series of low-cost robotic missions to the Moon focused on opening up the resources of the Moon for the benefit of humanity.
Bas Lansdorp, Co-Founder & CEO of Mars One will be our Opening Keynote Speaker
It is our great pleasure to announce that Bas Lansdorp, Co-Founder and CEO of Mars One will be our Conference Opening Keynote Speaker on Thursday!
Mars One is a not-for-profit organization whose goal is to establish a human settlement on Mars through the integration of existing, readily available technologies from industry leaders world-wide. Mars One intends to fund this decade-long endeavor by involving the whole world as the audience of an interactive, televised broadcast of every aspect of this mission, from the astronaut selections and their preparations to the arrival on Mars and their lives on the Red Planet. Their goal, human settlement on Mars in 2023.
Bas Lansdorp, has never been one to let bold ventures intimidate him. A born entrepreneur, he sees potential and opportunity where others shy away. Gifted with an articulate vision and genuine enthusiasm, he moves people with his passion for science and the human mission to Mars.
Read more about Bas Landorp and Mars One at their website Mars-One.com
Dr. Robert L. Piccioni Confirmed as ISDC 2013 Speaker and Book Signing Author
Dr. Robert L. Piccioni, physicist, educator, and high-tech entrepreneur will be speaking on Sunday. Dr. Piccioni will also be selling and signing his books at the Exhibit Hall on Sunday. Recently as a guest on Coast to Coast AM with George Noory, Dr. Piccioni has introduced cutting-edge science to numerous non-scientific audiences, including school children and civic groups. He has given invited talks at Harvard, Caltech, UCLA, and Stanford University, and is presently giving an eight-week course on Einstein�s theories at the Osher Institute, an adult education program, at California State University at Channel Islands and UCLA..
Ian O'Neill, Sunday Morning Keynote Speaker
Dr. Ian O'Neill, a self-described space geek, Ian is the Space Producer for Discovery News (Bio). Dr. O'Neill will be our Sunday Morning Plenary Keynote Speaker. In this role, Dr. O'Neill combines his expertise in solar physics and manned space flight with his passion for investigating the inner workings of our universe to offer in-depth coverage of space science and exploration for DiscoveryNews.com
Students! Ignite Your Space Ideas Or Research and Launch It At ISDC 2013!
ISDC 2013 is offering an opportunity for students to present their ideas or research during a T minus 5 session. We have reserved academic sessions on Sunday and Monday mornings, May 26 and 27, for high school and college student presentations. Individual students or groups of students who are interested in participating in these sessions are encouraged to submit abstracts.
T minus 5 is a series of short talks in the Ignite format. Each speaker/group gets 5 minutes to talk, with 20 slides that rotate automatically every 15 seconds. It�s a fun format that�s more like karaoke than giving a presentation; it�s tough to keep up with your slides, but the friendly crowd cheers you on. Sign up and Read more about it here.
Dr. Maria Zuber, Principal Investigator, NASA GRAIL Mission - Saturday Dinner Speaker
We are pleased to announce that Dr. Maria Zuber, Principal Investigator, NASA Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) Mission, E. A. Griswold Professor of Geophysics at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) will be our Saturday night Dinner speaker. Dr. Zuber was also the first woman to lead a science department at MIT. Also at the dinner, the NASA GRAIL Team will receive the 2013 NSS Space Pioneer Award in the Science and Engineering category. Read more about the GRAIL mission at: NASA or MIT.
X-37B Team to Receive the 2013 NSS Space Pioneer Award on Thursday Dinner
We are pleased to announce that the USAF and Boeing X-37B Team will receive the 2013 NSS Space Pioneer Award on Thursday Dinner. The Boeing X-37B is an reusable unmanned spacecraft. It is boosted into space by a Atlas V rocket, then re-enters Earth's atmosphere and lands as a spaceplane. The X-37B is operated by the U.S. Air Force for orbital spaceflight missions intended to demonstrate reusable space technologies. The X-37 began as a NASA project in 1999, before being transferred to the U.S. Department of Defense in 2004 (Wikipedia).
Apollo 11 Astronaut Dr. Buzz Aldrin Confirmed as Saturday Lunch Speaker
Please join the NSS in welcoming Buzz Aldrin to the 32nd ISDC. Buzz will share insights about his new book "Mission to Mars" during a special lunch session on May 25, 2013. Approximate cost for this opportune lunch has yet be determined. Book purchase and signing by Dr. Aldrin will take place after lunch.
Attending this event requires conference registration and Saturday lunch meal purchase. Click here to find out how to register for the conference or buy your Saturday Lunch!
What is SpaceUp?
The SpaceUp (un)conference format grew out of developments in Silicon Valley called Bar Camps. Instead of the traditional lecture/PowerPoint format, an impromptu leader writes an idea on a post-it note and places it on a whiteboard grid that contains a cross-section of rooms and times. Others view the grid and go to the room of most interest for the time slot. At the beginning of the session, the leader takes about five minutes to explain their concept, then launches the group into a collaborative discussion. If you lose interest, or can�t get into the collaboration, vote with your feet and move onto a different session. The norms of SpaceUp allow for movement without insult. Everyone is invited to enjoy this exciting new format at ISDC.
- Began in San Diego by NSS Chapter SDSpace.org
- Adds a new dimension to ISDC
- Gives everyone a voice and opportunity to present powerfully
- Many will experience this successful new conference format for the first time.
- Plan on participating in SpaceUp! For more information, please visit www.SpaceUp.org
Past News Items
Special thanks to our Sponsors, Co-Sponsors, Exhibitors, Supporters and Affiliates.
