[Moonbase-discuss] Space Tourism Club: An Idea Whose Time Has Come

[Andrew Dehel]

I like this idea - it sounds great to me.  It also reminds me of an idea
that I haven't known quite what to do with, which I hope this is a good
place to share.  I am going to ramble for a moment to get this all down.

The Presidio Trust has been trying and trying to come up with what to do
with much of the land there, and every time I think of it, I am reminded
that StarFleet Academy is located on that site in the series.  I imagine
starting the Academy there, now, somehow.  Kind of setting the foundation to
bring that future into existence more solidly.

I get stopped in thinking of what would be the exact nature of it.  I am
somewhat anti-business currently and generally, so I am disinclined to think
of putting a museum or attraction there as part of it, but I know that could
be a part and I am willing to consider the business model as just part of
the world we live in.  But primarily I would be interested in founding it to
spark the imagination of people and begin the journey in a more concrete way
into the future I wanted to live in growing up.

A research institute?  A philosophical academy?  A social and environmental
school?  A school for dreamers?  Hobbyists?  Inventors?  All of this?

And possible tie-ins with the new Lucasfilm complex being built?

I think this could be a fantastic thing.  There are so many star trek fans
out there, and San Francisco's Presidio *IS* the location in the series.  I
know there is much that was cheesy about it.  But sometimes this just seems
like the perfect thing to do there.  *I* would want to go to Starfeet
Academy. :)  It could change the world...

Anyone want to talk about it and see what opens up?  How could this work?
Does this sound interesting to anyone?

I have often thought that Science Fiction writers have a big say in creating
the future.  Someone said that humans have to imagine things before they can
have them or be that way.

-=Drew


 -----Original Message-----
From: 	moonbase-discuss-admin@themoonbase.org
[mailto:moonbase-discuss-admin@themoonbase.org]  On Behalf Of Samuel
Coniglio
Sent:	Wednesday, June 12, 2002 2:08 AM
Subject:	[Moonbase-discuss] Space Tourism Club: An Idea Whose Time Has Come

Hello fellow space enthusiasts!

The Yuri's Night event in San Francisco helped stir a number of great
discussions.  The most common one of them was this:

"What can I do to get to outer space? "

Well, if you are not a NASA astronaut or a multi-millionaire, it
seems you are out of luck. Fortunately, there are a series of
movements afoot to bring public space travel closer to a reality.

Most of you know me from Yuri's night, and possibly the Space
Frontier Foundation. But did you know I have been doing research on
space tourism since 1997, and have presented papers at international
conferences on this topic?  This tidbit of information leads to my
proposal:

Create a club where people can invent the future.

Aptly named the Space Tourism Club, we can have a venue where people
can use their creative talents to dream, design, and build a
space-faring society.

There are several challenges to space travel, but I won't bog this
email down with details.

Here are some concepts, based on the five senses, which people with
differing talents can try to tackle:

1. Sight--current and past space habitats tend to be sterile and
utilitarian. Create a more organic and comfortable orbital
environment with colors and shapes that are fun.
2. Sound--spacecraft are very noisy.  Be an ambient engineer and
create counter sounds. Music is a necessity to add to a space
traveler's enjoyment of the visit to the space hotel.
3. Taste--Without gravity, your blood is evenly distributed through
the body. Food tastes different up there.  Can you create cuisine
that is equal or better than what we have down here? Imagine a six
star restaurant in Earth orbit.  People will pay for such quality.
4. Touch--Space environments are harsh.  Why not use softer materials
for certain items?  Clothing can be designed differently as well.
Imaging clothing designed for zero gravity (can you say wings?).
5. Smell--Ventilation systems are critical for survival in space.
People and materials have scents that collect in a small space, just
like in a submarine.  Can you make perfume that neutralizes the
scents? Things smell different up there, because of the blood
redistribution in your body. Can you make a new smell?

These concepts are deliberately abstract.  I just wanted to give you
a little inspiration.

About the club:
1. It could be a 501c3 non-profit group.
2. It could be a business incubator.
3. We could have contests and programs for local schools and universities.
4. We would present our work at the annual Space Tourism Society
meeting, and other events.
5. Each person should do what they like.
6. The club could be a loose-knit association.

I'm open to suggestions.

Please email me if you are interested in this activity.  We could
discuss it online, and maybe actually meet someplace.

If you are not interested, then please ignore this email.  I will not
bother you again on this topic.

For more information and inspiration, please refer to the following web
sites:
http://www.spacefuture.com
http://www.spaceadventures.com
http://www.xprize.org
http://www.space-frontier.org

Sincerely,

Samuel Coniglio
Space Tourism Club












--"Wherever you go, there you are."
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