22nd national space symposium

I arrive Monday afternoon in Denver. Drive a Payless rental car south to Colorado Springs. Rocky Mountains rising to the west. Arrive at the Broadmor Hotel, register at the media center. My mission: to meet the Chinese Space delegation.

Space Foundation president Elliot Pullman and chairman Robert Walker welcome industry execs and high-ranking military brass. Awards for education, public outreach, space exploration and space achievement. The message: US is pre-eminent among space faring nations - but for how long? Poised for next century, only limited by imagination; excitement, the tale is part of the journey, storytellers... “We are dreamers”, cue video and music.

Fireworks going off in the mountains as I settle into bed.


DAY ONE: Human and Robotic space exploration of the solar system.

moderator: Dr. Neil DeGrasse Tyson, dir of the Rose Center for Earth and Space
panel: James Kennedy of Kennedy Space Center (KSC) and Dr. Firouz Naderi associate dir. at JPL.

Humans: NASA has accrued 78 human years in space, 450 astronauts break the 62.5 mile threshhold. Space Shuttle: 1.5 million lbs. into orbit. 600 payloads, 17 lost heroes... inspire the next generation

Robots: Looking for earthlike places, gravity, black holes, stars, big bang - places too hostile for humans, Venus, beautiful and hellacious, and watch over our fragile planet... ambassadors, precursors, human helpers.

Declining budgets, new programs, lack of enabling technology. Do we as a nation need to pursue science exploration?

Tyson asks my question to the panel: CHINA! How will the success of China's space program effect the US? Economically? Ideaologically?

Tyson is a space bard. He speaks emotionally about the search for life in outer space. After the discussion, I share my China Space doc proposal with him. He is interested, and asks my source of funding. I am seeking an invitation from the Chinese Space Program. I speak Chinese, make tv for NOVA. He says I am the perfect person for this project.

Featured session:
Chairman and Ranking member Space and Aeronautics Sub-comittee

moderator: Robert Walker, Space Foundation chairman
Hon. Ken Calvert, US House of Reps
Hon. Mark Udall, US House of Reps

Advocates for space exploration and space spending
Security issue: China = space development = military development

Gemini/Apollo = 4% of national budget
current funding = 0.7%

How to compete in a global market place? Can Congress improve investment opportunities for commercial use of space (COMMERCIAL SPACE ACT 2003)?

KC: Gave up a thirty year lead... breathing on the back of our neck... American public does not understand the importance of space. Phone, GPS, entertainment.
MU: don’t be contrarians, learn the right lessons, wake up call.

Media Center:

Stephanie Fibbs and Amber Pease light up the room. The SPACE FOUNDATION media staff is very competent and friendly. Reporters writing, conference speakers on closed-circuit tv, late arrivals screened, snacks. We send a brief email to the Chinese delegation, requesting an interview.

I meet two men in the media center.

Brad Blair, 40, leather cowboy hat and pony tail. Quiet and thoughtful and kind.

Berin Szoka, 25, knowledgeable and intense, interested in International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and sat-comm law.

Brad listens to my ideas. As soon as I ask him about ITAR he introduces me to Berin, who whisks me outdoors for a very good conversation about the Commercial Space Act, the Cox Report and ITAR.

Cut off from international partners, technology driven out of US, declining commercial satellite market share, European, Russian and Chinese competition, work force issues. Law is catching up to the frontier.

Brad suggests I talk with Steve Durst of Space Age Publishing, and informs me of an International Lunar Conference in Beijing this July.

KEN FUJIWARA, JAXA assistant:

Outside, I see an Asian man, sitting on a bench. Smoking a cigarette, taking a break from the conference.

I introduce myself. He speaks English with a heavy Japanese accent. His name is Ken Fujiwara, JAXA assistant. He askes me to tell him about some of the panels he has missed. We also talk about American rock music and Japanese baseball.

Dinner: Kobe beef with Brad and Berin at Carlos' Bistro. Berin recommends that I read The Heavens and the Earth, a Political History of the Space Age, by Walter McDougal, the Tipping Point and Taylor Dinnerman.

Tueday night. Get lost driving back to the hotel.

Weds. AM: The Chinese Delegation

Eliot P. introduces Mr. LOU Ge, Vice Director of China National Space Agency (CNSA). Mr. GE stands at the left podium. In the center of the stage, a younger Chinese man sits behind a desk and reads the English translation of Mr. LOU’s script.

I am sitting on the edge of history. This is the highest level visit from the CNSA to the USA. The auditorium is full. But the speech draws no applause. The message: Chinese space programs are developing full speed ahead. The effect: like a sunami, the words crash over the USA space industry representatives - confronting declining budgets, competition for limited resources between manned and robotic missions, restrictive trade laws and now serious international competition. Is world power shifting?

I am proud and amazed. At a press conference following the speech, reporters ask about the number of SATS, new launch vehicle, space suit and lunar mission.

After 20 minutes of questions, the reporters leave the room. The Chinese delegation is three men. I speak in Chinese. We exchange business cards. I introduce my ideas to them. I present a detailed letter of introduction: a passionate description of my goals for a science documentary about the Chinese Space Program.

I also have prepared a six page color proposal: CHINESE ARK and an attractive layout of my recent editing credits.

They are impressed. They flip and read each page. Comment positively. I congratulate them for their recent successes. We talk:

1). CNSA priority: elevate world-wide public awareness of China's space program
2). Request invitation from CNSA.

We agree to talk again soon.

Space is... prestigious, poetic, scientific and historic

General James Hill Lifetime Achievement Award Luncheon
Hon. Lt. Gov Jane Norton, host

Buzz Aldrin, 2nd man on the moon, delivers a humorous and moving speech about the personal challenges faced during his illustious career.



Thurs. AM:

Featured Speaker: Kaoru Mamiya, JAXA VP

Message: expand the experience and knowledge of human experience through the exploration of space.

Featured Speaker: Hon Dr. Michael Griffin, NASA Administrator

How does space exploration serve our country's interest?

White House policy doc:
advance US economic and scientific goals through a robust program

Complex systems, inquisitive human behavior, act of faith not science
Lewis and Clark mission - route seekers
unexpected outcomes

big pay-offs? have to look
science and commerce
balance b/w govt and private

when cultures intersect = destruction or enrichment

Conclusions:

My visit had one purpose: to meet the Chinese Space delegation. This was successful. I was in the right place at the right time. And when I found myself surrounded by leaders of the world's great space-military-industrial corporations, diplomats, scientists and businessmen, I siezed the opportunity to learn and make contacts. Was this a wolves den... or a goldmine?

The Space Foundation organized an incredible conference. I am deeply in their debt. Stephanie, Steve, Mr. Walker, Mr. Pullman, your organizition absolutely fulfilled its mission to serve as a credible source of information about America's developing space program. Thank you for welcoming me into your community. I hope that I am able to fulfill the promise of making a special documentary about the Chinese Space Program, contribute to building a coalition of space-faring nations , and create a better world for all of us.