@ IAC

I shall be attending the International Astronautical Congress in Glasgow. As every year, the most dynamic group of young space leaders will convene prior to the IAC on 25-27th September. I have Academy and Committee meetings on Sunday followed by the full opening of the IAC 2008!

The highlights amongst the normally super exciting opportunity to meet with all my friends and supporters from the Space world and to see the latest headlines in space research, commercial development and education/outreach would be:

- I am accompanied by young miss Tejal Thakore this year, who is also featuring in the IAC. It is the first time the Thakore Daughters get unleashed on the space world! Tejal will present her paper on NEO Threats at the IAC on the 30th of September.
- I am an invited panelist for the Planetary Society's Town Hall meeting on the future of Space Exploration. I shall be accompanied by Louis Friedman, Bill Nye (The Science Guy) and Steve Owens!
- The new IAF advisory committee on space and society will look at how IAF members can improve global coverage and help bridge the digital divide: a reception is open to all. For an invite, do contact thomas DOT bouvet AT iaf DOT org
- I present the Youth Visions for the Next 50 years in Space with a more indepth study and whats in store from that project on the 2nd of October.

Look me up in Glasgow or drop me a line here (or on facebook, twitter, etc) and I would love to meet up!

What to see and find on the Moon?

I posted this note on facebook's 'notes' and received some response. GLXP was interested in having it on their discussions too, but I honestly do not know who follows this blog and who all are listening. I got some mind response to the post being very good but my curiosity stills wants to probe more...

Read along and please share with me what you want dusted off on the Moon:

"Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin left behind 66 items at Tranquillity Base, from their removable lunar overshoes (which actually stamped the iconic bootprints in the dust) to a “urine collection assembly, large” and sick bag (presumably unused — none of the Apollo 11 astronauts reported throwing up during the mission). Armstrong and Aldrin stuffed personal items in a large bag and threw it overboard just before leaving. Other objects still on the surface include tools; a TV camera, its stand, and cable; and a clothesline-like contraption for hoisting equipment back into the lander at the end of the moonwalk. The astronauts also left a mission patch memorializing the astronauts killed in the Apollo 1 launch pad fire; medals honoring Soviets Yuri Gagarin, the first human in space, and Vladimir Komarov, the first person to die during a space mission; a silicon disk etched with messages from world leaders; and a small, gold olive branch as a sign of peace." - Air&Space Mag, Sept issue.

And this is just Apollo 11. 6 other missions and all the metal Luna missions, experiments, and crashed spacecrafts had to offer!

I wonder what people from our generation would like to
1) See on the moon when GLXP robots get to historic sights
2) take to the moon when GLXP robots blast off, just like humans - something that reflects consciousness towards planetary protection...