Sacramento L5 Society (SacL5) – Meeting Minutes

Date: October 11, 2025

Time: 6:00 – 7:30 PM Pacific Standard Time

Location: Virtual (Zoom)

Website: https://sacramentol5society.nss.org

1. Attendance and Introductions

Meeting began at 6:00 PM with greetings and introductions of new members. All attendees confirmed having read the prior month’s minutes.

• Joe Bland (President)
• Jan Roston
• Ed Kulis
• Michael Abramson
• Paul Turner
• Robyn

2. President & Treasurer’s Report (Joe Bland & Jan Roston)

• The SacL5 checking account remains frozen with approximately $12,000 on deposit.
  • US Bank has not returned calls. Withdrawals OK but not deposits.
  • Jan suggested exploring a new nonprofit account with Fidelity Investments, which currently offers ~3.8% interest.
  • Fidelity indicated nonprofit accounts are possible and could be linked with investments.
  • Joe to follow up with Fidelity regarding opening the account.
  • Joe and Jan emphasized the need to maintain SacL5’s nonprofit status under the NSS umbrella.

3. Website Update (Ed Kulis)

• Ed reported significant web traffic growth: 21,975 visits (+633). Year-to-date and hourly traffic graphs now appear on the homepage.
  • A post titled “Chapter Resources Now on NSS Website” was added.
  • Joe complimented the new design, particularly the Chapter Resources page.
  • Ed is evaluating an upgrade from the free Visitor Statistics plugin to include live tracking, mapping, SEO insights, and detailed analytics.
  • Noted mention of SacL5 in NSS’s Downlink Newsletter (via Robin).
  • Discussion on battery materials safety and consumer awareness (Apple vs. third-party suppliers).

4. NSS Chapter Updates

• Chapters’ Assembly (Jan Roston): Upcoming meeting next week. Jan attended last session.
  • Chapter Resources Subcommittee (Ed Kulis): Collaborated with Perri Doutre; resource links now appear on NSS website.
  • NSS Chapter Committee (Joe Bland): Standing updates noted.

5. Open Space Organization (OSO) White Paper (Michael Abramson)

• Joe summarized ongoing discussion of OSO framework and charter draft development.
  • Michael circulated notes emphasizing governance structure, human rights protections, and equitable decision-making mechanisms.
  • Discussion covered proposals such as Safety Operations Committee (SOC), Admissions & Standards Committee, and Member Rights Court (MRC).
  • Ed’s earlier detailed charter draft may serve as a later appendix or publishable standalone document.
  • Consensus-based decision-making model with “justified objection” concept was reviewed.
  • Considerations for member rights, emergency response mechanisms, and ethical standards were discussed.
  • Jan noted challenges in scaling to large projects and the need for “grandfather clauses” for existing companies.
  • Paul Turner mentioned his work on spiral-launch vehicle concepts and upcoming book project.

6. SacL5 Balloon Flight / MiniCube Project (Ed Kulis & Paul Turner)

• Continued discussion on MiniCube flights and potential collaboration with the Sacramento School of Engineering and Science.
  • Device development progressing; project integration into educational outreach under review.

7. Action Items

• Joe Bland – Follow up with Fidelity Investments regarding nonprofit account.

8. Old Business

• Eric James’ steam engine project – Completed.
  • Space radiation hazards – Discussion led by Ed Kulis.
  • NASA grant application updates – Joe Bland.
  • Earth-gravity lunar settlement design – Discussion by Joe Bland and Don Wade.
  • Propulsion system by Gerald Nordley – Ongoing discussion.

9. New Business and Space News

• Open discussion of current space-related developments and news.
  • Recognition of growing participation and project engagement within SacL5 community.

10. Adjournment

Meeting adjourned at 7:30 PM. Next meeting scheduled for November 8, 2025, via Zoom.

Minutes prepared by: Ed Kulis

President: Joseph Bland