Sacramento L5 Society (SacL5) Meeting Minutes

Date / Time / Location

Date: Saturday, March 14, 2026

Time: ~6:00 PM – 8:00 PM PST

Location: Virtual (Zoom)

Website: https://sacramentol5society.nss.org

1. Call to Order

Meeting began with informal discussion and technical setup issues.

Some attendees experienced Zoom/passcode problems.

General greetings and roll-in period occurred before formal discussion.

2. Attendance (Partial)

Joe Bland (President)

Ed Kulis

Michael Abramson

Eric James

Robin (iPhone)

Additional attendees referenced but not fully recorded.

3. Administrative Notes

Meetings are recorded.

Previous meeting minutes were not completed; plan to reconstruct using transcript text.

Agreement that transcripts can be used going forward to streamline minutes creation.

4. Reports

President/Treasurer Report:

– No significant financial changes.

– Organization finances considered stable.

Website Report (Ed Kulis):

– Website traffic averaging ~40 visits/day with periodic spikes.

– Continued addition of articles and technical content.

– Emphasis on a “news-style” homepage to drive engagement.

– Recent additions include Tom Tolan spaceport concept and technology articles.

NSS / Chapter Updates:

– Chapter Committee meets weekly (Tuesdays).

– Coordination with Chapter Assembly meetings noted.

– Ed Kulis expected to participate and report back.

5. Old Business

Agenda Changes (Ed Kulis):

– Proposed format:

• 10 minutes: greeting/introduction
• 15–30 minutes: presentation
• Remaining time: chapter business

– Goal: increase attendance and public interest.

– Presentations can be new or drawn from existing website content.

– Agreement reached to try this format.

Operational details:

– Presenter must notify Joe Bland by Thursday prior to meeting.

– Meeting announcements:

• Primary: one week prior (Friday)
• Reminder: day before meeting

Space Radiation Discussion:

– Argument that risks are often overstated.

– Proposed mitigation:

• Targeted shielding (especially head/brain)
• Work-area protection
• Storm shelter for high radiation events

– Discussion included secondary radiation effects and material considerations.

Open Space Organization (OSO):

– Current global governance systems seen as inadequate.

– Need for new framework (similar to “UN 2.0” concept).

– Key challenges:

• Enforcement of agreements
• Changing political leadership
• Balancing unequal participants

Use-case identified:

– Low Earth orbit debris cleanup as initial test case.

– Concept of “right of salvage” discussed.

Spaceport / Tether Concepts:

– Review of Tom Tolan non-rotating tether concept.

– Potential integration with other concepts for lunar transport.

– Interest in low-energy mass transfer to/from Moon.

Balloon Flight Device:

– Ongoing MiniCube-related project.

– Identified as strong candidate for future presentation.

6. New Business

Eric James Projects:

– Steam engine project paused (mechanically complete).

– New project: large (~2 ft) model of 1913 Mercer Raceabout.

– CAD model created from real vehicle measurements.

– Recommendation to share progress as engineering notes.

Arduino Outreach Proposal (Ed Kulis):

– Donate Arduino kits (~$60 each) to Boys Ranch in Texas.

– Low-barrier approach: no obligations for recipients.

– Optional follow-up mentoring and presentations.

– Previous outreach to local schools unsuccessful.

Guest Speakers:

– Idea to invite external speakers or other NSS chapters via Zoom.

– Viewed as a way to broaden engagement.

7. Additional Discussion

Space Debris and Conflict:

– Discussion of potential weaponization of space systems.

– Reinforces urgency of governance solutions.

Artificial Gravity vs Radiation:

– Debate over long-term human habitation challenges.

– Radiation vs low-gravity effects both significant.

– Long-term settlements may require substantial shielding or underground structures.

8. Action Items

Joe Bland:

– Send meeting announcements earlier.

– Coordinate presenters.

Ed Kulis:

– Continue website updates.

– Initiate Arduino outreach.

– Share Arduino resources.

All Members:

– Prepare or select presentation topics.

– Notify Joe by Thursday prior to meeting.

9. Next Meeting

Next meeting moved to April 16, 2026 (3rd Saturday) due to scheduling conflict.

10. Adjournment

Meeting adjourned at approximately 8:00 PM PST.