Blog

Meeting Notes

• Member Introductions – See Chapter Library below for links to more information about members
  
  • Michael W new member. Became interested in space settlement after reading Gerard K. O’Neill in the ’70s. Found SacL5 in the NSS website.
  • Kris – lived in Downey, CA, home of Rockwell’s Apollo Command Module. She became interested in Space Settlement with her son who unfortunately passed away. She was with Oasis the LA NSS chapter but she found Sacl5 to work with a more active chapter.
  • Michael A – got interested in Space Settlement in the ’90s while living in Russia. He became concerned that humanity was at risk since Earth is their only home. He’d written some papers and found that they were similar to Carl Sagan’s “Pale Blue Dot.” Currently working on Advanced Air Mobility which is designing the highways in the sky for flying cars.
  • Eric – Worked on LIGO the gravitational interferometer telescope. Now, has a hobby of machining a steam engine from scratch
  • Jan – Has worked with JP Aerospace for years helping JP with balloon flights and ascender design
  • Ed – Joined in about 2012. Maintains the SacL5 website.
  • Paul – Joined in about 2003 while looking for something to bring him back to science and tech. Has authored short stories, novels and nonfiction books about the space trade
  • Joe Bland – assumed leadership of SacL5 in about 2003 after Robert Compton’s fatal accident with rocket fuel in his garage. Has authored a number of patents and is currently working on a chemical battery that can provide efficient power on the moon.
• See our Contact page for more information about members
• NSS Chapter Committees 
  
  •  Jan attended the NSS Chapter Committee meeting. There are some issues with NSS renewal page and there was discussion of the Outpost program which would recognize the organized contribution individuals or small groups without the need for the rigors required by a formal NSS Chapter Charter 
  • Joe is in discussions regarding formation of an NSS Leadership group which would help stop the declining NSS group membership.
• JP Aerospace
  
  • Working on the submarine which serves as an analog of the crew capsule eventually to fly human crew into space with JP’s balloons and ascenders. The goal of the sub is to submerge in 50 feet of water to test AC, humidifiers, CO2 scrubbers, and “Bellavia” the AI system that monitors and controls life support.
• SacL5 High School Student Flight Prize
  
  • Joe’s been in contact with local science teachers to determine how SacL5 might help interested High School Students build an experiment that will fly on an JP aerospace balloon funded by SacL5.
  • A slide show explanation of the Student Flight Prize might help generate enthusiasm.
• Eric’s Steamengine
  
  • Eric deomonstrated the model flyball governor.