The George C. Marshall Institute in Arlington, Virginia will host a panel discussion on Human Settlement in Space: The Moon’s Challenges and Opportunities

Mankind has long dreamed of settling on celestial bodies – the moon, other planets and space stations.  The Obama Administration’s goal of visiting an asteroid, plans by other nations to land on the Moon, and emergence of many private space travel initiatives, demonstrate the increased interest in creating a long-term human presence in space.

There are significant challenges to establishing large, permanent colonies in space or on the Moon and Mars: new technologies must be developed for working in vacuum and low gravity; local resources must be identified, captured and processed; a legal and political framework for space settlement and resource utilization must be devised, and the whole endeavor must be financed in some way.

To address these issues, on Tuesday March 25, the Marshall Institute will bring together a panel of experts to discuss the pressing scientific, technological and economic issues involved in human settlement on the Moon.

The panel speakers are:

• Dr. Paul D. Spudis, Planetary Geology and Remote Sensing, Lunar and Planetary Institute
• Mike Gold, Director of D.C. Operations & Business Growth, Bigelow Aerospace, LLC
• Dr. Haym Benaroya, Distinguished Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Rutgers University.

Date/Time Date(s) – 3/25/201411:00 am – 12:30 pm

Location Districtview South, 24th Floor

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The Aerospace Industries Association (AIA) will host a panel discussion on AIA’s new space report, “Easing the Burden – Reducing the Cost of National Security Space Capabilities”

Washington, D.C. – The Aerospace Industries Association is holding a panel discussion and a Q&A with industry and government experts on AIA’s new space report, Easing the Burden – Reducing the Cost of National Security Space Capabilities. The report is based on an AIA Cost Reduction Workshop and details findings and recommendations for reducing the cost of procuring national security space assets in a constricted budget environment.

WHO: Moderator: Frank Slazer, AIA Vice President of Space Systems

Panel Members:

• Keith Robertson, National Reconnaissance Office
• Jeff Trauberman, Vice President, Space, Intelligence & Missile Defense, Boeing
• David Barnhart, Phoenix Program Manager, U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency
• Rick Skinner, Director, Business and Advanced Systems Development, Northrop Grumman Aerospace

WHAT: Discussion of Reducing the Cost of National Security Space Capabilities

WHEN: 9:00am – 10:30am Eastern Time
Monday, Mar. 24, 2014

WHERE: 2325 Rayburn House Office Building
45 Independence Ave SW
Washington, DC 20515