Category Archives: Events

Space Access ’15 Conference

March 31, 2015 TopSpacer 3 Comments

The annual Space Access Society conference has long been my favorite space event. Hope to see you at this year’s gathering in Phoenix:

Space Access ’15 Conference April 30th – May 2nd
at the Radisson Hotel Phoenix North

Space Access Society‘s next annual conference on the business, technology, and politics of radically cheaper access to space will feature a cross-section of the growing cheap access community, talking about what’s going on now and what will be happening next, in a fast-paced intensive informal atmosphere, single-track throughout so you don’t have to miss anything.

Confirmed launch-project & space-hardware presenters so far: Altius Space Machines, CubeCab, DARPA ALASA, Exos Aerospace, Frontier Astronautics, Masten Space Systems, Moon Express, Tethers Unlimited, XCOR Aerospace, XL Space Systems, plus sessions on what you’ll need to know to start your own space venture (rocket development safety, 3d printing hype & reality, complex-systems mission-assurance, government regulations, investment climate, NASA Ames and JSC commercial cooperation opportunities), reports on high-end student & amateur projects, talks by famous space writers/bloggers (Jeff Foust, Clark Lindsey, Doug Messier, Rand Simberg, Henry Spencer), and multiple sessions plus a special guest program segment about now that cheap orbital access is near, how do we start affordably taking the next big steps outwards to the Moon, Mars, and beyond?

Space Access conferences have been described as “Hackers” for rocket people, with better content than others costing many times more, two-and-a-half days of total immersion in making the future happen. This year’s edition, SA’15, is just a month away – register for the conference, get those airline tickets booked while they’re still cheap, reserve your room while our hotel still hasn’t filled up, and be there!

For the latest full conference info & agenda, see our SA’15 Info page.

Astronomy, Events, Near Space

Help capture a 360 deg view of solar eclipse from stratosphere above the North Pole

March 9, 2015 TopSpacer

The high-altitude balloon near-space adventure company zero2infinity has opened a crowd-funding campaign to sponsor a balloon project to film the upcoming total solar eclipse that will be visible above the arctic circle: bloon: 360 view of a Total Solar Eclipse from Space – Indiegogo

Help us record the first ever spherical video of an
eclipse from the Stratosphere!

This is our last chance to capture the shadow of the Moon
over the northern ice cap before it melts

On the 20th of March 2015, at the North Pole, there will be a total solar eclipse. This is an extraordinary and very rare event, that has never been thoroughly documented and will take thousands of years to happen again. After 6 months of polar night, the Moon will pass between the Earth and the Sun and will darken this infinitely white snow-covered region. Add to that, the very high probability of Northern lights lighting up the sky, and you can imagine what a magical moment this will be.

Unfortunately there is a very high probability of cloud cover at those latitudes, which means the event will not be as impressive seen from the ground. What we are proposing is to fly higher, much higher, with a stratospheric helium balloon, from Svalbard in Norway, the only populated area from which the eclipse will be fully visible. The balloon won’t only fly above the clouds, it will come close to space, and the view will be incredible.

On the day of the eclipse, when the Moon will obscure the Sun, the stars and the planets will become visible and the shadow of the Moon will be seen going over the Earth. We will record this with a spherical camera that will cover a 360º angle. We are the only company in the world ever having flown such a camera in Space. The results are spectacular: www.abaco-digital.es/360plus /zero2infinity.html

Check out what you will enable us to do:

We need your help! Recovery and distribution are crucial aspects, and time is of the essence! Help us here, choose one of our exciting perks and let’s make it happen!

Events, Solar Sci-Fi, Space films and videos

Winning films in the Philip K. Dick Science Fiction Film Festival

January 24, 2015 TopSpacer

I posted here about the Philip K. Dick Science Fiction Film Festival, which took place last weekend. Here is a report on the winning films:

The Philip K. Dick Science Fiction Film Festival returned to New York City for its third annual event from January 15-18, 2015 and has culminated in yet another successful season. With events at three distinguished locations including The Cervantes Institute, Tribeca Cinemas and The Producer’s Club, the festival has announced of award winners in recognition for achievement in filmmaking.

The honorable list includes Mark Netter’s Nightmare Code (2014) for Best Philip K. Dick Feature, Matt Duggan’s Inverse (2014) for Best Science Fiction Feature, Kathleen Behun’s 21 Days (2014) for Best Supernatural Feature, MacGregor and Bruno Zacarías’ Similo (2014) for Best Latino, African American and Other People of Color Short and Matt Owen’s Turn On (2013) for Best Science Fiction Short.

The festival, which recently received massive attention from NBC New York/COZI TV’s News 4 New York at 7, The New York Times, The New York Daily News, Time Out New York and Metro New York continues to which celebrates the cinematic style inspired by Philip K. Dick is grateful for any support as the team continues to offer the very best in science fiction film, culture and excitement.

Here’s the trailer for Nightmare Code, which won the Best Philip K. Dick Feature award:

And here is the trailer for Inverse, which won the Best Science Fiction Feature award:

Update: Here is an announcement with the full list of award winners:

(New York City, N.Y.) January 18, 2015 – The Philip K. Dick Science Fiction Film Festival ascended into glory in its third year honoring the literary world’s most nuanced and visionary author, Philip K. Dick. As the city’s hottest ticket from January 15-18, 2015, the festival screened at three locations including The Cervantes Institute, Tribeca Cinemas and The Producer’s Club and culminated in award recognition for achievement in filmmaking by the creative individuals who are leaders in the most daring cornerstone of the movie industry. With its largest yet slate of innovative features and shorts, the sold out event brought festival-goers on an unforgettable ride to the best science fiction cinema has to offer.

The festival itself has received high-profile praise in recent days including founder and programming director Daniel Abella’s guest appearance on NBC New York/COZI TV’s News 4 New York at 7 as he was interviewed by anchor Roseanne Colletti. The televised segment preceded flattering editorial pieces in The New York Times, The New York Daily News, Time Out New York and Metro New York, all of which called fans to the festival’s mission in bringing forth the best in science fiction and beyond in the footsteps of its namesake. With energy at an all-time high and vigorously growing by the minute a sentiment by Abella in his television appearance remains wholeheartedly true — that this festival “will leave you smiling.”

List of Award Winners:

BEST PHILIP K. DICK FEATURE
- Mark Netter’s Nightmare Code (2014)
BEST SCIENCE FICTION DRAMATIC FEATURE
- Matt Duggan’s Inverse (2014)
BEST SUPERNATURAL FEATURE
- Kathleen Behun’s 21 Days (2014)
BEST FEATURE DOCUMENTARY / SINGULARITY AND BEYOND
- Christopher Garetano’s Montauk Chronicles (2014)
BEST DOCUMENTARY
- Jacob Akira Okada’s Painting The Way To The Moon (2013)
BEST PHILIP K. DICK SHORT – AUDIENCE AWARD
- Etienne Gravrand’s The Fischer Case (2014)
BEST LATINO, AFRICAN AMERICAN AND OTHER PEOPLE OF COLOR SHORT
- MacGregor and Bruno Zacarías’ Similo (2014)
BEST SCIENCE FICTION SHORT
- Mat Owen’s Turn On (2013)
BEST HORROR / SUPERNATURAL SHORT
- Andy Green’s Vomica (2014)
BEST WEB SERIES
- Aldo Romero’s The Disappeared (2014)
BEST TRAILER
- Eric Norcross’s The Spaceship (2014)

Asteroids & Comets, Events, Space Science

Update on the lander Philae on Comet 67P/C-G

November 13, 2014 TopSpacer

The touch down of Rosetta‘s Philae lander onto Comet 67P/C-G was more dramatic than first thought. The lander bounced twice and the first bounce may have been as high as a kilometer from the surface. Where it came down to rest is still not known exactly . The three legged spacecraft is apparently sitting at a tilt. Most of the instruments seem to be working properly but the resting spot is shaded (perhaps it is in a hole or near a cliff) and the solar panels are only getting sun for about an hour and a half of the 12 hour comet rotation. They will try to get as much science data out of it as they can before the batteries give out.

Lots more info and images:

Rosetta’s view of Philae as it headed towards the comet: