A message from the National Space Society about their next annual ISDC meeting (May 23-27 in San Diego, California):

ISDC 2013 Will Be The ‘Must-Attend’ Space Event This Year!

NSS members know that the International Space Development Conference (ISDC) is the foremost space conference that brings together all subsets of the space community: the traditional and commercial aerospace industries, NASA and space activists from around the world. And this year, ISDC goes to the west coast to San Diego, California!

The theme of this year’s conference, Global Collaboration in 21st Century Space, relates directly to the NSS vision of globally bringing together “people living and working in thriving communities beyond the Earth, and the use of the vast resources of space for the dramatic betterment of humanity.” Global Collaboration in 21st Century Space reflects our need to strive for renewed emphasis on collaborative efforts that engage global space exploration and development in the post-Shuttle era and help leverage NASA’s efforts due to current budgetary challenges.

While the primary focus of the conference will be looking at advances in space exploration, development and settlement, we will also highlight our global efforts at the Governors Dinner & Gala on Friday evening, at which we will honor the work of India’s former President and a leading aerospace scientist/engineer – Dr. Abdul Kalam – with the National Space Society’s prestigious Von Braun Memorial Award.  Participants can also look forward to meeting science and engineering team members from the successful GRAIL Moon gravity mapping mission, X-37 B space plane, and the inspiring “seven minutes of terror” CURIOUSITY Mars landing team.  Saturday night’s dinner banquet will honor the Women of Space – women engineers and astronauts.

The ISDC 2013 Planning Committee has put together an impressive list of confirmed speakers and presenters and a comprehensive program. Confirmed speakers and VIPs include: Apollo Astronaut Buzz Aldrin, last space shuttle Commander Christopher Ferguson, shuttle astronaut and director of the “100 Year Starship” project Dr. Mae Jemison, Congressman Dana Robrabacher of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee, Ian O’Neill from Discovery News, Planetary Resources Chris Lewicki, and Deep Space Industries’ Rick Tumlinson.

Programming includes sessions and tracks on everything from current Administration initiatives and outlook on the U.S. space program after the shuttle, to the exciting developments coming from commercial aerospace companies aimed at closing the current manned spaceflight gap; from Mars, Moon, asteroid and exoplanet exploration and development to the latest technological advances that will enable a longer-term and, eventually, permanent human presence in space.

Be sure to visit the official ISDC website for all of the latest information and to register today!