Archive-name: space/groups Last-modified: $Date: 95/05/01 22:20:11 $ Compilation copyright (c) 1994 by Jonathan P. Leech. This document may be redistributed in its complete and unmodified form. Other use requires written permission of the author. SPACE ACTIVIST/INTEREST/RESEARCH GROUPS AND SPACE PUBLICATIONS NETWORK GROUPS AND RESOURCES MMSG - Molecular Manufacturing Shortcut Group (an NSS chapter focusing on nanotechnology). Web page includes a descrkiption, the current issue of the MMSG newsletter, and membership info. http://www.gpl.net/mmsg/mmsg.html SPACE ACTIVISTS WEB PAGE - covers space-related political information such as space station and SSTO funding issues, political contacts, and mailing lists on specific issues. Contact John Lewis (jlewis@quark.qrc.com). http://muon.qrc.com/space/start.html GROUPS AAS(1) - American Astronautical Society. Professional association, founded in 1954. They say: "The AAS remains the only national professional society exclusively devoted to astronautics. Through our publications, meetings and symposia, such as this year's Annual Meeting, the AAS provides for a continuing exchange of information among those whose careers and interest are concerned with astronautics." They publish a series of technical books, _Advances in the Astronautical Sciences_. New member fee (1994) $40. American Astronautical Society 6352 Rolling Mill Place Suite 102 Springfield, VA 2215 phone 703-866-0020 FAX 703-866-3526 (information from AAS brochure Nov. 1994) AAS(2) - American Astronomical Society. The major professional organization in North America for astronomers and other scientists and individuals interested in astronomy. American Astronomical Society 2000 Florida Avenue, Suite 400 Washington, D.C. 20009 (202)328-2010; FAX(202)234-2560; Membership FAX(202)588-1351 aas@aas.org http://blackhole.aas.org/AAS-homepage.html AIA - Aerospace Industry Association. Professional group, with primary membership of major aerospace firms. Headquartered in the DC area. Acts as the "voice of the aerospace industry" -- and it's opinions are usually backed up by reams of analyses and the reputations of the firms in AIA. 1250 I Street NW Washington, DC 20005 (202)-371-8544 AIAA - American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. Professional association, with somewhere about 30,000-40,000 members. 65 local chapters around the country -- largest chapters are DC area (3000 members), LA (2100 members), San Francisco (2000 members), Seattle/NW (1500), Houston (1200) and Orange County (1200), plus student chapters. Not a union, but acts to represent aviation and space professionals (engineers, managers, financial types) nationwide. Holds over 30 conferences a year on space and aviation topics publishes technical Journals (Aerospace Journal, Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets, etc.), technical reference books and is _THE_ source on current aerospace state of the art through their published papers and proceedings. Also offers continuing education classes on aerospace design. Has over 60 technical committees, and over 30 committees for industry standards. AIAA acts as a professional society -- offers a centralized resume/jobs function, provides classes on job search, offers low-cost health and life insurance, and lobbies for appropriate legislation (AIAA was one of the major organizations pushing for IRAs - Individual Retirement Accounts). Very active public policy arm -- works directly with the media, congress and government agencies as a legislative liaison and clearinghouse for inquiries about aerospace technology technical issues. Reasonably non-partisan, in that they represent the industry as a whole, and not a single company, organization, or viewpoint. Membership $70/yr (student memberships are less). American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics The Aerospace Center 370 L'Enfant Promenade, SW Washington, DC 20077-0820 (202)-646-7400 AMSAT - develops small satellites (since the 1960s) for a variety of uses by amateur radio enthusiasts. Has various publications, supplies QuickTrak satellite tracking software for PC/Mac/Amiga etc. Amateur Satellite Corporation (AMSAT) P.O. Box 27 Washington, DC 20044 (301)-589-6062 ARTEMIS SOCIETY - Supports "The Artemis Project," a multi-industry program to establish a commercial lunar base, lead by The Lunar Resources Company. Publishes _Pleiades_, a monthly newsletter. _Artemis_ magazine, a bimonthly glossy commercial magazine, will begin publication late 1995. Web page has a description of the project, FAQ, and illustrations of the spacecraft. The FAQ is also available by email to artemis-faq@LunaCity.com. The Artemis Project maintains a list server discussion - email to server@LunaCity.com with the body of the message containing the command "join artemis-list" (without the quotes) - and a large discussion area on the GEnie network. Membership $25/year (checks payable to "Lunar Resources") The Lunar Resources Company PO Box 590213 Houston, TX 77259-0213 email: artemis@LunaCity.com http://www.access.digex.net/~dcarson/Artemis.html ASRI (Australian Space Research Institute Ltd, formerly ASERA). An Australian non-profit organisation to coordinate, promote, and conduct space R&D projects in Australia, involving both Australian and international (primarily university) collaborators. Activities include the development of sounding rockets, small satellites (especially microsatellites), high-altitude research balloons, and appropriate payloads. Provides student projects at all levels, and is open to any person or organisation interested in participating. Publishes a monthly newsletter and a quarterly technical journal. Membership $A100 (dual subscription) Subscriptions $A25 (newsletter only) $A50 (journal only) ASERA Ltd PO Box 184 Ryde, NSW, Australia, 2112 email: lindley@syd.dit.csiro.au BIS - British Interplanetary Society. Probably the oldest pro-space group, BIS publishes two excellent journals: _Spaceflight_, covering current space activities, and the _Journal of the BIS_, containing technical papers on space activities from near-term space probes to interstellar missions. BIS has published a design study for an interstellar probe called _Daedalus_. Membership #38/year (US $69), #26 (US $47) for ages 22 and younger or 65 and older. I believe membership includes a subscription to either _Spaceflight_ or _JBIS_ (choose one). British Interplanetary Society 27/29 South Lambeth Road London SW8 1SZ ENGLAND bis@cix.compulink.co.uk CSS - A federally-incorporated non-profit Canadian corporation. Inspired by the old L5 Society, its principal objective is to sponsor and promote the involvement of Canadians in the development of Space. This is intended to allow the group to grow in cooperation, rather than in competition, with other space development organizations (such as the National Space Society, the Space Studies Institute, and the British Interplanetary Society), while meeting a real need for an effective Canadian space-development advocacy group. CSS holds monthly lecture meetings on space topics at an active chapter in Toronto; an Ottawa chapter has been active in the past, and Montreal and Vancouver chapters are being worked on. CSS publishes a newsletter, ``The Canadian Space Gazette'' and has run several space conferences, the largest being the upcoming 1994 International Space Development Conference (together with the NSS). CSS also has participated in several space design projects, most notably the development of a preliminary design of a solar sail racing spacecraft under the ``Columbus 500'' initiative. Annual dues are $25/year ($15/year for full-time students, $100/year for corporate members). Canadian Space Society 43 Moregate Crescent Bramalea, Ontario CANADA L6S 3K9 Answering Machine: (416)-626-0505 CSS BBS: (905)-458-5907 (8N1, up to 2400 buad) ISECCo - International Space Exploration & Colonization Co. Non-profit research and developement organization building, first project is a Closed Ecological Life Support System (CELSS). Annual newsletter $10/5 years, or write for a complimentary copy. ISECCo P.O. Box 60885 Fairbanks, AK 99706 (907)-457-2674 fsrrc@aurora.alaska.edu ISU - International Space University. ISU is a non-profit international graduate-level educational institution dedicated to promoting the peaceful exploration and development of space through multi-cultural and multi-disciplinary space education and research. For further information on ISU's summer session program or Permanent Campus activities: International Space University 955 Massachusetts Avenue 7th Floor Cambridge, MA 02139 (617)-354-1987 (phone) (617)-354-7666 (fax) email: information@isu.isunet.edu L-5 Society (defunct). Founded by Keith and Carolyn Henson in 1975 to advocate space colonization. Its major success was in preventing US participation in the UN "Moon Treaty" in the late 1970s. Merged with the National Space Institute in 1987, forming the National Space Society. NAR - National Association of Rocketry. The largest sport rocket organization in the USA, the NAR promotes all aspects of flying model and high power sport rockets. Sponsors clubs, local and regional launches. Conducts two national events per year: a National Sport Launch (NSL) in the spring, and the National Championships (NARAM) in late July/early August. Provides liability insurance coverage for members' flying activities. Publishes "Sport Rocketry" magazine, bimonthly containing plans, event schedules, Assocition news, "how to" and technical articles. Technical Services Committee (NARTS) sells technical reports, plans and commerative materials. National Association of Rocketry P. O. Box 177 Altoona, WI 54720 715-832-1946 Membership $15/year (16 & under), $20 (17-20), $35 (21 & older). NSC - National Space Club. Open for general membership, but not well known at all. Primarily comprised of professionals in aerospace industry. Acts as information conduit and social gathering group. Active in DC, with a chapter in LA. Monthly meetings with invited speakers who are "heavy hitters" in the field. Annual "Outlook on Space" conference is _the_ definitive source of data on government annual planning for space programs. Cheap membership (approx $20/yr). [address needed] NSS - the National Space Society. NSS is a pro-space group distinguished by its network of local chapters. Supports a general agenda of space development and man-in-space, including the NASA space station. Publishes _Ad Astra_, a bimonthly glossy magazine, and runs Shuttle launch tours and Space Hotline telephone services. A major sponsor of the annual space development conference. Associated with Spacecause and Spacepac, political lobbying organizations. Membership $20 (youth/senior) $35 (regular). National Space Society Membership Department 922 Pennsylvania Avenue, S.E. Washington, DC 20003-2140 (202)-543-1900 Planetary Society - founded by Carl Sagan. The largest space advocacy group. Publishes _Planetary Report_, a bimonthly glossy, and has supported SETI hardware development financially. Agenda is primarily support of space science, recently amended to include an international manned mission to Mars. The Planetary Society 65 North Catalina Avenue Pasadena, CA 91106 (818)-793-5100 email psociety@delphi.com or tps@sovusa.com Membership $35/year (ask about the unadvertised student rate). SAS - Space Access Society. Dedicated to promoting affordable, reliable access to space. Currently concentrating on supporting the DC-X SSRT project; expects to change focus to SSTO-suitable engines, and possibly other government X-rocket projects in parallel with and complementary to the existing SSRT path. Space Access Society 4855 E Warner Rd #24-150 Phoenix, AZ 85044 (602)-431-9283 voice/fax hvanderbilt@bix.com Membership $30/year, $1000/lifetime; includes email updates. $50 for email plus mailed hardcopy ($25 extra outside the US). SSI - the Space Studies Institute, founded by Dr. Gerard O'Neill. Physicist Freeman Dyson took over the Presidency of SSI after O'Neill's death in 1992. Publishes _SSI Update_, a bimonthly newsletter describing work-in-progress. Conducts a research program including mass-drivers, lunar mining processes and simulants, composites from lunar materials, solar power satellites. Runs the biennial Princeton Conference on Space Manufacturing. Membership $25/year. Senior Associates ($100/year and up) fund most SSI research. Space Studies Institute PO Box 82 Princeton, NJ 08540 ssi@ssi.org SEDS - Students for the Exploration and Development of Space. Founded in 1980 at MIT and Princeton. SEDS is a chapter-based pro-space organization at high schools and universities around the world. Entirely student run. Each chapter is independent and coordinates its own local activities. Nationally, SEDS runs a scholarship competition, design contests, and holds an annual international conference and meeting in late summer. Students for the Exploration and Development of Space MIT Room W20-445 77 Massachusetts Avenue Cambridge, MA 02139 (617)-253-8897 email: odyssey@athena.mit.edu Dues determined by local chapter. SPACECAUSE - A political lobbying organization and part of the NSS Family of Organizations. Publishes a bi-monthly newsletter, Spacecause News. Annual dues is $25. Members also receive a discount on _The Space Activist's Handbook_. Activities to support pro-space legislation include meeting with political leaders and interacting with legislative staff. Spacecause primarily operates in the legislative process. National Office West Coast Office Spacecause Spacecause 922 Pennsylvania Ave. SE 3435 Ocean Park Blvd. Washington, DC 20003 Suite 201-S (202)-543-1900 Santa Monica, CA 90405 SPACEPAC - A political action committee and part of the NSS Family of Organizations. Spacepac researches issues, policies, and candidates. Each year, updates _The Space Activist's Handbook_. Current Handbook price is $25. While Spacepac does not have a membership, it does have regional contacts to coordinate local activity. Spacepac primarily operates in the election process, contributing money and volunteers to pro-space candidates. Spacepac 922 Pennsylvania Ave. SE Washington, DC 20003 (202)-543-1900 TRIPOLI ROCKETRY ASSOCIATION - sponsors the use of high-power sports rockets starting where the NAR leaves off and going up. Membership includes a subscription to "High Power Rocketry". Tripoli Rocketry Association, Inc. P.O. Box 339 Kenner, LA 70063-0339 UK-SEDS - United Kingdom SEDS affiliate (see above). Undertaking a number of hardware projects including microsatellites, sounding rockets, and a space shuttle Getaway Special experiment. Also conducting studies for advanced propulsion systems and probes. Has their own magazine, Aurora. Contact through the Royal Aeronautical Society (I don't have an address for this - ed.) UNITED STATES SPACE FOUNDATION - a public, non-profit organization supported by member donations and dedicated to promoting international education, understanding and support of space. The group hosts an annual conference for teachers and others interested in education. Other projects include developing lesson plans that use space to teach other basic skills such as reading. Publishes "Spacewatch," a monthly B&W glossy magazine of USSF events and general space news. Annual dues: Charter $50 ($100 first year) Individual $35 Teacher $29 College student $20 HS/Jr. High $10 Elementary $5 Founder & $1000+ Life Member United States Space Foundation PO Box 1838 Colorado Springs, CO 80901 (719)-550-1000 WORLD SPACE FOUNDATION - has been designing and building a solar-sail spacecraft for longer than any similar group; many JPL employees lend their talents to this project. WSF also provides partial funding for the Palomar Sky Survey, an extremely successful search for near-Earth asteroids. Publishes *Foundation News* and *Foundation Astronautics Notebook*, each a quarterly 4-8 page newsletter. Contributing Associate, minimum of $15/year (but more money always welcome to support projects). World Space Foundation Post Office Box Y South Pasadena, California 91030-1000 (818)-357-2878 PUBLICATIONS Ad Astra - bimonthly glossy magazine published by the National Space Society; broad range of articles and columns on space technology, politics, science, law, etc. See membership info for NSS in "GROUPS" section above. Aerospace Daily (McGraw-Hill) Very good coverage of aerospace and space issues. Approx. $1400/yr. Air & Space / Smithsonian (bimonthly magazine) - A glossy magazine, generally light reading; the emphasis is much more on aviation than on space. Contains information about all events at the National Air & Space Museum. Box 53261 Boulder, CO 80332-3261 $18/year US, $24/year international Aviation Week & Space Technology - weekly aerospace trade, emphasis on aeronautics but usually has several space-related articles. Rates depend on whether you're "qualified" or not, which basically means whether you look at the ads for cruise missiles out of curiosity, or out of genuine commercial or military interest. Best write for a "qualification card" and try to get the cheap rate. 1221 Ave. of the Americas, New York NY 10020 (800)-525-5003 (US only, international (609)426-7070) $82/year US (qualified) $58/year if you qualify for the unadvertised student subscription rate - I (Jon Leech) got this rate by begging and pleading to a McGraw-Hill representative at the SIGGRAPH '92 conference. ESA (various) - The European Space Agency publishes a variety of periodicals, generally available free of charge, including the quarterly ESA Bulletin, with status reports on major projects, feature articles, and lists of technical papers and publications. A document with details is in ftp://explorer.arc.nasa.gov/pub/SPACE/FAQ/ESAPublications Final Frontier (mass-market bimonthly magazine) - history, book reviews, general-interest articles (e.g. "The 7 Wonders of the Solar System", "Everything you always wanted to know about military space programs", etc.) Final Frontier Publishing Co. PO Box 534 Mt. Morris, IL 61054-7852 $14.95/year US, $19.95 Canada, $23.95 elsewhere Journal of the Astronautical Sciences and Space Times - publications of the American Astronautical Society. No details. AAS Business Office 6352 Rolling Mill Place, Suite #102 Springfield, VA 22152 (703)-866-0020 Journal of the British Interplanetary Society, Spaceflight - publications of the BIS; see their entry under "GROUPS". Journal of Practical Applications in Space - published by High Frontier Inc, and the Space Transportation Assn. Has addressed such issues as solar power satellites, technology and national security, cleaning low Earth orbit, ballistic missile defenses, space tourism and space propulsion. The journal was the first to publish hard numbers on the single-stage-to-orbit concept. Authors have included: Mr. G. Harry Stine, Dr. Robert Forward, Mr Steve Hoeser, Dr. Klaus Heiss, Dr. Philip Harris, Dr. Buzz Aldrin, Dr. Peter Glaser, Jerry Pournelle. The journal is a forum for those who use space technology "to provide for the common defense and promote general welfare" of our country, the Free World, and eventually all mankind. Journal of Practical Applications in Space, 2800 Shirlington Road - Suite 405A Arlington, VA 22206 (703)-671-4111 (703)-931-6432 (fax) $30/year (4 issues) personal, $200/year institutions. Foreign add $10/year for airmail. GPS World (semi-monthly) - reports on current and new uses of GPS, news and analysis of the system and policies affecting it, and technical and product issues shaping GPS applications. GPS World 859 Willamette St. P.O. Box 10460 Eugene, OR 97440-2460 (503)-343-1200 $59/year US. Innovation (Space Technology) -- Free (request by email to innovation@oact.hq.nasa.gov). Published by the NASA Office of Space Access and Technology. A revised version of the NASA Office of Commercial Programs newsletter. Planetary Encounter - in-depth technical coverage of planetary missions, with diagrams, lists of experiments, interviews with people directly involved. World Spaceflight News - in-depth technical coverage of near-Earth spaceflight. Mostly covers the shuttle: payload manifests, activity schedules, and post-mission assessment reports for every mission. Henry Spencer comments: WSN and PE have recently (mid-92) mutated into much more expensive weekly newsletters, filled mostly with stuff that's already available to most sci.space readers in sci.space.news. There is still interesting content at times, but the signal/noise and benefit/cost ratios have deteriorated pretty badly. I can no longer recommend them. Box 98 Sewell, NJ 08080 $30/year US/Canada $45/year elsewhere Quest - Described by Thomas J. Frieling (tfrielin@catfish.bbc.PeachNet.EDU) as "a worthwhile attempt at a space history magazine for informed readers (not mass market a la Final Frontier) Write to Glen Swanson for a press kit and sample issues." Glen Swanson CSPACE Press PO Box 9331 Grand Rapids, MI 49509-0331 (616)-452-5500 Russian Space News (biweekly newsletter) - English translation of the Russian publication. Daily Mir reports, coverage of launches from Baikonur & Plesetsk, news from the Cosmonaut training center, coverage of civilian & military unmanned spacecraft. Free sample copies on request. Tranquest Corporation PO Box 30208 Cleveland, OH 44130 (800)-929-8953 (US only, international (216)-962-3400) (216)-888-3992 (fax) charles@tranquest.com $75/year US/Canada/Mexico (individual), $90 elsewhere $175/year (institutional, everywhere) SETIQuest (quarterly magazine/email) - News, technical information, and tutorials devoted to bioastronomy and its subset, SETI (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence). Free sample issue on request to: SETIQuest Inquiries, Department EX Helmers Publishing 174 Concord Street Peterborough, NH 03458-0874 (603)-924-9631 (603)-924-7408 (fax) SQINQEX@pixelacres.mv.com Space (bi-monthly magazine) British aerospace trade journal. Very good. $75/year. Space Calendar (weekly newsletter, available by fax only) Space Daily/Space Fax Daily (newsletter) Short (1 paragraph) news notes. Available online for a fee (unknown). Space Technology Investor/Commercial Space News -- irregular Internet column on aspects of commercial space business. Free. Also limited fax and paper edition. P.O. Box 2452 Seal Beach, CA 90740-1452. Space News (weekly magazine) - covers US civil and military space programs. Said to have good political and business but spotty technical coverage. Space News 6883 Commercial Drive Springfield VA 22159-0500 (703)-642-7330 $89/year US, $130 Canada, $155 elsewhere. May have a student discount and discounts for NSS/SSI members. Space Power: Resources, Manufacturing & Development - technical journal focusing on Solar Power Satellites. Council for Economic and Social Studies 1133 13th NW Washington, DC 20005 (202) 371-2700 Voice (x1523 Fax) All the following are published by: Phillips Business Information, Inc. 7811 Montrose Road Potomac, MC 20854 Aerospace Financial News - $595/year. Defense Daily - Very good coverage of space and defense issues. $1495/year. Space Business News (bi-weekly) - Very good overview of space business activities. Recently merged with Space Exploration Technology. $595/year. Space Station News (bi-weekly) - $595/year. NEXT: FAQ #12/13 - How to become an astronaut