SpaceVision 2006

Somehow I forgot to mention to a lot of people that I was on the conference planning committee for the annual SEDS national conference that UCF SEDS won the bid at last year's conference to host this year's conference. We've been meeting every Monday since the beginning of the semester and getting all events planned. It turned out to be a pretty big success, and even though we failed in some areas, it really made the conference better in many ways.

It started out on a Thursday night (11/9/06) with a social at Wackadoo's, the notoriously slow and slightly racist restaurant in the Student Union that always leaves me hungry afterwards. However, not a whole lot of national members had showed up on Thursday night, so it was pretty much the UCF chapter, all in black shirts, and some Illinois people in business attire. However, the real fun was outside.

Somehow, we were about to get a hold of a guy who has an suborbital flight simulator and will be starting a flight school called the Orbital Commerce Project for suborbital pilots (like SpaceShipOne and the whole Virgin Galactic fleet), and he drives around the country letting people sit in a cockpit and fly a 3 minute suborbital flight and glide back down to the Mojave desert airport. I was instantly hooked. Let's just say that if I had $350,000 to spare, I'd become a pilot through these guys, hands down. I did about 15 flights over the course of the weekend if not more.

I had to be at the Engineering Atrium at 7 the next morning to help set up. That was pretty horrible, but at least I wasn't the only one looking like a zombie. Even though I was manning the registration table, I had to check out the introductory speaker, Dr. Robert Richards. Bob was one of the cofounders of SEDS, one of the cofounders of the Space Generation, and a cofounder of the International Space University. He's Canadian (eh?) and does not like to be called "doctor" anything. He gave a presentation on the history of SEDS and the various organizations and projects that had sprung off from it. There's plenty of room for advancement around there.

The rest of the day I spent manning the registration table, running errands, and being a workhorse for the team, in between my simulator flights. I missed all but a few presentations over the weekend, so I didn't quite get the full conference experience, but it was pretty fun working it.

Since I was on the planning team, I got to introduce the final speaker of the day, Michael Craig. Michael started his career at NASA as an intern working on Apollo 14, has worked on a number of missions, and currently is the president of the Planetary Society and a VP at SAIC. He talked to us about how to seize the day in the aerospace industry, which was pretty cool. Despite is obvious age, he spoke to us as if we were equals, all trying to make a name for ourselves in this industry.

At the conference banquet on Friday night, the speaker was Dr. Peter Diamandis. For those who don't know, Peter was also a cofounder of SEDS, the Space Generation, and the ISU with Bob Richards. He also founded the X-Prize Cup, ZERO-G, and pretty soon his new "NASCAR in the Skies" project called X-Racers will be tearing up the ozone even more. Basically, if aerospace people were rap stars, this guy would be Jay-Z and Tupac combined.

He talked (and talked, and talked, causing us to have to cut questions off and leave the Live Oak room before UCF charged us for staying too long, but it was worth it) about how important passion is in any field and in any project. You can't sell an idea if you have no passion behind it, and no project will fulfill you if you lack it. You won't have the heart to go all the way if you don't truly believe in what you do. It was obvious from the way he talked that he possessed a passion for space greater than anyone I've personally met. The whole conference was worth this man's time to me, but the guy from the Orbital Commerce Project told us if we could get Petere in the simulator and let him take pictures, he would come to any of our SEDS events for free. How bout them apples? I'll be seeing a lot more of that cockpit.

Since I didn't feel like paying $10 for being Under 21 to get into the Knight Library and stand around and watch other people drink, I went swing dancing with a small contingent of SEDS people... meaning me a My-Lihn. Afterwards, I went to Steak and Shake with the main group and met some drunk people from Illinois who were pretty cool.

Once again, I was at the Engineering building at 7 am to help set up. Jason and Damion, the President and VP of SEDS-UCF, were happy to see me there that early. I had to make a doughnut, water, and napkin run right after that though. I only made it to two presentations that day, Jimmy Yawn's rocket propellant mixing workshop, and Loretta Hidalgo's talk about where we want to go in our lives and our careers (and just to show how cool these people are, here's the first thing she said: "Alright... I'm.... so f*#%ing nervous, so just bear with me." Jimmy might possibly be the goofiest guy in the world, but he sure knows how to make rocket fuel out of common household products, and his rockets fly far. Loretta is one of the founders of Yuri's Night, a worldwide space themed party celebrating Yuri Gagarin's historic first flight to space. UCF is going to hose a huge Yuri's Night in Orlando this year, so be on the lookout for that.

After the day's activities, we all hit the biggest dive on this side of town: the Lazy Moon pizza place. They serve 30" pizzas. That was the first time I'd see a whole one. I was amazed.

Sunday morning came bright and early, 7am again. I did another doughnut run, flew the flight simulator, and passed out on top of the conference shirts while the presentations were going on. After all the wrap ups, clean ups, and pack ups, the conference planning team gathered for some pictures outside. Jason and I pulled a Captain Morgan (and by that point I think everyone could have used some) to make it interesting.

All in all, it was a great conference. Even though we didn't pull in as many people as we'd hoped, it made all the speakers so much more personal and connective. Even the biggest names seemed so down to Earth and on our level that it really gave everyone a sense of what turns something ordinary into something extraordinary. We also made a LOT of great contacts, which we will exploit like no one at UCF has ever done before.

Space Generation Congress Day 5

Day 5: Sunday, October 1^st, 2005 [Flying Back]

We arrived at the airport before the check in even opened. It turned out our flight left at 6:55, not 6. This is the layman’s terms way of explaining truncation error. We waited in the airport for a while, and then hopped on the plane to Paris.

Once back in Charles de Gaulle Airport, things took a turn for the worse. Kathryn and Eric, for some reason, had to check in in Paris because the check in station in Valencia didn’t give them their tickets. Now they found out why; they were bumped to standby. Somehow I managed to have my ticket and they didn’t. I had already gotten ¾ of the way through the security line before I found out, and when I stood in line to get on the airplane, all I could do was pray for them. I didn’t see them in Cincinnati customs later that day, and I never found out how they got home.

However, that was the first thing that was eating me up. The second thing was this line was moving so slow. We were all moving so way too slowly for comfort. Once we were in the glass archway, I knew why. Security was patting down every single person and searching carry on right there. The worst part? They had 2 PEOPLE PATTING DOWN EVERY SINGLE PERSON!! New rule French people: If you have a security checkpoint before you get to the gate then you DON’T NEED ONE AFTER THE GATE! At least this gave me some time to listen to Weird Al’s “Genius in France” again for my second time through that airport.

The security checkpoint delayed our flight by an hour. However, by this point, after staying up without sleep the night before, I passed out. A crying baby sitting next to me could not stop the wave of exhaustion from helping me get the sleep I needed, and when the engines briefly woke me up at takeoff, I had a sleep kit on my lap, complete with earplugs and eye blinders. On an eight hour flight, I got eight and a half hours of sleep. I believe that ratio is a world record, since most people don’t sleep for an hour before takeoff. I woke up with half an hour left in the flight, just enough time to eat a meal (complete with the most disgusting fromage ever), get a drink, and watch the map.

The delay forced me to stop in Atlanta instead of going straight to Orlando. In Cincinnati, I had to take my luggage (which, thankfully, had arrived) to the baggage claim, so I knew it was safe. However, when I got to Orlando, my bag was nowhere to be found on the baggage turnstile.

Me: NOO!! STUPID AMERICANS!!
French Guy from the same flight from Paris: Your luggage got lost too?

I filed a report with baggage claim (by the way, who likes working in the baggage claim department? The only people you ever have to deal with are irate because the only time you need to talk to baggage services is when you’ve lost your luggage. I guess they’re either sad saps who got forced there because something in their life went wrong, or they are cynical SOBs.), and took my backpack and laptop back to my car. However, as I was leaving the parking lot, I got a call saying they found it, so I picked it up and went home, with everything; I was in one piece and I didn’t lose a single piece of luggage. Thank God. By the time I got home it was 11pm and I had a 7:30 class. No time to unpack, time to sleep. The End.

Space Generation Congress Day 4

Day 4: Saturday, September 30th, 2006 [Wrap Up of Conference and Last Night in Valencia]

No Breakfast for You!

I woke up at 7:45 again. "BAAAHH!!" I shouted as the room collectively groaned and cursed the morning for disturbing their rest. Luckily, I was alive and well two minutes later because I had actually gotten sleep. Sure, it may have cost me a night fun, but I would have fallen ill had I not slept.

The first item on the agenda once we got to the University was the Youth Space Declaration presentations. Each group got to present their preambles and line-by-line items they wanted to add. I got to present our preamble and some of the recommendations. Hooray public speaking skills, and boo people who turn off the flash on your camera so the picture quality comes out horrible when you’re presenting your Youth Space Declarations.

Next was break time. Since our group was finished with our declarations and our strategic plan, we basically sat and had a long discussion with some other guys on space property rights, international politics, national pride and its arrogance, religion, doctorate theses, T-shit Hell, and a sex store that sells only religious sex toys. One of the guys we were talking with, a Romanian who spoke six languages and was writing half of his doctorate thesis on space property rights, said that my declaration of open talks about space property rights was a step in the right direction towards eventual colonization of other bodies. He also told me to live my life instead of pursuing a doctorate degree. I’ll try to keep that advice in mind.

Following lunch a lady from the International Space University gave a presentation on how to deal with the media during a crisis. This is pretty useful information considering how engineers already don't like dealing with people, let alone media hounds.

Next was a presentation by documentary filmmaker Maryanne Galvin, who showed us a part of her movie, the premiere of which was at the IAC. It had interviews with two of the staff members of the SGC, so we all cheered when they showed up or someone’s name was shown in the credits. My criticism of what I saw: fire the animators. This movie had the worst space animation I’ve ever seen, which seriously detracted from my piece-of-a-movie watching experience. Anything that wasn’t a human being or an actual video of a launch looked really fake. It was also narrated by Leonard Nemoy, but I didn’t care about that. Sure, documentarians may have good intentions, but sometimes it’s best for someone on the inside to do the promotions.

Finally it was time to vote on the Youth Space Declaration. A more thoroughly edited version (but still not the final version) of the amendments were thrown up on the screen and voted off one by one. Each declaration needed a two-thirds majority to pass, and even though I thought a good few of them were rather stupid and in the wrong sections (Hello PR people! McFly! Come on now! Every other group mentioned the promotion of spaceflight awareness EXCEPT you!).

Now it was time for the conference wrap up. Since I had gotten sleep, I was the only one conscious enough to scream and yell on cue when director Tim Bailey yelled “Are you excited! We accomplished a LOT at this conference! Give yourselves a hand!”

Me: WOOOOO!!! YEEEEAAAAHHH!!
Everyone else: Yay….

Another Excellent Dinner

We headed back to the Hostel a little later than usual so we didn’t have a lot of time before dinner. However, it was at this point I remembered I had put my €0.63 liter of beer in the freezer. I went downstairs to check on it, and just as I suspected it had frozen and exploded, thankfully in the bag I put it in, so it was no problem to clean up, until I decided to try to let it thaw out. Thawed beer is disgusting (or maybe €0.63/liter beer is just plain disgusting) and the ice chunks in the bag melts and dripped on the floor. Why must I be so cheap as to try to salvage it? After cleaning up the puddle on the floor, I got rid of it.

Dinner this evening was at a place that wasn’t as fancy as the last place we had eaten dinner, but it was still very nice. I was wearing a suit all day and had gotten dehydrated, so I had to buy a bottle of water before we were served.

The first thing they served us was, of course, alcohol. Hussein had gotten to know us so well that he ordered for us.

Hussein: “Heineken, Heineken, Coke, Heineken, Heineken”

The coke of course was for the 17 year old Indian kid (I really wish I could have remembered his name, but it was so complicated).

Kid: May I try some of your beer?
Me: Sure *pours some in his coke*
Hussein: *pours some more*
Kid: Oh, I’ve never had beer before! Not so much!
Hussein: *pauses, pours more*
Me: *also pours more*
Kid: Oh wow! I don’t know what’s going to happen to me! I’ve never had beer before! If something happens and I don’t remember, tell me!!

I love corruption of the youth.

We gave him a little more later, but nothing that great happened. In between dinner courses, staff and guest speakers gave some presentations. The first presentation was from the girl I salsa danced with (that was probably 10 years older than me, but oh well) who worked for Northrop Grumman. Since they were the primary sponsors of the event, this was their commercial for us. It was actually mostly about networking and how I fail at it, but it gave me some insight on how to improve, as well as the different relationships you can have professionally. Another was by a guy who had founded three space companies. I have to admit, this was the first time I’d ever seen the business side of the space industry. He basically gave us a huge list of questions that need to be answered before any true investor will give you money. I need to track down that list and start learning how to answer each investor question.

Dinner was alright. The first thing they served was a salad, and the second I finished it, I remembered I wasn’t supposed to eat the salad. Dang it. It tasted like it was covered in olive oil, but it was not bad. I especially like the added touch of a boiled quail egg with the salad (we had to ask more than a few people what type of bird it was, since the Spanish people couldn’t translate the Spanish word for quail). The main course was a nice hot sandwich, the inner contents of which I don’t remember, and dessert was something I don’t remember either. Whatever this stuff was though, it was tasty. Basically, it looks like milk, but it isn’t. It tasted like slightly chunky, sweet, whole milk, only better than that. Unfortunately, I couldn’t steal a second one.

After about four beers, everyone started walking around and taking pictures, so there are plenty of pictures of just more and more people hanging around and posing. Then it was time to actually sign the Youth Space Declaration. Sure, I had a few problems with it, but that didn’t stop me from putting my Ben Corbin right in the top center of the USA delegate spaces (that’s right, forget you John Hancock).

Last Night Out

After dinner, we headed out back into the cathedral square and around to the other side for group pictures. On the way, I accidentally started a conversation with one of the Indian delegates who will be helping coordinate the conference next year. He was taking an informal poll seeing if participants would be willing to spend an extra $200-250 to see the Himalayas a day or two before the conference. Heck yeah I would. He invited me to come out early to help out with the conference (even though I already gave the conference coordinator my contact info so I can help out for next year). Second invite to another country I need to follow up on. I asked about getting near Everest, but just getting to the base camp costs $2500. Maybe when I’m rich I’ll go out there.

We took some pictures in front of the cathedral plaza while half of Spain watched our group try to organize itself and take pictures of everyone with the camera timer. There sure were a lot of people sitting around doing a lot of nothing at that time. I also got a picture with the guy who looked exactly like Borat. He had never seen Da Ali G show so he had no idea what everyone was talking about over the course of the conference, but whatever, I got a nice picture for my Facebook event promotion.

We went back to the Hostel to change for the last night out. Our first stop was a club with weird music that I did not enjoy understanding because I wanted to hear Spanish music, not American. It was all crummy remixes. I also discovered the hard way that clubs charge an outrageous amount for beer. One Heineken was €6. I was doing the exchange in my head and decided I needed to drink it to wash away the pain of losing that much for one drink. What happened to €2 shots at the run down place the first night?

It turned out a large contingent of our group couldn’t get into the club because they didn’t have nice enough shoes on, so most of the group ended up in a bar across the street. I was informed of this soon after buying the beer, so I had to chug it and go back with the rest of the group (since it was mostly fun people that weren’t allowed in).

At the other bar, a big group had gathered across many tables set side-by-side, bigger than anything the Corbin family had ever created in a restaurant. Nothing too interesting about the conversations, except the one Japanese delegate of the SGC invited me to come to Japan. Third invite to another country I need to follow up on.

A little while later Juan and I went back to the club, where it was now packed and crazy. Mark was dancing with three girls he couldn’t speak to, but it was his birthday, so he partied like it was. One of the delegates randomly handed me a drink, and since I’m not a female I took it. Sandeep was keeping track of what time I had to leave to get to the hotel in time to catch a cab, and three minutes before he announced that it was my last 3 minutes in Spain and that women had to dance with me. Sometimes it’s good to have good friends.

Pack it up, Move it Out

By now it was 3 in the morning and I had hunger pains. Pieter and I walked around to find another kebab place, but to no avail. Sometimes first loves are hard to lose, especially when you lose them in a foreign country, and by first loves I mean delicious kebabs that I need to find in the US.

It turned out there was another guy leaving on our flight from Valencia, so Kathryn, Eric, and I planned on splitting the cab fare three ways. That was helpful. By the time we had packed, all the people were coming back from the clubs and bars, so we were able to get some last goodbyes and card exchanges in before the three of us piled into the cab.