The Space Frontier Foundation's Fourth Annual Return To The Moon Conference "Crossroads To The Cosmos"

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The Space Frontier Foundation's Fourth Annual
Return to the Moon Conference
"Crossroads to the Cosmos"
July 18 - 20, 2002 (33rd anniversary of the first Moon landing)
At the Hilton NASA Clear Lake Hotel, Houston, Texas
Conference Manager: Manny Pimenta
Honorary Co-Chairs: George Abbey, Wendell Mendell and John Young
Return to the Moon IV Report
by John Hanks, Space Frontier Foundation Communications Director
The Space Frontier Foundation's 4th annual Return to the Moon
Conference, "Return to the Moon IV," is now history. Held July
18th through 20th, 2002 at the Hilton NASA Clear Lake Hotel in
Houston, Texas, it brought together a cadre of space scientists,
engineers and enthusiasts who wish to design a blueprint for
joint government and commercial human settlements on the
Moon, including commercial hotels, mining facilities and a
planetary training base for future Mars explorers.
The Conference was led by three excellent co-chairs: John
Young, an active astronaut, the first human launched seven
times from a planetary surface (six from Earth, one from the
Moon) and Associate Director at the Johnson Space Center;
George Abbey, recently retired from NASA as JSC Director and
formerly Senior Assistant for International Issues at NASA
headquarters in Washington, DC, and Wendell Mendell, head of
the NASA JSC Earth Sciences & Solar System Exploration
Division.
Some of the prominent presenters included: Paul Spudis, Lunar
Science Expert; William Burrows Author of "This New Ocean"
and "Deep Black"; James Oberg America's Premiere Russian Space Expert; and Rick Tumlinson
Founder of the Space Frontier Foundation.
Following the Conference, Manny Pimenta, RTM IV Project Manager, on behalf of the Foundation, called on
NASA to move ahead quickly with plans recommended by the National Research Council, part of the
National Academy of Sciences, to include sample-gathering trips to the Moon as part of a master strategy for
future space exploration. NASA commissioned the NRC study.
"This is a great sign that NASA may finally be reconnecting with the Moon after 30 years," said a delighted
Pimenta. "We plan to meet with NASA and will be happy to work with them to catalyze the support of the
private sector for the effort. The data that can be gathered and shared will be invaluable to the future
settlement of the Moon as well as our knowledge base about the worlds around us, including Mars."
Foundation Chairman Bob Noteboom said, "The Space Frontier Foundation is ready to facilitate employing
existing public and private sector technology to return to the Moon. We're pleased that NASA is looking at
getting back into the business of lunar exploration. It's a great move."
Rick Tumlinson, Foundation Founder, also urged renewed emphasis on the Data Purchase program for lunar
material recovered from such missions, saying, "The consensus here is that NASA can open the door to
commercial Lunar development if they will implement a data purchase program to encourage the gathering of
much-needed data from the Moon."
Space Frontier
Foundation
16 First Avenue
Nyack, NY 10960
800-78-SPACE
(800-787-7223)
Contact Us
Send Us Your
Comments
Join the Fight
Andrew Chaikin's A
Man on the Moon is the
definitive guide to the
Apollo program. Click
above to order from
Amazon.com.
Robert A. Heinlein's
classic, The Moon is a
Harsh Mistress, is a
must read for all Lunar
enthusiasts.
Return to the Moon - RTM Conference IV http://archive.spacefrontier.org/Projects/Moon/rtm2002.html
1 of 3 4/19/14 1:08 PM
Manny Pimenta,
RTM IV Manager.
James Oberg signs copies of his books at RTM IV. Pat Rawlings art
on display at RTM IV.
RTM IV was the first Lunar Conference to follow the 9/11 terrorist attacks, and became a uniquely memorable
event a touchstone for Lunar Colonization and Frontier settlement in general. We now have the answers to
several questions that hung in the air as the Conference approached: Has the lunar settlement passion
dimmed in the context of the national security threat? Would it attract the numbers it has in the past? Can we
accelerate the movement with all the challenges we face?
The Foundation's quarterly journal, Space Front, put these and other questions to RTM IV Project Manager
Pimenta:
SF: How would you rate the Conference's success?
MP: I am very pleased overall with what was accomplished. This year we seemed to have more than our
share of fiscal, organizational and national security challenges. Thanks to the effort and dedication of the
RTM Conference team, however, we were able to have a very successful event. The passion for lunar
settlement is indeed alive and well.
SF: What was the impact of their involvement of your three incredible Co-Chairs, Young, Abbey and Wendell?
MP: We were honored with the participation of our distinguished Co-Chairs. Their presence alone made it an
impressive and memorable event. The message from each of them was very clear: The Moon is the next
logical step in human space exploration. And the time to act is now.
SF: How would you characterize the quality of the presentations?
MP: There was the customary array of highly professional technical and policy presentations from the various
participants ranging from lunar based solar power generation to using the moon for nuclear waste disposal.
One of the highlight presentations would have to be Dr. Paul Spudis with the L1 mission proposal. His is a
real and detailed mission objective, which, if (or more optimistically when) implemented will go a very long
way in creating the infrastructure needed for long term lunar exploration and for the eventual establishment of
a permanent human presence on the surface of another planet.
SF: The banquet speaker was author William Burroughs, who talked about his Alliance To Rescue Civilization
(ARC). How was that received?
MP: The ARC is a project which embodies all the things that the Foundation stands for: it is focused on
assuring the survival of human civilization by archiving all accumulated knowledge and safely storing it on the
Moon, where it would be very well protected from deliberate or even unintended destruction. This represents
our last chance to save civilization should one of the many unthinkable catastrophes visit us on this planet
before we achieve our space settlement goals. We would like to work closely with ARC and find out how we
can help their very worthy project succeed.
SF: How did the media treat the Conference?
MP: I am most pleased with the media exposure generated for this event. I would like to thank and
acknowledge John Hanks for single handedly seeing to it that this event received the media attention it
deserved. His tireless and dedicated effort resulted in dozens of media impressions across multiple venues
including a number of local radio and TV stations, Internet sites, up to and including the Associated Press,
which led to local, regional and national articles. This media exposure, in my opinion, is key to building
momentum and credibility for future RTM events.
SF: What would you say were the two most important outcomes?
MP: The most important outcome was, as always, the interaction among the attendees, and the unity to
interact and network in different settings, both formal and informal. This is a key service that we are able to
provide to the space advocacy community at large and to the lunar advocates in particular. It affords people
an opportunity to cross pollinate ideas that advance the discussion and spark the interest and commitment of
the participants.
Secondly, this year we also made major strides in establishing and strengthening relationships with the NASA
and aerospace community in the Houston area. We believe that this new and more open climate of
communications is exactly what was needed and we welcome NASA's willingness to engage the space
advocacy community in discussing our common futures in space. We hope to capitalize on this by continuing
to work on opening up new channels of communication and identifying possible areas of cooperation based
on our shared goals of increasing human presence in space.
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SF: What is happening now as a result of RTM IV?
MP: We are pursuing and offer by JSC to hold informal discussions about their future plans and
explore areas or possible cooperation with the private sector. A new era of open dialog and direct
communication holds great promise for future progress in establishing a true partnership among NASA and
private interests. The Space Frontier Foundation has consistently advocated this as the ideal method for
achieving success in our expansion into space.
SF: Will we see anything different in the Foundation's relationship with other space advocacy groups?
MP: We are beginning to prepare in earnest for RTM V. An important part of that process is establishing
closer contact with our sister organizations. It is very important to demonstrate a spirit of cooperation and
harmony among all space advocates. We share very nearly identical visions of our collective future. It makes
all the sense in the world that we work closely together to achieve that vision.
SF: What about the education community...the students of America?
MP: We would like every student in the U.S. to be aware that there are serious people with serious ideas
about returning human beings to the Moon and to establish a permanent presence there. We should not only
be able to inspire some of them to pursue space related careers, but equally as important, the more people
we can reach and make aware of our efforts, the more accepting they will be of the concept of settling the
Moon.
Spreading our message is something that we can definitely do right now and that it will pay enormous
dividends as these school kids grow and start contributing to society. We should not only be able to inspire
some of them to pursue space related careers, but equally as important, the more people we can reach and
make aware of our efforts, the more accepting they will be of the concept of settling the Moon. If we had a
knowledgeable and aware population right now, who accepted lunar and space exploration as a given, we
would encounter much less resistance in getting initial projects off the ground. We would enjoy greater
political support, there would be more investment capital available and more interest and participation in all
space issues.
SF: What should we look forward to at RTM V?
MP: Our main focus for RTM V will be to demonstrate progress and tangible results. We intend to have RTM
V surpass RTM IV in every aspect: sponsorship, attendance, media presence, and an increased number of
substantial projects and action items. We also want to be able to report success in our ground breaking
contacts with NASA and the aerospace community. And we would like to know that there are at least a few
tens of thousands of school kids out there who are aware that RTM V is going on (and maybe even have a
few of them show up at the event!)
We also want to be able to report progress across areas of technology that are likely to prove beneficial to our
project. Areas such as robotics, materials, propulsion, life support, power generation, and so on. A main focus
for RTM V would be to deliberate and reach consensus on a clear and detailed definition of the Return to the
Moon Project defining our project goals, setting some milestones, and creating a project plan. We intend to
begin to build an organizational structure that would pool the talents and abilities of our membership and
leverage these resources to affect changes and spur progress in all aspects of space exploration but
specifically, in those areas most directly related to establishing a lunar presence within our lifetimes.
SF: Was RTM IV a financial success as well?
MP: This outcome surpassed our expectations in the fact that the event was totally financially successful. As
is the case in establishing a lunar settlement, economic viability is the sufficient but essential prerequisite for
longevity and ultimate success. We are pleased to report a significant profit for the Space Frontier Foundation
was generated in spite of the challenges previously alluded to.
Click Here for the Return to the Moon IV Teaser
Click Here for the Return to the Moon IV Call for Papers
Space.com's Leonard David wrote a very good review of the Conference:
The United States Has Unfinished Business on the Moon by Leonard David, Senior Space Writer, posted:
01:20 pm ET 23 July 2002 http://space.com/scienceastronomy/moon_return_020723.html.
Copyright 1996 - 2008 Space Frontier Foundation. All rights reserved.
All work contained herein is protected by United States copyright/ intellectual property law.
3 of 3 4/19/14 1:08 PM
Page
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Lunar Policy
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Return to the Moon
Conference VI, 2005
Return to the Moon
Conference V, 2004
Return to the Moon
Conference IV, 2002
Return to the Moon
Return to the Moon
Conference II, 2000
Return to the Moon
Conference I, 1999
Share your views on
July 18 - 20, 2002 (33rd anniversary of the first moon landing)
RETURN TO THE MOON! It has been almost 30 years since
humans last stepped on the Moon.
THAT'S TOO LONG! We believe it is time to Return to the
Moon! And this time we will stay.
Join the Space Frontier Foundation and our co-sponsors as we
continue to formulate the ideas, concepts and plans we believe
will take us back to the Moon.
Some of the notable space pioneers you can hear and meet are:
George Abbey Former head of the Johnson Space Center
Wendell Mendell Lunar Science Expert
John Young Apollo 10 and Apollo 16 Astronaut
Mike Duke Apollo Program Manager
Paul Spudis Lunar Science Expert
William Burrows Author of "This New Ocean" and "Deep Black"
James Oberg America's Premiere Russian Space Expert
Rick Tumlinson Founder of the Space Frontier Foundation
(Read Rick Tumlinson's RTM IV message, Fly Me to the Moon)
Be among the first to see footage and audio from the flight of Apollo 11 that has never been seen by the
public!
This exciting event will be held in the heart of our space program, across the street from NASA's Johnson
Spaceflight Center. This is the place where all of America's missions to space and the Moon began, and
where the planning for much of tomorrow's space agenda is underway. Take a tour of the Space Center, see
the incredible Saturn V Moon rocket and visit the famous Out Post Bar where the astronauts still meet for a
beer and to trade tales of the frontier. Bring your family, and while you participate in this great event they can
be jet-skiing on Nassau Bay, taking a sailboat ride into the Gulf, exploring Houston or simply laying by pool at
the beautiful Hilton Hotel on the bay.
Don't miss this chance to step from fiction to reality. Come and rub shoulders with those who made history on
the Moon and those who are molding our future there. Hang out with people who are tired of the rhetoric of
"someday" and who are determined to make a difference in our tomorrow by rolling up their sleeves today
and making a difference.
Subjects to be covered include:
Moon Base Designs
Life Support Systems
Space Transportation
Lunar Astronomy
Using the Moon as a Training Base for Mars and Other Worlds
NASA/Private Sector Co-operation on the Moon
Lunar Exploration
Lunar Tourism
New Energy Sources from the Moon
Lunar Mining
Lunar Hotels and Resorts
The Arc Project A Library of Human Knowledge on the Moon
Monasteries and Mosques on the Moon
The Moon is a blank slate. It awaits our imagination to make of it what we will.
Join us as we begin to create a movement that will drive us back to where we belong.
Space Frontier
Foundation
16 First Avenue
Nyack, NY 10960
800-78-SPACE
(800-787-7223)
Contact Us
Send Us Your
Comments
Join the Fight
Andrew Chaikin's A
above to order from
Amazon.com.
enthusiasts.
Return to the Moon - RTM Conference IV http://archive.spacefrontier.org/Projects/Moon/rtm2002teaser.html
1 of 2 6/15/14 12:05 PM
Someday you can say you were there when these ideas were first discussed, that you met the people who
made it happen, and perhaps, if we capture your imagination, this will be the place when you too begin to
make a difference in our future!
Click Here for the Return to the Moon IV Call for Papers
Return to the Moon - RTM Conference IV http://archive.spacefrontier.org/Projects/Moon/rtm2002teaser.html
2 of 2 6/15/14 12:05 PM
Page
Press Releases
Lunar Policy
Lunar FAQs
Lunar History
Lunar Science
Lunar Commerce
Lunar Experts
Lunar Gallery
Lunar Links
Return to the Moon
Conference VI, 2005
Return to the Moon
Conference V, 2004
Return to the Moon
Conference IV, 2002
Return to the Moon
Return to the Moon
Conference II, 2000
Return to the Moon
Conference I, 1999
Share your views on
July 18 - 20, 2002 (33rd anniversary of the first moon landing)
Call for Papers
The Space Frontier Foundation is soliciting abstracts on several
specific topics pertinent to the establishment and operation of a
permanent lunar settlement. The primary requirement for this
settlement is that it be economically self-sufficient (i.e. it must
turn a profit) in the long term.
To this end, the methods and means used to attain our
permanent foothold must not be based on any one single
strategy. The creative forces of the free market must be
harnessed and combined with public (governmental) needs and
plans to generate myriad different approaches competing and
combining in novel and unexpected ways to create a fertile
environment for the outward expansion of the human race.
Along with this primary requirement we also ask that any new
ideas submitted be conservatively based on existing
technologies (That is, we should be able to achieve our goal with
current technology or with reasonable extrapolations of current
technological trends and research.) Papers demonstrating an
understanding of the need for synergistic systems and activities
to create the needed economic momentum are preferred. We
are also interested in proposals that create synergy with existing or potential government space activities
(transportation or life support systems that serve both Lunar and possible Mars exploration needs for
example).
We believe that in order to achieve economic viability and increase the probability of success, the lunar
settlement must incorporate as diverse a range of activities as possible. Examples include tourism, industrial
research, mining operations (He3, precious metals, ice recovery, regolith processing, etc), far side astronomy
and scientific research, spaceport and planetary missions training facilities, asteroid and NEO detection,
power generation, etc.
Papers and ideas are welcome on any relevant subject but we are most interested in addressing the
following areas:
1. Policy and Planning
2. Habitats and Architecture
3. Power Systems
4. Life Support
5. Transportation
6. Space Enterprises
7. Science
Given our goal of refining and moving towards a lunar settlement that is actually realizable, we are going
beyond mere presentations to include a winnowing and future focus session. The end of the symposium will
include a review of the presented papers and a voting procedure by the attendees to determine those
presentations which deserve more focus in the next year, and those which need more work and
development.
Thus, we hope to begin sculpting a comprehensive baseline design that integrates all these different and
sometimes competing requirements into a logical, coherent architecture. The eventual baseline design(s)
should address basic questions such as how large should the colony be? How many people should it
support? How soon could it be achieved? What support infrastructure will it require? How will the government
and private sector interact and support each other? What will the economic and scientific drivers be? What
are the logical first steps that can be taken today, tomorrow?
Space Frontier
Foundation
16 First Avenue
Nyack, NY 10960
800-78-SPACE
(800-787-7223)
Contact Us
Send Us Your
Comments
Join the Fight
Andrew Chaikin's A
above to order from
Amazon.com.
enthusiasts.
Return to the Moon - RTM Conference IV Call for Papers http://archive.spacefrontier.org/Projects/Moon/rtm2002call.html
1 of 2 6/15/14 12:06 PM
Abstracts must be 1,000 words or less and provide an outline of a presentation on ideas or technology
developed within the last ten years plus a brief biography of the presenter (not counted as part of the 1,000
word limit).
Papers on all relevant subjects are also invited for a poster session. All presentations will be included in a
published volume following the event.
Abstracts must be submitted in electronic form before April 29, 2002 by e-mail to RTM4@space-frontier.org
or by postal mail (Text or Microsoft Word format please) to the Space Frontier Foundation.
Return to the Moon - RTM Conference IV Call for Papers http://archive.spacefrontier.org/Projects/Moon/rtm2002call.html
2 of 2 6/15/14 12:06 PM

The Space Frontier Foundation's Fourth Annual Return To The Moon Conference "Crossroads To The Cosmos"

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