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Cosmic · Joined: 12 Jun 2008 Posts: 31 Location: Dunfermline

If Anyone would like to join the British Interplanetary Society follow this link http://www.bis-spaceflight.com
membership is £53.00 per year and every month you get Spaceflight Magazine. This year a special members day is available for IAC 2008.
The normal entrance fee for this event is 750 euros so you see it's worth the membership just to go to this International event at SECC Glasgow.

see below

IAC 2008

29 September - 3 October 2008

World’s biggest space show comes to Britain

Plans for the 59th International Astronautical Congress (IAC) – the world’s biggest international space conference – being hosted in Glasgow, Scotland, by the British Interplanetary Society (BIS), are progressing well. More than 2000 scientists, engineers and space experts from around the world will take part in the week-long programme of presentations, exhibitions and discussions.

BIS members’ day at space congress

An exclusive day for members of the British Interplanetary Society is being organised for the final day of the IAC 2008 in Glasgow, Scotland, this autumn. The day is aimed at those who will not be attending the full week Congress as a delegate but nevertheless would like to get a flavour of the event.

“The IAC is a special event on the annual world space calendar, attracting many of the top space people, companies and organisations,” said Suszann Parry, Society executive secretary. “It was last held in the UK in 1987 so this really is a unique and rare opportunity to share in a big space occasion right on our doorstep.”

The BIS members’ day will be on Friday, 3 October, and admission will be free. The programme is expected to be as follows:

9 am - 12 noon
Exhibition - a chance to tour the large space exhibition and view the stands from many space companies and organisations.

12 noon – 2 pm
Sandwich lunch - meet members of the BIS Council and the Editor of Spaceflight magazine

2 pm - 3.30 pm
Three part open plenary

‘Space travel and science fiction’
The first part will deal with the imagination inspired by space and the aspirations to travel beyond the Earth. It will feature a high profile figure from the space science fiction/fantasy genre, who will talk about how the power of space inspires an interest in science fiction.

‘Medical aspects of human spaceflight’
George Whitesides, the Executive Director of the National Space Society and an advisor to Virgin Galactic, will speak about future public spaceflight opportunities.
Melchor Antunano, the director of the FAA’s Civil Aerospace Medical Institute, will talk about the IAA study on medical requirements for space tourist flights.
Loretta Hidalgo - planning the first ever space honeymoon on Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo with fiancee George Whitesides - will talk about her perspective and motivations for making such a flight.

‘Life as an astronaut’
The final part will feature questions and answers to a panel of astronauts on what it’s really like to prepare for and then go into space. Participants will be invited to submit written questions in advance and to roving stewards in the hall. Astronauts will include Michael Lopez-Alegria (USA), Sergei Krikalev (Russia), Chiaki Mukai (Japan) and Jean-Francois Clervoy.

3.30 - 4.30 pm
Highlight lecture - ‘Fusion, antimatter & the space drive: charting a path to the stars’
Human and robotic exploration of the solar system is underway but the true vision for space exploration is interstellar travel to other stars and habitable worlds. The lecture - by Kelvin Long, of the Tau Zero Foundation - will discuss progress in propulsion concepts: fusion, antimatter, solar sail and more exotic concepts like the space drive - which aim to deliver this vision.

Any BIS member wishing to attend should apply for a ticket(s) via email to mail@bis-spaceflight.com by 31 August. Members may bring one guest.

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