The 2007 International Space Development Conference

After arriving in Manhattan on the Boston train, I had just enough time to repack and get perhaps three hours of sleep before heading for the airport. My May 24th NY-Houston-Dallas flight was early enough that I was able to attend the latter half of the Space Venture Forum morning track.

I had loads of time to schmooze with potential customers, as well as listen to ‘the suits’ discuss venture funding, deal making, IPO’s and pitfalls. I am sure many here would have appreciated the slide which noted:

“Addiction” to Government Business Alone: Problems have emerged for companies that aimed solely at government markets and had substantial timing delays. Companies should avoid developing an “addiction” to government business since these companies will need cash for commercial development”

Glenn Reynolds also had a few things to say about how much real business has taken hold at the ISDC’s. It is definitely true. I went partially (and successfully) for business contacts for many years but this is the first year in which I represented a space venture. I may have been one of the persons quoted by Glenn and others and I spent one entire morning ‘under the lights’ as a talking head for someone’s documentary.

I particularly enjoyed the lunch, partially because I finally met Esther Dyson whom I have known ‘virtually’ for over a decade. She introduced the speaker, Tom Pickens, son of the capitalist hero T. Boone Pickens. Tom is a man who learned business from childhood. He has a protein crystal product which can only be produced in quantities on orbit and which is highly valuable for medicine. His demand projections are such that told everyone in the room he can fill whatever they can launch or return.

Tom Pickens says “You’ve got 24 months to get a seat at the table”.
Photo: copyright Dale Amon, All Rights Reserved

Now I could go on about all of the marvelous speakers and news events of the conference, or talk about all of the meetings I ran or attended… but instead I will show some of the fun side of the first few days of the conference.

While I was chatting with some old friends, someone commented that our Executive Committee Chairman, Gary Barnhard, bears a striking resemblance to Dr. Gerard O’Neill, the inventor of the L5 Space Colony concept, who died around 15 years ago.

Gary Barnhard attempts to channel Dr. O’Neill.
Photo: copyright Dale Amon, All Rights Reserved

Armadillo Aerospace brought ‘Pixel’, one of the Moon Lander Prize contenders, to the exhibit room. It was quite a center piece of a reception for rocket scientists and activists. It reminds you why you are here, even after quite a few bottles.

It is amazing how difficult it is to talk, hold your bottle and enjoy the nacho dip at the same time.

No we did not tap the fuel tanks when the cash bar closed.
Photo: copyright Dale Amon, All Rights Reserved

Glenn Reynolds. Rand Simberg and I have known each other for over 20 years so of course we had to get together to discuss blogging and how to fix everything. We were also joined for awhile by Alan Boyle of MSNBC.

What do you mean, “we drank it all?”
Photo: copyright Dale Amon, All Rights Reserved

I was surprised to see a native Texas gal I’d not seen in a few years. Turned out Kaz had been in London while with the USAF.

The world of rocket scientists has been improving steadily,
Photo: copyright Dale Amon, All Rights Reserved

I caught Glenn Reynolds in mid post just before the Space Blogger summit at the conference.

The blogfather at work plotting world domination,
Photo: copyright Dale Amon, All Rights Reserved

This brings me up to May 26th. I will try to post on the rest of ISDC 2007 tomorrow. If you can not wait, you will find hundreds of photos of the event in the archives.