ACCESS is born! Help us name finish name it

[igorsboss]

<font color="yellow">Yeah, tons of small groups, if enough joined together we'd get somewhere and have more expertise.</font><br /><br />This is yet another great reason "Enterprises" works: it recognizes the plurality of various efforts.<br /><br />Informal Bylaw: Nobody gets to be called Enterprise A, B, C, D, or etc...

 

[grooble]

Yeah. No star trek cheese <img src="/images/icons/laugh.gif" />

 

[yurkin]

It will never work, all space startups start with an X.<br /><br />You could try <b>XAccess Space</b> short for Exploration Access Space.

 

[kdavis007]

Good luck!!!

 

[yevaud]

You know, Bert Rutan has talked about the next step to be some sort of orbital commercial facility. With ample space and accomodations for tourists. Perhaps... <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><em>Differential Diagnosis:  </em>"<strong><em>I am both amused and annoyed that you think I should be less stubborn than you are</em></strong>."<br /> </p> </div>

 

[spacester]

I quit posting to this thread because I screwed up the title and I don't like seeing it near the top of the threads. LOL<br /><br />But since you posted, Yevaud, thanks for the support! A lot of this crazy stuff is right along the lines of what I hear Burt and Elon say. Even Griffin so far. I think this space thing is gonna explode a lot sooner than the poor long-suffering space keener thinks.<br /><br />Folks, we have the URL thing pretty much handled, but I'm looking for an American to buy a domain name for us. This is supposed to be an American led project, and I want it to be someone not me.<br /><br />I'm hoping that someone here, a cluster maybe, a New Englander would be good, someone who shoots tranquilizer darts maybe, would be especially qualified!<br /><br />It's not the expense of the domain name, it's the symbolic and tangible act of support by a long-time follower of space I'm looking for. <br /><br />Anyone want to make a small leap of faith? <br /><br />No big deal if not, this is the final call in fact, in 12 hours we go with one of the domains kindly purchased by grooble, and I'll buy the others myself. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[yevaud]

Hey, it's a start. What's the saying? "From small seeds, mighty trees grow."<br /><br />Don't know what I can do to help, but I won't ever know unless I try. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><em>Differential Diagnosis:  </em>"<strong><em>I am both amused and annoyed that you think I should be less stubborn than you are</em></strong>."<br /> </p> </div>

 

[spacester]

Dude, you buy a domain name, donate it to the cause, and hey presto you're a key founding member of an organization that aims to spend $3 Billion a year on space projects!<br /><br />Should make for good conversation material no matter how things turn out, you reckon?<br /><br />AccessSpaceFoundation.org<br /><br />Is what I'd like to run this thing on initially. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[yevaud]

Hmm. I'm already an incorporated non-profit, VIBE inc. (Veteran's International Brokerage Exchange), here in Massachusetts (well, me and two partners). I'm the CTO.<br /><br />Maybe I can turn that to some benefit? <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><em>Differential Diagnosis:  </em>"<strong><em>I am both amused and annoyed that you think I should be less stubborn than you are</em></strong>."<br /> </p> </div>

 

[spacester]

Well ACCESS can work with VIBE, because you're not completely nuts. <img src="/images/icons/laugh.gif" /> <img src="/images/icons/wink.gif" /><br /><br />You can be Affiliate #1, that's kinda cool. You can tell us stuff about how to set up a non-profit.<br /><br />You can be the Prime Affiliate for International Brokerage of Veterans if ACCESS has any need to broker our international veterans. LOL<br /><br />VIBE can get public exposure by becoming an ACCESS Affiliate.<br /><br />There is a way you could tangibly benefit, actually. I mean, we're looking for your cash, we need to sell annual subscriptions to 39 Million Americans, but there's an exit strategy if it all falls apart. I haven't talked about it but part of it is partial refunds of your donations. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[yevaud]

Well, the idea behind VIBE was to put Veteran's to work. They have a great bunch of skills, and I have access to an entire population of them!<br /><br />Better yet, I also have relations with a director of a Veteran's employment department here, and he's 1000% on board. So's my active partner, who just retired to Honduras, Today! And my silent partner, Dave, does whatever.<br /><br />SO. Major scientific town. Cheap, but skilled labor. Government acquiescence. You tell me.<br /><br />Btw, I do understand that people bull&%$#@! each other all of the time on the web. So, PM me with whatever you need to know. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><em>Differential Diagnosis:  </em>"<strong><em>I am both amused and annoyed that you think I should be less stubborn than you are</em></strong>."<br /> </p> </div>

 

[spacester]

Aha! I see, very cool.<br /><br />You have guys that can do things, we have lots of things we want to do, yeah, that adds up. Add VIBE to the list of orgs ACCESS has made contact with.<br /><br />Initially, there will be no cash, this will be all volunteer for about six months, so no jobs right away. But as an Affiliate, you're positioned to put your guys to work when we need to hire folks with their skills. Maybe we need them for the coming-out party, but unfortunately, most of the initial funds will have to go to the lawyers.<br /><br />There are ways that we can provide a benefit to just about any group, but ultimately we're looking for either their cash or their expertise. <br /><br />There's another way though, your good old fashioned government grant. If you get the funding, we can put those guys to work building exhibits and mock-ups as we get started. We can put them in front of student assemblies etc.<br /><br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[scottb50]

I thought there was a rule here about using explitives? Lawyers more than qualifies in my opinion.<br /><br />If one wants to offer services as a supporter that's one thing, but once you start paying them they multiply like bacteria. I would hate to doom Space exploration by falling into the lawyer trap. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[spacester]

Yeah, possible TOS violation, please don't report me. <img src="/images/icons/laugh.gif" /><br /><br />I betcha I hate lawyers more than you do!<br /><br />The financing plan is going to raise some significant issues for several regulatory agencies, SEC and others. There are posts on this subject; we need the lawyers to set up our non-profit and our for-profit cooperative. We need credibility, credibility and credibility, and to get that we have to be squeaky clean.<br /><br />If I thought we could get the work pro bono, the money would go elsewhere. But you get what you pay for (if you're lucky) with lawyers, so we need to bite the bullet and pay the sharks. (I love mixed metaphors!) <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[yevaud]

Ok, that all sounds good.<br /><br />Oh yes, Federal Grants is the route we've been exploring for some time. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><em>Differential Diagnosis:  </em>"<strong><em>I am both amused and annoyed that you think I should be less stubborn than you are</em></strong>."<br /> </p> </div>

 

[voyager4d]

Why only americans?<br /><br />Why do you think you can get many people to join?<br /><br />Americans already pay 0,75% of there tax to NASA, why would they give more to space related projects?<br /><br />The Planetary Society has had over 100.000 members worldwide (not only americans), but are now down to about 80.000, only the last year it has begun to clime a little again..<br />Why do you think you will have better luck getting members?

 

[yevaud]

Not sure. But then again, if you don't try, you'll never know... <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><em>Differential Diagnosis:  </em>"<strong><em>I am both amused and annoyed that you think I should be less stubborn than you are</em></strong>."<br /> </p> </div>

 

[spacester]

Not "Only Americans", it's "American Led", there's a big difference. We'd still like an American to step forward and buy a URL for us. I'll have to check the clock, the 12 hours must be almost up. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[arobie]

Voyager4D,<br /><br />Like spacester said, this is an American led.<br /><br />We offer a plan, a plan to become space-faring. Now that is what many current groups already offer, but we are different then them. Along with our plan comes something the rest don't have, we also have a financing plan. <br /><br />We know that the space advocacy groups are widely splintered into many different strategies. Some want the Moon to be our main goal, some want to only settle Mars, and others want to go straight to the asteroids. Our plan offers something for all of those. We have a plan that has the potential to unite the splintered space advocacy groups. <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /><br /><br />But other than that, we will appeal our plan to average people; Joe worker, Joe Sixpack. We will appeal our plan to the entire America. We know that not everyone will buy it. Not everyone will donate. In fact, we only think we can get 20% of the people to donate...39 million Americans.<br /><br />Why do we think we can even get that many? <br /><br />We will offer a space program with clear cut, tangible goals. They will be able to <i>see</i> what we are working for.<br /><br />We will keep the program understandable, keep everyone informed of it's progress. We will work to keep everything public in an understandable format.<br /><br />We will get students from K - Grad School involved to help toward accomplishing the goals. <b>They</b> can do something to help get people to the Moon or Mars. Getting the kids excited will have a huge impact on everyone else. Children's enthusiasm can carry out and be contagious.<br /><br />We will offer something other than a dependency on NASA to make us space-faring. As much as I respect NASA, we can not depend on them to do something like that. They are caught up in a governmental mess. Their funding comes from Congress, with it's short attention span which results in fluctuating, inconsistent funding. It is hard to accomplish huge and great things in a situati

 

[ldyaidan]

I know the plan is aimed at Mars, but are we heading to the moon first, as per the previous Moon Settlement threads, or heading straight to Mars? Just checking to see if we were incorporating elements of both threads, or just the one for Mars.<br /><br />Rae

 

[scottb50]

So far I have two problems. Maybe those who are initially involved are American, but to say it has to be led by Americans sure leaves out a whole lot of people who could be involved in one way or another. I think it has to be an International endeavor, open to anyone who wants to participate irregardless their nationality. In reality it takes 90 minutes to completely circle the globe, in orbit and we are talking about going somewhere that will take two months travel. The only barriers left between different nationalities are racial, political and religious, otherwise I could contact someone on the opposite side of the World in seconds.<br /><br />As foor a Moon Settlement if it happens as a by-product then great. I've always said it would be a good place for testing Mars equipment and if that can be economically integrated into a Mars mission then fine. To focus on the Moon and then focus on Mars may be more of a distraction of materials, personnel and time. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[spacester]

My first love for future space is Asteroid Mining. Next on my personal list of space goals is a Lunar Dome (or other very large habitat on the moon). Third on my list of major space endeavors is Mars Settlement.<br /><br />It is possible that private industry can profitably do the first two without ACCESS. IMO Mars Settlement needs something like ACCESS to be possible but the other two don't.<br /><br />So I presented the idea of a "People's Space Agency" in term of Mars Settlement. But what it's really about is becoming space-faring.<br /><br />A space-faring human race has a presence at several off-world locations. It can't be just Mars or just Moon or just LEO.<br /><br />If we're going to attract 39 Million Americans, we have to be inclusive. We need the Mars Firsters and the Lunatics and the Space Miners on board. We need all of them.<br /><br />The choice between Moon and Mars is a chimera, it is a false choice. This supposed choice is based on a scarcity mentality. We are going to have an abundance mentality and do them all.<br /><br />Having said that, if a new member wants to earmark his contribution for a specific destination or activity, fine, we do just that. The board of directors or whatever can allocate non-dedicated moneys as required to steadily advance on all fronts.<br /><br />But if 90% of the ACCESS members want to go to Mars and not the Moon, that's what we'll do.<br /><br />For me personally, an allocation of funds would be perfect if it broke down to<br /><br />40% Mars Settlement<br />40% Lunar Playground<br />20% Asteroid Mining<br /><br />Your milage may vary. Together we try to do it all. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[spacester]

Well the last thing we want to do is leave anybody out who wants to be in (as long as they're not nuts). Trust me, this thing will be international. It has to be to work.<br /><br />The main reasons it needs to be American-led are 1) The SEC is going to be difficult enough without trying to create an international non-profit organization and 2) We need to tap into the rah-rah American patriotism thing. <br /><br />We're (hopefully) coming out of an isolationism phase and will soon seek to be more open. But for the next two years ACCESS needs to appeal to the America is Great crowd, which should be pretty darn inclusive I figure. There's something in the plan for everyone, and the idea that America needs to get off its duff and sieze the lead in spaceflight will ring true for a lot of the folks who don't buy into the more lofty space idealism stuff. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[yevaud]

I must respectfully disagree with those allocations. I believe that the most important steps are the fostering of a surface-orbit civilian capability, and an commercial orbital facility. Followed by Asteroid mining.<br /><br />Rationales:<br /><br />1. The generation of a commercial surface to orbital lifty capacity is crucial. Without it, we may as well go home.<br /><br />2. An orbital civilian facility will be the method for making space travel familiar and comfortable to the average individual.<br /><br />3. Mining. That's an entire dissertation itself, but the bottom line is, money seeks out money. A single rare metal-bearing asteroid, mined for it's riches, could fire up all of the other various commercial interest's, in a way that a Voyager or Pathfinder can't. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><em>Differential Diagnosis:  </em>"<strong><em>I am both amused and annoyed that you think I should be less stubborn than you are</em></strong>."<br /> </p> </div>

 

[ldyaidan]

Thanks! I agree, I don't see it as an "either the moon or Mars" program. Once the basics are there, (ie: cheap, safe access into orbit, ships to take us from orbit to wherever, and most of the equipment needed for settlement) they can be used where ever they are needed. Just wanting to make sure I'm on the same page as everyone else.<br /><br />Oh, and I've just been swamped, but have not forgotten the education thread. Just haven't had time to sit down and write anything up, but it's been going together in the back of my mind. Hopefully I can get that started in the next week or so.<br /><br />Rae