2011
The International Space Development Conference covers several broad areas of study related to building a spacefaring civilization, including transportation to and through space, technology needed to live and work in space, and Earth-based activities to advocate for or educate others about space development. The overall theme for ISDC 2011 is "From the Ground Up," emphasizing the tools, resources, and social activities that must be accomplished to make a spacefaring civilization a reality. Participants are encouraged not just to describe an ideal "future state," but to think about the technical, economic, or advocacy steps that must be accomplished to achieve a specific goal.
Although the northern Alabama region was hit by tornadoes April 27, resulting in widespread damage and many deaths and injuries, ISDC planners found that local electrical power had been restored to the Von Braun Center and Embassy Suites venues in Huntsville, and restored to the rest of the area within a week or two. Therefore, ISDC will occur as scheduled. Robert Bigelow, founder and president of Bigelow Aerospace, will be the ISDC's Honored Keynote speaker at the Governors' Dinner and Gala. Mr. Bigelow will also be receiving the NSS Space Pioneers award for Space Development. The Space Pioneer Award for Science and Engineering will be presented to the X-51A WaveRider Team while the prestigious Wernher von Braun award will go to the JAXA Hayabusa Team. The von Braun award will be presented by Dr. Curt von Braun.
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