posted 07-20-2006 03:48 PM               

I realise coverage of aspects other than pure collecting gives a more rounded site and may attract a wider audience to the site, but the Nasa and other websites such as Space.com already cover space news, and I don't quite relate to the focus of having a watered down version of one of those sites with a bit of collecting info tacked on the side.

posted 07-20-2006 10:21 PM               

I suppose my perspective and therefore direction for this site changed about two years ago when I began to come across a growing number of readers who were collecting without any appreciation for the history behind what it was they were accumulating. It wasn't that they all weren't interested; rather, it was that most weren't inclined to research the history on their own.

At the same time, I began to hear from numerous space history enthusiasts who were not collectors, nor did they have any desire in becoming one, but did want a meeting place such as what we had already established here.

The answer to both groups' stated and unstated needs became, at least to me, obvious: bring them together and provide resources for them both.

As a one-man publishing company (with the very grateful help of friends throughout the world) I can only do so much. So if during a space shuttle mission, the coverage becomes a bit lopsided, I apologize. I do actively try to find angles that relate to both audiences that are not being covered by other websites. For example, no where else online or offline will you find the manifests for the shuttle official flight kits.

Similarly, there is news here that you can't or won't find elsewhere. The reason my reply to your note comes several hours after you posted is that I was working on writing and publishing the news that the next lunar program will be called Project Orion.

I do make an equal effort to publish and highlight collecting news, whether it be the debut of a new patch, the announcement of a new auction or the like. I also have several articles in research and progress that focus specifically on matters related to collecting. I've rarely if ever turned away writers who want to contribute to that effort as well.