posted 01-29-2002 09:58 PM               

With the show over and most heading home, I had one more day of activities planned. My position with Space Adventures, as well as my knowing Scott, allowed for the opportunity to meet some very nice folks at NASA JSC, where I had the great thrill of seeing where our astronauts train. I cannot share many of the details -- as I was there on company business -- but I will describe just a few of the sights seen over the few hours I was there:

- At the Sonny Carter Neutral Buoyancy Lab, I watched as Dan Burbank and four other astronauts suited up and went for a dive. The "pool", at 40 feet deep and 102 feet wide, it is the largest of its type in existence.

- At "Building 9" we explored full size mock-ups of the ISS and the Shuttle crew compartment. Climbing up to the flight deck and sitting in the commander's chair was a real thrill (so was sitting in the other "command" chair -- the shuttle toilet!)

- Also in the same building, I went for a simulated EVA courtesy the VR lab and their very detailed, very impressive model of the ISS. The motion was very real -- so real in fact, I became a bit woozy as my "pilot" Scott whisked me about the outside of the station.

- I also had a chance to see both the new and old mission control centers. At the earlier (both ISS and Shuttle) I saw operations as one group was proceeding through a sim as the other was actively monitoring the Exp. 4 crew on orbit. Easily spotted were Cady Coleman and Barbara Morgan serving as capcoms.

All in all, a very enjoyable, educational, productive, and memorable experience!

posted 01-30-2002 12:44 AM               

The patch, developed for NASA by Sverdrup Inc., makes a damaged space station module airtight again, the same way a can of flat fixer can make a punctured tire airtight. But applying that fix in space, where there is no gravity and astronauts wear bulky space suits, isn't as easy as the curbside repair. That's why Chaudhary and other project engineers field-tested their product at the neutral buoyancy laboratory here -- a 202-foot-by 102-foot pool that simulates a zero-gravity environment.

The actual tests -- "wet-run" practice installations of the patch -- weren't conducted by Chaudhary, but rather by astronauts in full space-walk garb, to more fully simulate the space experience. Astronauts like Linda Godwin practiced installing the patch on a space-station mock-up that sits at the bottom of the 40-foot deep pool.

Mike Quinn

posted 01-30-2002 01:00 AM               

Thanks for the in depth report from Houston, sounds like it was a super great time - Im jus sorry the attendance was so low. I'm sure the astronauts were too. Did your shuttle astro sign much?

I read with interest that you offered your services as an appraiser. Hopefully you will outline your background for folks here who would consider using your services; your study and background in this field of authenticating (as you know if an items not real its worthless) and how you cataglouge and value items.

Heck I've been doing this for a very long time replete with tons of study and Id no more tackle this than the man in the moon, so Im jealous. In fact people I know who write books on the subject won't offer this type of service.

Best of luck!

posted 01-30-2002 03:06 AM               

Did you notice the flags at half-mast? 16 years since 51-L...

posted 01-30-2002 11:39 AM               

quote:

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Originally posted by albatron@aol.com:
I read with interest that you offered your services as an appraiser. Hopefully you will outline your background for folks here who would consider using your services; your study and background in this field of authenticating (as you know if an items not real its worthless) and how you cataglouge and value items.

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A very good question, Al.

The simple answer is research.

In addition to reading and re-reading the Superior/Sotheby's/Christie's auction catalogs (and corresponding results) at least once per year (and referencing such many times weekly), I also actively track space memorabilia posted to approximately 25 websites such as eBay and Lunar Legacies on a weekly, if not daily basis.

From those sources, I keep a personal journal which tracks the average sale price (both retail and auction) of like-items. Where appropriate I write reference briefs describing details that may affect a particular type of item's value.

Couple with that a network of fellow collectors and dealers whom I can contact for a second opinion and the fact that I never represent the information I provide as anything more than an educated opinion.

I never charge for offering an appraisal; my "payment" is the opportunity to see some wonderful pieces of history and if I am lucky, hold them for a few moments.

I try to stress three principles when offering an appraisal:

1. The memorabilia market is very volatile. Two auction houses can sell the same item, say the Apollo 11 crew autographs, within a month of each other and see a spread of over $10,000 (which actually did happen). As my mother was fond of saying when I was young, "an item is only worth as much as someone else is willing to pay for it."

2. For items where there may be some question as to authenticity, e.g. autographs, I will tell the person what the value would be if one were to assume it is authentic, and then, if I am unable to do so at the time, will offer to research the item to the best of my ability to reach a more definitive answer (such as the case of the Shepard golf balls from this past weekend).

3. I often suggest additional sources for where the owner may look for another opinion. No one person can be right all the time and in this area of the market, different people can have different viewpoints on the same item. (At this past weekend's event, I was lucky enough to have Tracy and Francois in attendance and several times I looked to them for their input.)

posted 01-30-2002 12:25 PM               

But in the circumstancs you describe (non-professional),I guess there are a HUGE amount of folks who qualify - since theres no definitive answer being given.

Again, thanks for taking the time with your response!

Best,