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Author
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Topic: Advice on future Space Lectures' speakers
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Rick Mulheirn
Member Posts: 4167
From: England
Registered: Feb 2001
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posted 08-27-2016 04:16 AM
   
I would like if I may, to pose a question to the many collectSPACE regulars and others who frequent the Space Lectures events in Pontefract, West Yorkshire.The time will soon be upon us when Apollo pioneers will no longer, for whatever reason, be able or willing to travel to the UK to speak. Ken Willoughby still has a few irons in the fire and there is unfinished business with Gene Cernan that we hope to rectify in the not too distant future. But I would be interested to know what kind of support Space Lectures could expect going forward when astronauts from the shuttle and ISS programs are the only speakers available to us. Regardless of the speakers fee, there are associated costs (flights, hotels, transport, insurance etc.), which are the same regardless of who is speaking. The events are funded entirely from ticket sales and associated income from each event, i.e. auctions, raffles etc. Space Lectures is a not for profit venture run by volunteers and the size of the speaker's fee will of course influence the price of tickets: some events are cheaper than others. Put simply, unless a goodly number of lecture and dinner tickets are sold the events are not viable regardless of the size of fee. I'd welcome the views of fellow members to give me some idea of the kind of support than can be expected going forward. |
Kite
Member Posts: 831
From: Northampton UK
Registered: Nov 2009
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posted 08-27-2016 05:43 AM
I will always support Space Lectures for as long as it is possible for me. I appreciate the time and trouble put into these events and there are many Shuttle and ISS astronauts and cosmonauts I would love to meet. Please carry on Ken and your team, it is well worth the expense and travel as far as I'm concerned. |
apollokev
Member Posts: 18
From:
Registered: Oct 2014
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posted 08-27-2016 06:13 AM
Astronauts from the shuttle and ISS programs are equally as fascinating to listen to and some of the early pioneers of the Shuttle programme also have their roots firmly in the Apollo era too.There are a number of early Shuttle astronauts that I would gladly walk to Pontefract to see. (i.e Robert Crippen (please!), Joe Engle, Richard Truly, Joseph Allen to name but a few). That's without other great speakers such as Story Musgrave, Chris Hadfield and what about Tim Peake. There is still an endless scope of interesting speakers out there, willing to share their stories and education with us. As they say on the Dragon's Den, I'M IN! |
robert_l
Member Posts: 168
From: Dundee,Scotland
Registered: Jul 2008
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posted 08-27-2016 06:23 AM
Yes, I would like to see shuttle astronauts they have amazing stories to tell. I would also like to see Tim Peake and Helen Sharman if possible. I would also be interested in meeting cosmonauts, also people who worked in the Apollo space program have a story to tell. I will continue to support Space Lectures as long as I can afford to! One interesting speaker would be James Burke who was the BBC space corespondent. Sadly, Peter Fairley is no longer with us. I believe his son does talks about his father? One thing which would be good is for some of the people who attend Space Lectures could do a small talk at these events about aspects of space flight? I would be interested in doing this. |
moorouge
Member Posts: 2454
From: U.K.
Registered: Jul 2009
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posted 08-27-2016 08:29 AM
I'd like to see Richard Truly at Pontefract. He would provide an excellent link of space history going back even further than Apollo. His career saw him as a MOL astronaut, through Apollo and into the Shuttle era as one of the men who actually made the Shuttle work. Also, he's one of the few astronauts that went on to become a NASA Administrator.On a very personal note - his was the very first autograph I collected back in 1975. There is a precedent for a non-astronaut at Space Lectures. A few years back Sy Liebergot entertained us with his experiences during the Apollo 13 flight. |
Rick Mulheirn
Member Posts: 4167
From: England
Registered: Feb 2001
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posted 08-27-2016 08:30 AM
Speaking personally, I had always been a die hard Apollo guy. But Eileen Collins made me see the light and I now consider myself a "Shuttle convert".There are a good number of regulars who would support Space Lectures events regardless of who it may be, but those supporters alone do not an event make. We must appeal to the casual punter with a passing interest in space. We would be talking multi-flown astronauts with missions to Hubble and ISS: with all due respect, not the mission specialists who perhaps flew once on a mission long since forgotten. The fees are likely to be such that ticket prices would be cheap, but for cheap to be viable we would need to count on a minimum lecture audience of 200+ and a dinner crowd in excess of 70. |
Buel
Member Posts: 649
From: UK
Registered: Mar 2012
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posted 08-27-2016 08:39 AM
quote:
Originally posted by robert_l:
One interesting speaker would be James Burke...
Funny you should mention James Burke as I've recently been in touch with him and I believe he would be willing to participate. Incredibly, when I first put this to him last year, he seemed to doubt whether anyone would want to hear his memories of Apollo.Also, I was lucky enough to spend some time at Spacefest in Tucson with Mercury Control controller Dutch von Ehrenfried, and I believe he could be tempted over. He has many, many great stories and is one of the most colourful characters I've ever met. |
18blue78
Member Posts: 126
From: UK
Registered: Aug 2013
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posted 08-28-2016 01:57 AM
As a child it was the shuttle missions that sparked my interest in space so, like all the regulars at Pontefract, I'd welcome the chance to hear any astronaut. But I think Rick has hit the nail on the head — do all astronauts excite the general public?When you use the words "Apollo" and "astronaut" most (sadly not all) people know it has something to do with flying to the moon, and they appreciate that the chance to hear and meet an Apollo astronaut is a rare thing. I think the public perception of shuttle flights is that they were quite common and almost mundane. So meeting shuttle astronauts could be seen as not as special, regardless of the work they did or the dangers they faced. Could the issue be the venue? I love travelling to Pontefract and the setup Ken and his team have is close to prefect. But if the event was in a larger city (Leeds, Sheffield or Manchester for example) would there be more casual interest so more ticket sales? Is the loss of the intimate atmosphere at Pontefract too big a price to pay? I will always try to support Ken and his amazing events regardless of who he manages to get to the UK. |
Buel
Member Posts: 649
From: UK
Registered: Mar 2012
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posted 08-28-2016 02:43 AM
Talking of hitting the nail on the head, I think the issue of venue is definitely an issue. I will also raise the possibility of whether the idea of 'hopping off the plane and you're there' (Manchester) would be more appealing for possible guests too? quote:
Originally posted by 18blue78:
When you use the words "Apollo" and "astronaut" most (sadly not all) people know it has something to do with flying to the moon, and they appreciate that the chance to hear and meet an Apollo astronaut is a rare thing.
Why some people don't "get" what we feel at the mention of Apollo is something that will always, always amaze me. |
moorouge
Member Posts: 2454
From: U.K.
Registered: Jul 2009
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posted 08-28-2016 03:25 PM
quote:
Originally posted by Buel:
I think the issue of venue is definitely an issue.
Really? Any other venue would have to have measurable advantages over Pontefract. The current venue has easy access by road (A1 and M62), is within 45 minutes of a regional airport (Leeds Bradford), within 30 minutes of a train station and has a top notch hotel (Wentbridge) less than ten minutes away. Further, the school has excellent on site parking able to accommodate all the guests. Once inside, the lecture theatre has the necessary equipment to support the lecture, there is space for the photo shoots, space for the sales stands and refreshments can be obtained to help pass the time.As a final point, I don't know what the financial arrangements are for hiring the hall but I suspect that the cost is considerably less than would have to be paid elsewhere. |
Buel
Member Posts: 649
From: UK
Registered: Mar 2012
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posted 08-28-2016 04:50 PM
Yes, really. 18blue78 mentioned it and gave my honest response. I'm not sure if you are, but I'm in touch with many of the people who regularly attend the brilliant Space Lectures events and somewhere more central would definitely be more attractive, if at all possible.In fact, to further illustrate my point, I received an email last night from a regular who queried whether he would be willing to make the trip up again. |
Rick Mulheirn
Member Posts: 4167
From: England
Registered: Feb 2001
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posted 08-28-2016 05:03 PM
I take it then Craig that if/when Gene Cernan makes it to Pontefract your regular friend won't be interested? Writing as someone who is often frustrated by the "London-centric" nature of many space events I think Pontefract, situated as it is in roughly the middle of the country, is an excellent location. One Londoner's ideal location is a Scotsman's pain in the back side: and we have a good Scottish contingent at each Space Lectures event. Even Autographica's policy of alternating between London and Birmingham appears to have fallen by the way side with Heathrow increasingly becoming the default location in recent years. The plethora of events in the capitol is one of the reasons why Ken decided to run his events in his own back yard. With the emphasis on "his." Ken can have them wherever he likes. |
Buel
Member Posts: 649
From: UK
Registered: Mar 2012
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posted 08-28-2016 05:16 PM
I totally understand what you're saying, Rick.Yes of course Ken can have "his" event wherever he wants. However, you started this thread wanting thoughts and ideas, which I admired, and 18blue78 raised one and I seconded it. Talking to friends who don't post on forums, I often ask why they don't post and they very often come up with the same answer — they find it frustrating being "shot down" for offering an opinion. Example — you asked for views/ideas and thoughts. Two of us post our thoughts about one specific element and you reply with your views and how "Ken can have them wherever he wants." This seems an odd reaction to me. |
Rick Mulheirn
Member Posts: 4167
From: England
Registered: Feb 2001
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posted 08-28-2016 05:21 PM
No worries Craig. I was not having a pop. My apologies if I gave that impression.It is easy to become complacent about astronaut encounters these days. Prior to the first Autographica in 1999, aged a mere 44 years of age I had met only two astronauts in my lifetime. I never forget what is used to be like back "in the day" so I am always prepared to make the effort whenever I can. |
AirKing
Member Posts: 34
From: East Yorkshire, England
Registered: Jan 2016
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posted 08-28-2016 05:58 PM
My first Space Lectures event was Alan Bean in October 2013 and since then when I have found out about events I have traveled regardless of distance as it was a case of travel or miss out. I see it as a case of they will not come to me so I must go to them.This year I have had the short journey to Pontefract for Tom Stafford; a day trip to Leicester to see Don Thomas; an overnight stay in Oxford to see Buzz Aldrin; a few days at Spacefest in Arizona and the week after I flew back I was off to Tenerife for Starmus for a week. With Dave Scott pulling out of Autographica last September and Gene Cernan been ill this April I saw Spacefest as a last chance to have my posters signed as I wanted. I spent around $4500 just on having five posters signed but to me it was worth every penny. As much as I love Space Lectures and will always buy tickets for the dinner and lecture I wish there was some way of getting more than just a basic signature — say paying for an upgrade to have an inscription. I used my trip to Spacefest to add inscriptions to where before I just had obtained signatures. For example James Lovell wrote "Apollo 8, December 21-27, 1968. A grand oasis in the vastness of space." Fred Haise wrote "Odyssey & Aquarius, April 11-17, 1970. Our problem occurred 200,000 miles from earth - boom. April 13, 1970. 10.08pm EST." For every Apollo mission (except 14) on the one poster there are the mission dates, the names of the command service module and the lunar lander, the latin name for the landing sites, plus inscriptions from every astronaut. |
Buel
Member Posts: 649
From: UK
Registered: Mar 2012
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posted 08-29-2016 03:18 AM
quote:
Originally posted by Rick Mulheirn:
No worries Craig. I was not having a pop.
What a great post and mature reply. Thanks Rick, appreciate it very much.Regarding what you mentioned in your second post, I'm trying very hard to overcome my "Apollo or nothing" mentality, as you did. It's just so difficult for me to get as enthused about events post-December 14th, 1972... but I am trying!  |
apollokev
Member Posts: 18
From:
Registered: Oct 2014
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posted 08-29-2016 01:36 PM
Some interesting comments from AirKing have prompted some more thoughts from myself.I agree that the autograph experience would be improved by a mission being added. I am aware that time is of the essence, so why can't the day not start earlier to accommodate this and also the facility for our speakers not to be politely stopped mid-flow (i.e. Tom Stafford)? Is there a reason why an earlier start cannot be introduced? The signings could even be done in two sessions, to lesson the burden on the guest. |
moorouge
Member Posts: 2454
From: U.K.
Registered: Jul 2009
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posted 08-30-2016 01:32 AM
The numbers of people who are interested in space and who would come to a non-astronaut event are not sufficient to make it economically viable. How many would show enthusiasm to hear Milt Windler or Milt Heflin or John Hirasaki or Chuck Smiley lecture about their Mercury, Gemini or Apollo experiences? How many know who they are? How many came to the new lecture theatre at Carleton to hear an astronaut actually came to hear Sy Liebergot? Not many. Sy gave his talk in an large classroom at the school and that was only half full. |
schnappsicle
Member Posts: 396
From: Houston, TX, USA
Registered: Jan 2012
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posted 08-30-2016 08:09 AM
I for one cannot attend a lecture or any other kind of event too far from my home state of Texas. I do drive to Tucson for the occasional Spacefest, that's about it.I often wonder why no one ever stages events in Houston, where for the most part, the astronauts lived and worked. Some have stayed in the area long after leaving NASA. It seems to me that by staging talks or lectures in different parts of the country (or world) one would be able to draw NASA astronauts and workers from that area. It's hard for most people in their 80's and 90's to get around. It just makes sense to go to them instead. I realize that's not the answer you wanted, but if you want to keep it going with anyone associated with the golden years of NASA, that might be your only option. While I can't make it to England to attend your lectures, I would be more than happy to support you if you had an auction, or some other online event. |
Tykeanaut
Member Posts: 2212
From: Worcestershire, England, UK.
Registered: Apr 2008
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posted 08-30-2016 09:49 AM
I too will support the events for as long as I can. I emailed Rhea Seddon a while ago and she along with "Hoot" appeared very interested in the Pontefract set-up when I mentioned it casually.Personally I like the venue, although I live in Worcester it's a nice weekend event. If ever in the UK, Dan Schaiewitz (My Apollo Story) could tell a few tales I'll bet! |
Davestory
New Member Posts: 8
From: United Kingdom
Registered: May 2013
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posted 08-30-2016 02:51 PM
Space Lectures are the best! Can't wait for the next one. |
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