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Author Topic:   Special autograph fee schedules for children
mjanovec
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posted 11-04-2009 02:22 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for mjanovec   Click Here to Email mjanovec     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I am curious if any of the space autograph event organizers (ASF, Spacefest, Autographica) have ever approached the astronauts with the idea of setting up a separate fee schedule for children. As the hobby gets increasingly expensive for adults to participate in these autograph shows, it becomes nearly impossible for children to participate... unless they have a sympathetic parent who is willing to pay the fees.

Since the younger generation is the future of the hobby (and the potential future supporters of the space program, in general), it would make sense to do all one can to spark an interest in space exploration, both past and present. It would be nice to see an event where some (or all) astronauts make special accommodations for children, either significantly reducing their fee or even granting free signatures to children of a certain age.

Of course, any such fee schedule for children would have to have a few rules to prevent abuse:

  • One reduced-fee (or free) signature per child for each participating astronaut
  • Child must meet age requirement (e.g. 16 or under)
  • Signature must be personalized to the child
  • Child must be present at the time of signing
  • Child must be accompanied by a parent, legal guardian, or responsible family member (such as a grandparent)
  • No school groups and no large groups of children under the supervision of a non-family member
  • Items eligible for signing would be limited based on commercial appeal (e.g. no crew completions, no beta cloths, etc.)
If a signature was to be given out for free, a non-standard sized photo (like a 5x7) could be supplied by the autograph show, so as to not sign anything that is too "commercial" in nature (and has minimal re-sale value). If the above rules are followed, I would guess that very little abuse of the system would take place.

Obviously, the astronauts are free to set whatever fee schedules they desire. But if they see a structured system that is designed to prevent abuses, they may be more willing to make special accommodations for their youngest fans.

spaced out
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posted 11-04-2009 04:16 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for spaced out   Click Here to Email spaced out     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Along the same lines I'd like to see personalized items come at a discount at events and mail-in signings.

The resale value of personalized signatures for all the currently-signing astronauts is way below the value of unpersonalized items, and in many cases close to zero.

The only concern I can think of is the possibility of someone removing the personalization but I'm sure with the right kind of pen that risk could be averted.

gliderpilotuk
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posted 11-04-2009 08:04 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for gliderpilotuk   Click Here to Email gliderpilotuk     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
The whole show pricing thing is riddled with inconsistencies. At Kennedy Space Center, today they had an astronaut's autobiography on sale, signed, at $50. I'd love a personalised copy but I'll be darned if I'm going to pay the show fee of $125, plus, presumably, the cost of the book.

The idea of differential pricing for personalisations is conceptually sound, but, I suspect, deemed commercially unsound.

spaced out
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posted 11-05-2009 02:10 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for spaced out   Click Here to Email spaced out     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Books are a perfect example of where personalizations drastically reduce the resale value of the item but where the risk of removal of personalizations is impossible.

I'd love to be able to give personalized copies of these books as gifts for people in my family as a way of keeping up interest in space history but at $175+ a copy that's not going to happen.

I'm not saying that you should be able to resell an item afterwards and get your money back. That's not the point of personalized items. The issue is that this kind of item is clearly non-commercial and it would be nice if the fee structure could reflect that somehow.

Leon Ford
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posted 11-05-2009 12:57 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Leon Ford   Click Here to Email Leon Ford     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Let's remember that there was a collector/dealer who got a bunch of school children to write Neil Armstrong for autographs and then turned around and sold the autographs. It just takes one or two to spoil it for everyone.

For the most part, the astronauts are very good with kids. Always ready to take a photo or answer a question. At an autograph show, this is a business and they are there for us to purchase the autographs from them. Kids seem fine with a photo with the astronaut or just a chance to talk to them.

mjanovec
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posted 11-05-2009 01:39 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for mjanovec   Click Here to Email mjanovec     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I have heard similar stories regarding someone using school children (or someone claiming to be a teacher obtaining items for their class) to obtain signatures through the mail. However, the situation I'm referring to would be for in-person signings only.

Also, the proposed rules I outlined in my first post should eliminate most abuses... as the astronaut would need to see the child standing in front of him and would need a parent or guardian present to vouch for the child. Yes, a couple of people may still try to abuse the situation, but they wouldn't walk away with anything signed that was too commercially valuable.

mjanovec
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posted 11-05-2009 01:50 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for mjanovec   Click Here to Email mjanovec     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
quote:
Originally posted by gliderpilotuk:
The idea of differential pricing for personalisations is conceptually sound, but, I suspect, deemed commercially unsound.

I suspect that is the case. In fact, the ability to obtain a unique personalization is one of the few reasons to obtain signatures at these shows. Otherwise, if one just wants unpersonalized signatures, they can often be found more cheaply on the secondary market.

Personally, I never understood the concept of paying someone extra money to write "Best wishes" on a photo. If the sentiment isn't genuine...or at least isn't included in the base fee for the signature...it is essentially a meaningless addition to a signed item.

Rob Sumowski
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posted 11-06-2009 02:31 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Rob Sumowski   Click Here to Email Rob Sumowski     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I think this is a great idea and I wish some of the ASF astronauts would read this topic.

Here's the back story: Earlier tonight my family was packing for the ASF event. We'll load up the car tomorrow morning and make the trek down to Florida. I have two boys, aged 4 and 6, and they are just beside themselves about this trip. Not much sleep here tonight. My 4-year old wants to see the Saturn V again and eat ice cream at the snack stand and the 6-year old now wants to get a few signatures along with his dad.

I tried to explain the concept of paying for a signature to my 6-year old after he looked up at me tonight with a wrinkled brow, a bit confused, and asked, "Dad, you really have to pay for signatures?" I had been hoping this topic wouldn't come up, as my wife, understanding soul that she is, already has her opinions on the subject.

I took my time explaining to him the rationale for fees, piece by piece, pulling out all of our familiar reasoning and conventional wisdom. I used every one of the arguments that we regularly make here, and I have defended the right for astronauts to charge fees in the past, to explain the rationale for these fees, but fellas, he just didn't understand it. He's 6 and wants to meet some guys who really walked on the moon and get them to put their names on his pictures. It's that simple to him.

Sure, he'll get to meet these men and we'll take photos and all, which will be plenty meaningful in their own right, so I'm not complaining. I know this is simply a business venture to most of the astronauts in the room. I am also fully aware of the nature of this event going into it, and as an adult I accept it.

But let's be realistic, where else can a little guy meet a half dozen or men who walked on the moon and a dozen more who played significant roles in the Apollo program? There aren't that many events anymore and this is about the best chance he'll have to have some sort of interaction with these guys, limited that it may be. And after all, when the pioneer astronauts, and also we here, are dust, he's going to be one of a very small number of living people who will actually be able to say they met the pioneers.

But boy, it would knock his socks off, and mine, if one or more of these guys would volunteer to sign something for the kids there without the kids seeing their moms and dads having to pay $100 or more, an amount unfathomable to him, for the privilege. Some sort of discount for kids in attendance would be terrific. I hate that he will have to watch me pay for the signatures he has asked for on the few pictures he'd like to have signed. I'm a little embarrassed, too, because when he has read the stories in the children's books about Apollo, or has watched episodes of "From the Earth to the Moon" with me, he has come to look at these guys like heroes, and in a very pure sense.

Isn't it that innocence that most of us adults are trying to recapture by meeting and rubbing shoulders with these guys who were heroes when our country still had heroes? I guess the cynics will say he's got to man up and learn economics and that life is cruel and all, but in the process I can't help but think that something neat about being a wide-eyed kid is lost.

I think a carefully monitored system to allow children to experience what we used to experience, at a fee that won't break a kid's (or his father's) piggy bank, is a wonderful idea.

mjanovec
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posted 11-06-2009 04:26 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for mjanovec   Click Here to Email mjanovec     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Thanks for weighing in your opinion Rob. You perfectly expressed the reasons why a reduced fee (or free signatures) for children would be a meaningful gesture towards the youngest space fans. In the end, I don't mind the astronauts charging whatever fee they want to adults, but it sure would be neat if special accommodations could be made for the few wide eyed kids who show up at these events to meet their heroes.

jimsz
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posted 11-06-2009 07:18 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for jimsz   Click Here to Email jimsz     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I think I am in the lone minority.

The astronauts (retired) charging for their autographs is a business plain and simply. If children desire them, let them pay whatever the going rate it. Now, it may be smart business to charge less for a crumb cruncher but from what I have seen few of the astronauts have any difficulty selling their autographs for full (or inflated) prices.

If Jr. wants to start his or her autograph collection, write to the current astronauts and the cost is a postage stamp.

mjanovec
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posted 11-07-2009 12:06 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for mjanovec   Click Here to Email mjanovec     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
quote:
Originally posted by jimsz:
The astronauts (retired) charging for their autographs is a business plain and simply. If children desire them, let them pay whatever the going rate it.

You're entitled to that opinion, but one must also concede that many for-profit business ventures (theme parks, movie theaters, restaurants, and even the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex) often offer two tiers of pricing...one for adults and one for children. In fact, it's often makes good business sense, because sometimes it's better business to make a sale at a reduced rate than it is to make no sale at all.

So even if you prefer to totally negate any human emotion involved with a kid getting an autograph from one of their heroes, there is still a good argument for giving children a lower price.

Rizz
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posted 11-07-2009 02:26 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Rizz     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
The list of items that you mention are really quite different in the sense that with admission fees for example, an adult would never get in with a child ticket, same for a restaurant. The kid will get the kids price, but he's also eating the meal right there, and presumably not letting the adult eat it for him.

I see your point, but many astronauts have been taken advantage of before in this same type of situation.

There is always someone out there that will ruin it for everyone else.

I guess all that I am really saying is that it would be hard to 'police' or manage something like this, because really, at the end of the day the astronauts must be thinking that they are doing the young ones a favor, and then when little Johnnys reduced price personalized picture is on eBay... you get the picture? (No pun intended.)

As I am typing this, I am thinking that when someone approaches one of these astronauts, they could inquire sort of confidentially so to speak, keeping it a "secret" if in fact they do get a kid discount, but ultimately someone will spill the beans and again ruin it for everyone else.

It's a tough call. Maybe there is a solution.

Having said all of that, and speaking from experience, the real value of these types of events comes directly from the interaction, conversation, laughs, photographs and memories that are acquired when the young ones get to actually come face to face with these heroes and legends.

Buy a few 8x10 glossies of each astronaut your kid meets put them in an album, and cherish the memories. They'll last a lot longer than ink anyway.

That would be an inexpensive way to go, in my opinion.

spaced out
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posted 11-07-2009 02:52 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for spaced out   Click Here to Email spaced out     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
The policing side of it is why I mentioned the idea of reduced rates for inscribed items in general as a way of dealing with this issue.

As long as the reduced fee is still higher than the resale value of a personalized item it really can't be taken advantage-of by anyone. You could send thirty kids to get an astronaut's signature at a reduced rate but at the end of the day your 30 ISPs will still be worth less than their resale value.

mjanovec
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posted 11-07-2009 12:18 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for mjanovec   Click Here to Email mjanovec     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Rizz:
I see your point, but many astronauts have been taken advantage of before in this same type of situation.
That's why I proposed a number of rules that should severely limit the abuses. Most cases of abuse have involved people hiring kids to obtain autographs for them, which would not work in the above outlined scenario.

A personalized 5x7 of any of the astronauts at the current ASF show, for example would have very limited commercial appeal. So if the astronauts set their fees accordingly (as Chris has already pointed out), the value of the item on the secondary market doesn't make it worthwhile for an adult to try capitalizing on the situation, as they would potentially lose money trying to re-sell the photos.

Mike_The_First
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posted 09-22-2016 01:18 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Mike_The_First   Click Here to Email Mike_The_First     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I hope y'all don't mind me bringing this back, but, despite the years, it's not really a topic that's ever really resolved itself (nor will it ever be).

I started collecting when I was younger than I am now (obviously — but I think you know what I mean by that). I got the perks of being young. Signers who didn't sign (occasionally) made exceptions for me, others who charged gave me discounts between 50 to 100 percent.

So I understand how that feels.

I also understand how it feels, as a kid, getting turned down or a "sure, I'll sign, but you need to pay me first." Those do sting when you're that age. Heck, they still sting — but when you're a kid, there is a certain idealism about this.

But, I'll also say that, when I was in those instances, it was generally my parents (or, in one case when I was with him, my uncle) who got upset — not me. I understood why it happened and didn't think much more of it. The only time it really got to me was when the wording of the denial was a bit... untactful and not the politest. Otherwise, I understood the business aspect of it for everyone involved and accepted the discounts and benefits as gifts, not actually expecting to be treated differently, but being quite grateful when I was (and not being upset when I wasn't).

But now, all these years later, I've found the bitter irony. My expendable income in those days was much higher than it is today. I had no bills and money flowed between my (small) allowance, Christmas and my birthday.

So let's not look at this as a "kids can't afford it" thing. They aren't the only ones.

I'm also not a big fan of arbitrary age cut-offs. I mean, one day one's eligible for all these discounts, then the next day, they're not? I mean, they still hold the same interest and the same enthusiasm, yes?

So, if we're discussing pricing tiers, my suggestion would be to have one for signed photo ops, as a lower-cost option for everyone. A photo of you with the astronaut will never sell for the commercial rates of the alternative, but will have sentimental significance for whomever (young or old) it's signed for. Heck, you can even limit them to 4x6s and really kill the commercial value — you can even arrange for one of those Kodak machines to print them onsite, straight from a memory card.

That way, in my opinion, everyone wins. Kids (and kids at heart) get their hero's autograph (on a picture that has them in it, no less), astronauts make money that they wouldn't have otherwise from people who are priced out of the standard pricing tiers, and nobody can get taken advantage of or ripped off, because who on Earth is going to be able to sell a 4x6 of a random family with an astronaut, just because it's signed by that astronaut?!

This would also solve the hired kids problem because, with this special pricing tier in place, astronauts wouldn't feel obligated (as some probably do now) to offer further discounts.

Of course, there are probably a fair number of drawbacks to this, but, given the topic of discussion, there's nothing that will please everyone.

capoetc
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posted 09-22-2016 06:56 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for capoetc   Click Here to Email capoetc     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I certainly see your point.

However, we also have to keep in mind that part of the reason for the high pricing structure is to limit how many items an individual has to sign. "If it only costs $50, then I will have to sign 100's, possibly 1,000+ at an event. At $500, only someone who REALLY, REALLY wants something signed will do it — and my arthritis won't hurt as badly."

The good news is, at the ASF show at least (and probably the others as well), there is really something for everyone. Many of the signers are signing for less than $50, some for less than $30... and they all have great stories to tell.

This hobby has evolved over time, and it will continue to do so. All we can do is come along for the ride, and hopefully make some friends along the way.

JasonB
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posted 09-22-2016 08:14 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for JasonB   Click Here to Email JasonB     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
A far easier solution is to simply bring your kids to the ASF show and get pictures with several astronauts for free if you/they don't have money. It's one of the charms of attending astronaut shows. Making a convoluted photo or child autograph system would end up hurting attendance and the ASF.

If you want your kid to get an autograph then you should probably just pay for it yourself. That's what parents do. Not having money for what you want is a part of life all of us deal with at some point. I really see no need to change much.

Hart Sastrowardoyo
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posted 09-22-2016 08:22 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Hart Sastrowardoyo   Click Here to Email Hart Sastrowardoyo     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Just throwing this out there: There are quite a few venues (book signings for one) where a child can get an astronaut's signature for free or for low cost (e.g., the price of a book.) They don't have to get them at a formal autograph show.

Mike_The_First
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posted 09-23-2016 05:29 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Mike_The_First   Click Here to Email Mike_The_First     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
quote:
Originally posted by JasonB:
Making a convoluted photo or child autograph system would end up hurting attendance and the ASF.
I really don't see how either idea (mine or mjanovec's from '09) is convoluted, let alone how it'd hurt attendance at any convention. Are you really saying that another line on the pricing that says "Autograph for Children 16 and Under (with parent/guardian)" or "Autograph on a 4x6 of you with the astronaut (taken & printed on-site)" would cause people to say "That's it. I'm not going to this thing. This is just too difficult to understand"? If you can get through the "Won't sign items X, Y, and Z", "Won't inscribe these lines", "Charges an additional cost to inscribe these lines", and completion fees, you can understand the above.

With that, I can argue that the system is already fairly convoluted. If I go to a pop culture show, they either personalize and inscribe or they don't. Inscriptions, such as a character name or a quote, are at their discretion, but most (with few exceptions) don't cost any extra and there's nobody I know of who bills by the word. It's usually either "They'll do them and it's included" or "they won't do them." People will offer the likes of Christopher Lloyd extra money with the hopes that it'll convince him to add "Great Scott!" to their piece, but it's not part of the actual policies or fees.

The lists have gotten more "user friendly" than when I first started, but I can pretty much guarantee you that if you show one to a random family who just came in off the street to see what's what and had no collecting background, they'd need to ask a few questions to understand what exactly their purchase was going to cost them. An extra two lines, especially when they're that clear, won't muck that up.

quote:
Originally posted by JasonB:
If you want your kid to get an autograph then you should probably just pay for it yourself. That's what parents do.
I'm not sure you really understand the argument being made... We're not talking about parents shoving their kids in a line screaming "Get his autograph!!!" We're talking about kids who want the autograph, and parents who are disappointed that their kids are disappointed.

My parents would never buy me a signed picture. We'd go to various events with autograph fees and their answer was always the same "You want one? You got money for Christmas." And, as I mentioned in my last post, that's what I'd spend. But I couldn't generally couldn't afford more than $100/year. But I was still able to get a fair number of autographs because the signers would give me unsolicited discounts.

There's a big difference between being disappointed that your kid is upset that they want something that they can't have and feeling a need to give it to them.

quote:
Originally posted by Hart Sastrowardoyo:
There are quite a few venues (book signings for one) where a child can get an astronaut's signature for free or for low cost (e.g., the price of a book.) They don't have to get them at a formal autograph show.
Signed books are how I've amassed most of my space collection. In fact, book signings (well book and DVD signings) are how I went on to get the autographs of two of the astronauts that I mentioned turning me down in my last post.

The problem, though, is that book tours are often regional — especially with the older guys. For a big city that's home to three flown pre-shuttle spacecraft, we really don't get many Apollo appearances. When we do, they're usually at a gala (with admission priced as such). I couldn't afford those admissions then and I can't afford them now.

In fact, all the Apollo guys I've met have been by sheer coincidence (happened to be in the same area at the same time) and none have been in the Chicago area (or Illinois in general). If you're a kid who's not lucky enough to live near Houston, Orlando, or DC (or have parents who take frequent vacations to one of those spots), book signings really aren't viable (with regard to the Apollo guys) for anything other than mail order.

So I can understand wanting to get the most out of these appearances, show or not.

jimsz
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posted 09-23-2016 08:05 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for jimsz   Click Here to Email jimsz     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
The younger/youngest generation will not be as involved in the astronaut autograph hobby as us old folks simply because there is not much for them to be excited about.

Mercury, Gemini and Apollo astronauts are still the peak of this hobby, ASTP/Skylab are a big drop from there and the shuttle way below that. One third of the kids alive today do not remember the shuttle flying and are not impressed with the ISS and a manned space program that orbits earth.

One day should the U.S. manned program actually venture out of low earth orbit there may be an uptick in new collectors but space travel, while dangerous, is now routine and to the general population pretty boring. In the five years that the shuttle flew there has been nothing really new performed in space. In the first five years of manned flight we were just shy of reaching the moon.

Mercury, Gemini and Apollo autographs will always be the premium collectable due to the men and events that happened. After that, not so much.

Hart Sastrowardoyo
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posted 09-23-2016 11:16 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Hart Sastrowardoyo   Click Here to Email Hart Sastrowardoyo     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
quote:
Originally posted by jimsz:
The younger/youngest generation will not be as involved in the astronaut autograph hobby as us old folks simply because there is not much for them to be excited about.
I don't consider myself old (I'm shy of 50), but I will tell my tale: The shuttle did excite me, and in fact I collect more of the shuttle astronauts than anything else.

Why? Because to a sixth-grader at time of STS-1, holding a Nat Geo which had "When the Shuttle Finally Flies" (and which I never returned to the school - oops!) it was exciting to have the promise that everyday people like me could have a chance to fly in space.

Didn't matter if I wasn't going to the moon, or to Mars, or to Alpha Centauri. And yes, after Challenger, that promise never got fulfilled. But for a kid like me who was great at English but struggled with math and science, the shuttle was a bright future.

I've seen a few of the Mercury, Gemini, Apollo astronauts, and those I've met when I could I got their autographs.

I imagine it will be similar once Orion, SpaceX and/or Boeing (and Sierra Nevada!) starts flying astronauts — even if it's researchers on a suborbital mission on Dream Chaser. Some kid is going to think that's neat, and want to start collecting autographs of those astronauts — and probably never back into collecting the autographs of the Mercury, Gemini, Apollo, Skylab or shuttle fliers.

Hart Sastrowardoyo
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posted 09-23-2016 11:28 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Hart Sastrowardoyo   Click Here to Email Hart Sastrowardoyo     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Mike_The_First:
The problem, though, is that book tours are often regional — especially with the older guys.
I live equidistant from NYC and Philadelphia. I will say that it takes a lot of searching to find astronaut appearances, and as well, Apollo astronauts don't come to the area that often as well. I will wager that part of that is because the current program is the Shuttle/ISS, and that's who people are most familiar with (and thus whom they want to hear from).

The second is expense — if they're a current NASA employee, the cost to bring them in is going to be less than an Apollo astronaut. Look at Scott Kelly's speaking fee for a start, and he just recently retired.

But it takes some searching. Charlie Duke within the last year or two did an presentation just outside Atlantic City, for a church or church group I believe. I don't recall what the cost was but it was under $50, if I recall correctly. So it is possible.

And sometimes, you just have to bite the bullet and save up for a gala. Don't ask how I was able to come up with $250 for an Explorers Club dinner to hear Armstrong talk. Expensive yes, especially since there was no meet and greet with him. But well worth it to see him.

Mike_The_First
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posted 09-23-2016 11:58 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Mike_The_First   Click Here to Email Mike_The_First     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Hart Sastrowardoyo:
I will wager that part of that is because the current program is the Shuttle/ISS, and that's who people are most familiar with (and thus whom they want to hear from).
I'd say it's simpler than that to the point that there's far more shuttle guys than Apollo guys out there and, to the average person, an astronaut is an astronaut, so the program bookers aren't too discerning.
quote:
Originally posted by Hart Sastrowardoyo:
But it takes some searching.
They definitely do happen occasionally.

Heck, I met one when I was staying with my uncle and he did a thing at a local (to my uncle) minor league baseball park. The cost to meet him there was just the ticket to the game (which was covered because the stadium was handing out free money in the parking lot for some reason I don't remember or understand). The crowd to meet him was about maybe 6 or so people, so it was great — all the questions we could ask, pics, handshakes, etc. But no autographs.

I still called it a win and picked up a signed book from the Adler about a month later. My uncle, as I mentioned previously, took my not getting an autograph that day harder than I did.

But that was more of a "right place, right time" kind of situation in another state.

Locally, there's been one talk at $20/each that I was aware of and looking forward to, but it got cancelled for unknown reasons after I bought my ticket.

But that's pretty much it with the Apollo guys.

quote:
And sometimes, you just have to bite the bullet and save up for a gala.
The other problem with that is that the galas out here aren't really openly announced until it's past the point that I could even hope to save the date, let alone the money.

For example, about a year or two ago, I was standing in line at a completely unrelated book signing, shooting the breeze with the guys around me when one of them mentioned that he had a ticket for one the following night. I remarked that I hadn't heard anything about it (I don't think it even made cS) and he told me that he just stumbled upon it that day.

Off topic, but the lack of publicity a lot of these events get is a big problem. If the guy was telling the truth about only just finding out about the event and buying his ticket the day before the event, I can't imagine that they got a huge crowd.

JasonB
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posted 09-23-2016 12:07 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for JasonB   Click Here to Email JasonB     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I fail to see how lack of money on your or anyone's part would necessitate having an on-site printing service for photos. Especially when pretty much every astronaut attending is willing to pose for photos for free. Have you attended the ASF show before? It's not held in a convention center. Space is an issue.

Also it needlessly complicates things there simply to accommodate like maybe five people or something. Have you ever been to a comic con — it's a freaking nightmare. Mainly because they try to do way too many things at once.

If you don't have money for an autograph, simply buy admission and be happy getting free pictures. Anywhere else charges for photos on top of the autograph. I really don't understand the need for any of this.

Hart Sastrowardoyo
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Posts: 3445
From: Toms River, NJ
Registered: Aug 2000

posted 09-23-2016 02:52 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Hart Sastrowardoyo   Click Here to Email Hart Sastrowardoyo     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
quote:
Originally posted by JasonB:
Anywhere else charges for photos on top of the autograph. I really don't understand the need for any of this.
At one con someone was charging for a photo of them. Not with them. Of them. Thankfully it hasn't come to that with astronauts, although with the proliferation of cell phones I can see that happening.

Hart Sastrowardoyo
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Posts: 3445
From: Toms River, NJ
Registered: Aug 2000

posted 09-23-2016 09:15 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Hart Sastrowardoyo   Click Here to Email Hart Sastrowardoyo     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Mike_The_First:
Off topic, but the lack of publicity a lot of these events get is a big problem. If the guy was telling the truth about only just finding out about the event and buying his ticket the day before the event, I can't imagine that they got a huge crowd.

I'm surprised at your experience with events. For something like Cradle of Aviation's annual Hall of Fame Induction, or their annual Gala dinner, they have mailing lists, and it's announced on their website months in advance. Or the Intrepid's Space Expo. Or WPI's TouchTomorrow.

Smaller events, like those held in schools, yes, the publicity is smaller, but there is usually notice somewhere at least a month beforehand.

It all depends on the event of course. Something that's open to the public will generally have a bigger publicity. Those that are for a specialized audience - such as Linnehan being the luncheon speaker at a dredge-spoils conference, which I attended - will not have as much publicity, though they may have a website.

I do a lot of brute force searches for astronaut events. My email box is filled with newsletter subscriptions to organizations large and small that have hosted astronaut speakers in the past or who have astronauts on their boards - or in the case of Seddon, from the astronaut themselves.

I also actually have a physical calendar where I list annual events that have hosted astronauts in the past, once the date becomes known, even if the guests aren't confirmed.

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