posted 05-29-2012 03:54 PM               

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Originally posted by SkyMan1958:
I have heard tell that both Gene Cernan and Tom Jones will sign their books "for free". Does anyone know if this is true?

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...does anyone know if there are any other astronauts attending that will sign their books "for free".

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posted 06-03-2012 08:56 PM               

The hotel, the J.W. Marriott, is situated in scenic desert with all kinds of saguaro cacti and other flora unique to the desert in Arizona. The rooms are spacious and Novaspace negotiated a $109 per night room rate, which for this type of luxury resort is very favorable. The layout is conducive to interactions, with a Starbucks and a bar contiguous to an outdoor patio with a beautiful view of mountains and Tucson. There are several pools, and the resort offers other special services including a native American who does a healing ceremony in the morning and free tequila shots at 5:30 p.m. The only negatives were a $12.95 charge for wireless access and a meeting room which rivaled the Arctic on one of the days (later remedied). But enough of the travelogue…

There were fewer Apollo astronauts this year, with Lovell, Stafford and Schweickart absent. However, six Moonwalkers were present (of the nine living) and Vance Brand and shuttle astronauts Mullane and Jones were added to the line-up. Scott Carpenter had to cancel at the last minute due to health issues.

There was a comprehensive speakers program which featured scientists, engineers and authors. For me, this was the most interesting part of the weekend. There were often two or three speakers presenting at one time so it made for some hard choices. Some of the presentations were humorous (Phil Plaitt, the self-styled “Bad Astronomer.” on the Mayan calendar hoax), while others were brilliant lectures on current or future NASA programs (the best to me were Dr. Britney Schmidt on Europa and Dr. Mark Rayman, who is chief engineer of the DAWN mission which is now orbiting Vesta). The major missing scientist was Dr. Carolyn Porco, who has been a hit a past Spacefests with her imaging from Cassini.

Besides the individual speakers, there were excellent panel presentations which allowed different perspectives of important subjects. There were panels on asteroids, spacesuits, Apollo, Skylab and Mars. I especially enjoyed the Apollo panel which was moderated by Andy Chaikin and featured Duke, Haise, Worden, Gordon and Cunningham.

The autographs, art show, and vendors were in a very large ballroom. The setup this time was better, giving enough room for each activity. The art show included top space artists including Alan Bean, Kim Poor, Michael Carroll, Chris Calle, Dan Durda and many others. Each astronaut had a table with an assistant. There were few long lines for autographs; Alan Bean seemed to have the longest. The Skylab astronauts (Weitz, Lousma and Gibson) appeared to have the least customers, probably because of an increase in their autograph fees.

There was a Friday lunch with an astronaut, a Saturday lunch with one of the other speakers, the Saturday night banquet, and a Sunday breakfast with an astronaut. I was at Buzz Aldrin’s table for the banquet and it was a great experience—Buzz was friendly, shook hands with everyone at the table before and after, took pictures with us, and engaged in conversation the entire dinner. Andy Chaikin gave the keynote speech, an eloquent call for continued exploration.

I was at the table with Vance and Bev Brand, and Mike and Donna Mullane, for the Sunday breakfast and all were charming, especially the wives. Mrs. Brand offered to take a picture of me and her husband when I had no one else to snap the picture. (By the way, I was gently poked fun at with regard to name-dropping, but it is hard to convey the events without some identifications).

The food at all these events was buffet-style and heavily oriented to Southwestern food (not my favorite); however, for hotel food it was good. One improvement was the use of place cards instead of tickets to the meal. This obviated the need to get there right when the door opened to get a good seat.

The outstanding movie “The Wonder of it All” was presented on Friday. Director Jeff Roth, who was at the screening, interviewed seven of the Moonwalkers for the film and used these interviews for them to reflect on how landing on the Moon affected them.

There was also a live auction of space memorabilia by Donnis Willis’ company Lunar Legacies. It was interesting to me to watch the process, which included a live auctioneer at Spacefest as well as telephone and internet bidding.

Many of the paying customer guests had attended previous Spacefests so it was almost like a reunion for us, as well as the astronauts. I enjoyed seeing old friends too many to mention (no, I did not know every one there!). Besides the U.S., there were guests from Canada, United Kingdom, Netherlands, Switzerland, Australia, New Zealand and perhaps other countries as well, giving an international flavor the event.

One of the most rewarding parts of Spacefest, besides the organized activities, is the opportunity for informal interactions with the astronauts. I had great conversations outside the formal program with Mike and Donna Mullane, Fred Haise (over oatmeal), Al Worden, Jack Lousma and others. I’d like to thank them for their time and patience.

posted 06-04-2012 04:11 PM               

I just produce the programs, schedule, agenda, and logistics, but leave it to my able (but aging) crew to actually make it work. Then, all I do is cruise the show on a scooter collecting compliments.

posted 06-04-2012 04:47 PM               

My favorite part - I had Al Bean and Dick Gordon (who led a touching toast in honor of Pete Conrad whose birthday it was) sign ironic and amusing inscriptions on one of Beans Prints, Is Anyone Out There? Then when my son and I tried to take a photo with Al and Dick and the poster those two clowned around for a series of really fun shots: Dick crouching behind the print like Kilroy, Al giving Dick bunny - everyone laughing - it's series of pics that becomes among my most treasured.

posted 06-04-2012 05:21 PM               

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Originally posted by Greggy_D:
How were the attendance numbers compared to past years?

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posted 06-04-2012 05:33 PM               

The hotel was top shelf. The setup was great. There was time to relax and have informal interactions with astronauts and friends. Tucson has some interesting places to visit including the Titan Missile Museum which is a quirky, must see place.

My hats off to Kim, Sally, Randy, Linda, all their crew and the volunteers for this show. It was fantastic.

I want to give my highest compliment in that I learned a lot. There was a tremendous amount of new information given in the lectures. It's not an autograph show, it is a educational conference.

posted 06-04-2012 05:46 PM               

Granted I didn't get a chance to do a lot as I spent most of my time working the big panel discussion room. But I came away with some excellent memories. I renewed old friendships and forged some new ones (such as putting a face to DChudwin's name, great guy and a very smart individual). It was also pretty gratifying seeing so many of you that did go coming up to say hello and mentioning that they read my posts and enjoyed them... great, now I have to live up to those high standards.

posted 06-04-2012 06:28 PM               

People also also seem to have forgotten about Bruce McCandless. Apparently I was the only one looking forward to getting another autograph from him.

In spite of the few no-shows, it was a great show. I missed the talks, however. I couldn't see spending money on something I wasn't going to take home and frame.

posted 06-04-2012 07:15 PM               

It's the little vignette's that most stick in my mind... like the "weapons deal" (not really) in the parking lot on saturday night while the rap music from the wedding party was blaring.

posted 06-05-2012 09:28 AM               

This was our second Spacefest event. Most of my time last year was spent meeting astronauts for the first time and getting autographs and photos.

Although last year was a lot of fun, I went to Tucson with a different goal in mind... namely, to experience some of the other wonderful things Spacefest has to offer.

Sure, I got some autographs,(needed a crew completion on one item), but much more time was spent admiring the artwork, attending talks, and meeting and chatting with artists, authors, vendors, cS members and other attendees. We also went on the Pima tour. Being able to pitch in as a volunteer was also something that I found to be most rewarding.

So for myself, this years event was just as gratifying as last years, but in a different sort of way.

It is most amazing the way that Kim, Sally and staff are able to pull it all together each time and create this few days of magic in Tucson known as Spacefest. I admire their skill and energy. To them, a big thank you is in order!!!

posted 06-05-2012 04:01 PM               

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Originally posted by schnappsicle:
People also also seem to have forgotten about Bruce McCandless. Apparently I was the only one looking forward to getting another autograph from him.

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posted 06-05-2012 08:52 PM               

I do understand how they feel and please bear with me while I try to express my thoughts,

You only have to stand in the astronaut autograph area for a few minutes to see that many of them are biding their time and staying entertained by talking with each other.

Consider all the exceptional people who have gathered together for an event such as this...The astronauts, a national treasure that is being now taken away from us by father time, the authors who educate us by writing down the history of spaceflight in a permanent and entertaining way, the scientists, astronomers and researchers who look to the future and further our understanding of our vast universe. How about the artists who care enough about our subject to put so much of themselves into such astonishingly beautiful works?

When you go to Spacefest you get to walk among them!

Might I suggest that the problem is not one of "overexposure" but underexposure. A "thumbs up" on this board is nice, but it may also be just so much of preaching to the choir.

I know that a lot of advertising went towards this event, but advertising can't overcome the apathy that many feel about things that are so near and dear to the rest of us. I'll bet that a large majority of attendees to this years event are the same people who were there last year. There should be a line of cars all the way into downtown Tucson trying to get up to Starr Pass to share this experience with us!

Between now and Spacefest V, perhaps those of us in "the choir" should try a little harder to promote the event. Talk to friends and co-workers, put an article in your local newspaper, anything to light a spark and get people interested. A larger crowd benefits everyone.

Anyone feel the same?

posted 06-06-2012 12:15 AM               

I respect that astronauts can charge whatever they like for their autograph. But they should realize their prices are keeping a lot of potential customers away.

posted 06-06-2012 12:59 AM               

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Originally posted by Spacefest:
Aldrin could easily get a base fee of $750.

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posted 06-06-2012 01:35 AM               

This being my third consecutive Spacefest I was delighted to see so many friendly folks I've come to know well at this show, and I am constantly amazed at how many Aussies make it to these events year after year. They really are a dedicated and delightful bunch of space enthusiasts. You have to be when faced with a trip home of around 30 hours including flights and lengthy transits.

The resort hotel, the rooms, the staff and the amenities were absolutely impeccable. While it may have been quite hot during the day, the stunning scenery more than made up for a little discomfort. The food supplied for the different events was first class, and I love staying somewhere where all the employees smile and greet you as they walk past. The layout of the main signing hall was so much better this time, with last year's "maze" replaced by a far more open and eye-pleasing plan. It was also good having a snack bar available in the main hall where visitors could purchase some food items along with hot and cold beverages. The different talks and panel discussions were just wonderful - those that I managed to see in a pretty crowded schedule - and the astronauts were just the greatest and most accommodating bunch of people, especially when approached by young people, who appreciated meeting and holding interesting conversations with some very extraordinary and famous people. I take my hat off to the astronauts and other signers; they know where the future lies.

I really had a ball this year in Tucson, not only reacquainting myself with so many friends, but meeting new ones in such a relaxed and well-planned environment. All in all, just a wondeful, wonderful event, and all credit to Kim and Sally and the gang for the best one yet. I'll be there again next year.

Two suggestions for next year: why not pay the speaker's fee of Neil Armstrong to appear and have him give a talk in the big auditorium, and perhaps say a few words at the banquet? I'm sure people wouldn't mind paying a good-size entry fee to his talk to cover all his costs. Of course there'd be no autographs. The other possibility would be to invite Tom Hanks along. As a famed and well-respected space enthusiast, I'm sure he might consider attending (although he might request a non-signing policy) and once again he might like to give a talk one day in the big room and maybe at the banquet. I'm sure people will flock to something like this, and Tom may even cuntersign one or two high-end items for the annual banquet auction. Get either of those two famous gents along and I'm sure there'd be far larger crowds in attendance. However these are only suggestions for consideration.

posted 06-06-2012 08:38 AM               

With that said, we managed Spacefest III last year. It was a month's salary, but worth every penny. My kid mowed lawns for six months to save up money for autographs, and he ended up with about half as many as he would have liked, but he was still ecstatic. I told him that Spacefest was a once-in-a-lifetime event for us, but it was so much fun that as soon as we got back from III, I was saving for IV. I was selfishly a little bummed when it was announced IV would be in 2012 instead of 2013, because we need two years to save for a Spacefest. But we are already looking forward to V, and if the prices for Universals don't go up too much, we will, God Willing, be there.

Astronaut cancellations are a fact of life. We were supposed to have a meal with Dave Scott last year that never happened. It was disappointing, but I was more mad that we hadn't been told in advance than I was that it happened at all. I had read Scott's book in anticipation of the meal, and not being the expert that many of you all are, was frantically looking up the bio of Ed Gibson on my phone when we found out five minutes before the meal that that's who we'd be eating with (Gibson was wonderful).

posted 06-06-2012 09:05 AM               

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Originally posted by Spacefest:
Aldrin could easily get a base fee of $750.

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I wouldn't necessarily want him to write a novel on my photo, but I have always wanted one with the inscription of the plaque (21 words) in his handwriting on one of the Apollo 11 panoramas.

posted 06-06-2012 09:39 AM               

These are not young men. I have almost universally found them to be gracious, friendly, and genuinely pleasant to interact with. But I would imagine that as much fun as they might have, these types of weekends, whether they are Spacefest or ASF, are tiring for them. I would not blame any one of them for deciding to skip one or just quit doing shows altogether.

In terms of fees, maybe they raise their fees to make their weekend at the show more worth all the travel. Or maybe they see their colleagues charging more and figure they should/could do the same. I don't know.

posted 06-06-2012 10:14 AM               

I also found that getting out for my morning walk at 6am was the easiest path for me. Even by 7am it was getting a little bit warm. Walking counter clockwise around the resort made the hills around the Starr Pass Resort a little gentler. I did walk clockwise up that main drive one day in the afternoon at about 105F. That was a bit too manly for me. I could have done it again, but why?

I also had the pleasure of enjoying the Catalina Barbeque Co. & Sports Bar clubhouse down the road on the golf course. It was an easy shuttle ride and it is still part of the Starr Pass resort. You can charge your meals etc. to your room. The prices were a wee bit better and the BBQ was out of this world. The Brisket Burnt Ends were just fantastic. It was about .8 of a mile if you need a walk. It is a nice way to get away from it all with out really leaving the comfort of the Starr Pass resort.

The wildlife was interesting. I saw a javelina crossing the road the first night I was coming back from the Catalina BBQ Co. on the guest parking drive. That is not something I see in the backyard back home.

Of course the show was amazing as everyone else has reported. There are those magical moments that go unscripted which really send it over the top. I think everyone knows what those are about. Running into an astro in your hallway, on an elevator, sharing a diet coke at the bar, etc.

posted 06-06-2012 02:42 PM               

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Originally posted by Aztecdoug:
I also had the pleasure of enjoying the Catalina Barbeque Co. & Sports Bar clubhouse down the road on the golf course.

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posted 06-06-2012 03:00 PM               

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Originally posted by albatron:
I do believe there are 2 Astronauts, you, me, the McCulleys, and a few more that are still full from the Catalina BBQ.

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posted 06-06-2012 05:40 PM               

By the way, laying on that grass on Saturday night for the star party was very comfortable. I almost fell asleep on it while staring up at the moon.

I will also point out that everyone I met at this show were class acts all the way. My only regret is not chatting with Ed Gibson and Paul Weitz until the final day of the show. Chatting with Apollo astronauts are great and all since many of them went to the moon, but the Skylab guys are the hidden treasures in my opinion.

posted 06-06-2012 07:03 PM               

The signatures, artifacts and other exposures to this incredible time in history may not be appreciated now or in our immediate progeny's lifetimes but... what we were and still are privileged to experience is very, very special.

We have lived in a period like none other in history and never to be repeated. We were blessed to be alive and witness man (an earth life form) leaving this Earth.

If one can afford the signatures charged then the fee is worth the experience alone of interacting with the astronaut, not counting the present and future value of the signatures.

These artifacts/signatures/items etc. (assuming they can be properly archivally preserved) are top of the list treasures of human and life on earth's history. They are the Columbus, Magellan, Cpt. Cook artifacts to the nth degree. There will be a time in future when what you have collected will be of much greater value (inflation included) than current prices. These artifacts, signatures etc. appear to be under valued and under appreciated but this will not be permanent. The events, artifacts and items associated with this time are truly and forever unique: Humans left this planet for another world.

Enjoy the contacts with these wonderful astronauts and pay what you can. The Spacefest experience and astronaut interactions are something that will be at top of list when rating one's life experiences(even if occasionally not living up to expectations).

Bloviating but I guess value is in eye of participant. I just find it hard to place small value on these wonderful interactions and items. If I feel a signature or artifact overpriced or I can not afford, then I not pay. This somewhat small market appears to be very efficient. Astronauts not signing because of low volume or charging what appears to be excessive rates seem to have a rhyme to the reason.

posted 06-06-2012 09:29 PM            

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Originally posted by spkjb:
The Spacefest experience and astronaut interactions are something that will be at top of list when rating one's life experiences.

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I'd like to second that. Kim, Sally & Co are to be commended for bringing experiences like this to fruition. As mentioned above, the talks/discussions and artists as well as the food and location make this event even more inviting.