Call for Papers

National Space Society's 29th Annual INTERNATIONAL SPACE DEVELOPMENT CONFERENCE (ISDC) (May 27-31, 2010, in Chicago, IL) invites abstracts for Presentations in all fields. Papers accompanying presentations would be welcome, but are not required.

The subject of a Presentation must be strongly relevant to space development or space habitation and have a future-oriented (rather than historical) approach. Economic, sociological, legal, financial and cultural topics are as appropriate as engineering, scientific, architectural, biological and other technical topics. Diversity and innovation are sought. Presentations which indicate avenues of activity for Conference attendees will be favored. Areas of particular interest are described below.

Program slots will generally be 45, 22 or 15 minutes. Some presenters will be invited for Poster Sessions in addition to their formal presentations. A "Proceedings" CD for Papers is contemplated. Presentations will be scheduled on a "rolling acceptance" basis, with preference given to earlier submissions. Submission procedures are set forth at the end of this notice.

(1)
Particular Focus in 2010

Two areas are of particular interest for the 2010 ISDC:

1. Space-based solar power (SSP or SBSP) for bringing power from orbit to orbit or orbit to Earth,
2. Lunar settlement.

Presentations will be particularly welcome dealing with the HOW, rather than the Why, of constructing workable systems. They may be focused either on an overall structure, on particular technical, biological or engineering challenges that are impediments to their creation and sustainability, or on transportation systems likely to increase their feasibility.

(2)
Special Ongoing Call For Papers:
THE NSS CHALLENGE

Is an economically self-sufficient space settlement feasible on the Moon or Mars or other bodies in the solar system?

NSS recognizes that the directions and timetable of human space settlement may very well depend on whether such settlement can be commercially profitable, or at least economically beneficial. To date, space activists have assumed that sooner or later such favorable economics would exist, but no one has set forth any scenario that would rigorously confirm such an assumption. If a space settlement on another world is going to pay for itself, sooner or later it is going to have to generate products that people can use and will pay for. Even people who might purchase on speculation will ultimately need to find such end users. To date, no such products appear to have been identified that would support such a space settlement without continuing subsidies.

Accordingly, NSS has challenged the aerospace, economic and university communities to test to identify "products" that would support such a space settlement without continuing subsidies, by making such economic viability the featured subject of an ongoing "Special Call for Papers."

Papers presented will help to clarify the issues vital to such development, help formulate international and domestic space policy and enhance the prospects for commercial success

The Ongoing Special Call for Papers

National Space Society invites abstracts for Papers, to be presented at its next annual International Space Development Conference, on the subject of: "An Economically Self-Sufficient Settlement on Another Body in the Solar System (e.g., the Moon, Mars, Asteroid or Comet)."

A Paper should describe a space settlement that is either:

(A) a "closed" system that, after start-up, is physically self-sufficient and thus able to function indefinitely without imports which would have to be paid for; or
 
(B) an open" system that will require the import of resources but will generate income to pay for them. Income may be direct as proceeds from exports, or may be indirect wherein economic benefits to civilizations on Earth are viewed as sufficient to merit continuing public support of a settlement. Ideally the space settlement should generate enough revenue to payoff all start-up costs (including, e.g., launch vehicles, transportation costs, settlement materials), but a scenario is acceptable if it describes a settlement that is marginally self-sufficient after writing off all start-up costs.

Conforming concepts will include technical, regulatory, economic and commercial assumptions, the anticipated stages of development, and economic projections validating the self-sufficiency in the relevant time periods.

Submission Procedures

Abstracts of proposed Presentations (and Papers, if intended) should be submitted by email, in plain text, MS Word or .pdf format, to

Those addressing the NSS Challenge should be specially marked, "NSS CHALLENGE."

The abstracts must meet the following criteria:

• must be written in English
• must not exceed 500 words in length
• may include up to one page of graphics if necessary
• must be accompanied by a brief (100-150 words) professional biography of the author.

Please use the following submission format:

 Name of Presenter: Address..........:  Telephone........: Fax..............:  Contact Email....:  Company or other primary affiliation:  Presentation Title:  Estimated time of Presentation: ___ 45 min?                                   ___ 22 min?                                    ___ 15 min?  Anticipated audiovisual requirements (if any): All days likely to be available at ISDC:    ___ Thurs 5/27,  ___ Fri 5/28,   ___ Sat 5/29,      ___ Sun 5/30,    ___ Mon 5/31 Do you expect to submit a formal Paper? ___ Relevant professional background or experience  (150-word maximum): Abstract (not to exceed 500 words):

Submitters will receive an email acknowledging receipt of their presentation abstract. Acceptance of the presentation for inclusion in ISDC programming will be made at a later date by the ISDC Programming Committee. Those submitting accepted abstracts for a Paper will be invited to send the complete Paper for selection for presentation or for poster sessions.  Presenters understand that they will be required to provide their presentation file in advance of the conference.”