Orbiter Meeting (2009-2010)?

[hypersonic]

I could investigate holding & putting together a London Orbiter Conference / symposium

I actually arranged the meeting several years ago with Martin & a few of the UK based Orbiteers.
However it ended up being a low key drink in a pub near were Martin works. ;-)

Maybe this time round we could plan a bit better, include some presentations / demonstrations. etc.

I could reserve a board room where my office is (Soho in London (Near Martin)) for a whole day (AM setup - PM event).
Then maybe also hook up with some of our State-side colleagues (I'm sure you could arrange a similar setup in a venue (meeting room) with decent internet connectivity) & have a live hook with web cams, plasma screens etc, so that both groups can converse / interact in real-time.

I'm sure Martin would enjoy having a brew again & discussing the developments between the last beer & now / near future.
As well a giving developers the 'floor' so to speak to demonstrate what they're up to etc, Have Q & A sessions & so on....

Probably best to go for early(ish) 2009 - thus giving people plenty of notice to prepare/ reserve time out etc...
Also from a logistics point of view, structure the event properly, with a programme of speakers / workshops etc & timings for them. Also, as mentioned above get a simple site up for people to go to for infor, register as a guest, or speaker & so on. - Possibly making a small donation to the running costs of the event. (I could cover the room fees, but sandwich ham these days is expensive you know ;-) )

Your thoughts?

Al (Hyper)

 

[Urwumpe]

I think a European Club is enough. We are mobile usually and I think it is more fun to get outside the country borders. After all, we are all orbiting around the world, why should maximal 1000km of travel be a major problem?

And what about an Orbiter Camp outdoors?

 

[dougkeenan]

Can it be done as an MFD?

 

[Kyle]

Judging by what our Common interests are,
I'd say the Ares I-X launch in June of next year (Delayed not due to Ares issues, but Schedule issues with Tanks for Shuttles) We could hold a BBQ (If they let us) from about 12 miles away, I had a great spot for STS-124, I even left a lawn chair near by the lake were no one went often (I'm pretty sure that Lawn Chair's still their) and we could have a nice BBQ and take the radio's, perhaps a Laptop to watch NASA TV and with internet connection to read up on Nasaspaceflight.com

 

[Missioncmdr]

An Orbiter meeting would be cool. Too bad any location would probably be too far and expensive for me to travel to. And it would be difficult to exlpain to my parents:

"Hey, mom!"
"What?"
"I am leaving for the weekend."
"Where?"
"Texas."
"What!? Why?"
"To meet seem guys I met on the Internet."

Although all that might change when I turn 18 in a few months.

 

[Zatnikitelman]

There is one question which we absolutely must answer if this is going to happen: "Will it have UMMU? "
LOLOLOL Sorry, I couldn't resist.

Depending on where it is and when, I might to be able to swing it. I'll need some time to figure out how to tell my parents. I'm probably going to Philmont from Atlanta by myself next June so Houston on Amtrak wouldn't be too far out of the question.

 

[Quick_Nick]

There is one question which we absolutely must answer if this is going to happen: "Will it have UMMU? "
LOLOLOL Sorry, I couldn't resist.

I hope so! Otherwise everyone would complain that they couldn't get in the building. :lol:
(wherever it ends up being)

 

[Biscuit]

You know you're addicted to Orbiter when ... you show up to the annual "Orbiter Convention" dressed up as your favorite UMMU mesh ...

... oops, wrong thread ... :rofl:

 

[John_L]

As far as location is concerned, Northeast Ohio is a good choice, as 60 percent of the continental US (not to mention a good chunk of Canada) is with a 1 day's drive Cleveland.

 

[thomasantony]

Yea .. wherever it is , it will most probably be a few thousand kilometers away from here .. Dang I need to get that DG fixed .

 

[ryan]

For people in the US around the Oklohoma general area, a nice meeting would be the Thomas P. Stafford musuem. It has alot of neat exhibits from Mercury, Gemini, Apollo, ASTP and Space Shuttle, Wright plane to the F-16 . A great place to bring those of the older age with kids great exhibits for them and occasionally Stafford himself gives VIP tours and Gene Cernan pops around there now and again.
http://www.staffordmuseum.com/index.html
Weatherford, Oklohoma is the place you can even arrive via the Thomas P. Stafford airport.
http://www.staffordmuseum.com/visitorinformation.html

It has a neat lobby and the so-called Apollo Conference Center a meeting hall in the musuem.

Gotta love Stafford!
Just an idea for the orbitnauts in the Oklohoma general area and the states around.

 

[doggie015]

How about a meeting at my house; relax in the australian outback with lakeside views. EXCELLENT starspotting location (day and night). BYO water skiis/kneeboards and life jackets to ski behind a V8 boat (Chev 350) and if the weather is bad; watch the footy on a high-def plasma TV.

What do you think?

 

[ryan]

How about a meeting at my house; relax in the australian outback with lakeside views. EXCELLENT starspotting location (day and night). BYO water skiis/kneeboards and life jackets to ski behind a V8 boat (Chev 350) and if the weather is bad; watch the footy on a high-def plasma TV.

What do you think?

Aussies should meet somewhere Aussie and Americans do whatever Americans do.

 

[James.Denholm]

Aussies should meet somewhere Aussie and Americans do whatever Americans do.

How about this: Americans should meet in Australia, and Australians should meet... wherever we can be buggered going.

 

[Urwumpe]

What about neutral territory? We meet in Tehran. There is no Iranian orbiter chapter yet, AFAIK. :lol:

 

[Notebook]

How about Atlantis, could be a bit wet though.

N.

 

[Urwumpe]

How about Atlantis, could be a bit wet though.

Way down, below the ocean...

I would have suggested Brighton Beach, but my Russian is still bad.

 

[Zatnikitelman]

No, Atlantis won't work for us at least. It's 3 million light years away and requires an Intergalactic Hyperdrive to get there in 3 weeks!
Frankly, my U.S. vote is for Houston...as soon as it gets cleaned up.

 

[Urwumpe]

Frankly, my U.S. vote is for Houston...as soon as it gets cleaned up.

Well, we could help cleaning... would be a bit strange for a convention, but maybe we can bring in our special skills.

 

[Jarvitä]

What about neutral territory? We meet in Tehran. There is no Iranian orbiter chapter yet, AFAIK. :lol:

If you want it to be truly neutral, international waters is the way to go. Or, failing to get a boat large enough, Switzerland.