Month: June 2017

August is the month in which Congressmen traditionally return to their districts for recess. This August, we are asking you to make a personal appointment to meet with your U. S. Representative in his/her local Houston office in order to briefly talk about some legislative items of special interest to NSS. For this year, those items include:

• ULCATS – “Ultra Low Cost Access To Space”. This program is intended to radically reduce the cost of sending payloads to orbit and beyond.
• Cis-Lunar Commercialization – Proposals intended to encourage the development and growth of a spacefaring economy in the Earth-Moon sphere, to include both LEO and GEO and the Earth-Moon LaGrange points.
• NEOCAM – Proposal for a satellite camera system to detect and monitor Near Earth Objects with potential for planetary defense against asteroids and other threats.

If you sign up you will receive background material so that you go into your appointment informed, as well as additional printed information to leave with your Congressman afterwards. At your request, we will attempt to have a chapter officer go with you for additional support if you desire. You should also feel welcome to bring up other items of personal interest to you which need not be on the NSS legislative agenda.

If you’re willing to participate…

1.  Go on line and look up your Congressional representative and his/her contact information at: http://www.house.gov/representatives/find/
2. Next, go on line with NSS and register to participate in the August blitz at: https://tinyurl.com/2017AugustBlitzSignup using the information you found in step 1.
3. You will be contacted by a national or local August Blitz coordinator who will help develop a strategy for reaching out and coordinating efforts in your district. You will also be provided information to help you prepare for your meeting.

Chapter Officers will be attempting to meet with our two United States Senators from Texas, but we need each individual one of you to reach out to your own Congressman in your own district. Every voice counts!

There are two important items of Chapter business for our June 19th meeting:

First, a new charter for the NSS Chapters Assembly (of which our Chapter is a member) has been proposed. It is close to receiving approval for ratification, but it is also nearing the deadline for ratification. We will be discussing whether or not to ratify this proposed charter in the meeting. The proposed charter is available to review here: [Chapter Assembly proposed Charter]. The present charter from 1988 may be compared here: [Charter of the NSS Chapters’ Assembly-1988].

Additionally, we have been asked as a Chapter to participate in the August legislative “blitz”. August is the month in which Congressional representatives traditionally come home to their districts for recess. If you are willing to participate, we will ask you to make a personal appointment with your Congressional representative when he (she) returns to his home office. If possible, one of the chapter officers will accompany you for support. You will be given some “talking points” for items of major concern to NSS as an organization and of course you may bring up items of personal concern to you. The meeting should be brief and simple, focusing on only a couple of important topics, but personal contact is very important when trying to make these connections with those entrusted with the leadership of our nation. If you are available and willing to participate, please let me know at the meeting or by email.

UPDATE 2017-06-20: If you are willing to participate in the August Blitz, please look up your Congressional district and representative’s name and then go to this link to sign up as a potential participant.

Anita Gale is hosting our Chapter’s annual summertime social and pool party in her home at 18506 Upper Bay Road in Nassau Bay, across NASA 1 and down the road just a few blocks from the Space Center on Saturday, July the 8th from 4:00 p.m. through 9:00. This year’s party will feature a Shrimp Boil, but burgers, hot dogs, sides and salads will be available as well.

We would appreciate an RSVP email to info@nss-houston-moon.org so that we know how many to plan for. No charge for the party, but contributions towards the refreshments will be accepted with our thanks. We also welcome contributions of appetizers/snacks or desserts. Children are welcome with appropriate adult supervision.

In the event of inclement weather on Saturday, July 8th the party will be rescheduled for the afternoon of Sunday, July 9th…. Edit 2017-06-28: Our shrimp chef is not available on Sunday, so we will go through with the party on Saturday afternoon rain or shine.

The next regular meeting of the Clear Lake Area National Space Society & Moon Society chapter will be on Monday, June 19th in the conference room of the Bay Area Community Center in Clear Lake Park. Doors open at 6:30; meeting begins at 7:00 p.m. Light refreshments, sodas and bottled water will be available. The address is 5002 NASA Road 1; Seabrook, Texas. The Community Center is north of NASA 1, away from the lake; enter through the side door adjacent to the parking lot as the main entrance may be locked after 5:00 p.m.