Future of Space Exploration | A Pardee Center Conference
The Future of Space Exploration: Solutions to Earthly Problems?
Marking the 50th anniversary of the launch of Sputnik in 1957 and the 40th anniversary of the Outer Space Treaty, the conference brought together leading space scientists, visionaries, and entrepreneurs from around the world to imagine the next half-century of space exploration.
The conference resulted in a vision statement by the participants outlining five key areas of concern for the next 50 years.
Co-organized by:
The Frederick S. Pardee Center for the Study of the Longer-Range Future;
The Center for Space Physics; and the
DAY 1: April 12, 2007
Opening Address (Video)
– His Excellency Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, President of India:
Space Exploration and Human Life
Keynote Address (Video)
– Lord Rees of Ludlow (Prof. Martin J.), HM Astronomer Royal; President of the Royal Society, Cambridge, UK: The Future of Space Exploration and Exploitation
Luncheon Speaker (Video)
– Yevgeny Zvedre, Head, Science and Technology Office, Embassy of the Russian Federation: Lessons of the Russian-US Cooperation in Space
Session 1: The Future of Human Space Flight
– Moderator: Dr. Jeffrey Hoffman, Professor, Aerospace Engineering, MIT; Shuttle Astronaut, Endeavour and Discovery
– Dr. Roald Sagdeev Director Emeritus, Space Research Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences; Distinguished Professor of Physics, University of Maryland: Legacy of Sputnik and “friendly” competition between the piloted and robotic approaches of Space Age
– Freeman Dyson, Professor Emeritus, Institute for Advanced Study Princeton, NJ: Honest marketing of human activities in space
– Harrison Schmitt, Chair, NASA Advisory Council; Astronaut, Apollo 17: Realism in the Expansion of the Earth’s Economic Sphere to include the moon
Session 2: The Future of Science
– Moderator: Dr. Roger M. Bonnet, President, COSPAR; Executive Director, International Space Science Institute
– Dr. C. Z. (Frank) Cheng, Chief Scientist, National Space Org; Director, Plasma and Space Science Center,National Cheng-Kung University: Space Science in Solar System and Earthly Problems
– Dr. Keith Mason, Chief Executive Officer, Science & Technology Facilities Council: Space Science and the Engines of Change
– Dr. John C. Mather, Nobel Prize Winner (Physics) 2006; Senior Astrophysicist, Goddard Space Flight Center, NASA: Creating the Future of Science from Space
Youth Vision Session: Aiming Ahead: Next Generation Visions for the Next 50 Years in Space
– Overview: Mark Lupisella, Engineer and Scientist, Goddard Space Flight Center, NASA
– Panelists: Chris Boshuizen; Shi Heng; Tiffany Frierson
Dinner Speaker (Video)
– Harrison Schmitt, Chair, NASA Advisory Council; Astronaut, Apollo 17: A Trip to the Moon
DAY 2: April 13, 2007
Session 3: The Future of Commercial Space
– Moderator: Jean-Jaques Favier, Astronaut; Deputy Director for Strategy Centre National d’Etudes Spatiales
– Dr. Ighor K. Uzhinsky, Technical Project Manager, ATK Launch Systems, Science and Engineering, Technology Programs: Russian-Ukrainian Dnepr program’s opportunities for commercial space projects
– Richard Dinkel: How commercial space supports exploration and how we see RpK’s strategic contribution over the next decade
– Eric Knight, CEO, UP Aerospace, Inc.: How an entrepreneurial aerospace company has broadly opened the door to space by dramatically reducing the biggest obstacle: cost
Session 4: Extraterrestrial Life
– Moderator: Dr. Thomas Bania, Boston University
– Dr. William R. Stoeger, S.J., Vatican Observatory: The Quest for Extraterrestrial Life and Its Impact on Us
– Dr. Charles L. Harper, Jr., Senior Vice President, John Templeton Foundation: Life out there: Why the question matters and some ideas on how to motivate much stronger interest in the American people
– Dr. Steven Dick, Chief Historian, NASA: Societal Impact of Cosmic Evolution and Extraterrestrial Life
Luncheon Speaker
– Virender Kumar: Perspective on the Indian Space Program
Session 5: Peace and Security
– Moderator: Dr. Russell L. Schweickart, Chairman, Association of Space Explorers Near Earth Object Committee; Chairman, B612 Foundation; Astronaut, Apollo 9
– Lt. Col. Peter L. Hays (USAF Ret.), Senior Policy Analyst, National Security Space Office: Spacepower’s Role in Addressing Earthly Security Problems: Opportunities and Challenges
– Lt. Gen. James Abrahamson (USAF Ret.), Chairman and CEO, StratCom International LLC; Former Director, Strategic Defense Initiative Organization: Earthly Problems and Space Security
– Dr. John Logsdon, Director, Space Policy Institute; Professor, International Affairs, George Washington University: Can Cooperation in Space Exploration Enhance Global Security?
Space Governance Panel
– Moderator: Mark Lupisella, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, and Secure World Foundation
– Dr. Russell L. Schweickart, Chairman, Association of Space Explorers Near Earth Object Committee; Chairman, B612 Foundation; Astronaut, Apollo 9
– Erin Daly, Department of Philosophy, University of North Texas
– William Marshall, Research Fellow, Space Policy Institute, George Washington University; NASA Ames, Special Projects Office
An Evening with Eisenhower and Khrushchev
– Moderator: Dr. David Kaiser, Professor, History of Science, Technology and Society, MIT
– Ms. Susan Eisenhower, President, Eisenhower Group Inc.
– Dr. Sergei Khrushchev, Senior Fellow, Thomas J. Watson Jr. Institute for International Studies, Brown University
DAY 3: April 14, 2007
Workshop Format, moderated by Sesh Velamoor, Foundation for the Future.