Moon-Mars Blitz wrap-ups

There have been a few comments here and here about this week’s Moon-Mars Blitz organized by the Space Exploration Alliance here in DC. I didn’t participate in the event, but I talked Tuesday with several people who did take part, and they were, in general, quite positive about their efforts. I’ve included below a report from the Mars Society (not on their web site) about the event. I suspect George Whitesides of the NSS will discuss the event tomorrow afternoon during his talk at the Return to the Moon conference in Las Vegas.

Mars Society and NSS Carry the Day at Moon-Mars Blitz
July 14, 2004

The Moon-Mars Blitz has occurred and it has been successful. The Blitz, which was the first important activity conducted by the new Space Exploration Alliance, occurred from July 11-13, and involved some 70 space activists visiting approximately 200 congressmen, senators, and congressional and Senatorial aides to convey to them a message of strong support for the new American space policy that refocuses the human spaceflight program on the goal of sending humans to the Moon, Mars and beyond. Of the activists present, about a third were drawn there by the Mars Society, a third by the National Space Society (NSS), while the remaining third comprised small delegations representing nearly all of the 20 space advocacy, industry, and professional organizations comprising the Space Exploration Alliance (SEA).

The Blitz proceeded as follows: On Sunday, July 11, the activists met at a hotel where they received training from SEA leaders on talking points and methods for conducting Capitol Hill meetings. Then the activists were divided up into 18 groups of 3 to 4 people, each of which was assigned to roughly 12 meetings over the following two days, with effort made to insure that wherever possible, a local constituent for the representative in question was included in the meeting. In all cases, the activists conveyed the message that NASA needs a goal, that the human exploration of the Moon and Mars is the right goal, that the entire American space community agrees on this, and that therefore the President’s request for the Moon-Mars exploration initiative for Fiscal Year 2005 should be funded in full.

Reports coming back from the meetings indicate that the SEA activists were almost universally well received, and that the large majority of the responses from those met with were positive.

The Moon Mars Blitz was thus a brilliant success, but more action is needed. An in depth strategy planning meeting to map out further moves in support of the new human space exploration initiative will be held at the 7th International Mars Society Convention, Palmer House Hilton, Chicago, IL, August 19-22, 2004. Registration is now open online at www.marssociety.org. Come to the convention and help lay out the political battle plan that will open the solar system.

Congratulations to the SEA for its successful debut, and especially the Mars Society and the NSS for doing so well in mobilizing their members to make the victory possible. Special thanks to Pat Czarnik, Mars Society Director of Outreach, who did the hard work of securing our exemplary turnout.