From 1995 through 2008 a group of space advocates (organized in most years by the grassroots lobbying group ProSpace) held an annual lobbying blitz on Capitol Hill called March Storm (so named for the month the event took place). ProSpace did not perform a March Storm in 2009, though, citing “resource and time limitations”. However, according to an email from the Space Frontier Foundation this morning, March Storm will return in 2010. The event is still in the “early planning process”, according to the message, and how it will be run isn’t clear: the email referred to “The Space Frontier Foundation’s March Storm 2010″, and not “ProSpace’s March Storm 2010″.
“I think that it’s critical that Congress hears a pro-space (as opposed to a pro-industry or pro-NASA) agenda often. We had many successes as a result of our past efforts,” said Mike Heney, the March Storm project manager. “Which is why I was saddened when March Storm was allowed to fade away – and why I’ve decided to join with a group of like-minded March Storm veterans to resurrect this valuable event.”
As one of the original nine March Stormers I was sad to hear it was not going to happen this next year (though not surprised), and am glad that the Space Frontier Foundation is picking up the fallen standard.
ProSpace as an organization lost its way and its focus on citizen advocacy, maybe the SSF will rebuild the brand.
For ProSpace’s official response, please see:
http://www.prospace.org/announcements/forimmediatereleasemarchstorm2010update
Dennis: If you heard that there was not going to be a 2010 March Storm, then you heard incorrectly. The Board has been on conference calls for weeks now to start laying the groundwork for the next March Storm. We expect to announce a date and preliminary agenda soon.
[…] the Space Frontier Foundation announced yesterday that it planned to revive the citizen space lobbying effort March Storm in 2010, I was curious what the response of ProSpace, who had run the event for most of its history, might […]
Winn
After getting the email from the foundation, I checked the Prospace website (a few days ago) where it said that they were not going to do an event this year. I later found out, after informing Frank Johnson of this, that this was from the old website and was not current data.
You will have to excuse those of us who think that a group’s website is definitive when talking about their future activities, especially a healthy one. After informing Frank, I believe that the website has been fixed.
I have not followed prospace for a few years as I do think that the group has lost its original focus and citizen agenda and I also understand that there is a tiff underway between the Foundation and ProSpace. Oh well, hope you guys work it out.
The Space Frontier Foundation’s website also appears locked in the time wrap. The only update I found on it since August was a short note from Nov. 1, 2009 saying it was going to be redesigned and relaunched…..
Folks, if you don’t have a current and updated website then you don’t exist in the Internet Age….
This reminds me of the arguments over the Palestine Liberation Authority of the Authority for the Liberation of Palestine.
I guess it is all in how you wear the green ribbon
Robert G. Oler
[…] in part, on behalf of the Flexible Path option. As you may recall, last month the Foundation said planned to revive March Storm, the annual lobbying blitz on Capitol Hill that had been canceled in 2009, only to be rebuked by […]