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"New" Space: For Middle Age Males Only? (Update)

By Keith Cowing
NASA Watch
July 24, 2014
Filed under

Keith’s 17 Jun note: Have a look at the speakers at the upcoming Space Frontier Foundation New Space Conference. This organization claims to be at the forefront of space exploration. If so then the future will be run by males currently in their 50s.
“New” Space? looks more like “old” space to me.
What about everyone else?
Keith’s 24 July update: They have added a little more diversity to their speakers list in the past month but this is still a conference where mostly middle age white males (like me) are the ones talking about the future of space. How depressing.

NASA Watch founder, Explorers Club Fellow, ex-NASA, Away Teams, Journalist, Space & Astrobiology, Lapsed climber.

90 responses to “"New" Space: For Middle Age Males Only? (Update)”

  1. Jeff2Space says:
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    Why does this surprise you? Certainly new ideas can come from less experienced (younger) engineers, but when it comes to complex systems engineering and managing large engineering projects, you’re going to want someone with some experience in those positions.

    • kcowing says:
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      Given that a large number of the speakers don’t actually build anything maybe its time to find others – with a little more diversity – who actually do build things – not the same old tired bunch.

  2. savuporo says:
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    There is a mix of younger speakers in there now, much better than 10 years ago where it was mostly a Tumlinson group hug.

    More interesting lens is : look at how many people on that roster actually have, you know, put anything to space. Or steered an ancient spacecraft, even 😉

    Another gripe, Cubesats are driving a LOT of innovation in the space industry, and is much more “new space” than a bunch of wannabe space colonists. Anyone there that has launched a handful of these ? Not really.

    • kcowing says:
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      This is pretty much a rooster of the people who only talk about space – with a few actual doers sprinkled in. And only 2 of them are females. FAIL.

      • savuporo says:
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        But they WILL announce some sort of award to Elon Musk and/or SpaceX. Regardless of if the recipient wants to be associated with this bunch or no.

        SpaceX should probably just go and hire their own cheerleading team – they can probably afford a better looking one.

        • BeanCounterFromDownUnder says:
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          They don’t need to as they have their employees as number one cheer squad and I suspect, a growing proportion of the public (no hard evidence however).
          Cheers.

      • BeanCounterFromDownUnder says:
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        Yeah, epic FAIL.

  3. majormajor42 says:
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    ULA, for all we know, may employ a more diverse workforce than Greason’s XCOR.That doesn’t make ULA “new” space and XCOR “old”. The term “New Space” is debated enough without introducing the gender and age of its advocates. Is NASAWatch.com a blog that represents “old space” because Keith looks like a middle aged guy?

    • kcowing says:
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      Did I use the word “white” anywhere? Did I mention skin color? Don’t put words in my mouth.

      • majormajor42 says:
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        ahh,yes. You were pointing out gender and age. Not Race and age. So sorry… edited.

      • majormajor42 says:
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        Keith, at 10 am yesterday, you said in the Maker Faire thread to James Muncy

        “Maybe if your organization (Space Frontier Foundation) had speakers at its events that were not 50+ year old white males you’d see the importance of these events to the next generation”

        So this isn’t about me putting words in your mouth. It’s still about your criticism of SFF and the “non-diverse” speakers who have done nothing wrong but devoted their careers to humanity in space.

        It isn’t even just a “new space problem”. Some of our favorite, hip brands are also being criticized for their lack of diversity too:
        http://www.informationweek….

        Maker Faire is awesome at reaching out to young people of all backgrounds. An excellent forum that enables the type of thing you & I are hoping for. An SFF conference, a Greason speech for example, would probably put the 10 year old version of me asleep even though the 30 something version of me can’t get enough!

        But don’t forget, SFF has STEM programs too: http://tis.spacefrontier.org/

        • kcowing says:
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          I am uncertain what point you are trying to make. Look at the pictures. How many females do you see? Half of our planet’s population is female. Or all of the icons that are used for unavailable photos really females? As for Maker Faire, yea I spoke there too.

  4. djschultz3 says:
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    So is it your belief that anyone old enough to remember the time when humans walked on the moon has nothing left to contribute because of our advanced age? Are we supposed to just crawl into a hole and die so that we get out of the way? Considering the rampant age discrimination by which many middle aged employees have been forcibly retired and will never again find meaningful work in their fields, it is high time that those who “celebrate diversity” put some action behind their words.

    • Lowell James says:
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      My experience is mainly with old space.

      In old space, yes, djschultz3, based on my experience with a couple programs in the last 10 years with both government and contractors, I have been told by top managers (in their late 40s, which surprised me since they are often less than 5 years behind me) that after age 50, I can contribute nothing; instead they are placing thirty-somethings with little or no experience by comparison, into the positions and then they see what comes of it.

      From what I have seen, none of these programs or functions have fared too well. They have missed crucial steps, they have missed basic requirements and processes, they do not meet schedules and their costs are out of control.

      Most of the over 50s are leaving if they can. A few have found positions in new space, but not many.

  5. Vladislaw says:
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    Is from a lack of available speakers or for a lack of looking for speakers?

    • Alan Ladwig says:
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      There’s a lack of looking for new speakers. It’s too easy to rely on the handful of speakers for conferences and by journalists looking for comments on stories. For far too long space conferences have been like a traveling road show: the same speakers talking on the same subjects to the same audiences. It’s not the fault of the speakers – it’s always nice to be asked to participate in space gatherings and conference organizers want to have speakers representing senior management and who are well known in the community. However, organizers and journalists ought to put a bit more effort in to identifying new voices who represent the future leadership of space activities.

      • kcowing says:
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        Not a day goes by when there isn’t a newspaper article about some young person doing something in space. How hard can it be for the SFF to get them to speak? Meanwhile, at SFF conferences, Its the same (aging) crowd of speakers and usual suspects speaking year after year after year – saying the exact same thing every time they speak.

    • kcowing says:
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      Lack of looking, in my opinion. It is not like this issue has not been pointed out to the SFF again and again.

      • Charles Miller says:
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        Keith, you got it wrong on this one.

        There is actually quite a bit of diversity at the NewSpace conference. If you were here, you would know.

        The Space Frontier Foundation has been taken over by the next generation of leaders. None of the founders are on the board or in the leadership. The next generation has *completely* taken over at the Space Frontier Foundation. Further, the NewSpace conference is run completely by volunteers whose average age is early 20s (either fresh out of college, and with many still in college). The selection of speakers was by these 20-year-olds.

        If you truly care about bringing new blood into the industry, the right thing to do is complement these 20-year-old volunteers (who you have not met), on the amazing job they are doing.

        Perhaps you could invite some of the new Space Frontier Foundation leaders to report on their views at NASA Watch???

        – Charles Miller

        • Marc Boucher says:
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          Charles, FYI, we’ve been posting the video to SpaceRef Business. http://spaceref.biz

        • kcowing says:
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          Charles Millier you are a poster boy for the 50 year old pale stale male problem I cite. Look at your own speakers page – its composed mostly of 50+ while males like you and me. Why aren’t you letting all of these young people that work so hard – the ones you refer to – speak at your conferences? As for attending your meetings, the last time I went the organizers told me I was no longer welcome to attend – so I don’t. Oh yes these “young people” have always been welcome to post on NASA Watch and our other websites – and they have been doing so since the mid-1990s. Funny how no one wants to address the issue with SFF but tries to change the subject by trying to shift the blame to NASA Watch.

  6. Odyssey2020 says:
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    Yep, a lot of the stuff that was really cool back in the 60’s, 70’s, 80’s just ain’t cool anymore.

    The young folks would rather text on their smartphones or play super high graphics video games on their gargantuan high def TV.

    It’s not just Space but there’s a huge lack of interest in other once high and mighty passions: Golf, Tennis, Print, DVD’s, Sears, playing outside in general.

    Gotta progress or you become a dinosaur.

    • Tom Sellick says:
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      I read this on my smart phone. Wait, how old was Steve Jobs? Meh. Gonna go watch NASA TV on my…wait for it… Phone.

    • Denniswingo says:
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      As someone who speaks at non space events and shows off OLD 1960’s-1990’s space technology, almost the universal question is why the hell did we not do these things. Neil Tyson nails it..

      https://www.youtube.com/wat

  7. Tom Sellick says:
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    Well. Long as Willam Foster doesn’t show up you should all be ok.

  8. Michael Mahar says:
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    I think there is really something new an refreshing about “new space”. Look at the following YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/wat… These are the employees of SpaceX watching one of the first Falcon 9 launches. The number of them that have reached their thirties is pretty small. Of course, SpaceX is an aerospace “geek” magnet but I suspect that the Dreamchaser crew at Sierra Nevada is pretty young as well.

    If I were in my twenties I’d be camped out on their door step trying to get hired. 10 years ago, a new engineer had no place to go but the aerospace giants where they spent their whole careers working on door hinges for a transport that eventually got canceled. Now, there are half a dozen companies where you can really make a difference both for the company you work for and for space exploration itself.

  9. Odyssey2020 says:
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    I think we’re mostly on the same page. Right now these are the doldrums, hopefully things will get rolling by the end of the decade.

  10. James Lundblad says:
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    Maybe the young ones are at startup weekend space? http://space.startupweekend

  11. dogstar29 says:
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    What do you feel is be REAL and GRAND?

  12. Panice says:
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    The speakers represent experience and accomplishment. The staff represent the present and future. The people running the conference are nearly all young.

    • kcowing says:
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      There are plenty of people who are not white 50+ males in the space industry. SFF is just too lazy and/or unwilling to do the due diligence to find them and invite them to speak.

      • Richard H. Shores says:
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        You hit the nail on the head. The clique would rather pat each other on the back and enjoy the pontificating. They do not want to be upstaged with innovative thinking from a younger generation.

  13. ChuckM says:
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    The main cause for lack of minority representation has its roots in family upbringing and education. I had a successful NASA career because of my parents, high school advisors who encouraged me to pursue an engineering career, and dedicated college professors who wanted me to succeed.

    Unfortunately for my friends in public school, their advisors would only ask: So you want to open a restaurant, a car repair shop, a beauty salon, etc.. Add on top of that their parents only had time for work, pay the bills, and sleep.

    The problem will only get worst because current state legislatures want to trim budgets, and education is the #1 target. This means that capable minority students will not have access to any science and engineering career paths

    • Michael Spencer says:
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      There is great truth in this view; kids graduate college owing tens of thousands of dollars. What kind of country does that to the future?

      Cut taxes! Get the government off our backs!

      My ass.

      • ReSpaceAge says:
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        Busting my 58 year old ass to get last kid through college, while I read here how billions of my tax dollars are being wasted on projects like SLS and Orion. With DoD spending quadruple the cost to put a simple satellite into orbit.

        Enjoy my money space managers!

        Our young have good reason not to be interested in outer space.

    • tutiger87 says:
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      Family upbringing is a very small part as it pertains to minority representation. Education is a large part, of course, as that so many minority children are stuck in horrible schools with no motivation.

      Another large reason for the lack of minority representation is that many of the ‘old boy’ networks are still in place, even in ‘new’ space, and that hiring managers will still tend to hire people that look and talk like them, and make them feel comfortable.
      ‘New’ space, to me, looks like old space oftentimes.

      • ChuckM says:
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        I forgot to mention that my success at NASA was standing up to those good ole boys who wanted me to keep my mouth shut and do what I’m told. Additionally, they tried, and I pushed back, to remind me that the space program was made for them and them alone. Made some enemies with some senior staffers but I stood my ground. When I retired from NASA I left on my own terms.

  14. LPHartswick says:
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    Don’t worry fellas about being type cast; I’m middle age and I’m at best luke-warm on “New Space” if it comes at the expense of old space. Besides, the Millennials can barely get their nose out of their phones to look at you when they talk, much less look at or contemplate space. So, cheer up…not only are we squabbling among ourselves, but were getting older, and the kids could care less. BTW, have you noticed that all of us “New & Old Space” are the Children of Apollo. The kids are the Children of LEO.

    • Wendy Yang says:
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      Don’t generalize–not ALL of us are disrespectful like that. Some of us do look and contemplate at space.

      We were born too late for the Apollo era. But we can do something grander than that.

      • ReSpaceAge says:
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        Elon Musk is seeing to it that your grander dreams may be realized. He partley won his suite against ULA yesterday which will mean more money he can invest in his human space program.

        As I joked in another thread David/new space/Elon Musk has hurled the stone at Goliath/ ULA the Old Space champion. The Space future that was robbed from my generation may be saved for yours.

        I wish I could live long enough to see what you will see.

        • Anonymous says:
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          I’m all for SpaceX’s lawsuit, but they did not partially win it yesterday. It was ruled that their suit could go forward.

          As for being robbed that’s an exaggeration at best. Your generation is one of the parties responsible for what’s happened to US space exploration. Blame can spread virtually everywhere, so the idea that anyone was robbed is a bit farcical. Our society was to blame for not being interested enough and for not prodding the government to do more. Our government is to blame for lacking the foresight, lacking a plan, and lacking the will to do anything. NASA is to blame for lacking some imagination, getting used to doing things the old way, and for not getting their message, whatever that was, out to the public, Congress, and the executive branch. If everyone fails, it’s not robbery. Additionally, you weren’t owed men on the Moon or Mars.

          • ReSpaceAge says:
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            And the parties were ordered to the table in September which likely means Spacex will come away with more than nothing. More than nothing is a win.

          • Anonymous says:
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            Since you have nothing to base such a conclusion on, we’ll all have to wait and see what happens with the suit. It’s not won yet. Feel free to use Google to find the many instances of where being “ordered to the table” resulted in nothing but a move to the courtroom.

          • ReSpaceAge says:
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            Thanks 🙂

          • ReSpaceAge says:
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            I was promised the moon. I got it for a little while at a cost of 5% of my tax bill or was it 5% of GNP I forget.

            I was promised an affordable launch System to outer Space(Shuttle). I got the same x vehicle flying year after year for billion plus a launch.

            I was told that ISS would be a stepping stone to outer Space. I got a platform that does little but study the ill effects of micro gravity, thank god Space is using a little of that ISS money to make more affordable rockets, yeah NASA.

            I was promised a lot for my hard earned tax bill Mr. Squared and I receive little value on my dollar.

            And don’t me started on SLS an Orion sir, obvious job programs for people better off than me. The Expensive Exploration Line.

            And ULA and the block buy farse, someone should go to jail for that crap.

            But its OK, business as usual. Just blame me and my generation Mr. Squared.

            I am owed value for my tax dollar Mr. Squared

          • Anonymous says:
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            You weren’t promised anything for the future, and you are owed nothing for your tax dollar other than what was outlined in the budget.

            You clearly didn’t read with any comprehension what I wrote. I wrote that many were responsible: Congress, NASA, the executive branch, and the public. Everyone had a hand in what has become the current state of space exploration, Tars. Weeping over your lost tax dollars will accomplish absolutely nothing, and neither will your soliloquies.

          • Michael Spencer says:
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            A little unfair. Recognize that the continuing demonization of government in general by the right has had very far-reaching effects, not the least of which is the insane and costly fear of failure by anyone in government.

          • Anonymous says:
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            That ongoing demonization is now a contributing factor, but it is only one factor and may not have even been a factor throughout the the history of our decline in human space exploration.

            I don’t agree that what I said was harsh at all. it was true: blame can be spread among many parties, including the groups I named. Public support and interest in NASA’s human space program has always been limited and short lived. How long did it take for interest in the Apollo missions to wane? It took all of about two missions after Apollo 11. Note also that it is the public that elects those politicians that don’t support NASA.

            Congress has always been fickle on space exploration and seems to only really pay attention when there’s pork to be had. Likewise, since Kennedy, the Executive branch hasn’t exactly been overflowing with love and support of NASA. NASA has struggled with finding a marketable (to the politicians and the public) justification for human space exploration and has at times kneecapped itself.

            The whole is much too complex to single out one group as the most culpable.

          • Michael Spencer says:
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            @psi: I’m not sure popularity is important, really. As an example, I wonder how many people know about agricultural extension- an important governmental function and critical in my work? It’s a governmental function that plods along, adding to the body of knowledge incrementally and at low cost. Similarly, NASA’s budget is small, but leadership just loves the some big projects.

          • duheagle says:
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            With all due respect, Mike, “the right” doesn’t have to “demonize” government arrogance, incompetence and failure, it’s sufficient just to point it out. And boy is it a target-rich environment these days. Most of NASA is completely dysfunctional, of course, but compared to things like the IRS and VA scandals, it’s also pretty small beer.

      • ReSpaceAge says:
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        Miss Yang
        I think its wonderful that young people like you can come to a place like NASA WATCH to learn and share

        Who knows your generation may learn enough from mine not to repeat the same mistakes.

        That would be

        Something wonderful!!!

      • LPHartswick says:
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        I await that with bated breath.

    • Anonymous says:
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      I suggest you do a little more research on the Millennials, because your stereotype is far from appropriate. I’ve worked with millennials who are scientists and engineers, and I’ve yet to find one who couldn’t get their nose out of their phones.

      • kcowing says:
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        Good point – except that some of the millenials with the smartphone preoccupation are designing software for satellites that are run BY smart phones on board. Just sayin’

        • Anonymous says:
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          A guy who was in my research group wrote software that would allow him to control NGST from his couch.

      • LPHartswick says:
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        So have I…I work to train them on a daily basis, and have for well over a decade. Stereotypes are usually wrong but after you see the something over and over you begin to wonder. God forbid work gets in the way of their spinning class. They work half as hard as we did in training; and whine twice as loud. Some are very, very smart, but many are not good at collaborative efforts and don’t have much fire in the belly.

        • Anonymous says:
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          Those are your perceptions and may be influenced by your own bias. They are not established facts. It’s important to remember that when generalizing.

          • LPHartswick says:
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            As you say generalizing is just that. We are all limited by our own perspectives, but there are several scholarly articles on the subjects of generational differences. I feel my parents generation is subjectively tougher and better than we are. Compared to them we are taller, live longer, are more self involved, have a higher debt to savings ratio, and have managed to take the greatest nation in the world they left us an run it into the ground…but again that’s just my perspective. Maybe they will change to direction we’re headed…and go to Mars with nothing more than their bootstraps and brawny entrepreneurial capitalism. I think its going to take a good old fashioned national commitment for the foreseeable future, but that’s just me. I am willing to be amazed, but as Keith said earlier “Tick, Tock”.

    • Tom Sellick says:
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      Let me guess you had to walk 5 miles to school uphill in snow and rain.

  15. Andrew_M_Swallow says:
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    Invite someone to talk about the development of the Falcon 1 and the Falcon 9. There are plenty of cubesats and Nanorack that have been developed. Some are now in space.

  16. kcowing says:
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    Young people need to be doing more talking. Otherwise old thinking will prevail.

  17. John C Mankins says:
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    So, it would seem that a reasonable challenge would be one issued to “NASA Watch” and not just to this meeting: if New Space diversity is an issue that you care about, then bring on board some young voices, some diverse voices that can speak from the bully pulpit that is NASA Watch…!

    • kcowing says:
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      You seem to not be paying any attention to the things that NASA Watch has been supporting over the past decade with regard to education. Funny how no one wants to address the issue with SFF but tries to change the subject by trying to shift the blame to NASA Watch.

      • John C Mankins says:
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        By no means am I trying to shift the blame to NASA Watch; never said it, never thought it. It simply occurred to me that if NASA Watch had some regular contributors who were not middle-aged white guys (like me, like you) that such a step would help in a small way to address the issue that you have raised.

        • kcowing says:
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          How do you know the age, ethnicity – or gender – of NASA Watch posters? Seriously John, how do you know? Have you paid ANY attention to the projects and organizations that NASA Watch and its sister websites support? What do YOU do that encourages diversity of participation? This finger pointing gets tiring.

          • Enceladus says:
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            Keith Cowing….all knowing …..all seeing…….all the while hiding behind a keyboard……

          • kcowing says:
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            I use my real name. My phone number is on the website. You, on the other hand ….

          • John C Mankins says:
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            For goodness sake, you are awfully thin-skinned these days. I confess, that I don’t know of ANY posters of primary articles on NASA Watch other than you and Marc. If there are others, I apologize. As for sister websites, I wasn’t speaking of them, although now I understand that you were. I’ll leave you alone, and not expect a discussion on this topic.

          • kcowing says:
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            You confused being thing skinned with being annoyed at space people who only know how to point fingers and are too lazy to do a little research before they point. Please get back to working on whatever it is you do. Oh yes – you DO see the news feeds for other websites on the right hand side of NASA Watch, yes?

  18. Michael Spencer says:
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    Thanks for hammering on this issue, Keith. It’s time to turn things over to the kids, hoping they can do a better job than we did. And from what I’ve seen they are out there- male and female, young, smart, and driven. I want to hear what they have to say.

    And hope they are smarter with the world than we have been.

  19. dogstar29 says:
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    Because I think getting the price of a seat to orbit low enough that 100 people will be there at once, working, studying, vacationing, that would be pretty grand.

  20. ReSpaceAge says:
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    seems to me as Musk goes for mars that all you just suggested could be done using some of his launch tech if attempted affordability.

    Imagine what could be done with a Saturn size reusable affordable rocket.

    And all we have to do is wait for musk to build it.

  21. Sarah Jaudon says:
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    As a 41-year-old woman and Round 2 Candidate for the Mars One Mission, I’m happy to say there are many young people- men and women of many different cultures and ethnicities rounding up the charge for the new space brigade. As well as several past the age of 60- but we certainly could use more, as many young people as possible to keep the hype up and bring about the changes needed to usher in a new era of space travel.

  22. duheagle says:
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    Things have already picked up. The progress SpaceX is making is, by itself, very reminiscent to me of the Mercury, Gemini and early Apollo days in the 60’s. I remember that time well. Something new and significant was happening just about every month or so. The progress being made by other NewSpace companies is additional icing on the current cake.

    Five years ago, all SpaceX had done was launch five little rockets, three of them failures. Five years later, they have launched 10 big rockets, all of them successes.

    Five years hence, it’s going to be a whole new world: commercial space stations in LEO and maybe elsewhere, commercial missions BEO in cis-lunar space, commercial cargo resupply and manned crew exchange missions every week or two, plus commercially-launched robotic science and exploration missions to all points outward. There will even be two or three outfits doing suborbital jaunts and commercial smallsat launches.

    Five years beyond that could easily see commercial lunar surface missions and bases, commercial asteroid mining and ISRU and unmanned precursor ISRU missions to Mars, maybe even an initial manned mission to Phobos.

    Fun times ahead, Brian. Fun times ahead.

  23. hikingmike says:
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    I don’t care as long as they kick some butt. The younger and non-white ppl will come into the industry naturally. Burt Rutan, Jeff Bezos, Bob Bigelow aren’t that young I think.

  24. Rich_Palermo says:
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    Keith – I think the time will come, it is just a couple of years away. There is a concerted push by “old space” to get younger in order to cut costs. The 50+ crowd are slowly but surely being pushed out. Not the execs – they’re staying. It’s the people who have done the work and who, in the main, have good years left. Once the new guard gets settled in, they’ll be able to get on the dais of these things if they’re so inclined. I think it is more likely that they’ll start their own conferences or rethink the conference model entirely. There aren’t many places for the 50+ downsized engineer to land but that’s a different issue.

    • kcowing says:
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      I tend to agree that the next generation is going to look at the 50+ crowd as being out of touch with how they see the world. Its easier to form new organizations and organize new conferences than to try and change an existing organization like SFF. Tick tock.

    • Panice says:
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      “Old space” isn’t an age, it’s a mind set. The entire NewSpace conference was, in a word, newspace regardless of peoples’ ages. If by “new guard” you mean young people, they were on stage whenever they wanted to be. They ran the conference – all of it. The Space Frontier Foundation had it’s generational transition a while ago and is overwhelming run by young people. They heard from who they wanted to hear from. Their interest is in getting things done in space and on Earth, not in toeing some politically correct line Keith or anyone else is trying to push on them.

      • kcowing says:
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        If they are in charge of the whole show then why are they not allowed to speak? Makes no sense.

        • Panice says:
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          They were allowed to speak and many of them did. They moderated the panels and gave a number of the addresses. Will Marshall, CEO and Co-Founder of Planet Labs, is one example, as are all the business plan competitors. Again, they invited who they wanted for their purposes and to serve their interests, not yours. If you want to participate and contribute, please do so. Sniping and false accusations serve no one.

          • kcowing says:
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            Why are these young speakers not listed on the SFF website? Marshall is the only one listed. As for “participating”, the SFF meeting organizer at the last event I attended told me that I was unwelcome to attend their event several years ago – so I don’t.

  25. ReSpaceAge says:
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    I get a free one way ticket to mars.

  26. Michael Spencer says:
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    He’s right AND he’s crotchety… 🙂

  27. Constructor says:
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    Seriously??? Go to college, get engineering degree, be brave and crazy to start an aerospace startup, find funding, build good hardware, go to space. If for some reason non-white, non-males are not doing that who is to blame?

  28. Jeff2Space says:
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    When I was earning my Aerospace Engineering degree at Purdue in the late 80’s to early 90’s, there was a distinct lack of diversity in my graduating class of Aerospace Engineers. The university as a whole was much, much more diverse.

    Is it any surprise that middle-aged people in the field reflect that demographic 20 to 25 years later?

  29. gearbox123 says:
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    I have to bark back at Keith a little bit here. Look at the NBA, Keith. Gosh, a bunch of tall people! Do you see a “shortage” of midgets? Is that a “problem” or is that just the way life is?

    Please, don’t let NASA and space turn into another quota-based Stalinist totalitarian field the way every other public endeavor has. If the people “doing space” happen to all be middle aged white guys, so be it.

    Or would you rather ride on a rocket designed by an “affirmative action” hire and built in a quota-based factory?