Stanford On The Moon Updates

Stanford on the Moon 2023 Symposium

Varian Physics Building Room PAB 102-103

Themes: USA Returns to Moon, and Forst Woman on the Moon

Featuring Angelina Krinos: Stanford Student Space Initiative

Welcome Remarks: Steve Durst (’65) Founder Stanford on the Moon

Presentation of 2023 SOM Endowment Fund Awards

SOM Club News

Stanford on the Moon 20th Anniversary Symposium

Friday, October 16, from 3–5 pm.

Virtual Celebration, on Zoom

Stanford on the Moon Conference and Lunar Exhibit during 2019 Reunion Homecoming Weekend

Friday, October 25, from 3 pm – 5 pm .

Varian Physics and Astrophysics Building (PAB) 102-103

Stanford on the Moon Conference and Lunar Exhibit during 2018 Reunion Homecoming Weekend

Friday, October 26, from 3 pm – 5 pm .

Physics and Astrophysics Building (PAS) 102-103

Stanford on the Moon Conference during Reunion Homecoming Weekend 2017

Friday, October 13, from 3 pm – 5 pm.

Language Corner, Building 260 Room 113

Featuring ‘Who Will Win the GLXP?’ a panel discussion led by Professor Marco Pavone and Steve Durst, Stanford Class of 1965, with participation from the 5 GLXP Teams: Moon Express, Synergy Moon, SpaceIL, Team Indus and Hakuto.

This will be followed by a talk by Stanford graduate and founder of Yuri’s Night, Loretta Hidalgo Whitesides about ‘First Woman on the Moon’ whom we hope might be a Stanford alum.

Please click HERE to view ILOA, Space Age Publishing Company graphic for First Woman on the Moon

Re: Stanford On The Moon Update: Meet The New Generation Of Lunar Explorers!

Dear Stanford On The Moon Alumni and Friends:

Greetings to all our fellow Alumni and best wishes for the new decade. It’s been a while since our last Update and there are some interesting developments to report, including an exciting Conference coinciding with 2011 Reunion Homecoming Weekend, new developments and connections with Overseas Studies, and our most recent meeting of the Stanford On The Moon Advisory Panel.

With the 50 th Anniversary of JFK’s directive to go to the Moon and international attention focused on a lunar landing in the near term, Stanford’s opportunities for a lunar presence seem all the more important and accessible. The Space Agencies in China, India and Japan are all hard at work developing lunar landers, with some planning sample return missions and some even looking to a human presence.

Here in Silicon Valley, we have our own new generation of lunar explorers: the Teams of the Google Lunar X-Prize. These entrepreneurial and intrepid explorers are gearing up to fly the rovers they have designed and built to the surface of the Moon. And regardless of the tens of millions available in prize money, these Teams are focused on a new frontier with new opportunities for everyone.

The 2011 Stanford On The Moon Conference will take place Friday, October 21, during the Reunion Homecoming. It is titled “Meet The New Generation Of Lunar Explorers!” because this event will bring many of the top GLXP Team leaders to Stanford University to talk about their missions. And MEET will be the operative word, because after a quick overview, these innovative explorers will join everyone for light refreshments and the opportunity to shake hands and discuss these missions on an individual basis.

Please drop us an email is you want to attend the “Meet The New Generation Of Lunar Explorers!” conference. It will take place on campus the afternoon of Friday, October 21, 2011 from 3:00-5:00. Everyone is welcome!

Stanford On The Moon’s inception was inspired by the experience of the Overseas Studies Program, and we still have strong roots there. Last year’s reunion saw a special get together of the Stanford in France V and VI groups, with many of the France VI participants sporting the bright red “Exploration / Education” Stanford On The Moon pin. SOM Advisory Panel Member Jim McCotter reports that everyone is making plans for a 2013 overseas reunion to take place in France and there is a lot of excitement brewing.

Also on the Overseas Studies scene is new Bing Overseas Studies Program Director Dr. Robert Sinclair, a professor in Material Sciences and Engineering. Dr. Sinclair has expressed a strong interest in making overseas studies more accessible to engineering students, as well as instituting programs in India. We have already contacted Dr. Sinclair to offer some connections with India’s space agency, ISRO, and to express our appreciation of this trend of offering more international opportunities to our students of science and engineering at Stanford University.

During 2010 Reunion Homecoming, the Stanford On The Moon Advisory Panel held a special meeting that was attended by professors Bruce Lusignan, Ivan Linscott, Daniel Kraft, and Leslie Wickman, as well as Grant Anderson, Jim Michaelis, Jim McCotter, Kristi Nelson, Steve Durst and Michelle Gonella. Special guests included Stanford-In-Francers Bill Brown and Skip Hansen and Class of 1965 Alumnus Mark Franich.

Following Steve’s update on NASA and international Moon missions, along with some discussion regarding the growing focus on the lunar south pole, Daniel proposed looking for a level of interface with the Google Lunar X-Prize Teams. Grant pointed to the possibility of developing an attractive technology which might be carried by any team to the lunar surface and Bruce noted that a tiny camera might be just the thing. General discussion revealed that there are many more connections to be made by Stanford On The Moon, so we have been following up since then, meeting professors and students who are interested in lunar research and a mission to the Moon.

Also moving forward is our quest to inform people that the excitement and benefits of lunar exploration are not limited to engineers and astrophysicists. Our Interdepartmental Lunar Network again will be outreaching to include historians, earth scientists, medical doctors, lawyers, economists, entrepreneurs, sociologists, psychologists, philosophers, artists and musicians.

Stanford On The Moon: 2007 Conference Update / Looking Forward

Dear Stanford Community Friends and Colleagues,

Stanford On The Moon is very pleased to announce that our upcoming 2008 Conference will be highlighted by Stanford Alumna Astronaut and Teacher-In-Space Barbara Morgan. Barbara’s unparalleled commitment and dedication led her, after decades, to completing her mission -- STS-118 aboard space shuttle Endeavour.

The Stanford On The Moon 2007 Conference, which took place Friday 12 October in the Math Corner of the Main Quad, was an outstanding event with an audience of about 70 attendees, including Advisory Panel Participants Joshua S. Alwood, Steve Durst, Bill Fisher, Michelle Gonella, Jim McCotter, Jim Michaelis and Leslie Wickman.

Highlighting this year’s program were presentations relating to the various phases of exploration: orbital fly-by, orbiters and landers, rovers and human exploration. The program was followed by an Open Discussion regarding inter-departmental outreach, the need for every vocation to participate in the development of a new frontier and connecting all of the schools comprising Stanford University with Stanford On The Moon.

Heavy weather preceding the conference precluded Professor Bob Twiggs from transporting a large model of the Stanford Lunar Analysis Mission (SLAM) P-Pod device, which ejects small satellites called cubesats. Bob’s dedicated Stanford University lunar cubesat mission, developed by students in Bob’s E235 course, has been a focus of interest for Stanford On The Moon and a significant presentation topic in previous years.

The 2007 Conference opened with greetings and an introduction to Stanford On The Moon, presented by founder Steve Durst. The attending members of the Advisory Panel were also introduced to the audience.

Yuki Takahashi, a University of California at Berkeley researcher, gave an interesting presentation focused on orbiter and lander missions, as well as his work in Antarctica and the many ways in which Antarctica serves as an analog for the south pole region of the Moon.

A Cal Bear, Yuki played it safe by peppering his presentation slides with images of Stanford football players as he offered comparisons of Japan’s Kaguya (SELENE) mission, which is currently in lunar orbit, China’s Chang’e mission, which launched in the weeks since the conference and is now in lunar orbit, and India’s Chandrayaan, scheduled to launch next year.

Yuki also offered firsthand experience in conducting research at a station in Antarctica, where the extreme environment and proximity of international research teams may one day serve as a model for development of the lunar surface.

Matt Maniscalco appeared on behalf of a group of Stanford students working through Aero/Astro and the Space Systems Development Laboratory (SSDL) to compete for Google’s Lunar X Prize. Google has offered a $30 million prize purse to the first private groups to land a rover on the lunar surface, rove and transmit a Mooncast back to earth.

Hoping to follow in the footsteps of the successful DARPA car challenge, Matt and his team of about 50 students are currently working to gain the support of the university and local sponsors for what will definitely be an exciting bid to reach the lunar surface. Many members of the team have appeared at Stanford On The Moon conferences…both as presenters and attendees…and we wish them the best of luck.

Stanford Alumnus Astronaut Bill Fisher was our featured presenter this year with an in-depth analysis of Living and Working on the Moon. Bill made a riveting presentation, which addressed the main areas of concern for human habitation of the lunar surface and the cutting edge science which is being developed to make it all work.

Bill introduced us to the many issues caused by lunar dust, radiation exposure, bone loss in long duration low gravity, and other potential difficulties to be faced on the Moon. He provided many possible answers, as well, culled from his assessment of the most current research on these issues. Possibilities for using existing lava tubes to shield radiation and high heat to melt lunar dust into a controllable glass-like state were very encouraging.

Steve Durst and Michelle Gonella led an open discussion about bringing Stanford On The Moon to all the schools and departments at Stanford University. Over the years, we have always noted that an interest in lunar exploration and utilization is not limited to the engineers who will get us there.

In analyzing our registration for the 2007 Conference, we found that only 18% of registrants have a background in Engineering. 13% of registrants hold degrees in Biology and almost 12% of registrants hold degrees in Psychology. Just under 12% hold degrees in Economics and almost 10% hold degrees in History, trailed slightly by Political Sciences at 8%. We also had registrants from Sociology, Anthropology, English, Drama, Art, Education, Math, and International Relations.

These numbers, which are not unlike our spread of registrants from previous years, clearly indicate that a lunar presence is significant to people in many walks of life. It goes without saying that a successful lunar presence -- one which pushes the bounds of human habitation and commerce -- will need the support of all of these areas of expertise to meet its full potential.

We hope that anyone interested in interdepartmental outreach will contact us with their ideas. All areas of human endeavor will find new challenges and new opportunities as the frontier of human habitation expands beyond Earth in the 21 st Century. Now is the time to start asking the questions and thinking about the future.

Dear Stanford Community Friends and Colleagues,

A happy and prosperous New Year to everyone! 2007 begins with intensive outreach efforts for Stanford On The Moon. Opportunities to bring together individuals interested in lunar research and exploration abound as we prepare to see spacecraft returning to the Moon this year.

**NEW SECTION: Lunar Missions In Progress**
Learn of national/international and academic/science lunar missions already underway
Consider where Stanford University will fit into this
Growing wave of lunar-related research, exploration and utilization
*Bringing Humanities, Arts and Sciences Onboard
*Spring Fair
*Advisory Panel Member: Kristi Nelson in Oregon
*Advisory Panel Member: Steve Durst in Hawaii

**Lunar Missions In Progress**
China Chang’e-1 lunar orbiter is scheduled for launch 18 April 2007. Its mission is to conduct mapping of the lunar surface and resources. It will be in lunar orbit for one year.
Japan SELENE is scheduled for launch in August 2007. The JAXA mission will study origin, evolution, tectonics and the magnetic field utilizing two separate satellites.
India Chandrayaan-1 a two year, three dimensional mapping mission, will utilize a 25 kg impactor to analyze the chemistry of lunar dust. The spacecraft is planned to launch in early 2008 and will take six days to reach the Moon.
USA Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) is scheduled to launch 31 October 2008 and will circle the Moon for a minimum of one year to return detailed maps of the lunar surface, as well as search for water ice at one of the Moon’s poles.
European Space Agency (ESA) SMART-1 impacted the lunar surface on 3 September 2006, during its 2890th orbit of Earth’s only natural satellite. Launched on 23 September 2003, utilizing an ion propulsion system, the spacecraft arrived in lunar orbit on 15 November 2004. Data from its lunar orbit science operations is still being analyzed. European Student Moon Orbiter (ESMO) by students through the Student Space Exploration and Technology Initiative (SSETI) was approved for a Phase A feasibility study in March 2006. If all goes as planned, the 200 kg spacecraft would launch in2011 with a suite of miniaturized scientific instruments for research in lunar orbit.

**Bringing Humanities, Arts and Sciences Onboard**
Forging a new frontier requires more than the technology to get there. The myriad of human endeavors that define civilization must all eventually be present for a successful society to develop. Humanities, arts and sciences function together to provide sustenance for the heart and mind, as well as the body. Appropriately, Stanford On The Moon’s Interdepartmental Lunar Network will focus on a new level of expansion in 2007. We will be reaching out to departments within all seven of Stanford’s schools: Business, Humanities and Sciences, Education, Law, Earth Sciences, Medicine and Engineering. It is our hope to identify members of the Stanford community who are ready to apply their expertise to pioneering endeavors on a lunar frontier. Please contact us with your ideas and recommendations.

**Spring Fair**
Stanford On The Moon is working to partner with professors and interdisciplinary programs to offer a Spring Fair on campus. The goal is to reach out to students, promote unique classes, provide information about Stanford On The Moon and make new contacts across a wide range of departments at Stanford University. We hope to showcase some exciting research and programs offered at Stanford University, as well as the Stanford On The Moon initiative. As always, we invite your input and suggestions for making this a constructive and popular event.

**Advisory Panel Participant: Kristi Nelson in Oregon**
Stanford On The Moon Advisory Panel Participant Kristi Nelson is Dean and Professor in the Graduate School of Social Work at Portland University in Oregon. Kristi’s local Alumni Club has been hosting a popular series of speakers. Kristi plans to look into arranging an invitation for Bob Twiggs, Professor of Aeronautics/Astronautics, to speak to the club about cubesats and the Stanford Lunar Analysis Mission (SLAM) developed by Bob’s students through his Space Systems Engineering class.

**Advisory Panel Participant: Steve Durst in Hawaii**
Stanford On The Moon Founder and Advisory Panel Participant Steve Durst maintains the Hawaii Island office for Space Age Publishing Company in Kamuela, an hour’s drive to the 4,200 meter high summit of Mauna Kea where the astrophysical observatories are located. On Friday, 2 February, the Big Island Stanford Alumni Club will be hosting “Natural Energy Lab of Hawaii – What are those scientists up to?” Steve will be attending this event, with special focus on possible tie-ins to lunar research, as well as meeting fellow alums on the Big Island and introducing them to Stanford On The Moon.

Dear Stanford Community Friends and Colleagues,

The Stanford On The Moon 2006 Conference, which took place Friday, 13 October, was an outstanding event with an enthusiastic crowd of about 60 attendees, including Advisory Panel Participants Buzz Aldrin, Jim Michaelis, Umran Inan, Bob Twiggs, Josh Alwood, Steve Durst, Bruce Lusignan, and Michelle Gonella.

*Professor Bob Twiggs
*SLAM Challenge
*Professor Umran Inan
*Dr. Pete Worden, Director of NASA Ames Research Center
*Open Discussion: Fundraising and Infrastructure
*News Articles Regarding the Conference

Professor Bob Twiggs
The Stanford Lunar Analysis Mission (SLAM) was developed by Bob Twiggs’ students through his E235 course. Bob is recognized worldwide for his work with tiny satellites called cubesats. The small size of the cubesats, combined with the fact they are constructed from components readily available in most electronics stores, has allowed Bob to bring the excitement of satellite construction to students.

SLAM is designed for a lunar swing-by mission, utilizing six cubesats. Each cubesat can conduct an individual experiment as it travels around the Moon. Bob also presented a new innovation which he calls “Moonbeams.” Moonbeams are simple thermometer probes with individual Morse code signatures. The Moonbeams are basic enough to be constructed in elementary school classrooms and launched with the cubesats. A follow up field trip to the Dish would allow the elementary school students to hear their own, individual Moonbeam as it made its historic journey.

If you are interested in further information about Bob Twiggs’ cubesat work and how you can you can offer your support to the Stanford Lunar Analysis Mission, you may contact him at Bob.Twiggs@stanford.edu.

SLAM Challenge
Bob has challenged us to find the funding to realize this exciting mission. Other universities are vying for the opportunity to work with Bob, and a lunar mission is obviously the most attractive possibility at this time. It is vital that we move forward immediately if we are to see Stanford University be the first academic institution to reach the Moon.

Professor Umran Inan
Umran Inan, a professor in the electrical engineering department, studies events which occur in Earth’s electromagnetosphere. These types of events are referred to by such names as “Sprites” and “Elves.” They occur above the clouds as great fields of illumination and are best analyzed through very low frequency observation from remote areas.

Antarctica is an important platform for observing these events and, since Antarctica is also recognized as a lunar analog, SOM approached Umran regarding his research. We were all very pleased to find that the Moon would be an excellent new platform for this type of observation. In fact, observation from the Moon would allow the analysis of a whole host of waves which travel out into space and have not been observed before. Umran already has equipment which could fly as a science payload on one of the SLAM cubesats and allow further investigation of our own planet.

If you are interested in further information regarding Umran Inan’s research, you may contact him at Inan@stanford.edu.

Dr. Pete Worden, Director of NASA Ames Research Center
Dr. Worden seamlessly related NASA’s plans for the return to the Moon with SLAM. He emphasized that NASA anticipates numerous small, low-cost satellite missions which will conduct analysis of the lunar surface. He also noted that NASA is “open for business” with academic institutions and entrepreneurial efforts, suggesting a host of partnering possibilities. Dr. Worden also affirmed NASA’s high regard for Bob Twiggs’ innovative work, adding that NASA satellites typically range from $100-700 million while Bob launches cubesats into Earth orbit for roughly $65,000 and expects the entire Stanford Lunar Analysis Mission of six cubesats to cost about $5 million.

Open Discussion: Fundraising and Infrastructure
The final presentation of the 2006 Conference was our open discussion led by Christine Jeffers of Brakeley Briscoe, Inc. With attendee enthusiasm riding high, everyone joined in with ideas and suggestions for realizing our first lunar mission.

As noted in the “Infrastructure Considerations” document, the alumni club called “Stanford On The Moon” is not allowed to engage in fundraising, pursuant to university policy. A separate 501(c)(3), should we choose to establish one, would not be allowed to use the Stanford name or any of the trademarked symbols or names relating to the university. A research center or lab on campus would be another possible goal for facilitating the mission, however it may take several years to reach that point.

Some of the attendee suggestions were:
1. The Stanford On The Moon Alumni Club should partner with an outside, established 501(c)(3).
2. Graduate students could be recruited from the international arena to facilitate the mission.
3. An existing Center might be directed toward lunar research.
4. Organize a student club which could fundraise and donate directly to Bob Twiggs’ Space Systems Development Lab.
5. A joint center with Stanford could be developed at NASA.
6. Alumni could step in and participate in the mission.

News Articles Regarding the Conference
Here are links to news articles about the 2006 Conference:

http://www.stanford.edu/dept/news/pr/2006/pr-moon-101806.html

http://www.paloaltoonline.com/news/show_story.php?id=3895

http://chronicle.com/news/article/1140/stanford-alumni-plan-lunar-presence-for-university-by-2015

http://kcbs.com/pages/112445.php?contentType=4&contentId=228140

Preparations for the 2006 Conference are well underway and we are excited about new opportunities to meet alumni interested in 21st Century possibilities for Stanford University and a pioneering role in the return to the Moon:

*Stanford On The Moon 2006 Conference
*Speakers and Special Guests
*Stanford Lunar Analysis Mission (SLAM)
*Meeting with Aero/Astro Department Chair Professor Brian Cantwell
*Meeting with Senior Associate Dean for the School of Engineering Laura Breyfogle

*Stanford On The Moon 2006 Conference
Our 2006 Conference will take place on Friday, 13 October 2006 at 3:00 5:00 on Stanford Campus. (We will be advised which lecture hall will be available for the Conference after the students return for Fall classes and will notify everyone of the exact location then.) This year we will be looking at student cubesat initiatives and the value of small satellites, not only as learning tools, but as vehicles for serious science.

*Speakers and Special Guests
Professor Bob Twiggs, known internationally for his pioneering work with cubesats, will speak to us about cubesats at Stanford and the Stanford Lunar Analysis Mission (SLAM) which has developed from his E235 course. An invitation to speak has also been extended to a special guest from NASA Ames Research Center, as well as Stanford professors who are interested in participating in SLAM. We are also most happy to announce that we will be joined again this year by Stanford Alumnus Astronaut Bill Fisher, who made his record long-duration spacewalk while serving as mission specialist on STS-51I, aboard Space Shuttle Discovery.

*Stanford Lunar Analysis Mission (SLAM)
If you haven’t visited the Stanford On The Moon website lately, then you may not have seen our new link for SLAM. The Stanford Lunar Analysis Mission (SLAM) was designed through Bob Twiggs’ E235 class and comprises six cubesats (10 cm cubic satellites) which would loop around the Moon. Each cubesat could carry an individual science payload, allowing participation by researchers in several disciplines.

Students Josh Alwood, Forrest Hetherington and Katie Davis have produced a proposal of professional quality, outlining budgetary information, infrastructure to support mission development, and timelines for an early launch. SLAM is clearly one more example of the cutting edge work being done on campus and the focused approach of Stanford students.

SLAM is a low cost, high profile mission which can be realized in the near term. It invites interdisciplinary participation and involvement by the entire Stanford community.

*Meeting with Aero/Astro Department Chair Professor Brian Cantwell
On 18 July, Professor Bob Twiggs, Steve Durst and Michelle Gonella met with Aero/Astro Department Chair Brian Cantwell to discuss the Stanford Lunar Analysis Mission (SLAM) which has been designed by Bob’s E235 class. Professor Cantwell felt that the project was very interesting and technologically feasible for realization through the Space Systems Development Lab. He is continuing to assess SLAM through discussions with his colleagues and we look forward to meeting with him again in the near future.

*Meeting with Senior Associate Dean for the School of Engineering Laura Breyfogle
Steve Durst, Michelle Gonella, Tom Maravilla of the Alumni Center, and Brakeley Briscoe consultant Christine Jeffers met with School of Engineering External Relations Senior Associate Dean Laura Breyfogle on 30 August. Laura provided us with valuable insight as to priorities and fundraising policies. It was also exciting and informative to hear about future plans for the School of Engineering and for Stanford University.

Please let us know if you are planning to join us at the Stanford On The Moon 2006 Conference. We look forward to working together to realize 21st Century goals at Stanford University.

Dear Stanford Community Colleagues and Friends:

2006 has brought new opportunities, new connections, and new possibilities for Stanford University to take a pioneering role in the return to the Moon:

*Stanford On The Moon Joins With Alumni Association
*Preparations For 2006 Conference
*Stanford Lunar Analysis Mission (SLAM)
*New NASA Ames Director Pete Worden At ISDC
*Meeting With Susan Weinstein, Director of Business Development
*Meeting With Umran Inan, Professor of Electrical Engineering
*New Additions to Advisory Panel

*Stanford On The Moon Joins With Alumni Association
One of the most exciting steps we recently have made has been our meeting with representatives of the Stanford Alumni Association Tom Maravilla and Raphe Beck. Tom and Raphe expressed their enthusiasm and interest in working with us to formalize a Stanford Alumni Association club with a dynamic purpose and international scope. Paperwork has been submitted and we hope that you will be able to find us soon on the Stanford Alumni Association website.

As an officially sanctioned club, we will have access to a more extensive communications system through the SAA, as well as a broader choice of venues for future conferences. We are also in the process of arranging a meeting in support of the Stanford Lunar Analysis Mission which will include representatives from the SAA, as well as upper administration from the Engineering Department.

*Preparations For 2006 Conference
Stanford On The Moon is gearing up for the 2006 Conference, which will be held during the Reunion Homecoming on 12-15 October 2006. Last year’s event introduced the initiative to alumni returning to Stanford for Reunion festivities. This year, working with the Alumni Center, we plan to broaden outreach and meet more interested alumni than ever before.

Please contact us with your ideas for the 2006 Conference and watch for future announcements of time, date and location. We hope to see you there!

*Stanford Lunar Analysis Mission (SLAM)
If you haven’t visited the Stanford On The Moon website lately, then you may not have seen our new link for SLAM. The Stanford Lunar Analysis Mission (SLAM) was designed through Bob Twiggs’ E235 class and comprises six cubesats (10 cm cubic satellites) which would loop around the Moon. Each cubesat could carry an individual science payload, allowing participation by researchers in several disciplines.

Students Josh Alwood, Forrest Hetherington and Katie Davis have produced a proposal of professional quality, outlining budgetary information, infrastructure to support mission development, and timelines for an early launch. SLAM is clearly one more example of the cutting edge work being done on campus and the focused approach of Stanford students.

SLAM is a low cost, high profile mission which can be realized in the near term. It invites interdisciplinary participation and involvement by the entire Stanford community.

*New NASA Ames Director Pete Worden At ISDC
NASA Ames Research Center’s new director, Pete Worden, spoke at the International Space Development Conference (ISDC) during lunch on Sunday, 7 May in Los Angeles. Steve Durst was attending the conference and had the opportunity to speak with Dr. Worden, who acknowledged the Stanford On The Moon initiative.

Pete Worden was named Center Director of NASA Ames Research Center on 21 April. He has a Ph.D. in astronomy and, following his Air Force career, was a professor at the University of Arizona. Dr. Worden received the NASA Outstanding Leadership Medal for his direction of the 1994 Clementine lunar probe mission and has a continuing interest in lunar development, including lunar-based astronomy and property rights issues.

*Meeting With Susan Weinstein, Director of Business Development
In March, Steve Durst, Michelle Gonella and Brakeley Briscoe consultant Christine Jeffers had the pleasure of meeting with Stanford’s Director of Business Development, Susan Weinstein, and her staff. Susan was very generous with her time and offered advice for successfully interfacing with the University through the Alumni Association as well as through individual schools within the University. Much thanks to Susan, not only for her excellent recommendations, but also for her interest in lunar exploration opportunities for Stanford.

*Meeting With Umran Inan, Professor of Electrical Engineering
Umran Inan connected with Stanford On The Moon through the Interdepartmental Lunar Network located on our website. His research focuses on ionospheric and magnetospheric physics, much of which is conducted from Antarctica. Noting analogous aspects between Antarctica and the lunar surface, Umran and his colleagues joined us for a most informative and interesting meeting.

We would strongly encourage interested persons to check the VLF Group website and learn about the significant work that Stanford has been accomplishing in Antarctica for many years. We have had some discussions as to the VLF Group flying a science payload on SLAM and hope to work with Umran and his colleagues in the near future.

*New Additions To The Advisory Panel
Two new additions to the Stanford On The Moon Advisory Panel are Professor Robert Twiggs (’63 MS), who teaches E235 and runs the Space and Systems Development Laboratory, and Jim Michaelis (’60 AB), who is Senior Partner at the law firm of Michaelis, Montanari & Johnson in Southern California and has volunteered his time to work with us.

We are very grateful that both Bob and Jim have agreed to join us as Advisory Panel Participants and look forward to our continued work together for 21st Century possibilities for Stanford University.

Following the 2005 Conference, Executive Breakfast Meeting, and Stanford In France 6 Reunion, the Stanford On The Moon initiative gained significant momentum toward becoming a nonprofit corporation, including forming a Board of Directors. Meetings are projected to develop a formal relationship with the Administration of Stanford University, with the advice of our management consultants.

*Board Of Directors Developing Recommendations Requested
*Stanford Alumnus Attorney Jim Michaelis Overseeing 501(c)(3)
*Advisory Panel Moving To Quarterly Meetings
*Brakeley / Briscoe To Consult On Outreach To Administration
*Interdepartmental Lunar Network Gains Three New Participants
*E235 Moving Forward Under Direction Of Bob Twiggs
*Stanford Magazine Class Notes Cite Conference Speakers

*Board of Directors Developing Recommendations Requested
Stanford On The Moon’s transition to an independent nonprofit corporation will formalize an infrastructure and enable fundraising activities necessary to advance the initiative’s 2015 goal of realizing a significant Stanford presence on the lunar surface. The following individuals have accepted positions on the Board of Directors: Bruce Lusignan, Daniel Kraft, Kristine Nelson, and Steve Durst. Invitations have been extended and are currently being considered by other participants. We hope to fill either one or three positions at this time.

Stanford On The Moon invites recommendations for potential Founding Directors and asks interested persons to contact us regarding serving on the Board. Meetings are usually conducted via telephone conference so that location is not a factor in participation. We anticipate a time commitment of approximately two hours per month. Providing leadership as a member of this Founding Board of Directors will be a personally rewarding experience, as well as an opportunity to work with others who seek to enhance the lives of all people through advancing technology and resource development.

*Stanford Alumnus Attorney Jim Michaelis Overseeing 501(c)(3)
Proper oversight of the legal aspects of nonprofit incorporation for Stanford On The Moon will be imperative to the continuing success and momentum of the initiative. We were delighted and honored to hear from Class of 1960 alumnus Jim Michaelis, who is Senior Partner of Michaelis, Montanari & Johnson, a southern California firm which specializes in Aviation and Space Law. Jim has volunteered his services for the incorporation of the Stanford On The Moon initiative and has been working closely with us over the last two months. Jim is a pleasure to work with and we would like to express our sincerest thanks for his commitment to 21 Century possibilities for Stanford University.

*Advisory Panel Moving To Quarterly Meetings
The Stanford On The Moon Advisory Panel, which has convened monthly to provide ideas and feedback during the formative period prior to the 2005 Conference, will meet on a quarterly basis during 2006 and provide input and advice in support of the Board of Directors. The next meeting will take place in March or April 2006.

*Brakeley / Briscoe To Consult On Outreach To Administration
Management consulting firm Brakeley Briscoe, with whom we worked successfully in preparation for the 2005 Conference, will be working with us again to develop the strategy and presentation needed to successfully present the Stanford On The Moon initiative to the University’s administration and formalize our relationship with Stanford.

*Interdepartmental Lunar Network Gains Three New Participants
A new call for participants in the Interdepartmental Lunar Network was made just prior to the close of 2005. New participants include Umran Inan, Professor of Electrical Engineering, Chris Jacobs, Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering and of Orthopedic Surgery, as well as Lewis M. Terman Professor Emeritus Ronald Bracewell. Professor Bracewell is also involved in a grassroots effort to save five 60’ antenna dishes and has an online petition for signatures. We encourage you to review and, if appropriate, sign the online petition at Friends of Bracewell.

*E235 Moving Forward Under Direction Of Bob Twiggs
The E235 class, previously taught by Bruce Lusignan, is offered this quarter and next under the guidance of Professor Bob Twiggs. Students of E235 are working either on a rover mission, which will culminate in a balloon drop in Nevada later this year, or on a lunar cubesat mission. Michelle Gonella met with E235 on 17 January and enjoyed presentations about both projects, as well as offering some thoughts on possible fundraising issues.

Steve Durst and Michelle Gonella met with the lunar cubesat students on 26 January for a detailed overview of their work for the next two quarters. The students are pursuing their project as a vendor client scenario, with Stanford On The Moon as the potential client. Meetings and reports have been scheduled, with the final result expected to be the development of a viable mission which could be realized by Stanford On The Moon. Members of the Advisory Panel may also be asked to attend certain meetings to help determine optimum science payloads and opportunities for interdisciplinary interaction.

*Stanford Magazine Class Notes Cite Conference Speakers
Stanford Magazine’s January / February 2006 edition included an enthusiastic mention in the 1965 Class Notes, authored by Joan Ferguson Peck. Joan included the names and class years of our outstanding speakers: Marcie Smith, MS ’82; Alan Marty, MA ’84, MBA ’84, and Astronaut Bill Fisher, Class of 1968. Thank you, Joan, for your support of Stanford On The Moon.

Subject: Stanford On The Moon: 2005 Conference

Dear Stanford Community Colleagues and Friends:

The Stanford On The Moon 2005 Conference, which took place 21 October 2005, was attended by over 60 presenters and participants. The personal invitations which were sent to alumni attending the Reunion Homecoming introduced the initiative to many new participants and contributed to a substantial alumni presence. This report will be transmitted to over 150 individuals who have contacted us to express interest in the Stanford On The Moon alumni initiative since its inception at the 2000 Homecoming Reunion.

*Speakers

Steve Durst greeted the participants and recounted the genesis of the Stanford On The Moon concept and its relationship to the Class of 1965, the Overseas Studies Program and the 2000 Reunion Homecoming. Steve also discussed working with Brakeley Briscoe Management Consulting over the course of the last year to facilitate planning infrastructure and fundraising to support a lunar mission.

Marcie Smith, a Mission Manager from NASA Ames Research Center, presented an interesting insider perspective on Lunar Prospector and the upcoming robotic missions to the Moon planned as part of the Vision for Space Exploration. NASA Ames will be playing a highly significant role in the Robotic Lunar Exploration Program (RLEP).

Alan Marty of JPMorgan Partners detailed funding for space exploration and research from an investment perspective. His presentation, Commercializing Space, explained the concepts of collaborative technology development between public entities, such as NASA, and private industry. Entrepreneurial space companies, such as Scaled Composites, SpaceDev, Inc., tSpace and Bigelow Aero, develop new products which have commercial potential as well as benefits for NASA. Alan then touched on the threshold for commercial financing, pointing out normal risk mitigation factors, such as market risk, technology risk and management risk, as well as the more illusive financing risk mitigation factors such as follow-on financing risk and exit risk.

*Introduction of Special Guests

Michelle Gonella, Class of 1981, introduced the members of the Advisory Panel who were able to attend the 2005 Conference: Josh Alwood, Class of 2004, Grant Anderson, Class of 1985, Steve Durst, Class of 1965, Daniel Kraft, Class of 1996, Bruce Lusignan, Class of 1968, Jim McCotter, Class of 1965 and Kristi Nelson, Class of 1965. She then introduced our special guest for the Conference, Astronaut Alumnus William F. Fisher, M.D., Class of 1968, who flew Space Shuttle Discovery in 1985 and made the longest duration spacewalk to date. Steve Durst then announced special guest, Professor Narendra Bhandari, who serves on the Science Advisory Board at the Physical Research Laboratory for the Indian Space Research Organization. Also in attendance was Joan Peck, Class Notes reporter for the Class of 1965, who has lent substantial support for Stanford On The Moon by keeping her class up to date on new developments through Class Notes.

*Presentation by Professor Bruce Lusignan: Template for International Development of a Lunar Base by Space Systems Engineering 235

Professor Bruce Lusignan has been teaching EE235 for 20 years, inspiring students to examine the possibilities for international cooperative development and exploration of space. Bruce demonstrated to the participants that, while individual space agencies demand increased funding to pursue off-Earth development, an international cooperative effort could realize a substantial lunar base by 2015 utilizing current budgets. Bruce also showed a development timeline from 2010 2015 which delineated the infrastructure and supply lines which would support a growing Moon facility. Over one-half of the attendees made special requests to obtain a copy of Bruce’s presentation.

*Open Discussion of Long Term Goals for 2015 and Intermediary Goals for 2010

Open Discussion was facilitated by Christine Jeffers of Brakeley Briscoe Fundraising and Management Consultants. The extraordinary level of participation by alumni from very diverse backgrounds evidenced the general enthusiasm for 21st Century possibilities for a Stanford lunar presence.

Six brief descriptions of potential missions were provided to the participants in their Conference Programs. A show of hands indicated extremely strong support for a human presence on the Moon by the year 2015. Strong support was also shown for science on the Moon, by the emplacement of a robotic lunar observatory, and the study of physiological and psychological factors through space biology studies and a Biosphere/Closed Environment Life Support Systems (CELSS) project. Stanford has already made its mark in space biology research, providing a strong base for future efforts. Other missions under consideration include an Apollo 8-style lunar swing-by flight, possibly tying into commercial space tourism, and live feed video of EarthRise, potentially delivered by TransOrbital’s TrailBlazer, the first fully licensed commercial lunar orbiter.

Alumni recommended a live webcam be utilized on any mission, with possible commercial use or partnership with a commercial entity. It was also determined that the “Beat Cal!” slogan within sight of the webcam (as championed by spirited Class of 1965 alumnus Bill Brown) would enhance any science!

Bruce Lusignan pointed out that launch vehicles in Russia were available for hire. Alumni followed this recommendation by noting that truly multidisciplinary support at the University might include Stanford’s substantial political, legal and management resources.

Grant Anderson suggested that a very powerful inspirational image would be that of something growing on the lunar surface, which may be possible through use of a designer plant organism already developed for experimental purposes. Ecosystem-minded alumni cautioned that any transfer of life to the lunar surface must be evaluated for its tendency to spread and strictly controlled.

NASA scientist Sean Casey suggested a sample return mission, and the possibility of bringing pristine rocks back from the Moon.

Alan Marty believed that, from a financing perspective, robotic or biology-focused missions would be the most accessible, as they are close to venture capital interests.

It was agreed that the mission(s) must be goal-oriented and a formal business plan should be developed. Fundraising by solicitation for charitable purposes would require a 501(c)(3) (nonprofit status), but there may also be the possibility of creating a commercial entity and leveraging both.

Participants keenly interested in further involvement were encouraged to attend a morning coffee / meeting at 8:00 Saturday, 22 October.

*TransOrbital’s TrailBlazer

Dennis Laurie, President of TransOrbital, offered a brief talk on TrailBlazer, the first fully licensed commercial lunar mission. TrailBlazer is a lunar orbiter which will create highly detailed maps of the lunar surface and transmit live feed video of EarthRise.

*Closing Comments

Steve Durst made closing comments, focusing on the exciting start of this long range project with true 21st Century prospects for Stanford University and the Overseas Studies Program over the next 100 years.

*Saturday Morning Planning Session

The following morning, Saturday 22 October, eight participants gathered to discuss new directions identified through the 2005 Conference. Kristi Nelson, Jim McCotter, Steve Durst, Daniel Kraft, Josh Alwood, Michelle Gonella, Bruce Lusignan and Bill Fisher addressed questions of developing of a Mission Statement for a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, technical feasibility issues relating to suggested Stanford lunar missions, and interface with Stanford’s administration to formalize the relationship between the university and Stanford On The Moon alumni initiative. Strong support was shown for missions that would be indigenous, Stanford-brand missions, possibly integrating current space biology efforts.

*Stanford In France 6 Reunion
The Stanford On The Moon alumni initiative was further advanced during the Stanford In France 6 Reunion, which brought together adventurous Class of 1965 alumni for a brunch on Sunday morning.

Dear Stanford Community Colleagues and Friends:

As we prepare for the 2005 Conference:
*Stanford On The Moon 2005 Conference – CHANGE OF LOCATION
*Alumni Reservations for 2005 Conference Exceed Expectations
*NASA’s Marcie Smith to Deliver Keynote
*Alan Marty of JPMorgan Partners on Investment in Nanotechnology
*Professor Bruce Lusignan Presents a Template for Lunar Development by Space Systems Engineering 235
*Special Guest: Stanford Alumni Astronaut William F. Fisher, MD
*Best Wishes From Buzz and Lois Aldrin / President Hennessy
*Stanford In France Mini-reunion

*Stanford On The Moon 2005 Conference:
The Stanford On The Moon 2005 Conference will take place Friday, 21 October 2005 from 3:00-5:00 p.m. in the Clubhouse Ballroom at Old Union, right next door to Tresidder. The significant response to invitations issued to Reunion Homecoming participants increased our reservations beyond that which could be accommodated at Tresidder, but we are happy to announce that we have found a larger venue at Old Union. Click on the above link for a map.

*Alumni Reservations for 2005 Conference Exceed Expectations:
The personal invitations extended to alumni attending the Homecoming Reunion were clearly appreciated. The response has been extraordinary. We have been asked to make over 70 alumni reservations to date, bringing total reservations for the event to over 100. Even more exciting, attendees at the 2005 Conference can expect to see alumni representing 50 years -- close to half a century at Stanford. We were also happy to see reservations for entire families, as well as groups of friends who wanted to attend together. We look forward to meeting everyone!

*NASA’s Marcie Smith To Deliver Keynote:
The 2005 Conference will open with a keynote from NASA’s Marcie Smith: Marcie came to NASA Ames Research Center in 1980. She earned her MS at Stanford in Aeronautics and Astronautics while at Ames in 1982, and has worked in the Space Projects Division since arriving at Ames, focusing on spacecraft operations. She was the operations manager for the first competitively-selected Discovery mission, Lunar Prospector, which orbited the moon from 1998 through July 1999. From 2000 through 2004, Marcie was the Operations Manager for Stanford's Gravity Probe B mission to test the general theory of relativity.

*Alan Marty of JPMorgan Partners on Investment in Nanotechnology:
Alan Marty is responsible for driving JPMorgan Partners’ investments in the nanotechnology arena. Alan has been an Associate Professor in Materials Science at Silliman University, served as a White House Fellow in 1989, and held significant positions with Hewlett Packard and Agilent Technologies. Alan received his MBA at Stanford University.

*Professor Bruce Lusignan Presents a Template for Lunar Development:
Bruce Lusignan’s Space Systems Engineering Class 235 created a template for lunar development on an international level, identifying goals and milestones which allow involvement over a wide range of financial and technological capabilities. This innovative template will be presented to demonstrate the scope and sophistication possible in construction of a lunar base over a five year period, utilizing the same financing already allocated to the space agencies.

*Special Guest, Stanford Alumni Astronaut William F. Fisher, MD:
William F. Fisher received his AB from Stanford in 1968 and did graduate work in biology and engineering, as well as earning a medical doctorate. He was selected by NASA in 1980 and has logged over 170 hours in space, including 11 hours and 52 minutes of Extra Vehicular Activity. We will be introducing Dr. Fisher during the first half of the Conference and are very grateful for his interest in Stanford On The Moon.

*Best Wishes from Buzz and Lois Aldrin / President Hennessy:
Advisory Panel Participants Buzz and Lois Aldrin called with regrets that they will not be able to attend the 2005 Conference. Buzz mentioned that Lois has many dear friends in the Stanford area and always enjoys coming out to visit, however the high profile couple has commitments abroad on the 21st of October. Buzz and Lois do send their best wishes for a lively and productive Conference and look forward to a complete briefing on new initiatives and further developments for Stanford On The Moon. In response to an invitation to attend the Stanford On The Moon 2005 Conference, Stanford’s President John Hennessy also sends regrets that he must be at another location, but offers best wishes for a successful event.

*Stanford In France Mini-reunion:
Jim McCotter has been hard at work coordinating a special mini-reunion for Stanford In France VI. The Overseas Studies Program was a significant inspiration for the Stanford On The Moon initiative, and it will be great to reconnect with all the classmates who made Stanford In France VI so special.

Please make plans to participate in the 2005 Stanford On The Moon Conference on Friday afternoon, October 21. Many of your class mates and colleagues will be on campus for the Homecoming Reunion, Mini-Reunions, and Conference. So please join us for an enjoyable and interesting look into 21st Century plans for lunar exploration and utilization at Stanford University.
Best wishes,

Steve Durst, Class of 1965
Michelle Gonella, Class of 1981
Stanford On The Moon
480 California Avenue
Palo Alto, CA 94306
650-324-3705
fax: 650-324-3716
stanfordonthemoon@spaceagepub.com

Stanford On The Moon is an alumni initiative conceived by members of the Class of 1965 and partially inspired by the Stanford’s Overseas Study Program. Since its inception at the 2000 Homecoming Reunion, this initiative has brought together professors, students, alumni and interested members of the community in support of a significant lunar presence for Stanford University by the year 2015.

Subject: Stanford On The Moon, July / August Update

Dear Stanford Community Colleagues and Friends:

As we prepare for the 2005 Conference:
*Stanford On The Moon 2005 Conference
*Alumni Reservations for 2005 Conference Exceed Expectations
*NASA’s Marcie Smith to Deliver Keynote
*Advisory Panel Named
*First Meeting of Advisory Panel
*New Advisory Panel Members
*Presentation by EE Class Provides Template for International Lunar Settlement
*Stanford In France Mini-reunion

*Stanford On The Moon 2005 Conference:
The Stanford On The Moon 2005 Conference will take place Friday, 21 October 2005 from 3:00-5:00 p.m. on Stanford campus. We have sent out almost 1,200 personal invitations to the many alumni who will be on campus for the Homecoming Reunion. Please be sure to invite your fellow classmates to join us, as well. This will be a key meeting for identification of goals and directions for Stanford On The Moon, as well as infrastructure and organization development.

*Alumni Reservations for 2005 Conference Exceed Expectations:
The personal invitations extended to alumni attending the Homecoming Reunion were clearly appreciated. The response has been extraordinary. We have been asked to make nearly 70 reservations to date, bringing total reservations for the event close to 100. Even more exciting, attendees at the 2005 Conference can expect to see alumni representing 50 years -- close to half a century at Stanford. We were also happy to see reservations for entire families, as well as groups of friends who wanted to attend together. We look forward to meeting everyone!

*NASA’s Marcie Smith To Deliver Keynote:
The 2005 Conference will open with a keynote from NASA’s Marcie Smith: Marcie came to NASA Ames Research Center in 1980. She earned her MS at Stanford in Aeronautics and Astronautics while at Ames in 1982, and has worked in the Space Projects Division since arriving at Ames, focusing on spacecraft operations. She was the operations manager for the first competitively-selected Discovery mission, Lunar Prospector, which orbited the moon from 1998 through 1999. From 2000 through 2004, Marcie was the Operations Manager for Stanford's Gravity Probe B mission to test the general theory of relativity.

*Advisory Panel Named:
The Stanford On The Moon Advisory Panel has been initiated with nine members already working together to help frame the initiative and related goals. Advisory Panel participants include Class of 1965 members Steve Durst, Kristi Nelson, and Jim McCotter, alumnus and current student Joshua S. Alwood, Daniel Kraft of the National Center for Space Biological Technologies, Professors Bruce Lusignan and Mark Cappelli, alumna and Space Generation founder Loretta Hidalgo, and alumna Michelle Gonella. An Advisory Panel page will appear on the website shortly with biographical sketches of the members.

*First Advisory Panel Meeting:
The Advisory Panel convened, for the first time, on 12 July 2005. The Panel was asked to consider the Mission Statement for Stanford On The Moon, as well as potential 21st century goals for 2015 and intermediary goals for 2010. The Panel also discussed possibilities for affiliation or partnership with NASA, the Overseas Studies Program, and other academic institutions, as well as commercial space entrepreneurs and international partners. The discussion of a 2015 goal considered a collaborative human mission, a collaborative robotic mission, and a human orbital mission. Enthusiasm was also voiced for the cube-sat (small satellite) lunar regatta.

*New Advisory Panel Members:
Stanford On The Moon is honored to welcome alumna Lois Driggs Aldrin, and her husband Buzz Aldrin (Apollo 11 astronaut, first mission to the Moon), to the Advisory Panel. We very much appreciate the interest and participation of this very special couple.

*EE Class Presentation Provides Template for International Lunar Settlement:
Bruce Lusignan’s Space Systems Engineering Class presented their final project on the evening of 8 June 2005. Steve Durst and Michelle Gonella attended and were very impressed by the scope and innovation of the model. The model, which will be reviewed by the Advisory Panel for the next meeting, creates a time-line for development of a lunar settlement over the course of five years, 2010 - 2015. Conceived as an international effort, there are possibilities for involvement over a wide range of financial and technological capabilities.

*Stanford In France Mini-reunion:
Jim McCotter has been hard at work coordinating a special mini-reunion for Stanford In France VI. The Overseas Studies Program was a significant inspiration for the Stanford On The Moon initiative, and it will be great to reconnect with all the classmates who made Stanford In France VI so special.

Please make plans to participate in the 2005 Stanford On The Moon Conference on Friday afternoon, October 21. Many of your class mates and colleagues will be on campus for the Homecoming Reunion, Mini-Reunions, and Conference. So please join us for an enjoyable and interesting look into the future of lunar exploration and utilization for Stanford University.

Best wishes,

Steve Durst, Class of 1965
Michelle Gonella, Class of 1981
Stanford On The Moon
220 California Avenue
Palo Alto, CA 94306
650-324-3705
fax: 650-324-3716
stanfordonthemoon@spaceagepub.com

Stanford On The Moon is an alumni initiative conceived by members of the Class of 1965 and partially inspired by the Stanford’s Overseas Study Program. Since its inception at the 2000 Homecoming Reunion, this initiative has brought together professors, students, alumni and interested members of the community in support of a significant lunar presence for Stanford University by the year 2015.

Subject: Stanford On The Moon, May / June Update

Dear Stanford Community Colleagues and Friends:

As we prepare for the 2005 Conference:
*Stanford On The Moon 2005 Conference
*Interdepartmental Lunar Network Expands
*Keeping in touch with Stanford University President John Hennessy
*Meeting at Alumni Center
*Keeping in touch with the Overseas Studies Program
*Visit to Stanford Program in Beijing
*Brakeley Briscoe Consultants / Development of Advisory Panel
*Stanford In France Mini-reunion
*Class Notes for 1965

*Stanford On The Moon 2005 Conference:
The Stanford On The Moon 2005 Conference will take place Friday, 21 October 2005 from 3:00-5:00 p.m. in the Cypress Room at Tresidder Memorial Union on Stanford Campus. We have sent out almost 1,200 personal invitations to the many alumni who will be on campus for the Homecoming Reunion. Please be sure to invite your fellow classmates to join us, as well. This will be a key year for identification of goals and directions for Stanford On The Moon, as well as infrastructure and organization development.

*Interdepartmental Lunar Network Expands:
The Interdepartmental Lunar Network continues to grow and develop as a resource for cross-disciplinary lunar studies at Stanford. Several more researchers have contacted us with new entries for the Network. We have also gotten in touch with the National Center for Space Biological Technologies (NCSBT), which was formed in 2004 under a cooperative agreement between Stanford and NASA. They are developing autonomous payloads for supporting micro / small organisms and measuring the basic biological parameters (gene and protein expression, for example) aboard free flying satellites and future lunar lander or orbiter missions. The NCSBT appears under its own heading in the Network, as it is a multidisciplinary program.

*Keeping in touch with Stanford University President John Hennessy:
Three years ago the Stanford On The Moon Exploratory Committee met on campus and visited several relevant sites. An important stop was the office of President John L. Hennessy, where an informational packet was left for his review. Steve Durst wrote to President Hennessy just recently, to update him on the progress of Stanford On The Moon and obtain his recommendation for possible Conference speakers. President Hennessy replied with an encouraging note and some suggestions for speakers. We extend our thanks for President Hennessy’s time and interest.

*Meeting at Alumni Center:
Steve Durst and Michelle Gonella met with Steve Player, Director of Planned Giving, at the Stanford Alumni Center on 24 May. We introduced Steve to the Stanford On The Moon initiative and discussed our upcoming Conference. Steve was very enthusiastic and introduced us to Cristina Valdes Smith, who is the Class Alumni Relations Officer working with the Class of 1965 for the Homecoming Reunion. Cristina offered to list the Conference in two reunion event emails which she will be sending to the Class of 1965 during the next few months. It was a pleasure to meet Steve and Cristina, and we look forward to working with them in the future.

*Keeping in touch with the Overseas Studies Program (OSP):
The Overseas Studies Program was one of the most noteworthy inspirations for Stanford On The Moon. The Exploratory Committee met with Amos Nur in 2002 and introduced the Stanford On The Moon initiative. Following the recent announcement that Amos Nur will be leaving the OSP to pursue other interests, Steve Durst wrote to him to express our thanks for his support and to extend a personal invitation to the 2005 Conference. We plan to continue our relationship with the OSP and will soon be in touch with Amos Nur’s successor, Norman Naimark. We wish Amos Nur the best in his future endeavors.

*Visit to Stanford Program in Beijing:
Following communications and updates with President Hennessy and the OSP, Steve Durst was off to China for several meetings focused on international cooperation in space and lunar exploration. While staying in Beijing, Steve made a side trip to the Peking University (Beida) and, more specifically, to the Stanford Program in Beijing which just opened this past academic year. Jason Patent, alumnus and Director of OSP in Beijing, met with Steve to discuss the Stanford On The Moon initiative and receive one of our informational packets.

*Brakeley Briscoe / Development of Advisory Panel:
Our work with Brakeley Briscoe, Fundraising and Management Consultants, is moving along very well. At this time, we are in the process of identifying an Advisory Panel for the initiative.

*Stanford In France Mini-reunion:
Jim McCotter has been hard at work coordinating a special mini-reunion for Stanford In France VI. The Overseas Studies Program was a significant inspiration for the Stanford On The Moon initiative, and it will be great to reconnect with all the classmates who made Stanford In France VI so special.

*Class Notes for 1965:
As always, we thank Joan Peck for her Class Notes mentions in the most recent Stanford Magazine.

Please make plans to participate in the 2005 Stanford On The Moon Conference on Friday afternoon, October 21. Many of your classmates and colleagues will be on campus for the Homecoming Reunion, Mini-Reunions, and Conference. So please join us for an enjoyable and interesting look into the future of lunar exploration and utilization for Stanford University.

Best wishes,
Steve Durst, Class of 1965
Michelle Gonella, Class of 1981
Stanford On The Moon is an alumni initiative conceived by members of the Class of 1965 and partially inspired by the Stanford’s Overseas Study Program. Since its inception at the 2000 Homecoming Reunion, this initiative has brought together professors, students, alumni and interested members of the community in support of a significant lunar presence for Stanford University by the year 2015.

Dear Stanford Community Colleagues and Friends:

As we prepare for the 2005 Conference:
*Stanford On The Moon 2005 Conference
*Release of Interdepartmental Lunar Network
*KATYSat Letters of Introduction
*New Lunar Mission Possibilities
*Consulting with Brakeley Briscoe
*Class Notes for 1965
*Articles Sent To Us

*Stanford On The Moon 2005 Conference:
The Stanford On The Moon 2005 Conference will take place on Friday, 21 October 2005 from 3:00 5:00 p.m. in the Cypress Room at Tresidder Memorial Union on Stanford Campus. Coinciding with the Homecoming Reunion, alumni classes from years ending in a “0” or “5” will be on campus and invited to attend the 2005 Conference. Please be sure to invite your classmates to join us at the 2005 Conference. This will be a key year for infrastructure development and identification of goals and directions for Stanford On The Moon.

*Interdepartmental Lunar Network:
The Interdepartmental Lunar Network has been posted to the Stanford On The Moon website. The listings were received from professors and graduate students from whom we requested permission to post contact and project information. This resource will be a constantly evolving and growing archive and clearinghouse for lunar exploration and utilization research at the University. We will be continuing our efforts to encourage the participation of many more departments and programs at Stanford.

*KATYSat Letters of Introduction:
Stanford Professor Bob Twiggs’ class at NASA Ames is developing a satellite project with international educational possibilities. KATYSat will be designed, built, and tested at a local school and will circle the globe, making reports and delivering messages to K-12 schools across the country and around the world. Stanford On The Moon, in support of this significant effort, has sent letters of introduction to the Sacramento Alumni Club and to the Palo Alto Alumni Club, encouraging them to contact Bob for an overview presentation of KATYSat. We hope that both alumni clubs are able to invite Bob as a speaker, and encourage you to contact us if your local club might also be interested in meeting Bob.

*New Lunar Mission Possibilities:
Stanford On The Moon is currently working with local engineer Tomas Svitek to develop a no-frills lunar mission, currently under development as the “Minimal Lunar Orbiter.” The orbiter would capture images of the Earth and Moon throughout its mission, with particular emphasis on the Earthrise Image. We will keep everyone updated as further details of this potential mission become available.

*Consulting with Brakeley Briscoe:
The growth and progress of Stanford On The Moon has now reached a level at which we must take a serious look at infrastructure. We have contracted consulting services from Brakeley Briscoe, Fundraising and Management Consultants, with 80 years experience in non-profit organizations, both on a national and international level. We are working with consultant Abbie von Schlegell who is a Stanford alumna and has considerable experience fundraising within the Stanford community. With Abbie’s guidance, we will soon be arranging meetings with local venture philanthropists, examining public-private partnership opportunities, and initiating development of a Founding Board for Stanford On The Moon.

*Class Notes for 1965:
Thank you to Joan Peck for a wonderful mention of the 2005 Conference in Class Notes for the Class of 1965 in the most recent issue of the Stanford magazine. We are all looking forward to the Homecoming Reunion, the 2005 Conference, and the opportunity to see old friends and meet new ones.

*Articles Sent To Us:
Thank you to Chia Tze for sending the New York Times article about the upcoming conference for space entrepreneurs called “Flight School.” We are always very interested in seeing any information on lunar ventures, be it commercial or public sector.

Please make plans to join us Friday, October 21 for the 2005 Stanford On The Moon Conference. Many of your classmates and colleagues will be on campus for the Homecoming Reunion, Mini-Reunions, and Conference. So please join us for an enjoyable and interesting look into the future of lunar exploration and utilization for Stanford University.

Best wishes,

Steve Durst, Class of 1965
Michelle Gonella, Class of 1981

Dear Stanford Community Colleagues and Friends:

Stanford On The Moon moves into the New Year with:

* 2005 Conference
* Alumni Astronauts
* Thoughts On Lunar Utilization
* Space Systems Engineering 235
* Overseas Studies Program
* Lunar Cubesat Mission
* NASA Ames Holiday Party and Contacts
* Stanford In France VI Mini-Reunion

*2005 Conference
Date and location for the 2005 Conference have been finalized. The Conference will take place on Friday, 21 October 2005 from 3:00 5:00 p.m. in the Cypress Room at Tresidder Memorial Union on Stanford Campus. The Conference will coincide with the Homecoming Reunion, where alumni from class years ending in a “0” or “5” will be available to participate. This important conference marks the one-third point on the time line spanning Steve’s suggestion of Stanford On The Moon at the 2000 homecoming reunion and the goal of a lunar presence by the year 2015. While the Homecoming Reunion Weekend has a non-stop schedule of wonderful events, we have attempted to avoid time conflicts with the major events of the weekend, in the hope that interested alumni will be able to join us.

We are still in the process of arranging speakers for the event and hope to have local industry, alumni astronauts, university administration, the Overseas Studies Program, and other key members of the Stanford and space exploration communities represented. We will also be providing detailed updates about Stanford On The Moon’s interaction with classes currently underway at Stanford, including the cubesat project and Space Systems Engineering 235, as well as the development of a lunar-focused Interdepartmental Network / Center.

* Stanford alumni astronaut Dr. William Fisher
Following our last update, we were happy to hear from Stanford alumni astronaut Dr. William Fisher, who sent us an email advising us that he is planning on attending the 2005 Conference. We are all looking forward to meeting Dr. Fisher and thank him for his participation in Stanford On The Moon.

* System Design concepts for lunar utilization
Bill Kitchen, Class of 1962, emailed us some System Design concepts for lunar utilization, strongly emphasizing materials development on the Moon. Bill’s expertise, both in System Design and Communication (from his experience with The Chaparral), always stimulates new ideas and perspectives.

* Space Systems Engineering 235
We have also been working very closely with Professor Bruce Lusignan, who is teaching a two-quarter class entitled Space Systems Engineering 235. Bruce has integrated the Stanford On The Moon initiative into his syllabus and named Steve and Michelle as Study Team Members, along with Professor Leslie Wickman in Southern California, Professor Amalia Finze in Milan, Luca DaRosa in Turin, movie producer Sam Burdick and talk show host David Livingston. Steve and Michelle will be participating in the class’ Chapter V. Precursor Missions and Chapter VI. Promoting the International Moon Mission. We have already forwarded a link to direct the Study Team Members to the abstracts which were presented at the International Lunar Conference 6 in Udaipur, India last November. These abstracts represent the cutting edge of international lunar utilization and exploration.

* Overseas Studies Program
We are also looking at the opportunity to outreach to the Overseas Studies Program by examining the feasibility of offering engineering students the option of studying abroad. Engineering students have long been unable to enjoy the benefits of overseas studies due to the rigors of their scholastic schedules; however the Overseas Studies Program has just opened the program to students who are only able to spend one, rather than two, quarters abroad. Additionally, as pointed out by Bruce Lusignan, many of the classes are now available “on-line.” With the growing number of major space missions which are being developed cooperatively on a worldwide basis, it would be a great benefit to the space engineer of the future to have had firsthand experience working cross-culturally.

* Cubesat project
Professor Bob Twiggs and his class at NASA Ames are finalizing an article on the cubesat project for publication in the Stanford Alumni Magazine. The cubesat project creates an interface between Stanford students and local primary and secondary school students, which will enable them to actually build and launch satellites. The magazine article will be a precursor to fundraising among the Stanford alumni, in support of this exciting and worthy mission. Bob and his students have already completed an article on this project for publication in a technical journal.

* Annual Docent and Ames Education Team Holiday Party
During the latter part of December, Veronique Koken invited us to attend the Annual Docent and Ames Education Team Holiday Party at NASA as her guests. Steve Durst was in the Hawaii office at the time, so Michelle Gonella joined Veronique at NASA Ames’ very large and generous volunteer and employee party. We met with a number of NASA employees, including Mark Leon, the Robotics Department Manager. The concept of Stanford On The Moon generated a great deal of interest and it was a great time to meet people on an individual basis. Veronique continues to follow-up on introductions and connections at NASA, where she is working as volunteer docent.

* Stanford In France VI
Stanford In France VI was a key inspiration to Steve when the Stanford On The Moon initiative began to take shape. A Mini-Reunion for the Stanford In France VI alumni, who studied abroad during the Spring and Summer Quarters of 1963, is also being organized by Jim McCotter and Steve. The location for the Mini-Reunion will be near Stanford campus, and will be confirmed in the next Stanford On The Moon Update. The Mini-Reunion will likely take place on the evening of Saturday, 22 October.

Please make plans to join us Friday, October 21 for the 2005 Stanford On The Moon Conference. Many of your classmates and colleagues will be on campus for the Homecoming Reunion, Mini-Reunions, and Conference. So please join us for an enjoyable and interesting look into the future of lunar exploration and utilization for Stanford University.

Best wishes,

Steve Durst, Class of 1965
Michelle Gonella, Class of 1981

Subject: Your Input And Ideas Are Requested, Stanford On The Moon Update - 2005 Looking Forward

Dear Stanford Community Colleagues and Friends:

As 2004 draws to a close, we see the impetus of the Earth, Moon, Mars and Beyond Vision, announced last January, continue to stimulate growth within the private sector and at academic institutions around the world. Private human spaceflight was realized this year by SpaceShipOne, and those efforts continue to bear fruit in the many commercial space travel companies which are underway with their designs for paying passenger suborbital vehicles. Academic institutions are partnering with private companies, as well as national space agencies, to develop concepts and equipment which will be significant to the future of space exploration and lunar utilization.

Following the October 2004 Symposium, Stanford On The Moon began outreach to the eighteen astronauts who are alumni of Stanford University. This very select group of individuals includes currently active astronauts scheduled for International Space Station missions next year, retirees of the Astronaut Corp that are now active in NASA administration, and retirees who have gone on to pursue other professional goals. Almost immediately we received a friendly note from Dr. William Fisher, who earned his AB in Psychology at Stanford in 1968. Dr. Fisher was selected by NASA in 1980 and served as mission specialist on STS-51I in 1985, logging in over 170 hours in space which includes almost 12 hours of extravehicular activities (spacewalks). We are honored to welcome Dr. Fisher to the Stanford On The Moon project.

Late in October we were contacted by Rich Sugden, Class of 1965, who had met Steve in the Mojave Desert while attending the first flight of SpaceShipOne. Rich is on the Board of the X-Prize Foundation, which offered the $10 million prize won by SpaceShipOne for the first commercial flight into space. Rich has put us in touch with X-Prize Foundation President and Founder, Peter Diamandis, and we are working together to determine what possibilities may exist for interaction and cooperation between the X-Prize Foundation and Stanford On The Moon. The X-Prize Foundation has had a very significant effect in opening up commercial space travel and is currently involved with NASA’s Centennial Challenges Program. We look forward to future communication with this important foundation.

Steve Durst and Michelle Gonella met with Professor Bob Twiggs’ class at the start of December to work with them on the Stanford alumni lunar cubesat project. New developments in technology which allow for increased interaction and observation through the internet has made this small satellite project even more appealing as a preliminary lunar mission. We are in the process of developing an article for the Stanford Alumni Magazine with Professor Twiggs’ students. In this way, we will be able to introduce the entire alumni base to the Stanford alumni lunar cubesat project.

Josh Alwood, Class of 2004, is working with us to develop an Interdepartmental Lunar Network / Center on campus an idea he presented at the Symposium. This resource would link the various departments currently involved with lunar / space exploration to support an interdisciplinary methodology, perhaps even fostering new ideas for compatible research projects throughout the university. Professor Bruce Lusignan is working with Josh and providing faculty support for this important resource. We thank Josh and Bruce for their efforts.

Dana Mackenzie, science journalist and author of “The Big Splat, or How Our Moon Came to Be,” attended the Symposium as a Friend of Stanford On The Moon. Shortly thereafter, Dana was interviewed on BBC for a show called “The Naked Scientists” and talked about the return to the Moon. In conjunction with his interview, Dana has written a powerful and informative editorial which is a pleasure to read and can be accessed at: http://www.thenakedscientists.com/html/columnists/danamackenziecolumn1.htm.

Veronique Koken, another Symposium attendee and Friend of Stanford On The Moon, has also been in contact, forwarding information and articles. Veronique looks forward to working with Stanford On The Moon and will be helping us coordinate the 2005 Conference.

Planning for the Stanford On The Moon Conference, which will take place during the homecoming reunion celebration next October, is well underway. Our 2005 Conference will highlight connections with the corporate high tech community which has developed around Stanford University and which continues to play an ever increasing role in space exploration. Invitations to speak are being extended to several Stanford alumni / Silicon Valley leaders. As well, we are initiating outreach efforts toward the administration and athletic department of the University and hope to have both of these significant elements of the Stanford community represented at the Conference.

Stanford On The Moon is also involved with plans for hosting a Class of 1965 Stanford In France mini-reunion, which will be coordinated by Jim McCotter. Stanford In France was a significant inspiration in the formulation of the Stanford On The Moon initiative and this will be a wonderful way to reconnect with classmates and traveling companions, as well as introduce them to new possibilities for the 21st century.

Please plan to join us for the Stanford On The Moon Conference which will coincide with the 2005 Homecoming Reunion on the weekend of 21-23 October 2005. Members of the Class of 1965 will be present for their 40th reunion, along with alumni from other class years, making the Conference convenient to a significant number of alumni attendees. This will be the perfect opportunity to reminisce while making future plans that will realize the potential of the new millennium. We look forward to seeing everyone again and to working with you for the Stanford On The Moon initiative.

Best wishes,

Steve Durst, Class of 1965
Michelle Gonella, Class of 1981

Dear Stanford Community Colleagues and Friends:

The Stanford On The Moon Symposium, which took place 2 October 2004, was attended by about 25 presenters and participants. A number of new alumni and graduate students became aware of our initiative through advertising we had placed in the Stanford Magazine, The Stanford Daily, and our posting on the Stanford University website of Events at Stanford. We were very happy to find that our media outreach efforts were successful in attracting these new members. Our Stanford On The Moon Conference, scheduled for Saturday, October 22, 2005, will be substantially larger since it coincides with a reunion year for the Class of 1965. The presence of that class, coupled with outreach arising from the ideas and relationships of new participants and other classes, will contribute to a substantial alumni presence in 2005.

Steve Durst presented a keynote address in which he recounted the genesis of the Stanford On The Moon concept and its relationship to the Class of 1965. He mentioned his classmates, Jim McCotter, Kristi Nelson, Ruth Richards, Chia Tze, Bill Brown and Sharon Swinyard, who have contributed their ideas and support to this initiative since its inception at the 2000 Reunion. As well, Steve identified other individuals on campus who had made efforts to develop a Moon project at Stanford. They have now joined us, bringing substantial technical expertise and fresh ideas with them.

Michelle Gonella offered a recap of the progress and outreach which occurred since the last Stanford On The Moon exploratory committee meeting. We have been working closely with Professor Bruce Lusignan and his Space Systems students to examine potential goals and student interest / involvement with the initiative. Outreach efforts have extended to Stanford alumni donors, who have been introduced to the project through informational packet and postcard mailings, as well as through articles and advertisements which appeared in Stanford publications. Future outreach is planned over the course of the next year which will extend to the University’s administrative body, alumni clubs, the Overseas Studies Program, and sports programs.

Stanford Professors Bob Twiggs and Bruce Lusignan outlined a particularly attractive potential lunar mission for the initial efforts of Stanford On The Moon. Bob Twiggs has been involved for many years with research and educational projects utilizing very small satellites, often called Cubesats. Most revolutionary is the OTS, or “off the shelf” technology which describes the fact that these satellites are constructed at a remarkably low cost from electronics readily available in local shopping centers. Bob’s idea is to sponsor a national campaign in which Stanford alumni clubs sponsor students in each of the 50 states to build a Cubesat which will carry an individual science project, of the students’ design, around the Moon. All of the Cubesats would launch together on a single rocket. Bruce Lusignan has offered to work with us in arranging for a rocket through the DNEPR Program, which utilizes modified ICBM missiles in Russia. Once launched, the Cubesat Regatta would travel to the Moon and back in only seven days. The satellites are controlled from laptop computers and can be viewed with home telescopes. This would be a national project which would allow alumni to bring attention to the need for lunar utilization and Stanford University’s role therein, as well as support local communities in a major educational undertaking. We are gathering more information with regard to this project and look forward to your thoughts and ideas.

Other lunar mission presentations included Nicolas Gascon and San Gunawardana, graduate students who appeared on behalf of Professor Mark A. Cappelli to discuss lunar exploration utilizing high impulse ion rockets. Mark and Nick had attempted to coordinate a Stanford Moon Project in 2002-3 through the Engineering Department. Interestingly enough, the Stanford On The Moon exploratory committee had held a meeting on campus within days of the Stanford Moon Project announcement date, yet neither group was aware of the other until one of our advertisements in the Stanford Magazine caught Mark’s attention this year. The Stanford Moon Project was planned to reach the Moon by 2007, through three consecutive missions, and situate an electronic billboard with a camera that would relay the billboard messages against the lunar landscape.

Our private venture lunar mission presentations opened with TransOrbital, Inc. CEO Dennis Laurie, who spoke about TrailBlazer, the first fully licensed commercial lunar mission. TrailBlazer will be orbiting the Moon at an altitude of only 50 km for a period of 90 days. During that time, TrailBlazer will compile the most detailed mapping of the lunar surface to date and transmit live feed video which will feature EarthRise, the image of the Earth rising over the Moon. EarthRise is inspirational as a new perspective on Earth and its relationship to outer space, as well as being a commercially viable product. TransOrbital, Inc. is putting together final funding required to make this remarkable project a reality within the next year. We would certainly welcome hearing from parties interested in investing in or donating to this worthy venture.

Claudio Maccone, a lecturer at the Politecnico in Turin and member of the International Academy of Astronautics, presented a lunar mission add-on to TrailBlazer. Frequently space exploration missions provide space to appropriate experiments, often carrying scientific measuring devices which weigh no more than a few grams as part of their payload. Claudio’s proposal, “RLI: A Radiometer Around The Moon” would determine how radio quiet the farside actually is. This experiment would be highly significant in its relationship to radioastronomy and SETI observation, as well as being the first private scientific payload carried to the Moon.

SpaceDev, the high profile Poway, California company that produced the propulsion system for SpaceShipOne and recently received government contracts for the development of satellites and a reusable suborbital spaceship, has been contracted by Lunar Enterprise Corporation, the developmental arm of Space Age Publishing Company, to develop an International Lunar Observatory. Steve Durst gave a brief overview of this exciting project which could place a submillimeter dish observatory on the lunar South Pole by the end of 2006.

During our open forum with the alumni there were some very timely and interesting thoughts that we believe will be important to pursue. Josh Alwood, alumnus and current graduate student, suggested that an interdepartmental center could be developed on campus to stimulate further discussion, brainstorming, and projects related to the Moon. There are interdisciplinary programs already in place which link science and engineering students with entrepreneurship mentors. The full scope of this concept might be exploited to facilitate a more comprehensive approach to lunar utilization. Josh also broached the possibility of alumni funded prizes, like the X-Prize, which would stimulate research and development and foster the growth of new professional relationships. Alumnus Gerry Tucker drew our attention to the Stanford Amateur Radio Club, which engages in “Moonbounce” communications experiments with international involvement. Math and science journalist Dana Mackenzie pointed out that previous efforts in lunar exploration have focused strongly on science and neglected the humanitarian aspects of the Moon and its relationship to the arts. This harmonizes with ideas from Ruth Richards, Class of 1965, who has suggested that exploring outer space will be most successful if it coincides with cultivation of “inner space.” Veronique Koken, a continuing studies participant who holds a graduate degree in Aeronautical Science, suggested designating a lunar holiday, much like “Earthday,” which would offer an opportunity for lunar enthusiasts of all persuasions to interact on a social level.

Following the Symposium, the members enjoyed lunch at the Coffee House along with some good conversation and the opportunity to “talk shop” with the lunar mission presenters. A small group then went to the Mechanical Engineering Lab utilized by Professor Mark Cappelli and his colleagues to develop ion engines such as the Hall Thruster. Nicolas Gascon displayed and explained the thrusters, as well as showing us some of the equipment and recent projects. Everyone was amazed at the small size of these engines that are capable of taking an orbiter to the Moon.

The Stanford On The Moon Conference 2005, which will be on 22 October 2005, is already taking shape. Homecoming reunions scheduled for the same weekend will ensure that many alumni will be on campus and available to participate in this important initiative. We are extending invitations to some very special guest speakers for the Conference, as well as planning a Friday night reception / mixer to introduce our initiative to alumni from the reunion classes. We will be moving forward with outreach to the administration, the Overseas Studies Program, and athletic department, as well as our continuing outreach to alumni. We will also be examining the feasibility of the Stanford Cubesat Lunar Regatta, which will provide educational and inspirational opportunities to students and members of the Stanford community throughout the nation, as well as introducing alumni clubs to the Stanford On The Moon initiative. We are looking forward to involving the entire Stanford community with this significant step toward the realization of Stanford On The Moon.

Best wishes,

Steve Durst, Class of 1965
Michelle Gonella, Class of 1981

Dear Stanford Community Colleagues and Friends:

The Stanford On The Moon Symposium was a most enjoyable and enlightening event. We met several new alumni and had the opportunity to discuss thoughts and issues relevant to the project. Several Stanford Professors joined us, both as presenters and as alumni participants. There were a number of fresh ideas from attendees, who were enthusiastic and interactive throughout the presentations.

Steve and one of the presenters left immediately following the Symposium to attend the 55th International Astronautical Conference, which took place in Vancouver, Canada. Steve had presented the International Lunar Observatory project at our Symposium and attracted a great deal of interest at the IAC as well.

Now that Steve is back, we are planning for next year’s conference, which promises to be a major event since it will coincide with the homecoming reunion for the Class of 1965. We are working up a detailed, comprehensive report on the proceedings of our Symposium, and will have that out to you later this month. We look forward to working with all of you toward Stanford On The Moon.

Best wishes

Steve Durst
Class of 1965

Michelle Gonella
Class of 1981

Dear Stanford Community Colleagues and Friends:

This Saturday, October 2, 2004 at 9:00 a.m.-11:30 p.m. will be the Stanford On The Moon Symposium, taking place on the second floor of Tresidder Memorial Union in the Cypress Room. We will examine short and long term goals which will lead to a significant lunar presence for our University, as well as the means by which to attain those goals. Our program is attached.

On Tuesday, the Stanford Daily ran a wonderful article on our project, which can be accessed at http://daily.stanford.edu/tempo?page=content&id=14652&repository=0001_article . The article personally mentioned our initial Exploratory Group Members from the Class of 1965 -- Steve Durst, Jim McCotter, Kristi Nelson, Ruth Richards, Chia Tze, Bill Brown and Sharon Swinyard. The article was a pleasant surprise and will serve to generate considerable interest in the Symposium, in addition to announcements which we have placed in the Daily this week.

Next year, in coordination with the 40th Reunion of the Class of 1965, the Stanford On The Moon Symposium will be easily accessible to the many class members who are not able to travel to California for the Symposium this year. Potentially hundreds of members of the Class of 1965 will be on campus and able to join us for some celebratory get-togethers, in addition to a Stanford On The Moon planning session. We are planning for the Stanford On The Moon Symposium 2005 already, as it will be the largest and most comprehensive gathering to date.

We are examining all aspects of lunar utilization, from obvious scientific perspectives to a broad spectrum look at the Humanitarian aspects involved. We are focusing on drawing in all members of the Stanford community, be they social scientists, literary minds, artists of all persuasions, or scholars. The Moon is an image, as well as an object, of humanity’s dreams and desires, holding an undeniable fascination for the human race which precedes recorded history. We welcome your ideas as to this perspective. Each of us has a unique educational / professional background and would be able to contribute significantly with just a few comments as to how lunar utilization relates to your individual areas of expertise. Please let us know your thoughts.

We look forward to seeing those who will be attending this Saturday, and will keep the Exploratory Group updated, as usual, so that distance will not be a component of participation. We look forward to working with all of you to realize Stanford On The Moon by 2015.

Best wishes,

Steve Durst
Class of 1965

Michelle Gonella
Class of 1981

Symposium Program

Symposium Program

Dear Stanford Community Colleagues and Friends:

We hope that this Email finds all of you well and looking forward to the Stanford On The Moon Symposium on Saturday, October 2, 2004, at 9:00-11:30 am in the Cypress Room on the second floor of Tressider Memorial Union. It is important to let us know if you are planning to attend, so please reply to this Email if you have not contacted us already.

Those of you who keep up with the Stanford Report saw the article that Barbara Palmer wrote about our initiative. For those who missed the article, it can be seen at http://news-service.stanford.edu/news/2004/august4/column-84.html. Joan Peck also kept us high on her list of Stanford notables, with a great mention in the Class of 1965 Class Notes. Special thanks to Joan for all of the press she has given us! The Stanford On The Moon Symposium is also listed on the InCircle Events Site and on Events at Stanford. The Sacramento Alumni Club has given us a mention on their club web site, as did the San Diego Alumni Club. The support and interest by the Stanford community has been great and is very much appreciated.

During the Symposium, we will be examining some important issues as to organizational goals and infrastructure for Stanford On The Moon. Please remember that if you are unable to attend the Symposium, you can Email your ideas to us and we will have them available for the meeting.

Five hundred of our new promotional postcards went out at the end of July. All of you also received the postcard, and we hope that you enjoyed it. Please let us know if you have any ideas or concepts that we might implement on future mailings.

We have been contacted by a number of professors and professionals in the space exploration field who have kindly offered presentations of pending lunar projects for our Symposium. One of our professors has even offered a live demonstration of a rocket engine. The tentative agenda for the Symposium is attached. We are looking forward to a fun and informative meeting, which will pave the way to future events and projects for Stanford On The Moon.

The Symposium will be followed by a no-host lunch at the Coffee House and relevant campus excursions which may include the Dish, the Alumni Center, and the rocket engine demonstration.

Please join us, with old friends and new, and be a participant in Stanford On The Moon.

Best wishes

Steve Durst
Class of 1965

Michelle Gonella
Class of 1981

Dear Stanford Community Colleagues and Friends:

We hope that this Email finds all of you well and thinking of the Moon after the celebrations commemorating the 35th anniversary of mankind's first steps on the lunar surface. The legacy of Apollo 11 reminds us of what can be achieved and challenges future generations to not allow these achievements to languish, but to build upon them and realize the potential for human progress which must have been so clear in the minds of those intrepid pioneers who reached the Moon.

Preparations for our October 2 Symposium are moving along very well. We have arranged to use the Cypress Room, which is on the second floor of Tressider Memorial Union. The Symposium will take place from 9:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and may be followed by visits around campus to the Overseas Studies Center, the Alumni Center, the Dish, and other sites related to our project. Support has been great from local Stanford Alumni Clubs, such as the San Diego Club which is featuring our Symposium on their event calendar.

The Symposium will feature two speakers deeply involved with private venture space / lunar exploration and utilization. Dennis Laurie, of TransOrbital, Inc., will be making a presentation about TrailBlazer, the first commercial lunar mission fully licensed for take off. TrailBlazer is an orbiter which will relay live video as it creates a high resolution lunar atlas and chronicles the EarthRise image. We are very excited about TrailBlazer, which presents an opportunity for Stanford alumni to participate in the funding of one of the very first lunar missions of the third millennium. Interested donors should contact Lunar Enterprise Corporation at 650-324-3182 as soon as possible to obtain further information. Another featured presentation at the Symposium will be SpaceDev's Lunar Dish Observatory, a lunar-based dish by the same company which co-developed the propulsion system for SpaceShipOne.

On July 12, we met with Stanford E.E. Department Professors Bruce Lusignan and Bob Twiggs to discuss Stanford On The Moon. Bob Twiggs presented us with a wonderful idea for a lunar mission utilizing tiny satellites called Cubesats. Bob's idea is to offer students the opportunity to build and test individual satellites, which will then be launched en mass to execute a figure-8 around the Moon, with each satellite performing its own experiment during the course of its orbit. The founder of student satellite projects, Bob brings with him the expertise and experience to direct such an undertaking, He will be making a presentation at our Symposium, outlining a Stanford On The Moon Cubesat project, as well as some interesting concepts focused on robotic work in Antarctica.

We are looking forward to seeing all of you at the Symposium in October. The program is really filling out to be an informative, exciting, and productive morning for everyone. Thank you for your support of Stanford On The Moon.

Best wishes,
Steve Durst
Class of 1965

Michelle Gonella
Class of 1981

Dear Stanford Community Colleagues and Friends:

We are making preparations for our 2 October Stanford on the Moon Symposium, 9:00 - 11:30 a.m., and hope that all of you will be able to participate. The Symposium will focus on the exploration of long term goals for 2015, educational possibilities, and consciousness raising activities. Key to our discussions will also be an examination of organization building factors and how best to function within our community, enabling us to realize the full potential of Stanford on the Moon. Further information as to locations and times will be forwarded as soon as it is available.

On 2 June, we will be joining other members of the exploratory group in meeting with Professor Bruce Lusignan in the EE Department to hear his students in the Space Systems Engineering Workshop. These presentations will provide seminar conclusions and valuable insight as to student needs and interests, as well as help to define Stanford on the Moon from the student perspective. Needless to say, this workshop will offer many valuable lessons for our upcoming Symposium and raise important issues.

On 22 April, we attended Dr. Lusignan's seminar and were pleased to find a very high level of interest. The unexpectedly large group of students eagerly took in our presentation covering the genesis of Stanford on the Moon and potential future directions for the project. One student, Alicia T. Kavelaars, Emailed us that she thinks "the project you are putting together is quite interesting and (we) hope we can help in any and as many ways as possible." It was really a pleasure to see Stanford on the Moon generate so much enthusiasm among the students. It is a strong inspiration, as well as a confirmation, for the project.

Please do contact us with your ideas. If you are unable to be in this area for the 2 October Symposium, an email will allow us to share your thoughts and opinions with the group. If you will be coming to the Symposium, please let us know that as well. It will be a wonderful opportunity to see old friends and to meet new ones in an interesting and informative open exchange of ideas and possibilities relating to new frontiers for the Stanford community.

Best wishes,
Steve Durst
Stanford 1965

Michelle Gonella
Stanford 1981

Dear Stanford Colleagues and Friends --

The "Stanford on the Moon Update" e-mailed to you on 1 April (attached) should have stated this Thursday, 22 April (Not 27 April) as the date of the Stanford on the Moon project introduction to Prof. Lusignan's EE Dept. Space Systems Engineering Seminar (also operating as an "International Space Consortium").

I expect to make this presentation, along with Michelle Gonella (Stanford 1981) who now works as Marketing Editor at Space Age Publishing Company in Palo Alto. We will send you a report on the presentation and related developments.

Looking towards the larger SSE Seminar concluding Workshop on Thursday 27 May, 5:00-7:30pm, and the still larger Stanford on the Moon Symposium planned at Stanford for Saturday morning 2 October, 09:30-11:30, we invite you to begin preparing to participate in these two events.

In the next few days and weeks, we hope to speak with many of you by phone to reacquaint you with the purpose and significance of this Stanford alumni initiative.


Best wishes,
Steve Durst
Stanford 1965

Dear Stanford Community Colleagues and Friends:

There have been many significant developments advancing the "Stanford on the Moon" initiative since the Stanford Magazine related display ad and the "Red All Over" editorial feature in the Sep-Oct 2003 issue. (Many of you are receiving this E-mail because of your response to that issue).

The Moon / Mars US government space exploration proposals in January, closely following our International Lunar Conference and its influential Hawaii Moon Declaration late last year, have changed the national landscape regarding America's long-awaited Return to the Moon -- and with it, the framework and opportunities for Stanford on the Moon -- 2015.

Also, those Stanford 1965 Classmates who have networked as an Exploratory committee these past few years should know that a new marketing editor at Space Age Publishing Company -- Michelle Gonella (1981) is now involved with our the project, after Jennifer Valcov's significant contributions and decision to move on.

A STANFORD ON THE MOON SYMPOSIUM, planned at Stanford for Saturday morning, October 2, 2004, 09:30-11:30, will explore and consider a wide range of activities and possibilities for a Stanford University presence on the Moon -- in 2015 for example -- and examine all the preliminary, connecting, enabling and infrastructural activities that lead to such a presence.

In cooperation with Professor Bruce Lusignan of Stanford's EE Department, our Stanford on the Moon initiative will be presented to the 10 grad students in Prof Lusignan's Space Systems Engineering Seminar (operating as an "International Space Consortium") on Thursday, April 27, 12:00, EE Room 239.

Also, our Stanford on the Moon Exploratory committee has been invited to participate in the Seminar's concluding Workshop on Thursday, May 27, 5-7:30pm, where results and future directions will be discussed.

You all are invited to any of these 3 upcoming Stanford on the Moon activities, especially the Workshop May 27 and Symposium October 2. Participation is Free, and Advanced Notification is Requested.

Please do let me hear from each of you -- new acquaintance or old friend -- and know of your ideas, recent activities and future plans.

WIth best wishes, Sincerely yours,
Steve Durst
Stanford 1965