2022 NSS Board of Directors Election Candidate Statements
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2022 NSS Board of Directors Election Candidate Statements
Candidates for At-Large Director
Hoyt Davidson
This candidate was nominated by the Nominations Committee of the Board of Directors.
We are all blessed to live in a time of such great progress and promise in space. However, space
advocacy and support are never easy; it requires constant creativity and consistent dedicated effort. I
would, therefore, like to once again offer my volunteer hours, donations and expertise to this critically
important endeavor.
As the Managing Partner of Near Earth LLC, an investment banking boutique focused on the space
industry, I hope to continue to bring a unique financial perspective to NSS as well as a deep network of
relationships with the aerospace industry, leading commercial space companies, and entrepreneurial
space startups. As an example, our recent transactions have included selling Sinclair Interplanetary to
Rocket Lab, Roccor to Redwire Space, SpaceQuest to AAC Clyde Space, and Nanoracks to Voyager Space
Holdings. I am also on the Advisory Boards of Lynk Global, Nexteon Technologies and Cislunar Industries,
and serve on the board of the Space Foundation, including its Finance Committee.
During my recent NSS board term, I served as VP Development until 2021 and remain active in a variety
of NSS activities, including:
• Serving on the Development Committee;
• Helping to organize our first ever Rothblatt Business Plan Competition and acting as a judge;
• Serving on the Investment Committee overlooking our endowment funds;
• Serving as an active member of our Policy Committee; and
• Leading the Business, Finance, Funding and PPPs group at the 2011 Space Settlement Workshop.
Were I to be given the privilege of serving for an additional term, my major goals would be to:
• Create and host a finance focused event in New York around the challenges of financing space
infrastructure and settlement (such an event had been organized and was to be co-hosted by
United Launch Alliance, but was then delayed after the untimely death of a ULA executive, and
ultimately cancelled due to Covid-19);
• Continue to work closely with the principals of the Lunar Development Cooperative to develop,
evolve and test this new governance concept;
• Explore organizing a college level STEM education program around space settlement to compete
for funding under our Club for the Future grant, perhaps as part of the LDC effort (above), and in
partnership with a Native American organization (i.e. robotic ISRU testing on tribal lands); and
• Exploit the recent increase in well-funded commercial space companies to seek corporate
sponsors for NSS, a challenging and elusive goal for years.Al Globus This candidate was nominated by petition and by the Nominations Committee of the Board of Directors. In 1978 a roommate changed my life. He brought home a copy of CoEvolution Quarterly’s issue on space colonization with articles by Gerard O’Neill, Eric Drexler, Rusty Schweickart, Buckminister Fuller and others. I was electrified, finished college, and went to work at NASA Ames Research Center for the next 39 years. At Ames I showed that operators on Earth can teleoperate simulated mining machinery on the Moon with a three second delay, co-founded the NASA Ames Space Settlement Contest for students (now run by NSS, in its 28th year, almost 7,000 students last year) and the NASA Ames Nanotechnology Group, used genetic algorithm software I developed to design an antenna for TDRS-C, compared algorithms for Earth observing satellite fleet scheduling, and worked on Hubble, X37, shuttle, and ISS. NASA has given me 19 awards including a NASA Software of the Year award and a NASA Public Service Medal. I also won a Feynman Prize in Nanotechnology (group) and received awards from NSS and the Space Frontier Foundation as well. Perhaps my greatest contribution to space settlement is a way to reduce the mass of early free space settlements by two to three orders of magnitude, making Earth launch of all materials arguably practical. These conceptual settlements are also very close to Earth (500-600 km) making integration into Earth’s economy relatively easy. Based on ISS measurements and extensive computation I found that in low Earth orbit close to the equator (ELEO) radiation is very low by space standards, so low that little or no radiation shielding is necessary, radically reducing mass. Also, while subjecting people to rotation at 4-6 rpm will make them ill, they recover within a few hours or a day or two. This means free space settlements can rotate faster and thus be made much smaller than previously believed. Importantly, a successful space tourism industry may be driven by market forces to develop most of the necessary space settlement technology and even build revenue generating hotels the size of small settlements. Between these effects, the path to a minimum viable space settlement is much shorter than heretofore believed because such settlements can be close, small, and relatively simple (no extraterrestrial mining needed). If elected to the board my priorities will be: space settlement, especially in ELEO, private sector space markets, and educational opportunities for the generation that may build the first space settlements – today’s school children. Michelle L.D. Hanlon This candidate was nominated by the Nominations Committee of the Board of Directors. Michelle is honored to serve as President of the National Space Society. Recently, she was appointed by the Executive Committee to fill a vacancy on the Board of Directors and she works hard to serve the NSS well in both capacities. Michelle is excited by the opportunities the future holds for NSS members – and
for all of humanity. In the past year, she focused her efforts on building membership and creating opportunities for members to amplify their voices. Michelle spent 25 years as a corporate attorney and remains licensed to practice in New York and Minnesota. Six years ago, she decided to acknowledge a love of space that was instilled in her by her father, Leon Slawecki, an amateur rocket scientist-turned US diplomat and a very long-time member of the NSS. Michelle earned an advanced degree in air and space law and now teaches both at the University of Mississippi School of Law. Michelle is routinely approached by universities, public interest groups and the media to comment on current space issues including space governance issues and other geopolitical matters related to space. She always prefaces comments and presentations by reminding everyone that they can have a say in building of a human future in space simply by joining the NSS. Given her legal and policy background, she is proud to serve as an active member of the NSS Policy Committee. She has mentored young professionals and helped them create thoughtful analysis and commentary on behalf of the NSS on everything from the Trump Space Policy, to orbital debris remediation efforts, to the Artemis Accords and Space Solar Power. She also proudly serves on the Diversity Committee and is grateful to support efforts that raise awareness of the wonders of space to people across the multitudes of cultures that make up our world. Michelle seeks to continue service on the NSS Board of Directors because she is truly invigorated by the members of this organization. She looks forward to developing programs that will allow us to harness the skills of every member of NSS. Michelle has been endorsed by, among others, NSS CEO Anita Gale who notes: “As NSS President, Michelle is bringing favorable visibility to NSS through frequent speaking engagements, both in the U.S. and internationally. She is a key member of the NSS leadership team, helping make operational decisions and creating opportunities for young members to make meaningful contributions.” Buckner Hightower This candidate was nominated by petition and by the Nominations Committee of the Board of Directors. As a Trustee of the Robert Heinlein Prize Trust (HPT) since 2005, I have been involved in extensive grant funding for ISDC and all of the NSS Space Settlement Summits. We at HPT annually fund the ISDC Governors Dinner. The Heinlein Prize Trust also publishes space related science books, including those by John Mankins on space solar power and Peter Swan on space elevators. HPT recently published the International Academy of Aeronautics (of which I am a member) in both English and Chinese the study on space mineral resources which was well received. HPT also funds educational student contests for commercial space business plan contests and other STEM activities. I currently serve on the ISDC Conference Planning Committee and the NSS Space Settlement Summit Planning Committee. I have attended the past 15 ISDCs and numerous previously. There I have exhibited spacesuits previously flown in space and have addressed international student groups about STEM and our future in space.
I have founded several commercial space start-up companies, most notably Space Commerce Company,
in 1986 the first US company to form a joint venture with Glavkosmos, a Soviet aerospace organization.
Also Starcraft Boosters in 2002, a patented multi-use, multi-payload launch system (with Buzz Aldrin and
Art Dula). Co-founder of Excalibur Almaz (2004-present) commercial human spaceflight and microgravity
research.
In 2005, my company co-founded the Commercial Spaceflight Federation that lobbies Congress on
behalf of commercial space.
I have served since 2006 as a Trustee and Governing Member of the International Space University.
Humanity’s exploration and settlement of space is the most import challenge of this generation and
those that follow. NSS must be a catalyzing and leading force for this crucial mission. As a member since
1988 and a current Director, I have participated in the accomplishments of NSS. I continue to apply my
financial and managerial talents toward our shared goal of permanent human settlements in space.
Education: PhD, Business Administration (International Trade)
Honors:
• Elected full member of honorary International Academy of Astronautics
• The Yuri Gagarin honorary medal by the Cosmonautics Federation of Russia
• The Yangel Medal of Merit by the Ukrainian Space Agency and Yuzhnoye State Design Office
• Former Treasurer, World Space Week, a United Nations sponsored entity
• Elected to The President’s Council, The University of Texas
Mark Hopkins, NSS CEO Emeritus states: “NSS cannot afford to be without Buckner. He has been and is
of critical importance to our finances”.
Mark Hopkins
This candidate was nominated by petition and by the Nominations Committee of the Board of Directors.
Hopkins currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer Emeritus of the National Space Society (NSS). He
is a member of the NSS Board of Directors and of the Executive Committee.
Hopkins has raised more money for NSS than any other Board member for each of the last eleven years.
This has been particularly true during the pandemic. His eleven year total is more than $500,000.
During the 2021 International Space Development Conference (ISDC), Hopkins debated Professor Daniel
Deudney, author of the anti Space Settlement book, Dark Skies.
Six years ago, in order to double down on our Space Settlement goal, Hopkins initiated NSS’s annual
series of Space Settlement Summits. He is the only individual to have attended both all of the Summits
and all 39 of our annual ISDC’s.Mark Hopkins proposed the merger between the L-5 Society and NSI that created NSS in 1987. He did most of the negotiating for the L-5 Society’s side of the merger. Hopkins has served continuously as an Officer and or Member of the Board of Directors of L-5 and after the merger of NSS for 46 years. Thirty-eight of those years were spent as an Officer. Hopkins, a California Institute of Technology and Harvard educated economist, has written numerous articles concerning space economics. He is a former Rand Corporation economist and is responsible for most of the early economic studies of Space Settlements, which were done while working closely with Gerard O’Neill, Father of the first modern Space Settlement concept. Hopkins and Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, former President of India, signed a widely published agreement between the two of them to work together to build an international effort to develop Space Solar Power. Kalam has been called the Wernher Von Braun of India. Hopkins organized and led the grassroots part of our successful effort to defeat the anti private enterprise Moon Treaty. He was an early advocate of the use of private enterprise in space. He was in charge of chapters at the national level for six years. For 18 years Hopkins led the political efforts of L-5, NSS and associated organizations. He served as President of Spacecause for 10 years and Chairman of Spacepac for 16 years. At the time these organizations were effectively the legislative and election campaign arms of NSS. Mark Hopkins has been called the Father of the Space Movement. Gregory M. Hunter This candidate was nominated by the Nominations Committee of the Board of Directors. Gregory’s experience within the National Space Society (NSS), and the space industry in general, can be best described as broad. Like many others, he started by attending his local chapters Space Research Conference, and from there he was hooked. To this day, he attributes a lot of his success and passion for space industry from that one event. Since then, he has risen to notability within the industry through his numerous space summits, originally run for the United Nations (UN) in Australia through his position on their Board as Director of Innovation (later on as part of their Advisory Board). Now, he runs his summits as Vice-President of the National Space Society of Australia. Complementing these indirect contributions, Gregory has also firmly wedged himself directly in the industry, as he has helped grow and run multiple start-ups such as Arbiter (space robotics), Moonshot (space investments), and Arlula (Earth observation). Being able to work in organisations such as PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) as part of their space practice, he currently helps and advises numerous other space startups. Academically speaking, Gregory began a BA/BSs in International Law and Global Governance/Software Technology, which led him to his early roles at Microsoft and the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO). Eventually, he settled into completing his BA in International
Law and Global Governance, which he used to great effect in his UN roles, and for the Space Generation
Advisory Council (SGAC) as NPoC for Australia.
If elected as an NSS Board Member, Gregory aims to help grow the NSS as whole, and get it back in
touch world-wide with its purpose through summits such as the recently announced New Horizons
Summit.
Endorsements:
• Anita Gale - Chief Executive Officer of the NSS
o “Greg is a young leader who is already helping NSS gain more visibility through new
conference events, and is eager to do more to enhance NSS activities internationally.”
• Michelle Hanlon – President of the NSS
o “Greg is exactly the kind of new leadership NSS needs to expand our membership. He not
only offers excellent and innovative ideas, he actually implements them. I am deeply
impressed by his persistence and perseverance. I honestly believe he could literally get any
job done.”
• Laurence Ahearn - Vice President of the NSS, Chapters
• Lynne Zielilnski - Vice President of the NSS, Education and Outreach
Kirby Ikin
This candidate was nominated by petition and by the Nominations Committee of the Board of Directors.
In my thirty-seven years as a member of NSS and its forerunners I have played an active role in all levels
of the Society’s activities. At the same time I have developed a significant professional involvement in
the space industry firstly running a major space insurance business, providing risk management services
to start-up space companies, serving as the Commercial Director for a planned commercial launch
service, running an international space consultancy, and as one of the Founders of Deep Space
Industries. This professional role has allowed me to enhance my effectiveness for NSS.
At the Society level I have filled an assortment of roles. Initially I started as President of the Sydney
chapter, serving six years in this role. During this time I instigated the formation of the National Space
Society of Australia, serving as its founding President from 1990 to 1996. As NSS’s presence grew in
Australia I fulfilled the roles of Australian Chapter Coordinator and later, International Chapters
Coordinator. At the international level I am currently Chairman of the Board of Directors and serve on
the Executive Committee, Diversity Committee, and Space Settlement Summit Committee.
I firmly believe that NSS needs to take a very professional and organized approach to the attainment of
its objectives. In my opinion NSS needs strong management, clear strategic planning, and a focusing of
its efforts through pursuit of the NSS Roadmap and Strategic Plan, to make the best possible use of our
limited financial and human resources. I believe I have a strong working knowledge of NSS at an
operational level, whilst also having the business acumen and industry profile to take NSS forward.
The twelve previous Australian Space Development Conferences that I chaired and organized have
materially raised awareness about international space cooperation and key commercial space issues. Ialso instigated the formation of the Australian Space Industry Chamber of Commerce (now known as the Space Industry Association of Australia) which celebrated its 25th anniversary and hosted the International Astronautical Congress in 2017. Serving as its founding Chairman for sixteen years I have used its unique forum to address barriers to space development from the professional perspective. I believe that my extensive experience within the space industry, at both a Society and professional level, makes me an ideal candidate for a position on the NSS Board of Directors. Fredrick (Rick) Jenet This candidate was nominated by the Nominations Committee of the Board of Directors. As an MIT/Caltech trained astrophysicist, experienced researcher, and entrepreneur, Dr. Fredrick Jenet has the potential to add enormous value to the NSS and significantly strengthen our national and international presence, influence, and reputation. His nomination is endorsed by NSS CEO Anita Gale, President Michele Hanlon, and VP of Chapters Laurence Ahern. “Rick Jenet has experience and connections in the space business and education communities that can be very helpful to NSS. The South Texas Chapter that he helped establish is demonstrating how to make NSS membership more interesting to young people,” Anita Gale. “Rick Jenet is already an incredible asset to the National Space Society. An enthusiastic and energetic educator, his passion for space is obvious. Rick possesses a generous and kind spirit and would no doubt give generously of his time to support the NSS as a Board Director. Having seen him work with and support high school students (not to mention his hand in the creation of the NSS South Texas Chapter), I believe that Rick is exactly the kind of person we need to help NSS increase membership and lead the organization to new heights,” Michele Hanlon. His background would make him ideally suited to help the NSS develop its online and virtual activities, significantly enhancing our membership value and attracting more members world wide. As the founder of Expanding Frontiers (ExF), a non-profit, he works with the South Texas community to build their space innovation ecosystem. Already working closely with NSS leaders, he helps bring the experience of NSS-partnered Space Settlement Design Competitions to students in South Texas and Latin America. Additionally, ExF, through a NASA Space Act agreement, connects regional space entrepreneurs with licensable technologies. As a researcher, Dr. Jenet has secured over $50 million in funding for space related R&D, including an NSF CAREER award. His research ranges from deep space exploration to characterizing orbital debris, with 50+ publications in high-impact refereed journals. He created the “Arecibo Remote Command Center,” enabling students to make astrophysical discoveries with a global impact, founded the first Center of Excellence in South Texas for space exploration, and created the UT STARGATE program, in collaboration with SpaceX, having technology development facilities located at the Boca Chica orbital launch facility. In addition, he is the CTO of Lunar Station, an MIT startup, and an investment advisor to Spaced Ventures, a space startup crowdsourcing platform.
John C. Mankins This candidate was nominated by the Nominations Committee of the Board of Directors. I have been proud to serve as an at-large NSS Board Member during the past four years and would appreciate your support for my re-election. The following are my qualifications: I am well-known as the world’s leading expert in the field of “Space Solar Power”, and created the first practical solar power satellite (SPS) concept, known as “SPS-ALPHA” (SPS by means of arbitrarily large phased array), described in my 2014 book, “The Case for Space Solar Power”. I am currently chair of the International Astronautical Federation (IAF) Power Committee, and chair of the recently-established Permanent Committee on Space Solar Power of the International Academy of Astronautics (IAA). I have for some years co-organized the Space Solar Power Track at the annual NSS ISDC (International Space Development Conference). During 25-years at JPL and NASA, I held numerous positions, including Chief Technologist for Human Exploration and Development of Space at NASA HQ, where I received the NASA Exceptional Technology Achievement Medal. I managed multiple R&D programs, including the Exploration Systems Research & Technology (ESR&T) program. As a result, I developed and published in the 1990s the first detailed definitions of the Technology Readiness Levels (aka, TRLs), which are now the international standard for R&D management and assessment. I am the Vice President of the Moon Village Association (MVA), based in Vienna, Austria. As part of my responsibilities, I serve as co-chair of the MVA Architecture Working Group, where I have led the first detailed case study of a permanent human settlement at the Lunar South Pole: “OASIS 2045”. I support the Lunar Track at the annual NSS ISDC. Since leaving NASA, I have pursued various ‘new space’ ventures as President of Artemis Innovation Management Solutions LLC and of Mankins Space Technology, Inc. and a Director of Solar Space Technologies Ltd. Pty. based in Australia, and on the Board of now-gone Deep Space Industries. I am also currently a Dean and Professor at the on-line Kepler Space Institute. I hold a B.S. (in Physics from Harvey Mudd College), an M.S. (in Physics, from UCLA) and an MBA (from Claremont Graduate University), and am a member of the AAAS and the IEEE. I have testified regarding space matters before the US Congress, and have presented at scores of international conferences and workshops. I have published two books and more than 100 conference papers and journal articles. Anthony Paustian This candidate was nominated by the Nominations Committee of the Board of Directors. Dr. Anthony Paustian currently serves the Vice President of Marketing for the National Space Society and is a regular contributor to its magazine, Ad Astra. He co-founded the NSS Iowa Chapter and has
served as chair for the ISDC Conference and “A Day in Space.” His leadership experience provides a solid foundation for serving on the NSS Board. He is endorsed by NSS CEO Anita Gale, who states “Tony’s industry, education, and fund-raising experience can guide NSS toward the management practices we need to adopt in order to work with space companies to advance commercialization of space. His advice is also helping NSS leaders establish better relations with major donors.” Following his Air Force career in fighter aircraft, Dr. Paustian served as the Vice President of Marketing & Communications for a large multi-brand corporation in Chicago. Using that experience, he established his own design group and went on to build national brands for Miller Brewing, Disney, and Rockwell Collins. For Rockwell (now Collins Aerospace), Paustian’s firm handled the bulk of the branding and marketing for Rockwell’s entire GPS product line (both military and commercial sectors). After the sale of his firm to Rockwell, Dr. Paustian was recruited by Des Moines Area Community College (one of the top 10 in the country) to design and build a new campus focused on innovation and technology. Through partnerships with companies like Compaq (now part of HP), Microsoft, Apple, Cisco, and others, the campus received national media attention for its groundbreaking initiatives using technology to deliver all-digital course content. The campus made InfoWorld magazine’s list of the 100 Most Innovative Organizations (#51) and was one of only three colleges and universities on the list (the others were Harvard and MIT). The campus continues to receive national press with its Celebrate! Innovation Exhibition and its annual ciLive! (Celebrate Innovation Live!) event. Both help to help create an inspiring learning environment through the use of storytelling. The State of Iowa has also added the campus to its list of tourism destination spots. Both the exhibition and event are paid for by generous sponsors and are free to the public. Dr. Paustian has authored four books including “A Quarter Million Steps,” which has won seven international and national literary awards. He holds graduate degrees in both business administration and design management as well as a doctorate in educational psychology. Dale Skran This candidate was nominated by the Nominations Committee of the Board of Directors. Dale Skran currently serves in the following NSS leadership roles: Chief Operating Officer and Senior Vice President, Co-Chair of the Bylaws Committee, NSS Board of Directors, Chair of the Strategic Planning Committee, Ad Astra Editorial Committee, Development Committee, Policy Committee, and Diversity Committee. Dale Skran previously served in the following NSS leadership roles: Chief Executive Officer, Executive Vice President, Chair of the Policy Committee, NSS Regional Director, Information Systems Director, ISDC Policy Track Chair, and NSS Representative on the Alliance for Space Development Board of Directors.
In 2016 Dale received the NSS Space Activist of the Year Award. Dale writes space-related articles
published in Ad Astra, Space Review, and Space News. Some of Dale’s recent Ad Astra articles include:
• “NIAC and the National Space Society Collaborate on the Future of Living Off-Earth,” Winter 2021
(co-author)
• “The National Space Society and Progress on LEO Commercialization,” Winter 2021
• “Why We are Non-Partisan,” Winter 2020
• “Why SpaceX Has Not Won the Collier Trophy?”, Winter 2020
• “Space-Based Astronomy is our Future,” Winter 2020
• “A Message from the Incoming Chair [of the Executive Committee],” Spring 2019
• “How 2018 Became the first year of Space,” Winter 2019
• “Battle of the Colossi: Round Two – SLS vs Falcon Heavy vs New Glenn,” Spring 2018
Dale has a lifelong interest in space exploration, and was a member in the L5 Society and National Space
Institute (NSI) before they merged to form NSS, including a stint as President of the North Jersey L5 and
as a NSS Regional Board member. He is proud that while a young student in Saginaw, Michigan, Dale
had the opportunity to shake the hand of Werner Von Braun, the founder of the NSI.
Dale worked 17 years at Bell Laboratories and held executive positions at Sonus Networks and Ascend
Communications. Dale is a globally recognized expert on Voice Over IP technologies (VoIP) and multi-
media communications, having served as an ITU-T Rapporteur (manager/leader) in these areas for ten
years. His corporate and ITU-T leadership roles have given him extensive experience in international and
inter-corporate negotiations. Dale co-founded CMWARE, a mobile media applications company where
he held positions of CEO, COO, and VP of Engineering. Dale has a master’s degree in Electrical
Engineering from the University of Michigan, and a bachelor’s degree in EE from Michigan State
University. Dale holds a 3rd degree black belt in Taekwondo.
Endorsements: Too busy working for NSS to collect endorsements.
Michael Snyder
This candidate was nominated by the Nominations Committee of the Board of Directors.
Michael Snyder, currently serving as NSS Secretary, would be proud to continue to serve as a NSS
director. Michael believes his work in the aerospace industry is invaluable in helping to further the
objectives of NSS and provide professional views to the expanding society. His motivation to help
humans explore and live in space is accomplished through his daily work.
Michael started his career while earning M.S. and B.S. degrees in Aeronautical and Astronautical
Engineering at The Ohio State University. While attending, he led or participated in the development of
6 payloads to the International Space Station, and also Co-founded Made In Space to bring
manufacturing and industry to space, creating a future where humans are enabled to live and work in
space by eliminating the reliance on Earth resupply and spares.
Made In Space produced and operated the first additive manufacturing hardware in space, built and
operated the first commercial manufacturing hardware for use in space, produced the first optical fiberin space, and were the first to commercialize space enabled materials under Snyder’s technical leadership. Made In Space was acquired by Redwire Space in 2020 and Mike was promoted to Chief Technology Officer. During his tenure as Redwire CTO, the company grew to over 500 employees and launched over 35 payloads and pieces of hardware on 20 missions including the upgraded ISS solar arrays. The company is currently developing the Archinaut spacecraft which will be the first vehicle to manufacture and assemble a portion of itself during its mission, a fundamental technology to build future space habitats. He has filled roles on the NSS Executive Committee since 2013 and was Chairman of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics’ Space Colonization Technical Committee. He has been issued over 45 patents and published over 2 dozen technical publications. He was recognized as a Forbes Magazine “30 Under 30” in 2015, and this year was selected for the AIAA Lawrence Sperry Award. Humanity’s ultimate destiny is to expand to live among the stars and the work that NSS does is vital this this future. Mike’s candidacy is endorsed by NSS CEO Anita Gale, who says “Mike is exactly the kind of leader NSS needs to carry our organization into the future: a young entrepreneur, recognized with awards for accomplishments both in business and technical excellence, leading cutting-edge space research, and happily welcoming NSS into his journey.” John K. Strickland, Jr. This candidate was nominated by petition and by the Nominations Committee of the Board of Directors. For people to live and work in space, allowing the creation and survival of an economically viable, free spacefaring civilization, transport cost reductions and safety improvements must continue. The struggle for inexpensive space access is being won. Now the struggle for profitable business operations in space is beginning. NASA should begin using only reusable space boosters and vehicles, designed, built and operated by private companies, when practical. Our human space program should support space development with goals beyond Low Earth Orbit, using an integrated in-space transportation system with private and international partners. This includes building orbital and cis-lunar logistics and propellant bases, and enabling NASA support for robust Lunar and Mars surface bases using local materials like water ice. My interests include: access to space, re-usable spacecraft, space solar power, space and planetary base infrastructure, logistics, in-space fabrication of settlements, mining, smelting and use of in-situ resources extracted from regolith or basalt, creating strong structural metals for pressurized surface habitats. I have authored chapters in: Dr. Peter Glaser’s “Solar Power Satellites” (1998), the Boy Scout Manual on Space Exploration (2003), Return to the Moon chapter: “Access to Luna” (2005) and multiple analysis articles in The Space Review and other outlets. My two large, well-illustrated books “Developing Space” and “Settling Space”, published in April, 2021, cover the present to interstellar colonization. In 1975-6, I joined the National Space Institute and L5 Society: (NSS’s “parents”), a member for 46 years. I attended launches of Apollo 10 and the first Space Shuttle. I’m currently an At-large Director, NSS Assistant Treasurer, Awards Committee and Roadmap Committee chair. I have attended every physical ISDC. I attend all Directors meetings and will work to keep NSS an activist organization. I founded (and
still chair) the Austin NSS chapter in 1981, helped found the NSS Chapters Assembly in 1988, and created
and designed the Heinlein award in 1989. My BA degrees: Anthropology and Computer Science.
(Endorsements):
Howard Bloom: “John is tireless, working on NSS business with all his heart and might. He is
outstanding.”
Peter Garretson: “John is a thought leader and tireless worker advancing space development.”
Greg Autry: “John’s combination of knowledge, intelligence and honesty will help lead NSS toward the
future.”
Clifford McMurray: “John is among the most conscientious and competent of board members.”
Gerald McLaughlin: “I am impressed with John’s commitments to the NSS mission.”
Dr. Don Deever: “I cannot recommend John highly enough.”
Madhu Thangavelu
This candidate was nominated by the Nominations Committee of the Board of Directors.
Madhu Thangavelu is currently Vice-President, NSS-India Relationships. He is endorsed by Buzz Aldrin,
Apollo 11 pilot and former NSS Chairman of the Board. Madhu instructs graduate and doctoral students
in Astronautical Engineering, Viterbi School of Engineering and the School of Architecture at the
University of Southern California (USC).
• Very active in NSS ISDC, Space Settlement Summit events .
• Widely published in Space Architecture, lunar base design and human factors.
• Co-author of the classic book “The Moon: Resources, Future Development and Settlement.”
• Invited author of “Living on the Moon” in the Encyclopedia of Aerospace Engineering.
• USC team, NASA NIAC awards to develop extraterrestrial robotic construction technologies.
• American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA).
• International Space University faculty.
Endorsing quotes:
• “Both a natural leader and an incredible contributor to the National Space Society.”
— Michelle Hanlon, NSS President
• “A leader in Space Architecture in academia and the private sector in the US and internationally.
An exceptional educator and mentor having led space design research for decades and inspiring
the next generation.”
—Dava Newman, Director MIT Media Lab, Former NASA Associate Administrator
• “Creative space visionary who has proven his dedication to the future and to young people.”—George Whitesides, former NSS Executive Director, former Virgin Galactic CEO, Former NASA
Chief of Staff
• “Known Madhu for years. Throughout his career he has strived to advance the range of goals
that NSS advocates.”
—John Logsdon, Director Emeritus, Elliott School of Policy, George Washington University
• “Worked together for many years in many capacities and he would make a fine director.”
—Greg Autry, NSS VP
• “Wonderful approach to our future in space and passes that on to his students. We could not
have a better representative for our mission inside the NSS.”
—Pete Swan, Ph.D., Academician, International Academy of Astronautics, and Fellow, AIAA
• “Proven track record of success in space exploration research, education, and outreach.”
—Pascal Lee, Chairman Mars Institute, Director Haughton-Mars Project
• “NSS needs Madhu’s energy and activism on our board.”
—Mark Hopkins, NSS CEO Emeritus
Other endorsers:
• Loretta Whitesides, Yuri’s Night
• Steve Durst, International Lunar Observatory Association
• Lucy Stojak, HEC/ISU
• Gabriela Lindberg, NSS VP
• John Strickland, NSS Director
• David Livingston, TheSpaceShow
• Stan Rosen, NSS, Defense Acquisition University
• James Green, NASA Senior Advisor
• Aggie Kobrin, NSS Director of Publications
• Maria Perino, Thales Alenia Space
• Gui Trotti, Space Architect, cofounder Sasakawa International Center for Space Architecture
(SICSA) at University of Houston
• Olga Bannova, SICSA
• Henk Rogers, International Moonbase Alliance
Lynne F. Zielinski
This candidate was nominated by petition and by the Nominations Committee of the Board of Directors.
Having devoted more than a decade serving the vision of NSS through education, I hope to continue as a
Director focusing on increased public awareness of Society activities and educational programs,
engaging youth, enhancing Ad Astra and Downlink, and in spreading the NSS’ message into educational
circles worldwide.
I currently serve as Vice President of Education & Outreach and as a member of the Executive
Committee. I have also served on Awards, Breakthrough Science/Technologies, International,
Membership, Publications, Marketing, and Social Networking committees. I reactivated and chaired the
Projects and Public Affairs Committees. Since 2009, I’ve built and managed all ISDC student and teacherprogramming: awarding competition winners, providing workshops and poster session opportunities,
and bringing hundreds of students and teachers worldwide to ISDCs each year.
This past term, I’ve been pivotal by bringing space education to over 6,000 teachers and students
worldwide. I’ve created three student competitions, a student website, and engaged teachers in two
NSS-sponsored online learning networks: SpacEdge Academy and SpacEdge Centers For Educational
Excellence.
As a professional high school physics, astronomy, and space science teacher of 32 years with a master’s
in physics, I have been engaging students in NASA programs, overseeing more than 90 national and
NASA Center winners, and mentored students into STEM careers.
I successfully brought the NSS vision to youth, creating a nationally recognized student program that
sent experiments into space, flying over 300 student experiments on six Space Shuttle missions, nine
suborbital NASA rockets, high altitude balloons, and other NASA flight opportunities. I have also
collaborated on NASA experiments with schools in other countries.
My creative and passionate commitment to space and science education is demonstrated through
authorship of experiment results in NSS & NASA publications, and contributions to experiment design
resource guides, textbooks, and educational websites and activities for national STEM programs.
Outside of teaching, I trained astronauts at NASA Johnson Space Center’s Space Station Training
Division. For Cal-Berkeley’s Space Science Laboratory’s Auroral Rocket Research team, I helped launch a
rocket and created interactive space science education web-based curricula.
I have been nationally recognized for outstanding teaching, leadership, student achievements, and my
enthusiastic outreach. Some prestigious awards include NSS Activist of the Year, Presidential Award for
Excellence, National Space Educator, Pete Conrad Spirit of Innovation, NASA Student Involvement Hall of
Fame, Christa McAuliffe Award, John F. Kennedy Award for Courage, and NASA’s Teacher in Space state
semifinalist.
Candidates for Regional Director
Region 1: Jim Keravala
This candidate was nominated by the Nominations Committee of the Board of Directors.
Mr Keravala is co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of OffWorld, Inc. He has undertaken leadership
roles in innovation in multidisciplinary areas such as aerospace engineering, space systems, robotics and
machine intelligence. OffWorld is the culmination of over a decade of architectural planning and
development of autonomous robotic systems operating in extreme space environments for mining,
construction, undersea, assembly and transportation services. Experience for seven years managing
launch programs and space access with Russian and Ukrainian launch vehicles, subsequently joining
Surrey Satellite Technology as Launch Manager for six years overseeing over a dozen successful orbital
launches on Russian, European and US launch vehicles. Participated in satellite design, integration
engineering and program management as part of this process.Jim cofounded Shackleton Energy and developed architectures for propellant depots and reusable transport systems utilizing lunar polar water for an assured continuous supply of fuel in space, and cofounded the OffWorld Consortium (OWC) building a space based solar power station fleet and seeded by Middle-East sovereign funding. Resulting from a collaboration with NASA Ames, Mr Keravala co- founded a synthetic biology program to enable over-expression of enzymes in bioleaching scenarios for terrestrial and space mining. Jim studied aerospace engineering, spacecraft engineering and physics at University of London, Surrey University, Aachen Technical University and International Space University, was previously faculty at Singularity University and is on advisory boards and Board of Directors of a number of space institutes including serving as Board Member of the National Space Society, The International Moonbase Alliance and the Moon Village Association. Jim is an Academician of the International Academy of Astronautics. Region 2: Ravi Deepak This candidate was nominated by petition. For generations, we have shared stories about the stars in our skies, inspiring generations as they are passed down, and forming the constellations that have lit and guided our paths across the globe. And as we soared higher in the skies, exploring exoplanets, and experiencing the blue marble, we have found a unity across the border and boundaries on the ground. As only one steward for the stars, I hope that I can add the National Space Society’s rich constellation and help inspire and guide the next generation of explorers. Over the past decade, since my first pico-satellite mission, I have been fortunate to support the blossoming small satellite community, and phenomenal researchers that rock the stars like rock stars. I am the Secretary for the AIAA Small Satellite Technical Committee. I’m also member of the Education Subcommittee for the American Society for Gravitational Space Research. I hope that I garner my knowledge gained to enrich the NSS ecosystem. I truly appreciate the shoulders of the giants that I’ve been fortunate to stand on and look forward to using this opportunity to help us journey beyond. And I’m grateful for the generous endorsement from Mark Hopkins, Chief Executive Officer Emeritus of NSS. Looking forward to fruitful futures. Region 3: Robert Aillon This candidate was nominated by petition. Bio Founder and CEO of Leviathan Space Industries LLC, which is leading the initiative to develop a Private Spaceport in Ecuador. Co-founder of MedDev Global LLC, a health company licensing NASA technology towards respiratory solutions during COVID-19. Serves as President of the Guayaquil Space Society, a chapter of the National Space Society where he also serves as International Chapter Coordinator. Member of the Global Spaceport Alliance, he participates in the Working group of Point-to-Point
Transportation and Academic Partnerships. Currently participates in the Committee of Emerging Countries and Developing Communities (ACDCEC) and in the Industry Relations Committee (IRC) as a member of the International Astronautical Federation. Active board member of GEN Space that supports the creation of a space based entrepreneurial ecosystem. Currently working in education outreach activities with schools and universities, having sent the first Ecuadorian seeds to the International Space Station in a project with local students. Petition As we think of space, it is important to consider inclusivity and how everyone around the planet is going to have access and participate in this amazing challenge of exploring the cosmos. The reason we started the Guayaquil Space Society in Ecuador, and I am now looking to become a Board member, is to have a voice and serve the local community. It is important that other people outside the United States can believe that this dream of space is also something that they can participate in and thrive. Thinking of the opportunities that this might provide in terms of new members, actors, sponsors, and donors, it is not far-fetched to think that in a near future the National Space Society might need to adapt its name to International Space Society. A wider selection of opinions, leaders, and space enthusiasts from around the world will help enrich the NSS and its future growth plans. My desire to serve the NSS is to promote its values around the world, where we can inspire an ever-sophisticated generation about how space shapes their lives and their role in shaping the future of humanity beyond Earth. The NSS needs to adapt to an ever-changing environment that the commercialization of space in the 21st century has brought. Increasing membership, strengthening the role of chapters, thinking of shaping space public policy beyond the US borders, leveraging relationships with space and non-space organizations are key aspects to focus as the NSS navigates this amazing century of space. Region 4: Sherry Bell This candidate was nominated by petition. My name is Dr. Sherry Bell and I have been a member of the National Space Society for many years. I have previously been on the Board of Directors and I frequently Chair a Track at the ISDC called “Living in Space.” I also currently serve as a very engaged member of the Awards Committee. In addition to being an active member of the National Space Society I am a member of the Planetary Society, a Lifetime member of The Mars Society, serve on the Advisory Board of the Lifeboat Foundation, and am one of the original Founders of Kepler Space Institute. Throughout the time the Aerospace Technology Working Group was operating, I was quite involved in all of their activities. Over the years I have written numerous space related articles, several of which have been published in each Ad Astra and the Journal of Space Philosophy. I have had the honor of editing a book titled “Living in Space: Cultural and Social Dynamics, Opportunities and Challenges in Permanent Space Habitats.” The book was well received and sold quite robustly. If elected as the Representative for Region 4 of the National Space Society, I intend to continue to advocate for this Society’s many aspirations and goals. Although Defending Earth, Clean Energy from
Space, and Developing Space are all of keen interest to me and I will enthusiastically champion those enterprises, it is the topic of Communities in Space that is dearest to my heart. Because I have thought about, written about, and dreamt about this for so many years, I expect I will bring most value to the Society through my continued engagement on this subject matter. In closing, I am looking forward to working with the National Space Society and serving on its Board of Directors as we advance toward our future as universal citizens of a spacefaring civilization. Region 5: Bailey Cunningham This candidate was nominated by petition. I am currently pursuing an LL.M. in Air & Space Law at the University of Mississippi School of Law. I earned my J.D. from the Florida State University College of Law in 2021. Prior to law school, I received my B.A. in Political Science from the University of South Florida. I previously interned with NASA’s International Law Practice Group and will intern with United Launch Alliance in the coming months. I am passionate about advancing and promoting a sustainable, long-term human presence in space. As such, I currently serve as the Chair of the NSS President’s Legal Advisory Council and am a non-voting member of the Policy Committee. I previously served as the Vice-Chair and Secretary of the NSS International Committee. Additionally, I serve as the Project Manager for For All Moonkind, in which I advocate for the preservation and protection of human heritage in space. As the Regional Director for Region 5, I intend to support NSS chapters throughout the region by promoting chapter events and meetings. Further, I intend to expand student and young professional involvement in the Society through increased educational outreach. Region 6: Karen Mermel This candidate was nominated by petition. Karen is a long-time member of the National Space Society and one of its precursors, the L5 Society. As a space advocate, she was President and Treasurer of the Northern Illinois Space Advocacy chapter in Chicago, IL Karen has served on Board of Directors, on and off, since 1989. She also filled many roles with the NSS Executive Committee (VP of Development, first Chair of Strategic Planning, Liaison to the Board of Governors). She has also been active on the PR committee, the IT effort. She also created the document for new Board members to understand the organization and their roles. Her interest now is in Board Governance and making sure all the leadership in NSS know what is expected of them and helping them understand their role. Making sure all Board members are active and helpful is critical to moving us toward the stars.
She has been working on an MBA at Lake Forest School of Management and is in a science related class just about every semester and various colleges most lately in 3 semesters of nanotechnology. Karen wanted to be an astronomer and looked forward to living in space and exploring its vastness since she was 9 years old. Region 7: Gerald McLaughlin This candidate was nominated by petition. I have long been a space advocate, probably based on reading science fiction and science-based concepts of cosmology and evolution. Like many baby boomers, I considered being an astronaut, and like many, pursued other options. I became a biomedical researcher, academic, then a health science administrator; many of my publications are archived in ResearchGate. I have advised NIST, DoD, and companies regarding scientific and business issues and was VP of research for a company before moving to the government, where I remain a Board Member for an academic-related non-profit associated with NIH. My career choices as ‘other than space’ have been somewhat influenced by shifts in priorities even during Apollo, with decreasing NASA budgets as a percentage of global GDPs/government funding and limited space-related projects and priorities. Although I monitored space activities and related policies, briefly joined and attended related space society meetings, and donated when feasible, space-related priorities seemed unrelated to what I considered progress, expanding life’s role in the universe. The efforts of Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos, who also seem to have early recognized that what I call ‘space migration’ could become a suitable and unifying national and global priority, have encouraged me to become more active. I joined NSS, initially to help with its SpaceEdge Space Diet contest after meeting Bill Gardiner, the NSS space diet contest’s manager, at the last pre-COVID DC-based March Storm. I then became active in the NSS Membership Committee, and more recently in the NSS Roadmap committee. It was suggested that I consider being nominated for the NSS Board for the mid-Atlantic Region 7, where I have lived since Y2000, and I welcome the opportunity. Although I have also been involved with other space advocacy societies, the NSS’s history and its clear mission, to create a spacefaring civilization, emphasize what I consider as a professional bioscientist and a hobbyist philosopher to be the clear goal for intelligent life, to thrive in the cosmos. Region 8: Stevan Akerley This candidate was nominated by petition. I, Stevan Akerley, have been an NSS member since before 1993, and have been a Space Ambassador since 2004. I was one of 5 finalists receiving recognition and awards at the ISDC 2016 NSS Space Ambassadors Phase 1 presentations competition. The competition at the ISDC 2016 completed the first phase of the NSS Space Ambassadors Program. Following the completion of the Phase 1 program, the NSS Executive Committee approved a whitepaper, based on lessons learned, which became the founding document for the second phase of the NSS Space Ambassadors program.
Stevan Akerley and Loretta Hall (both finalists from the Phase 1 program) became the founding members of the NSS Space Ambassadors Phase 2 program. The Executive Committee white paper was used to set membership, presentation, and code of ethics rules that govern the Space Ambassadors program. Steve has served as the NSS Space Ambassadors Program Director since 2017, with 4 other Space Ambassadors serving as Sub-Committee Members who help to direct, improve, and govern the program. Over the last several years, as Space Ambassadors Program Director, it has become clear that it is important to be involved on the Board of Directors, both to understand the operational aspects and governance of the NSS, the problems it is dealing with, and to help prepare for the opportunities it has for the future. As the Region 8 Director, I will strive to represent the interests of Region 8, and to give voice to the ideas and concerns of the region. I will also continue to be the NSS Space Ambassador Program Director, and represent their interests as well, and help the program grow in membership and in providing speakers to help educate and inspire the general public. So, I am asking for your support to be the Region 8 Director to both 1) represent the interests of the region, and 2) to help the NSS Space Ambassador Program to do an even better job than it currently is doing.
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