NASA will sponsor the National Space Society’s International Space Development Conference (ISDC), May 19-22, in Washington.<\/p>\n
“We are honored to have NASA join us at this year’s ISDC,” said George Whitesides, the society’s executive director. “With NASA joining a lineup of leading scientists, entrepreneurs and visionaries, we can together best describe the importance of space exploration,” he said.
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\nDriven by the theme “Your Ticket to Space,” the conference will examine how commercial and government space efforts are enabling citizens to participate and engage in space in unprecedented ways.<\/p>\n
“Sponsoring the society’s conference gives NASA a tremendous opportunity to speak with people about the Vision for Space Exploration and the many benefits generated by space exploration in health and medicine, industry and environmental protection,” said Craig Steidle, NASA’s associate administrator for the Exploration Systems Mission Directorate.<\/p>\n
NASA will run a “Benefits of Space Exploration” track during the conference that will include specialists from in and outside of NASA. NASA speakers include Steidle, Dr. James Garvin, NASA’s chief scientist; and Mary Kicza, NASA associate deputy administrator for Systems Integration.<\/p>\n
Speakers from many walks of life will present stories of how space exploration led to products that benefit people on Earth, such as:<\/p>\n
– Space suit technology that has given children afflicted with an unusual disease a new lease on life.
\n– Technology used to monitor astronaut health in space that has been used by doctors to help treat people in remote regions across the globe.
\n– Microspheres that have been used by industry to clean up major oil spills.
\n– Digital implantable hearing aid technology that has restored hearing to over 60,000 people.<\/p>\n