If it’s been a few days (say, later than November 16th) and you can still see this message, please let me know at info@sdspace.org. Thanks!

I was one of these interns, and what was in store for me was plenty enough to make my heart beat just a little faster for the rest of my life.

A spacecraft meant to ferry people calls for a window, so I was given the task to design a testing apparatus (from scratch) for the windows on SpaceX’s Dragon capsule.

It’s an inspiring story; taking an active role in the new space revolution is something we all hope to do. James recently shared his experiences with us at an SD Space program meeting. Please join us for the next one; you never know who you might meet.

The tour begins at the Goldstone museum where three large areas are dedicated to current missions, past missions, and Deep Space Network history — plus there is a hands-on room for children. The guided tour then travels around the 53-square-mile complex to view the large antennas.

Carpools will be leaving from San Diego at 8:00am and will rendezvous with the Orange County carpools for lunch before the tour.

Email events@sdspace.org for more information or to reserve your spot.

Click through to the Permission to Dream project page for more photos from the star party. Well done, NSS! If you’d like to donate to the Permission to Dream project, become an NSS member today (and be sure to tell them the San Diego chapter sent you).

[via the NSS on Twitter]

From the SpaceDev release:

Benson was diagnosed in 2007 with a glioblastoma multiforme brain tumor, the cause of his death early this morning. Mr. Benson had resigned from an operational role in SpaceDev in September 2006. He retained a seat on the Board of Directors of SpaceDev where he had continued to support the Company that he founded in 1997.

Prior to founding SpaceDev, Mr. Benson spent thirty years associated with the computer field, spanning the era from the introduction of modern mainframe computers, to the dominance of the computer industry by microcomputers. Mr. Benson invented modern full text computer indexing and searching in 1984, and exploited the new field through companies he founded; Compusearch and ImageFast of McLean, Virginia.

After his successful career as a computer industry entrepreneur, Mr. Benson decided to take on the challenge of starting an innovative space commercialization venture because it combined his lifelong interests in science, technology and astronomy with his successful business experience. SpaceDev was the result.

In addition to his roles in SpaceDev and Benson Space, Benson had been a member of the Board of Directors of the California Space Authority. He founded the non-profit Space Development Institute, and introduced the Benson Prize for Amateur Discovery of Near Earth Objects.

We offer our condolences to Mr. Benson’s family, friends, and colleagues.

World Space Week San Diego is organized by the San Diego Space Development Alliance (SDSDA), led by the San Diego Space Society. To see the full list of activities planned, visit the World Space Week page on our calendar or email events@sdspace.org for more information.

Formed as a result of the Sputnik crisis of confidence, NASA inherited the earlier National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA), and other government organizations, and almost immediately began working on options for human space flight. NASA’s first high profile program was Project Mercury, an effort to learn if humans could survive in space, followed by Project Gemini, which built upon Mercury’s successes and used spacecraft built for two astronauts. NASA’s human space flight efforts then extended to the Moon with Project Apollo, culminating in 1969 when the Apollo 11 mission first put humans on the lunar surface. After the Skylab and Apollo-Soyuz Test Projects of the early and mid-1970s, NASA’s human space flight efforts again resumed in 1981, with the Space Shuttle program that continues today to help build the International Space Station.

Here’s to another 50 years of progress. Happy Birthday, NASA!

The 10-minute launch video is available on YouTube, as is the full 40-minute webcast with some explanation and graphics. The SpaceX updates site should have more details and a recap soon.

Congratulations to James and everyone else who worked so hard to achieve this amazing launch.

I took a set of my own, but iPhone photos just aren’t the same. :) If you were at the conference and posted photos to Flickr, please consider adding them to the San Diego Space Society group there.

* Sunday, September 14th at the Mission Valley Library

UPDATE: The application deadline has been extended to August 10th.

Be a visiting astronomer in a San Diego County school – Project ASTRO will provide you with free training, materials, and a rewarding way to help our local schoolchildren and teachers. If you are a professional, student, or amateur astronomer or space scientist, we need you!

Project ASTRO is a program of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific (ASP) to create partnerships between 3rd-9th grade teachers and local astronomers and space scientists. If you have ever wondered how you can best share your enthusiasm for space and astronomy, AND help your local schools improve their science education, then Project ASTRO is for you.

This is a great opportunity to help kids learn science “hands-on”, as well as work with a dedicated teacher who desperately needs your knowledge of basic astronomy and space science in the classroom.  With a minimum commitment of one training workshop (the next is Saturday, August 16, 2008) and only 4 classroom visits during the school year, you can make a BIG difference in the education of our next generation of scientists and explorers. And you’ll have FUN – with the most inquisitive and appreciative audience you can find. Project ASTRO provides all the training and educational materials (a 1000-page activity guide) that you’ll need.

For more information, and an application form so that we can match you with a nearby school, please contact the local coordinators for Project ASTRO: Dr. Philip Blanco (pblanco AT sciences.sdsu.edu), or Dr. Ron Angione (angione AT sciences.sdsu.edu) at 594-6183, or visit the San Diego Project ASTRO website where you will find further details for volunteers and an FAQ list. Please apply before August 10, 2008 in time for the workshop.