Meanwhile, troops of “citizen lobbyists” arrived in Washington, D.C., this week to meet with their congressional representatives in search of support for space exploration. The National Space Society Legislative Conference took place Tuesday and Wednesday, with training sessions followed by visits to the Hill. The “blitz” precedes the 2005 International Space Development Conference, which begins today, featuring sessions on space exploration, tourism, science, technology, policy and business. Speakers include Burt Rutan, X Prize founder Peter Diamandis and Transportation Secretary Norm Mineta.
