Civilian Aerospace: Raw Innovation

Raw innovation is at the core of civilian aerospace.

That innovation is something I, for one, look forward to observing, periodically chronicling, and, with luck, participating in.

Reading the following five recent civilian aerospace articles prompted the writing of this post:

1. Bigelow Aerospace Sets a Business Trajectory http://space.com/spacenews/070326_bigelow_businessmonday.html
2. SpaceX Declares Falcon 1 Rocket Operational http://space.com/news/070328_spacex_falc1test_updt.html
3. Twin Suns Likely in Our Galaxy http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2007/03/30/MNG8OOUKER1.DTL
4. Family Trip to Space Museum Yields New Cosmosphere CEO http://space.com/news/cs_070323_cosmosphere_ceo.html
5. New Mexico, Branson Sign Spaceport Agreement http://space.com/news/ap_070327_branson_spaceport.html

Reading these articles, combined with my absorption over the years of space travel and humans' extra-terrestrial exploits courtesy of Heinlein, Asimov, Clarke and others, has made my neurons, ganglia or other grey matter reverberate, buzz and randomly spark with thoughts of civilian aerospace projects, events and possibilities. Add in the prospect of near-future work with EAA on civilian aerospace and the lure of the annual X PRIZE Cup in New Mexico this fall, and you now have the distinct likelihood of several days being consumed by thinking about, learning more about and organizing activities and projects focused on private enterprise in aerospace. If you're interested in the X PRIZE Cup, consider volunteering to help at the event in Las Cruces this fall. Another volunteering opportunity, at the National Space Symposium, is available 9 - 12 April 2007. Volunteering is generally an effective way to develop and build your network in an area, in addition to helping an event be successful.

If one considers innovation to be successfully developing and bringing new products and services to the market, civilian aerospace has a veritable smorgasbord of innovation awaiting it simply because it is a new arena of enterprise with unlimited potential. Talk about untapped markets and unmet needs... Just monitoring and writing about innovation efforts in this field would be a full-time endeavor for several people. Perhaps the Council For Innovation, EAA, Prodea Systems, Orbital Technologies, and several other organizations will consider a collaborative focus on civilian aerospace innovation.

The thought occurs that an initial goal should be to connect with ten to twenty people in Wisconsin or the midwest who are similarly interested in civilian aerospace, as well as five to ten people outside the midwest. The reason for this goal is to begin finding or developing and growing the civilian aerospace community in this region, with an objective of some Wisconsin in-person meetings both near future and over the coming years. If this sounds like an enjoyable and mind-expanding use of your time, please connect with me and let's work on this!

*****