Region 3 Past Director‚s Report

14 September 2009

The Fall Leadership Training Workshop has been announced to the Florida Council at their 29 August meeting.  The Orlando section will participate in the 26 September session.

The summary findings of the Augustine Committee on Human Space Flight has been released.  Principal issue is the timing of the retirement of the space shuttle, an event that will end 7,000 jobs.  The findings were briefed to the White House on 8 September. https://www.spaceref.com/news/viewsr.html?pid=32327

• NASA needs $3 billion more budget per year through 2014 (on top of the existing $18 billion), with inflation adjustments after that, if the human space exploration program is to be viable.
• A return to the moon by 2020 is unaffordable.
• Exploring the inner solar system over several decades could be a workable flexible path.
• Enlist other countries to participate in space exploration.
• Extend the life of the space station by five years, to 2020.
• Abandon development of Ares I for crew and Ares V for cargo; focus on a lite Ares V that could do both.
• It will take at least seven years to develop a rocket to lift crews to the space station; the Russian-built Soyuz will be used until then.
• Retire the space shuttle by 2011, but it could be kept in service until 2015.

Life Member Affinity Groups have a budget available to assist with meetings and local expenses for speakers.  Joint sponsorships of meetings with society chapters or with the local section get more publicity and, likely, more attendance.  Groups must have two meetings per year to remain active.  Contact the Region 3 LM coordinator, Dave McLaren, for details on expense reimbursement.

The results of the Career Development meeting held jointly by the Canaveral and Melbourne Sections on 3 August were good.  About 90 attended.  Sponsors were three Melbourne affinity groups: Consultants‚ Network, GOLD, and Life Members.  Facilitator was Ed Kirchner, Melbourne section treasurer, who offered to make his PowerPoint slides available to other IEEE groups.

George McClure