I'm at a symposium, it must be Tuesday

I'm at a symposium, it must be Tuesday
Originally uploaded by diminishes.

Animals in the veldt at the water hole, butterflies flocking across the oceans, herds of migrating wilderbeasts, suits (and skirts) to a symposium.

Welcome to the NASA 2006 cost symposium, Cleveland, Ohio. Same chairs. Same white sheet over the tables. Same water glasses. Same bat time, same bat channel.

But there were some differences. This was the first NASA meeting I've been to in quite a while that was upbeat and focused on the future. I'm used to NASA meetings where (e.g.) researchers take issue with declining funds or certain NASA centers complain that they are being cut out of the new manned space flight work. But here, it was all CEV-go-go-go. Plans shown for the future of lots of rockets going VROOOOMMMMM.

Another nice thing here was the sense of continuity and tradition. There were folks here who where Apollo old-timers. And the next generation of NASA types. All working together towards the CEV/Constellation stuff. Most inspiring.