Space Track Says THANK YOU!!

[imrain.livejournal.com]

Did you attend any Space Track talks? Did you get pictures? PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE!!! If you have pictures from any Space Track talks I would dearly love to have copies. Please send them to space@dragoncon.org. Thanks.

Have to say that Dragon*Com was pretty amazing for the Space Track this year!! Most of the panels were full and more than a few had to turn people away.

We also had our first true 'celebrity' guest. If you missed the James Marsters 'MoonShot' talk, you missed a fun time. Yes, he was late to the panel but he more than made up for it. Was anyone else surprised at just how knowledgeable he was on all the information regarding the Apollo 11 Moon landing?! I certainly was. He was also as nice and cooperative as any track director could wish for. Huge thanks to James Marsters and it was great to hear the song he wrote about his experience shooting 'MoonShot'.

Space Track also got to be a part of the Richard Garriott talk which turned out to be a really good move since he focused most of his talk on his trip to the ISS. : ) Turned out that he has a connection to another of my guests this year - Dr. June Scobee Rodgers, widow of Commnader Dick Scobee of the Challenger Shuttle tragedy. She was his high school science teacher and they have remained very close friends. Garriott told me just before his talk that he wasn't going to leave Con immediately, instead he had changed his plans to stay and join Dr. Scobee Rodgers on her talk on Sunday! I kept that news to the Space Track only, thereby ensuring we had an audience of only space enthusiasts for that talk. Garriott had me fooled for a few moments. He looked so formal in his suit and tie; then he turned his head and his very long 'rat's tail' braid came into view!! : ) A very interesting and charming man.

Speaking of Dr. Scobee Rodgers, what an AMAZING WOMAN!!!! I had no idea of her background and as she spoke she enthralled the entire room. Never expected to be so moved by a talk anywhere at Dragon*Con but she had the entire room crying. No lie, everyone including Garriott, had tears. Given that I'm very emotional to be begin with, I wept like a baby. She is made of very strong stuff.

I could go on and on, the entire track turned out so great but I'll edit and just mention our final panel, 'Salute to 30 Years of the Shuttle & Farewell Shuttle Party'. What a blast!! : ) We had shuttle trivia with good prizes. We had a double chocolate cookie with a shuttle on it and we had LN2 ice cream!!! We also got a little crazy, playing with the LN2. Frozen grapes, frozen smarties candies and frozen tortilla chips that when you put them in your mouth allowed you to blow smoke! There are pictures out there just waiting to truly embarrass me!

Thank you to everyone who joined us this year. It's you who make doing the Space Track so much fun. I'm already planning big things for 2012. It will be my 10th year with Dragon*Con and my 5th year as Space Track Director. I LOVE feedback! Send me any comments, suggestions, etc. at space@dragoncon.org.

Be happy. Be safe. Until next year -

{{{{hugs}}}}

rain
Director Space Track