Hundreds of government and industry leaders are scheduled to attend Space 2006 from Sept. 19-21 at the San Jose McEnery Convention Center in San Jose, Calif., to explore the conference theme, “The Value Proposition for Space: Security, Prosperity, Discovery.”

Organized by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA), Space 2006 highlights the importance of space for civil, commercial, security and scientific purposes, and focuses on the investments that will maximize space’s value to humankind.

Keynote speakers include the officials and executives shaping the space industry:

  • Dr. Ronald M. Sega, undersecretary of the U.S. Air Force, Wednesday, Sept. 20, 8:15 a.m. – 8:45 a.m. PDT

  • Bill Vass, president and COO, Sun Microsystems Federal, Wednesday, Sept. 20, 12:00 p.m.-1:30 p.m. PDT

  • Bob Bigelow, founder and president, Bigelow Aerospace, Thursday, Sept. 21, 12 p.m.-1:30 p.m. PDT

Conference co-chairs will provide welcome remarks and are participating on various panels. They are:

  • Dr. S. Pete Worden, director, NASA Ames Research Center

  • Lt. Gen. Michael A. Hamel, commander, U.S. Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center

  • Joanne Maguire, executive vice president, Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company

Panel and technical sessions will offer in-depth commentary from experts on topics such as “Emerging Entrepreneurs and Their Business Cases,” “Space Tourism Opportunities and Architectures,” “Global Security Space Programs,” and “Emerging Models for Space Partnering.” Other highlights include a report from Lockheed Martin, NASA’s selected contractor for Project Orion (crew exploration vehicle), and the Pickering Lecture, free and open to the public on Wednesday, Sept. 20, which will offer a presentation on the Cassini/Huygens mission after two years on Saturn.

Space 2006 will feature the premiere of the Space Inventors Fair (SpIF). Inspired by Silicon Valley’s history for inventive genius from the garage, SpIF will provide cutting-edge, high-tech products in a number of fields, both inside and outside the space community, against a backdrop of new launch vehicles, spacecraft, and commercial space opportunities.

In addition, Education Alley, a special interactive exhibit hall for local K-12 students and educators, will offer an opportunity to hear from astronauts, engineers and scientists and will feature educational science and technology demonstrations. More than 3,000 Bay Area K-12 students and educators will take field trips to participate in Education Alley.

Lockheed Martin is the corporate sponsor for Space 2006. NASA Ames Research Center, the U.S. Air Force Space & Missile Systems Center and Lockheed Martin are co-chairs. Other sponsors and supporters include: The Aerospace Corporation, Gordon Biersch Brewing Company and Brewery Restaurants, Stellar Solutions, Inc., United Space Alliance, California Space Authority, and American Astronautical Society. Space News is the official conference media sponsor. Approximately 1,000 representatives from government, industry and academia are expected to attend the three-day event and more than 50 organizations and companies are expected to exhibit.

For details and the complete Space 2006 agenda, please visit http://www.aiaa.org/events/space.

For information about NASA and agency programs, please visit: http://www.nasa.gov/home

For additional media contacts: o AIAA: Sharon Grace, 703-264-7532, sharong@aiaa.org

  • Lockheed Martin: Lynn Fisher, 408-742-7606, lynn.m.fisher@lmco.com

  • Space & Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles Air Force Base: Jo Adail Stephenson, 310-653-2371, smcpa.media@losangeles.af.mil

Members of the news media may pre-register with Sharon Grace, 703-264-7532, sharong@aiaa.org. To register at the conference, go to the registration area.