SSI Activity (and its rebirth?)

>
> Mike-
>
> I'm curious, no longer being a member or Senior Associate, is
> SSI still
> putting out mailings? Is it still actually doing anything, given
> the
> last conference disappeared?
>
> To be honest, I'm not really sure at this point.
>

It's really too bad to hear this.

I'm starting to feel that what the orbital colonization movement really needs is a
charismatic advocate who's really dedicated to getting the message the the public at large.
While some groups seem to be interested in this (Space Frontier Foundation comes to
mind), it seems that the idea of orbital colonies and habitats is still unknown to most
people, while the notion of Mars settlement seems to be accepted by the public as
something of a destiny, while space colonization languishes. This is nothing new: Mars
colonization is an example of the planet-bound thinking that Gerard O'Neill wanted
people to move past. Yet the loudest voice in colonization is Robert Zubrin, of Mars Direct
fame. If orbital colonies are to happen in the near future, we need someone who's as
strong an advocate as Zubrin - probably even stronger, since the notion of habitats is so
alien to most people's thinking.

Alas, since the death of O'Neill, it doesn't seem like anyone's stepped up to the challenge.

Vince