Association Of Space Explorers Usa

THE ASSOCIATION OF SPACE EXPLORERS (ASE) PROMOTES EDUCATION AND THE EXPLORATION OF SPACE, PLANET STEWARDSHIP AND GLOBAL BENEFITS OF INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION.

PROFESSIONAL FORUM:ANNUAL PLANETARY CONGRESS: THE ANNUAL PLANETARY CONGRESS ALLOWS THE MEMBERS TO WORK TOWARDS THE ORGANIZATION'S MISSION AND VISION BY PROVIDING BROAD AND DEEP PROFESSIONAL TECHNICAL INTERCHANGES AMONG THE MEMBERS AND ATTENDEES. VALUABLE EXCHANGES OF INFORMATION AND EXPERTISE ARE CREATED BY ASTRONAUT REUNIONS. PRESENTATIONS ARE DELIVERED TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC AT THE ANNUAL CONGRESS. THE ORGANIZATION PROVIDES ONLINE ACCESSIBLE INFORMATION WITH WEEKLY INTERCHANGE THROUGH THE ASE DOWNLINKS. MEMBER/ASTRONAUT APPEARANCES AT SCHOOLS AND OTHER PUBLIC FORUMS PROVIDE A PLATFORM FOR PROMOTING THE BENEFITS OF SPACE SCIENCE AND EXPLORATION.ASTRONAUT REUNIONS: ASE ORGANIZES AND HOSTS ANNUAL EUROPEAN ASTRONAUT REUNIONS AND BIENNIAL ASTRONAUT REUNIONS FOR NASA ASTRONAUTS IN HOUSTON, TEXAS. THE REUNIONS PROVIDE NETWORKING AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR ACTIVE GOVERNMENT ASTRONAUTS, FORMER GOVERNMENT ASTRONAUTS AND COMMERCIAL SPACE TRAVELERS. UNIVERSAL ASTRONAUT INSIGNIA: ASE REPRESENTING THE DESIRE OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY OF SPACE TRAVELERS TO ESTABLISH A SINGLE, COMMONLY RECOGNIZED INSIGNIA FOR ALL WHO FLY INTO SPACE, CONCEIVED, DESIGNED AND APPROVED A UNIVERSAL ASTRONAUT INSIGNIA. ALL SPACE TRAVELERS WHO ARE CERTIFIED BY A RECOGNIZED SPACE LAUNCH PROVIDER AS HAVING TRAVELED TO SPACE ARE ELIGIBLE TO WEAR THE UNIVERSAL ASTRONAUT INSIGNIA. THE INSIGNIA CONSISTS OF ASCENDING AND DESCENDING CHEVRONS CROWNED WITH A 5-POINT STAR, REPRESENTING THE JOURNEY TO SPACE AND THE RETURN TO EARTH. A CIRCLET ENCOMPASSING THE CHEVRONS IS ADDED TO ASTRONAUT INSIGNIA AWARDED FOR FLIGHT INTO EARTH ORBIT AND BEYOND. REGISTRY OF SPACE TRAVELERS: ASE, EXERCISING ITS HISTORICAL ROLE REPRESENTING THE INTERNATIONAL ASTRONAUT COMMUNITY, CURATES AN OFFICIAL, UNIVERSAL REGISTRY OF SPACE TRAVELERS, THE RECOGNIZED OFFICIAL INDEX OF INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE FLOWN TO SPACE AND THE SEQUENTIAL ORDER IN WHICH THEY FLEW.

EDUCATION: CELEBRATING DIVERSITY FROM SPACE: OPERATING UNDER A FEDERAL GRANT FROM THE ISS NATIONAL LABORATORY/CENTER FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF SCIENCE IN SPACE (CASIS), ASE IS CURRENTLY ENGAGED IN "CELEBRATING DIVERSITY FROM SPACE", AN EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM FOR UNDER-REPRESENTED YOUTH IN BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS. STUDENTS EXPLORE DIVERSITY AT THREE LEVELS: 1) EARTH'S GLOBAL DIVERSITY FOR ITS PHYSICAL FEATURES AND HUMAN GEOGRAPHY; 2) ASTRONAUTS WHOSE DIVERSE BACKGROUNDS, EXPERIENCE AND EXPERTISE ARE ESSENTIAL FOR SUCCESS OF ISS; AND 3) LOCAL COMMUNITY OF EACH BOYS & GIRLS CLUB, WHERE STUDENTS CELEBRATE RICH DIVERSITY AMONG THEMSELVES, THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS AND FAMILIES. ALL THREE REALMS HAVE THE COMMON THEME - DIVERSITY IS AN ESSENTIAL ELEMENT OF SUCCESS. THE PROGRAM EMPHASIZES HANDS-ON AND INQUIRY-BASED LEARNING. EACH CLUB WILL CREATE A 30-MINUTE VIDEO, CONVEYING THESE CORE CONCEPTS, WORKING DIRECTLY WITH ASTRONAUTS. THE ISS NATIONAL LAB PROVIDES TWO ESSENTIAL ASSETS: 1) WEALTH OF PHOTOGRAPHS TAKEN BY THE ISS ASTRONAUTS AS THEY ORBIT EARTH, SHOWCASING RICH COMPLEXITY; 2) EXPERIENCES OF ASTRONAUTS THEMSELVES, AS DIVERSE CREWS, WORKING AS A TEAM, MANAGING COMPLEX TASKS, AND SOLVING PROBLEMS WITH CREATIVITY AND COLLABORATION. THIS PROJECT BUILDS ON EXTENSIVE PRIOR WORK OF "WINDOWS ON EARTH" TO ESTABLISH THE ARCHIVE OF PHOTOS AND VIDEO CREATION TOOLS. THE 10 PARTICIPATING ASTRONAUTS ARE MEMBERS OF ASSOCIATION OF SPACE EXPLORERS AND HAVE ALL FLOWN IN SPACE.COMMUNITY DAYS: AT EACH PLANETARY CONGRESS, ASE MEMBERS DEDICATE A FULL DAY FOR OUTREACH WITH THE LOCAL AND NATIONAL COMMUNITIES IN THE COUNTRY WHERE THE CONGRESS IS BEING HOSTED. THE ASTRONAUTS AND COSMONAUTS REACH THOUSANDS OF STUDENTS, TEACHERS, PARENTS, AND MEMBERS OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC TO INSPIRE AND PROMOTE EDUCATION IN SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING AND MATHEMATICS. ASE-USA MEMBER ASTRONAUTS ALSO ENGAGE WITH STUDENTS AND TEACHERS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR IN THE USA WITH SCHOOL AND UNIVERSITY VISITS AND LECTURES, AS WELL AS VIA PARTNERSHIPS WITH OTHER EDUCATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS.

PLANETARY STEWARDSHIP:WINDOWS ON EARTH: WINDOWS ON EARTH FEATURES THE VAST COLLECTION OF PHOTOS AND MOVIES TAKEN BY ASTRONAUTS ON THE ISS. ASE, WITH SUPPORT FROM NASA AND THE CREW EARTH OBSERVATION FACILITY, ESTABLISHED AND MAINTAIN ASE'S OWN IMAGE LIBRARY, PROVIDE A FRIENDLY PUBLIC FRONT-END (WINDOWSONEARTH.ORG), AND USE THESE PHOTOS IN CREATIVE WAYS. SINCE 2005, THIS WORK HAS BEEN FUNDED BY A SERIES OF NSF AND NASA GRANTS, CREATING MUSEUM EXHIBITS, CURRICULUM GUIDES, TEACHER TRAINING AND INNOVATIVE TECHNICAL DEVELOPMENT. NOW ASE WILL TAKE SOME BOLD STEPS TO GREATLY EXPAND PUBLIC ACCESS AND EDUCATIONAL USE OF THESE RESOURCES, THROUGH AN AMBITIOUS PARTNERSHIP WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SAN DIEGO (UCSD) AND ITS SUPERCOMPUTER CENTER (SDSC). IT BUILDS ON PRIOR COLLABORATIONS WITH UCSD, AND THEIR ENTHUSIASM AND EXPERTISE TO TAKE WINDOWS ON EARTH TO NEW LEVELS OF ACCESS AND THE POTENTIAL FOR MUCH LARGER REACH. THIS PARTNERSHIP WILL ALSO PROVIDE SOME POWERFUL NEW TOOLS FOR ASE MEMBERS, AS THE ORIGINAL ASTRONAUTS, ARTISTS AND SCIENTISTS WHO TOOK THESE PHOTOS OF EARTH.SPACE TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT / ORBITAL DEBRIS: ASE'S COMMITTEE ON SPACE TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT / ORBITAL DEBRIS WORKS WITH THE UNITED NATIONS COMMITTEE ON PEACEFUL USES OF OUTER SPACE (COPUOS) AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS TO DEVELOP BEST PRACTICES FOR THE MANAGEMENT AND MITIGATION OF SPACE DEBRIS OBJECTS. IN ADDITION TO UN COPUOS, THE COMMITTEE ENGAGES WITH INTERNATIONAL SPACE AGENCIES, THE HAGUE INSTITUTE FOR GLOBAL JUSTICE, THE PARIS PEACE FORUM, THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF AERONAUTICS AND ASTRONAUTICS AND OTHER NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS TO PROMOTE THE CONTINUED REDUCTION OF SPACE DEBRIS, TO IMPROVE ACCESS TO TIMELY AND ACCURATE DATA ON SPACE OBJECTS DOWN TO THE LETHAL DEBRIS LIMIT AND TO IMPROVE INFORMATION SHARING ON A ROUTINE BASIS TO STRENGTHEN GLOBAL SPACE TRAFFIC COORDINATION MECHANISMS.