Letter to Space Activists

(Click on graphic for 131Kbyte JPEG version)

April 15, 1995

Dear Fellow Space Cadet,

Thanks for your interest in and support of the X-33 Program. Educating our political leaders about X-33, the next step to Cheap Access to Space (CATS), is crucial. Simply showing them that CATS has a constituency is also important. We hope that the enclosed packets are useful to you in doing this.

The first is for use at meetings with your Senator or representative and the other is intended for your own amusement and edification. Included are a master from which overhead transparencies (slides) can be made (or just display the paper copies), articles from popular magazines, graphics, etc., to inform you about X-33 and other Single-Stage-to-Orbit concepts and to help you educate your Senator or Representative. Enjoy.

If you have any questions or comments please direct them to William Bogen at (313) 769-4350 or wpb@iti.org. Thanks again for your help in this important effort.

To take to your Senator's or Congressperson's office:

Cheap Access to Space -- Slides for a ten minute presentation you can make to Senators and Representatives.
An SSTO Effort Should Continue At DoD -- Why a continued DoD invovement is necessary.
A Spaceship for the Rest of US -- Why access to Space is dangerous and expensive, and how SSTO is similar to an airliner.
An SSTO "X"-Vehicle Flyoff Program -- why the two types of SSTO vehicles should compete.
Tough Love for X-33 SSTO Effort [Av. Week article]
NASA Turns to Industry for Next Generation of Launchers [NY Times article]
Draft BILL Language -- For Inclusion in the FY '96 DoD Authorization
Draft REPORT Language -- For Inclusion in the FY '96 DoD Authorization
Graphic - "Reusable Launch Vehicles" [cover of 'Innovation' newsletter]
Graphic - Delta Clipper [McDonnell Douglas flier]
Graphics - "Reusable Launch Vehicle Executive Overview" [Rockwell RLV proposal]
Graphics & Articles [Popular Science, Final Frontier, Spectrum]

(For copyright reasons, we are hesitant about putting the above graphics available on the web.)

For your eyes only (we suggest):

Meeting Your Representative or Senator -- How to set up an appointment, prepare for the meeting, Do's and Don'ts.
March 1995 SSTO/X-33 Political Situation
Twenty questions about SSTO -- courtesy of the Space Frontier Foundation.
Why SSTO is now feasible and practical [Ivan Bekey, NASA]
The SSX Concept [Jerry Pournelle]
Team Formed for X-33 Bid & Lockheed Details RLV Plans [Av. Week articles]
DC-X1 Flight Test Program
(Semi-) Technical Aspects of SSTO -- Why SSTO is challenging but feasible; with a discussion of wings, scramjets, operational economics
SSTO: A Quick History
Single Stage to Where? [Air & Space article]
The Case against VTHL
SSTO Thermal Protection System Issues
SSTO/X33 Political Situation/Lobbying Timeline/Legislative Strategy
SSTO GAME PLAN -- Goals & Ground rules
Who To Contact -- Important commitee members and their phone numbers.
Relevant Committees of the 104th U.S. Congress -- Senate & House Committees [Members, staffers, phone #'s, fax #'s, addresses]
Background Information: DoD & The X-33 SSTO Program
SSTO Technology Readiness
Political Status X-33 FY '96

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