From: aws@iti.org (Allen W. Sherzer)
Subject: One Small Step for a Space Activist...
Followup-To: talk.politics.space
Organization: Evil Geniuses for a Better Tomorrow
Date: Mon, 12 Oct 1992 12:35:17 GMT


           One Small Step for a Space Activist...
                Vol. 3 No. 10 - October 1992
                             By
                  Allen Sherzer & Tim Kyger

For several months we have been writing about the effort to
find a new home for the SDIO SSRT program and to find
funding to build the DC-Y vehicle or some sort of orbital
demonstrator. This effort was delayed due to an unexpected
threat to the DC-X when the House Appropriations Committee
Defense Subcommittee transferred DC-X funds to the NLS
program. Now funding for DC-X looks secure (see below) and
it is time to begin the push for DC-Y. The strategy for
accomplishing this comes in three parts: 1) The Inside Game,
2) The Outside Game, and 3) The Media Game.

The Inside Game is the game that has been played to date to
bring the SSRT program into existence.  This is the game of
people who know people; of deals made in offices, or on golf
courses.  So far it has worked very well for SSRT; there
has, indeed, been a Phase I and a Phase II program.

The inside game will also be the game required to achieve
the establishment of an SSRT Phase III program, along with
its associated funding lines.  This "issue" is being worked
by the very insiders who in the three past years have
brought the current SSRT program into existence. Current
inside activities consist of identifying the best place for
Phase III of SSRT and convincing that group to aggressively
pursue bringing SSTO into their shop (note the name change).
In addition, Air Force Space Command officials are being
briefed on the potential cost reductions and increases in
flexibility possible with SSTO. Together, these activities
are providing demand pull which will help convince Congress
(and putative Clinton Administration if there is one) that
SSTO deserves funding.

The Outside Game is where our help is needed. It began when
space activists rallied with letters and phone calls to Rep.
Murtha (D-PA) asking him to restore SSRT funds. The size of
our response suprised a lot of Congresscritters because it
was so large compared to the size of the SSRT effort. It
also, frankly, suprized SSTO supporters.

The second phase of the Outside Game is about to begin. The
goal of Phase II is to have space activists visit every
newly elected Congresscritter in the entire House of
Representatives by early 1993. To accomplish this your help
is needed. We are preparing packets containing all the
information you will need to help accomplish this goal. This
packet will contain:

1. A paper describing how to make an appointment and visit
your representative

2. A presentation on SSTO to give your representative

3. Background papers on SSTO to give your representative

4. A "20 Questions about SSTO" paper to give to others

In addition, arangements have been made to get you the
support of insiders. They will help you cut through red tape
in order to help you actually make an appointment and help
you go through your presentation with role playing
excercises.

The final element of the strategy is the Media Game. As much
as possible we must get DC-X and SSRT in the public mind.
This will not only help support SSRT but will also stimulate
interest in space in general. To date the Media Game has
seen the least activity. Can you help? Do you know about or
have access to major (or even minor) media? If so, contact
us ASAP; we need your help. This project has a 'tech
support' line: 202-225-8459, 800-787-5314 (voice mail), or
800-78SPACE. You can also send email to aws@iti.org or
kyger@grebyn.com.

Activists have played an important role in keepint SSRT
alive this year. It is in our hands to make phase III a
reality.

This effort is a project of the Space Frontier Society with
major support being provided by the Ann Arbor Space Society.
More thanks to come! If you want to become involved in this
project, give us a call.

                     Legislative Roundup

                          SSTO/SSRT
It looks like the staffers who were attempting to transfer
the SSRT funds into the NLS program have cried 'uncle' and
will not impede DC-X this year. This came largely as a
result of the letters and phone calls you have made. One
well placed House staffer said: "Murtha said that he felt
like a catbox had been dumped on him from out of the blue".

Mr. Murtha deserves our thanks. Drop him a line thanking
him; it will go a long way to reinforce his support.

                      Commercial Space
As of October second, it looks like the Senate will include
launch vouchers as a two year trial in the NASA
Authorization bill. In addition, it looks like the Senate
will agree to civil use of NASA facilities, termination
liability, launch indemnity, and trade secret provision.

                        Inside Space

If you get the new Science Fiction Channel on cable, be sure
to check out "Inside Space" every Sunday at 9:00 EST.

                       NSS Petition Drive
NSS has endorsed Dr. Zubrin's petition calling on the next
president to devote serious effort to SEI. Watch this space
for progress reports.
-- 
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Allen W. Sherzer | "A great man is one who does nothing but leaves        |
|  aws@iti.org     |  nothing undone"                                       |
+----------------------195 DAYS TO FIRST FLIGHT OF DCX----------------------+