HIGGINS@FNALCDF.BITNET (10/23/86)
Gary Allen has already put in a plug for my favorite pro-space group: the
British Interplanetary Society. Founded in 1933 (Arthur C. Clarke was an early
officer), the BIS has always been a forward-looking outfit. They published a
design for a Moonship in 1939, and a starship (Project Daedalus) in 1978. I
thought I'd give a little more information about them here.
The BIS promotes interest in space among both amateurs and professionals. They
publish a crackerjack general-interest magazine, *Spaceflight*, and the more
technical *Journal of the British Interplanetary Society*. The latter attempts
to serve a rather fractured constituency of interests by devoting a few issues
a year to near-term space projects and proposals, a few to "Interstellar
Studies" (such as SETI and interstellar flight), at least one to the history of
astronautics, and at least one to studies of Soviet spaceflight. There are
also special one-topic issues; recent ones have included IRAS and Halley's
Comet.
With membership, you can get either magazine. The other will cost you
thirty-four bucks extra. If you're only interested in one of its topics, say
interstellar flight, most of the issues of *JBIS* will seem like wastepaper to
you. I subscribe because I have a broad spectrum of interests, and I want to
know both about extrasolar planets and about the nutsandbolts of the Giotto
probe. By the way, the *Journal* tends to give considerable detail about
important satellites and planetary missions long before they're launched.
*Spaceflight* is very good at covering astronautics in general, I would say
better than *Space World*, its nearest American equivalent. Unfortunately these
magazines are hard to find in libraries in this country-- if you want a look at
them, try the technical libraries of a college with a decent astronomy or
engineering department.
Gary Allen made a remark about the BIS being the best of the "activist groups."
In what sense do you mean "activist," Gary? Certainly they work vigorously to
create public interest in space, but on the other hand I'm not aware that they
try to influence legislation, as L5 does. But there are no groups that will
keep you as well-informed as the BIS, and mighty few that have been at it for
more than fifty years! (The space ancestor of the AIAA is three years older.)
The British Interplanetary Society
27/29 South Lambeth Road
London, SW8 1SZ, England
Dues were $36.00 last year; they fluctuate with inflation and the exchange
rate. There are discounts for members younger than 21 and younger than 18.
(There may also be a premium for joining this year: one of the books the
Society publishes, such as the Daedalus design report or Bob Parkinson's book
of great old R.A. Smith paintings of space travel, from the 1940's. I'm not
sure whether this offer is still in effect.)
Bill Higgins
Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory
HIGGINS@FNALCDF.BITNET