The International Space Agency (ISA): Space exploration history in the making
The first historic flight by a private spacecraft into outer space, "Space Ship One" by Aviation Pioneer Mr. Burt Rutan & Scaled Composites, produced a great deal of global interest among government, professional, scientific, academic, and public sectors of space exploration.
The well-known space scientists and author, doctor of science, Alexander Bolonkin recently interviewed Mr. Rick Dobson, the Founder and present Director (Chairman & CEO) of International Space Agency (ISA) Organization, which was founded in 1986, incorporated in 1990. It is presently seeking International Treaty & Charter Status, and presently has its Head Quarters located in the United States. A most Nobel and Historic undertaking and effort of our time.
The following is the interview of Dr. Bolonkin with the ISA Founder and Director, Mr. Rick R. Dobson, Jr.
Dr. Bolonkin: Mr. Dobson, can your please briefly tell me about the ISA and how it came to be?
ISA Director Dobson: Firstly, Thank Dr. Bolonkin for taking the time to interview me on this most important and historic effort. The International Space Agency (ISA) had its genesis in 1982 when as a senior in high school I wrote a paper on mankinds journey to Mars and the creation of an International Space Agency. I continued to work on this concept and idea as a personal project until 1986, when while I was serving in United States Naval Aviation in Virginia, I drafted the first formal ISA Concept & Charter and began in earnest to move the ISA vision forward into reality. In 1988 work started on forming the International Space Agency Corporation.
In October of 1989 at Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y. with the support and help of Dr. Norman Scott, Cornell Vice President for Research & Advanced Studies, and the approval and understanding of Frank Rhodes the President of Cornell University, and with much help & support of numerous Cornell Professors and Students, the ISA Concept & Vision was started in a formal Incorporation Process on September 15th 1989 and was formally approved as a 501c.3 Non-Profit Corporation in New York State on June 5th 1990.
Immediately work began on the first historic International Space Agency meeting in Washington, D.C., which did take place on May 22nd of 1992 at the Carnegie Endowment For International Peace in Washington, D.C.. Many National Diplomats, National Space Agency Representatives, and Scientific & Aerospace Representatives attended this first historic International Space Agency meeting. Since that first historic ISA meeting in Washington, D.C. in 1992, the ISA has conducted 5 formal, and over 200 private informal, International Diplomatic meetings in Washington, D.C., and the ISA has had a presence at both the 1992 and 2002 World Space Congresses.
The International Space Agency has faced much resistance, interference, and misunderstanding over the years due mainly to the fact that people did not understanding what the ISA was or why it was needed, but also powerful space organizations both Government & Private felt threatened by the Growing ISA Organization & Efforts, as they wrongly perceived ISA as trying to eliminate them. Indeed, to the contrary the ISA is, and has been from its founding, about increasing support and understanding for Human space efforts, activities, and organizations globally. In the last two years support and understanding for the International Space Agency has begun to increase dramatically.
Mostly I believe, because National Space Agencies have run themselves into major funding problems and are now seeing ISA as a way to combine limited resources in order to accomplish great things in the next 10 years; like sending an international manned mission to Mars. Interest in the media and public is rising as well, and most notably after the first historic flight of a private space plane into orbit, Space Ship One by Burt Rutan and Scaled Composites. I predict that the USA, Russia, Europe, China, Japan, India, Brazil and other Nations will very soon, in the next year or two, formally join the International Space Agency. Once this occurs, there will be a mad dash by commercial and private organizations to get involved and stake their claim in a growing ISA Organization and a global space exploration program and economy which will create millions of new jobs and billions in a new and growing space economy. Not to mention the opening of a whole new human frontier, and the colonization and development of a whole new world, Mars. Very exciting times for the International Space Agency, and indeed, humanity.
If people want to see the present ISA website, it is: http://www.isa-hq.com
Dr. Bolonkin: What is the purpose of ISA?
ISA Director Dobson: In a nut shell, and in simple terms. The purpose of the International Space Agency is to be a Diplomatic, Enabling, Coordinating, Quality & Standards Control, Infrastructure & Capability Building, and Training Organization. The International Space Agency will bring together Global Funding, Resources, Expertise, Knowledge, and Personnel from a wide range of Government, Commercial, Industrial, Scientific, Academic, NGO’s
