FYI,

"The Robert A. and Virginia Heinlein Prize for
Accomplishments in Commercial Space Activities"
The Heinlein Prize Trust
http://www.heinleinprize.com

: The Trustees of the Robert A. and Virginia Heinlein Prize Trust
: announce the establishment of The Robert A. and Virginia Heinlein
: Prize Accomplishments in Commercial Space Activities

: The Heinlein Prize is a cash award of $500,000 to an individual or
: individuals for practical accomplishments in the field of commercial
: space activities.

: The establishment of the Heinlein Prize and details of its
: application process will be announced at the 54th International
: Astronautics Federation Congress in Bremen, Germany on Monday,
: September 29, 2003. A press release will be available at that time
: and will be posted on this website.

: The Trustees invite you to an informational meeting at 1530 on
: Monday, September 29, 2003 in Saal III of the Park Hotel Bremen,
: followed by a reception in the Kuppelhalle.

: Park Hotel Bremen
: Im Bürgerpark · 28209 Bremen, Germany
: Telephone:(0421) 34 08-0

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: Mission Statement

: "We are at a cusp, a decision point. We can decide to go one way, to
: the stars, and enjoy unlimited opportunities, unimagined
: possibilities, endless evolution, and eternal racial life. Or we can
: refuse the challenge, stay where we are—and die." Robert A.
: Heinlein, 1972

: The legacy of Robert and Virginia Heinlein is the shared dream of a
: future of humankind expanding ever outward into space—to the Moon,
: to the planets, out and onward to the stars.

: Space is not to be the realm of the select few. The dream, and the
: future, belong to us all, of every race and every nation. It is in a
: child in school today who understands the positive vision of the
: future of Robert Heinlein. It is the dream of all who see a future
: bright with possibilities.

: Today is a dark day for space, with the shuttle grounded. We are not
: on the Moon, and haven't been for a generation. The day will come
: when we will mine the asteroids and walk the sands of Mars. We'll
: live and work in space for the benefit of all humanity. We'll have
: horizons so vast that no one who dreams and strives need be left
: behind. All of these things we can do, and we shall.

: This bright future will be created by those of you, today, who
: strive to create advances in commercial space activities.

: "Out of this could come something else for all of mankind—hope!" :
Robert A. Heinlein

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: The Heinlein Prize

: The Heinlein Prize is worldwide.

: The Prize honors the memory of Robert A. Heinlein, a renowned
: American author. Both Robert and his wife Virginia were strong
: advocates of human advancement into space through commercial
: endeavors. The purpose of the Heinlein Prize is to encourage and
: reward progress in commercial space activities that advances their
: dream of humanity's future in space.

: The Heinlein Prize Trust will present a substantial award to the
: individual or individuals who achieve profound accomplishments in
: the field of commercial space activities.

: Winners will receive a medallion, a diploma and a monetary award.
: The first Heinlein Prize award has been set by the Trustees at
: $500,000.

: The Trust has three Trustees: Art Dula, Buckner Hightower and James
: M. Vaughn.

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: Nominations

: Nominations for the Heinlein Prize will be made by a worldwide board
: of advisors. The Trustees are now establishing this advisory board.

: Nominations may be made directly to the Trustees.

: email: nominations@...

: The Heinlein Prize Trust
: Post Office Box 7466
: Houston, TX 77248-7466
: United States of America
: phone: 713-861-3600
: FAX: 713-861-3620

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: Biographies

: Robert A. Heinlein 1907-1988

: Robert Heinlein is the most enduring and influential American writer
: of speculative fiction.

: Heinlein published over one hundred novels, short stories, and
: articles. He won six Hugo awards, and has had his work adapted into
: four movies and five television series.

: Fifteen years after his death, most of his books are still in print
: in many languages, and his influence can be clearly seen in the
: writings of many important authors writing today.

: The most prevalent theme underlying all his works is the practical
: benefit of man's activities in space. Though he never turned a blind
: eye to the terrible costs or the negative aspects of technological
: growth, he had a clear vision of its importance to human progress
: and human survivability.

: A large portion of his writings were published long before Neil
: Armstrong first set foot upon the Moon. He wrote against prevailing
: opinions of the time that declared such an endeavor was both
: impractical and impossible.

: Many of those who grew up reading his stories have gone on to make
: significant progress in man's expansion into space. They're
: scattered throughout the aerospace industry worldwide. Many testify
: today that they were first inspired by Robert Heinlein and his
: writings to pursue careers connected to space.

: Today, in the Southern Hemisphere of Mars, is a small terrain
: feature called the Heinlein Crater, named in honor of this man who
: became a much beloved writer, and who dreamed that humans would some
: day make their home there, and thrive.

: Virginia Heinlein 1916-2003

: Virginia Heinlein graduated from New York University in 1937 and
: worked as a Chemist until the outbreak of World War II. She enlisted
: as a lieutenant in the US Navy serving first at the Bureau of
: Aeronautics, then at the Naval Air Experimental Station in
: Philadelphia. There she met Robert Heinlein and worked as his
: assistant on several classified developmental projects.

: After World War II, she came to Los Angeles to study biochemistry.
: She married Robert Heinlein in 1948. Thereafter, the two were
: inseparable. Those who knew them spoke often of their intense and
: abiding love for each other. She became his closest companion
: and advisor, aiding him in his writing.

: In 2001, she endowed the Robert Anson Heinlein Chair in Aerospace
: Engineering at the US Naval Academy.

: She also endowed the public library in Robert Heinlein's birthplace
: of Butler, Missouri, and helped to found the Heinlein Society, an
: educational charity dedicated to paying forward to generations to
: come the many Heinlein legacies.

Mark Reiff