Popularizing ETs

A Conversation with Gene Myers

I spoke with Gene Myers, author of ET Solutions, by phone at his house in Pamona, CA on Aug 29, 1997. I enjoy occassionally touching base with his efforts to popularize the concept of placing Shuttle External Tanks in orbit, turning them into space station modules, and doing other neat things with the huge orange tanks.

Gene is currently focusing on the topic of Space Tourism. He had a write up in AvWeek in April on the financing of it. He also had an OpEd piece in the Seattle Times in July, which focused on the role Boeing would play, now that it has acquired aerospace divisions of Rockwell and McDonald-Douglas. Boeing is also comfortable in its relations with the airlines, and understands the impact of tourism. Space tourism appeals to the public's imagination.

A travel writer from France interviewed Gene recently for a piece which ran in the Int'l Herald Tribune, a paper which has wide circulation in Europe and Asia. It was picked up by a number of Travel section in newspapers around the country. He has had a number of inquiries from space enthusiasts who have seen that article.

One topic that came up is that the ET Stations may have more in common with cruise liners than hotels. As such, Gene has been in touch with the head of Carnival Cruises, Mickey Arison. The hope is that Carnival might devote a portion of their advertising budget on engineering studies and publicity material for the ET concept.

I asked Gene if he though the coming assembly of the ISS have any effect on the chances for getting an ET put up?

Well, there is a group in D.C. advocating the ET Station. Gene had an article in "Insight on the News", a magazine put out by the Washington Star, in the Aug 18, 1997 edition. Listed on the front cover under "Will Congress Jetison" the space station project, he spends much of the article discussing the alternative of the ET Station. The editor, Scott Stanley, is a true believer, having grown up in the era of Apollo.

Concerning the Washington political scene, there is a sense that Al Gore was the chief force behind bringing the Russians into the ISS. With the problems of MIR and the slipped deadlines of ISS, Gore's run for the presidency in 2000 may be hitched in a way to the assembly of the ISS. The ET Station concept, with its greatly increased size and trimmed costs may become a object of presidential politics. Newt Gingrich, also a potential contender for the 2000 race, has been a proponent of various space commercialization concepts. Both Gingrich's Chief of Staff and Al Gore's office have requested reprints of the Insight article.

At this point in the conversation I spent a little time advocating the general usefulness of ETs as space-based raw materials, as it need not be limited to the station concept. They make great LEO "asteroids", for a variety of space-based manufacturing activities. Gene agreed, but restated the need for economical station concepts, and the political impact of having such large modules going up in the near term.

Large commercial sponsors, including Coke, Johnson & Johnson, and other Fortune 500 companies, have substantial advertising budgets. Much like the Olympics has a lead in, event, and fade out, an ET module sponsored by one or several commercial firms could have significant media exposure. Mention was made of an Israeli milk company that arranged for the Mir astronauts to film a commercial. There were also brief Pepsi and Coke space related "events".

Gene had just gotten off the phone with Mark Holderman at JSC, who mentioned that it looks like USA Corp is not into anything adventurous, given their gov't contractor status. They are primarily concerned that they get the second half of the $7 billion contract at the end of the year. When Gene talked with USA's head of public relations, he said that they knew about the ET concept, but that his gut feeling was that nothing would happen with it. Primarily it was the financing, and that NASA wouldn't be paying for it. When asked if they would be interested in commercially financed proposals, he said to send it to him, and that he would "make sure" (hah) that the right person got it.

We discussed the problems on board the Russian station some more. Gene seems to feel that the Russian's approach to safety will have a significant negative impact on the ISS. Interviews with Russian officials in Moscow repeatedly reveal the shoddiness or lack of availability of needed parts for Mir. It is thought that this will carry over to Russian contributions to ISS.

Jerry Linenger, recently back from his stay on Mir, left the astronaut corps. He had some harrowing experiences while on Mir, including a near disasterous fire and a rather perilous space walk on the exterior of Mir. Jagged edges, numerous dead ends, a lack of hand holds, and severe lighting conditions made it unlike any of the well-scripted space walks from the shuttle.

Gene was in the process of reviewing a list of major companies with extensive marketing budgets. Johnson and Johnson featured prominently, in part because of their zero-G electrophoresis experiment in the early 1980's. A specialist in technology transfer from the space program had made mention of the protein purification experiment which had returned a protein 700 times purer than that extracted on the Earth. When administered to four diabetics, all had begun within 16 hours to produce their own insulin, and after six years had remained cured. J&J patented the process, but has shelved it until manufacturing facilities which are able to produce large quantities become practical. Their total expenditure on the project was roughtly $200 million.

Gene would like to garner $20 million in funding for PR and engineering studies. One of the first PR videos would be a re-shoot of the scene from 2001 where the PanAm shuttle approaches the ring station. Instead, a X-33 successor (Venture Star?) would approach an ET Ring Station under construction. Call it Life immitating Art. The media would love it because of the tie-in with the coming of the new millenium.

Carnival Cruises continues to be at the top of his list, in part because the owner is also the majority shareholder of the revived PanAm. Gene would like to get people to call travel agents to ask them about the concept of a 300 person ring station, in connection with either Princess or Carnival Cruise Lines. He feels it would help support Carnival's potential decision to back these efforts.

Gene is happy to talk to folks who are interested in the idea. He has been spending much of his time this decade popularizing the use of the Shuttle's External Tank once it reaches orbit. He is not still not on the Net, and has no Email address. You can reach him by phone at (818) 338-3656. He would also encourage you to talk to your local travel agent about the possibilities of Space Tourism, and the huge ET Stations that will make it possible.