Launch Pad 2012 Debriefing
Launch Date: 22 July 2012
Launch Site: University of Wyoming campus, Laramie, Wyoming
Objective: Learn as much about astronomy as possible in one week. Apply said lessons to our writing.
Personnel:
Captain and Crew
Front row, kneeling/crouching, left to right:
Geoffrey “Magnetic Fields” Landis Christian “Shuttle Pilot #1” Ready Mike “Dungeon Master” Brotherton Jim “Secretary of Education” VerleyPassengers
Standing, second row:
Doug “Indie” Farren Mary “Shall We Dance?” Turzillo Nova Ren “Altitude Lover” Suma Farah “Rosebud” Mendlesohn Ellen “Clouds” DatlowThird row:
Jodi Lynn “Snacks” Nye Christie “Bad Influence” Yant Tiffany “Hokie” Trent Robin “Ruby Slippers” Wasserman Linda “Audioslave” Nagata Sandra “Sarah” McDonaldBack row:
Robin Christian “Hollywood” Peters Matt “Dark Matter” Rotundo Merrie “Gin and Tonic” Haskell Matt “Antimatter” Kressel Jake “Willie Mosconi” Kerr Michael “Shuttle Pilot #2” KurlandPhoto by Glen “Utilikilt” Lehmitz
Nicknames courtesy of yours truly (except for Antimatter and Dark Matter, which callsigns were bestowed upon Matt Kressel and I).
Mission Highlights, aka Awesomely Cool Stuff, in no particular order:
Visiting WIRO, the Wyoming Infrared Observatory, and gazing into its 2.3 meter primary mirror.

Seeing the Andromeda Galaxy through night vision goggles, low in the northern sky. Said goggles had to be repeatedly pried from my hands.
Spectroscopy.
Getting the inside scoop on the Spirit and Opportunity missions from Geoffrey Landis.
Getting a story idea during a Geoffrey Landis lecture on terraformation.
Figuring out the division-by-zero fallacy on the chalkboard all by myself.
Extrasolar planets, detection of.
Learning that spiral arms of galaxies are actually stationary shock waves that initiate star formation. Whoa.
Jim Verley’s lectures on education and misconceptions. Fantastic stuff.
Guest lecturer Ruben Gamboa’s presentation on amateur astronomy. Where are my binoculars?
Mike Brotherton’s basement. Must be seen to be believed.
A 3-mile hike through a place called Vedauwoo. Nothing to do with astronomy, but quite pretty. See?


Good food, libations, meaningful conversations, and general frivolity at various Laramie establishments, including a sports bar improbably named The Library.

Splashdown: 29 July 2012
Results: Brain bursting with new information. Tremendous fun attained. Missing my new friends.
Mission accomplished.
Matt, this is terrific! It preserves so many great memories for me! Hope you’re writing up a storm.
Thanks, Mary! Glad you liked it.
Hey, I notice that you and I will be on a panel together at WorldCon! Should be a hoot.
I had a WONDERFUL time. Met a lot of new friends and had my brain expanded as well.
Hope to catch up with you again soon, Doug!
As the person who dubbed you and Matt Kressel Matt-R and Anti-Matt-R, and hauled at least ten pounds of goodies to Launchpad, I am proud to receive the nickname ‘Snacks.’ Mike Brotherton added the Dark to Matt-R. I’m dying to hear what inspired the rest of the nicknames. They did give me a good laugh. Brain overloaded with great science fact, too, some of it already leaking out onto my laptop (ewwww). Looking forward to seeing you again soon.
Some of those nicknames are classified, I’m afraid. I’ll never tell–unless bribed with beer.
(Deep breath) All right, if beer is what it takes…
I figured out most of them. I think. A few, though, well, do you have a brew of preference?