Huntsville Alabama L5 (HAL5) is the Huntsville Alabama chapter of the National Space Society (NSS). It was formed in 1983 and incorporated in 1984. Both HAL5 and the NSS are not-for-profit 501(c)(3), grassroots, space educational / advocacy organizations. Members share the enthusiasm that space development can stimulate our world with immeasurable benefits in the areas of education, energy, environment, industry, resources, and ultimately room to grow for our society. HAL5 and NSS believe that by educating and working with the public, the government, and private industry, we can speed up the date when routine, safe, and affordable space travel is available to anyone who wants to go.
Over the past 21 years, HAL5 has sponsored numerous educational projects and activities in Huntsville. It has hosted a continuing series of public lectures, forums, and events on space-related topics, at both the U.S. Space & Rocket Center and the Huntsville Public Library. Hot topics have included the Space Station, space science, and both public and private attempts to provide cheap access to space. In May of 1998, HAL5 was presented an NSS Chapter Excellence Award for the outstanding public lecture series it held in 1997.
Thirteen years ago, HAL5 hosted the 1993 International Space Development Conference (ISDC), the 12th annual conference of the NSS, and of one of its most successful. Over 700 space enthusiasts from Huntsville and around the nation and the world gathered at the Huntsville Hilton to hear over 120 speakers lecture and debate on the benefits of space and on what it will take to get there. The City of Huntsville honored HAL5 for making the 1993 ISDC one of its top ten conferences. HAL5 hosted Southeastern Space Development Conference (SSDC) in November of 2004.
In 1987, HAL5 supported a local elementary school's "Get-Away-Special Canister" project. In 1993, HAL5 hosted a highly successful 3-day "Junior Cadet Program", part of the 1993 ISDC. In 1995, HAL5 purchased and donated a reusable tethered balloon to the Huntsville elementary school system to support its HOPE program. HAL5 has sponsored "Space Week" activities on numerous occasions, including March of 1996. HAL5 has also designed a pilot program to take space and science education into the grade-school classroom in the same manner as the Junior Achievement (JA) does for business. In March of 1996, HAL5 unveiled its new educational program, called Project HALO Achievement.
As a space advocacy group, HAL5 has hosted many activities to build non-partisan political support for space. Many HAL5 members participate in letter writing campaigns to alert our governmental representatives of our interest in space. HAL5 hosts lectures designed to call the public attention to space-related issues and to urge them to write, call, fax, or E-Mail their elected officials. HAL5 also distributes petitions and surveys on space exploration, development, and tourism.
In 1994, HAL5 began its biggest project ever, Project HALO (for "High-Altitude Lift-Off"). The goals of the project are no less than to provide cheap access to space for small clubs and student groups. On May 11, 1997, HAL5 made amateur rocketry history when it successfully performed its first hybrid rockoon mission, dubbed Sky Launch 1. The rocket was launched from a high altitude balloon at over 10 miles and made the Guinness Book of World Records. We are currently preparing Tube Launch 1 (TL-1).
Above
all, HAL5 has pledged to keep Huntsville and its neighbors informed of
the positive benefits of space research and development, whether by
NASA, other governments, or private industry. HAL5 has also pledged to
alert Huntsville and vicinity during the times for action, whenever
letters, calls, and petitions can improve our chances for becoming a
spacefaring civilization. And lastly, via Project HALO, HAL5 has pledged
to lead the way in showing the public, the government, and private
industry that cheap access to space can indeed be made a reality!
“Ad Astra” is the motto of the National Space Society, which is Latin for “To the Stars”
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