Photo: Gabriel Rothblatt, member of the NSS Board of Directors, at Port Canaveral NSS table.

By Jennifer Munz

Greetings, fellow members of the National Space Society (NSS). The Florida Chapter is officially back in business, the business of promoting space. We are thrilled to share the latest updates and highlights from our activities aimed at promoting space exploration and fostering a sense of community in the Space Coast. Without further ado, let’s delve into the exciting events that have kept us busy:

1. First Friday’s at Port Canaveral

• Date: March 1st, April 5th, and May 3rd
• Location: Port Canaveral
• We’ve been actively engaging with the community by hosting a booth during the First Friday’s events at Port Canaveral. These gatherings have provided us with an excellent platform to showcase NSS and spark enthusiasm for space exploration. We distribute magazines, stickers, and candy, and at one point had a curious crowd of about 10 people at one time listening to our NSS elevator pitch.

2. “321 Day” Chapter Kickoff Event

• Date: March 21st
• Location: Space View Park, Titusville
• Our chapter kick-off event, aptly named “321 Day,” was a special celebration held in memory of Ozzie Osband, a founding member of the Florida chapter and a local icon in the space community, who spearheaded a campaign for the 321 phone exchange on the space coast. The festivities, held at Space View Park and the Titusville Welcome Center, featured food trucks, live music by Interstellar Grove Machine, and a presentation of a plaque by Mayor Dan Diesel, proclaiming March 21st as officially “321 Day”. With over 200 attendees, it was a heartwarming and memorable, inaugural event.

3. Shuttlefest 3 at the American Space Museum

• Date: April 13th
• Location: Hyatt Place, Titusville
• Shuttlefest 3, organized by the American Space Museum, brought together space enthusiasts and industry professionals for a day-long conference. A standout session was the “Rocket Renaissance” panel discussion featuring representatives from NASA, All Points, Vaya Space, and others, exploring the future of spaceflight. Our very own Burt Dicht was on that panel. We set up the NSS booth and gained a lot of visibility with approximately 125 attendees.

4. Yuri’s Night Event at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University

• Date: April 12th
• Location: Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
• Thanks to an invitation from fellow NSS member Robert Katz, we participated in Yuri’s Night event at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. Burt set up the NSS booth and engaged with students. The event included a panel discussion on career choices in space, featuring young NASA employees and a retired Boeing employee.

5. Stay Curious Podcast Hosted by Burt

• Date: April 4th
• Burt took the helm as the host of the Stay Curious Podcast, providing insights on current events in space and highlighted milestones in April. As part of his presentation, he focused on ISDC and encouraged attendance, further amplifying our outreach efforts.

These events signify more than just individual gatherings—they represent the building momentum of our chapter within the vibrant Space Coast community. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to all participants, organizers, and supporters who have contributed to the success of these endeavors. Your passion and dedication fuel our collective mission to push the boundaries of NSS.