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Space Fun at LOSCON Convention

By Steve Bartlett

Members setting up the fan table on Friday. Photograph by Kat Tanaka.

Over one thousand science and science fiction fans discovered how much fun space exploration could be at this year's LOSCON convention over Thanks-giving weekend. OASIS members showed their playful sides in numerous activities at the annual event held in Burbank. Conventioneers rewarded our efforts with new memberships and renewals, great interest in our projects and upcoming tours, and a strong sense of excitement about what's happening in the space arena.

Local NSS folk held a large and boisterous party, urged guests to sign a petition to "Save Mars (bars)," gave away dozens of space and rocket posters, ran our Marvin the Martian mascot around the convention floor aboard a radio controlled rover, showed eye-catching space videos, ran a lively information table, and bantered with guests throughout the convention.

Thanks to all our volunteers for making our LOSCON events so successful! Photograph by Kat Tanaka.

At the OASIS room party, attendees visited the Moon Room and hung out in Mars Central, ate "Martian meat-eors," and played with helium balloons and bottles of Orbitz soda while a cardboard cutout of astronaut Buzz Aldrin stood guard in the background. Our party greeters festooned convention badges with stickers of stars, moons, rockets, and planets while passing out tickets to our twice-hourly raffles of space memorabilia. Conventioneers listened to other worldly music throughout the party. Member David Bliss, host of the festivities, kept the room well stocked with food and drinks while other OASIS volunteers ran party activities.

One of many OASIS party invitations posted throughout the convention.

Throughout the convention our information table served as a rallying point for Loscon guests. The table featured large displays of rocket launches, inflatable astronauts, space videos, candy giveaways, and displays of fun space toys and stickers. Our Rocketcam and Mars Exploration Rover videos caught many eyes as attendees passed near the table, giving them reason to stop and watch awhile.

We ran our "Take a Piece of Mars (candy)" giveaway but this year we tied it to our "Save Mars (candy)" petition. The M&M/Mars company, which makes the popular candy, has changed the name from "Mars Bar" to "Snickers Almond," thereby losing an excellent tie-in to space exploration. OASIS is urging the Mars Company to return to the original product name.

Rachel Steinberger takes a break from fan table duty. Photograph by Kat Tanaka.

Chapter mascot Marvin the Martian, from the Warner Brothers' cartoon series, took his annual ride around the convention aboard our radio controlled Mars rover to the delight of children and adults alike. Marvin's roving exploits earned him coverage in the "Best of the Convention" video shown after the convention masquerade.

In addition to these activities, OASIS members participated in a number of space-related panels, including discussions of manned versus unmanned space exploration, a presentation on the Dawn robotic mission to an asteroid, and the Mars Exploration Rover program.

Attendees also enjoyed several demonstration firings of the "Tea Cart" rocket engine by representatives of the small space development company XCOR (site of an upcoming OASIS tour in early March), as well as a video presentation on their ongoing work.

Thanks go to those who helped with our Loscon activities, including Bob Gounley, Paula Del Fosse, David Bliss, Diane Rhodes, Tina Beychok, Kat Tanaka, and Rachel Steinberger.