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Looking to the Future

Monday, 9 November, 2009
Senate Hart Office Building Room 902
Washington D.C.

Click to enlarge > November 9 event in Washington, D.C. Posed together at the November 9 event on the 75th anniversary of Carl Sagan's birth are Lori Garver, Louis Friedman, Ann Druyan, Neil deGrasse Tyson and Andrea Carroll. Credit: The Planetary Society/Michael Slage

Vice-President Bill Nye the Science Guy played host and welcomed everyone to a program that celebrated the wide-ranging work of The Planetary Society. Board member Neil deGrasse Tyson, Director of Hayden Planetarium, American Museum of Natural History, introduced the New Carl Sagan Fund for the Future, designed to foster governmental and non-governmental collaboration for technology, innovation and scientific discovery to help seed the exploration of other worlds and the search for extraterrestrial life.

Another board member, Wesley T. Huntress, Jr. -- Director Emeritus of the Geophysical Laboratory, Carnegie Institution of Washington -- presented the Thomas O. Paine Award for the Advancement of Human Exploration of Mars to Steve Squyres, Principal Investigator for the Mars Exploration Rovers, and to the entire mission team.

Druyan, CEO of Cosmos Studios, spoke of her husband Carl and how much he would have enjoyed the new musical video, "A Glorious Dawn," which incorporates his words and vision into a format for new generations. Jack White, who has released a 7-inch vinyl single of the song through his company Third Man Records, was also on hand.

Former Vice-President Al Gore even made an appearance -- via pre-recorded video.

The event served as a fitting launch pad for the Society's next great venture, LightSail, which Executive Director Louis Friedman unveiled.

Board member Lon Levin, President of SkySeven Ventures, also participated in the event.

The Planetary Society would like to thank
the supporters of the November 9 program:

NASA - California Institute of Technology Jet Propulsion Laboratory

Orbital Sciences Corporation

Strategic Space Development

The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory

Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company

Musk Foundation

and the Members of The Planetary Society.

Pictures from the Evening

Click to enlarge > Musician Jack White with Lou and Bill White Stripes musician Jack White shows Bill Nye and Louis Friedman a copy of the record, "A Glorious Dawn," released by his company, Third Man Records. Credit: The Planetary Society/Michael Slage

Click to enlarge > Thomas O. Paine Award Wes Huntress drapes the mantle of the Mars flag over Steve Squyres, on presenting him with the Thomas O. Paine Award for the Advancement of the Human Exploration of Mars. Credit: The Planetary Society/Michael Slage

Click to enlarge > Al Gore Video Presentation A pre-recorded message from Al Gore is played at The Planetary Society's November 9th event. Credit: The Planetary Society/Michael Slage

Content for class "clear" Goes Here Click to enlarge > Neil deGrasse Tyson Planetary Society Board Member Neil deGrasse Tyson speaks at The Planetary Society's November 9 event with the Washington Monument in the background. Credit: The Planetary Society/Michael Slage