collectSPACE
 | |
 Screenshot of collectSPACE on Dec. 5, 2009 | |
Type of site | space history reference |
|---|---|
| Available in | English |
| Owner | Robert Pearlman |
| Created by | Robert Pearlman |
| URL | www |
| Commercial | supported by advertisements |
| Registration | required only on forums |
| Launched | July 20, 1999 |
| Current status | online |
collectSPACEis anonlinepublication and community forspacehistory enthusiasts featuring articles and photos about space artifacts and memorabilia, information on past, current, and upcoming space events, space history collecting resources, and links to other space-related websites. It also provides an array ofmessage boardswhere registered members can discuss various aspects of space history and the space collecting hobby; buy, sell, or trade items; or pose "what if?" historical questions. Users often abbreviate the website's name as "cS," and members often refer to each other as "cSers."
collectSPACE, founded and edited byRobert Pearlman,has published articles and reviews by authorsAndrew Chaikin(A Man on the Moon), Kris Stoever (For Spacious Skies),James Oberg(Red Star in Orbit), Frederick Ordway III (Imagining Space),Francis French(In the Shadow of the Moon),David Hitt(Homesteading Space), Russell Still (Relics of the Space Race),Colin Burgess(Into That Silent Sea), Jay Gallentine (Ambassadors From Earth) andApolloastronautWalt Cunningham,among others.
History
[edit]The website's intended name was spacememorabilia.com, for which a logo had been designed; however, theURLwas owned (though not in use) by formerGeminiand Apollo astronautPete Conrad.Pearlman instead bought the URL collectSPACE.com, which came online on July 20, 1999, the 30th anniversary of theApollo 11 Moon landing(Conrad died unexpectedly July 8).[citation needed]
collectSpace originally contained a photo gallery, drawing on Pearlman's personal collection; "Sightings," a calendar of astronaut appearances; and a short article about Apollo 11 anniversary toys. "Sightings" was chosen to show up in Internet searches forSightings,a TV series aboutUFOs.The site's original tagline was "memorabilia from the conquest of the final frontier," which became "The Source for Space History & Artifacts."[citation needed]
collectSPACE earned national media attention later in 1999 for its role in halting a controversialeBayauction forSpace ShuttleChallengerdebris. In September 1999, it first covered a space memorabilia auction—Christie'sEast—followed by Superior Galleries ofBeverly Hills, Californiathe following month. collectSPACE was the first to webcast space memorabilia auctions, providing live audio (and one year, video) from Superior Gallery's auction floor, as well as live hammer results (auction houses subsequently added their own webcast capabilities or partnered witheBayfor live online bidding).[citation needed]
The site's message board went online in November 1999. Among those posting and replying to messages have been former Apollo (EECOM flight controller)Sy Liebergot;Stephen Clemmons, a member of theApollo 1ground support crew;Project MercuryastronautScott Carpenter's daughter Kris Stoever; astronaut Pete Conrad's son, Pete Conrad, III;National Air and Space Museumcurator Allan Needell, space historianDwayne A. Day,Who's Who in Spaceauthors Michael Cassutt and Rex Hall, Kraig McNutt of "Today In Space History," andThe Surfaris' former bassist Andrew Lagomarsino, among others. A number of astronauts are known to be cS readers.[citation needed]
collectSPACE was nominated forThe Houston Chronicle's bestblogin its Ultimate Houston Readers Pick for 2005.[1]
In 2006, collectSPACE was the first to reveal the name of NASA's next planned crewed spacecraft,Orion,and publish its logo;[2]as well as the nameAltairfor the next planned lunar lander.[3]
Charitable auctions
[edit]In the wake of the9-11 terrorist attacks,collectSPACE organizedHeroes Helping Heroes,an online auction benefiting theAmerican Red Cross.In partnership withYahoo!Auctions, the site offered bidders the chance to have an item of their choice signed by one of 22 retired astronauts, who volunteered to participate. $12,686 was raised.[4]
Between 2003 and 2006, collectSPACE hosted annual silent auctions benefiting theAstronaut Scholarship Foundation.The astronaut experiences and artifacts auctions have raised more than $180,000 for exceptional college students seeking degrees inscienceandengineering.[5]
References
[edit]- ^"Chron to imitate Houston Press" Best Of "issue (badly)".blogHouston.net. 2009-07-23.Retrieved2009-12-06.
- ^"The Orion Era?".MSNBC.Archived fromthe originalon 2009-12-07.Retrieved2009-12-06.
- ^Potter, Ned (2007-12-13)."'Tranquility Base Here, the Altair has Landed'".ABC News.Retrieved2009-12-06.
- ^Boyle, Alan. “Space Heroes Join Charity Auction.” MSNBC. 5 Oct. 2001.
- ^"ASF Auctions".Astronaut Scholarship Foundation. Archived fromthe originalon 2009-12-10.Retrieved2009-12-06.