The International Astronautical Congress remains a fascinating conference. One minute you can be talking to the head of NASA, the next you could be chatting to a pretty young Russian rocket scientist or a charming young Swiss one (don’t tell the wife :)). You could even “meet a Mounty”. Seeing Mounties in real life gave a thrill to some of the ladies -plus a few gentlemen as well. 🙂
At IAC, meeting people is the name of the game. This writer was thus very grateful to be invited to a reception held by the UK’s Consul General in Canada, where he specifically told the audience to meet six new people that night. This cheered your clumsy correspondent, who had briefly considered asking Canada for asylum after he had accidently tripped and fell onto the UK’s beautiful Pavilion, smashing one of the Union Jack ”flags” off. Thankfully, it was repairable with sellotape.
While IAC was quite hard work for most, there was still some fun to be had at the exhibition stand receptions. Mind you, there is usually someone trying to image you as even as you have a swift one.
Attendees to the DLR stand were even imaged with an FLIR camera including this big headed chap (above) with a cold drink in hand and apparently hot chin(s). Ok – it is the writer – and now your correspondent has proof that he is “white hot” after all. You should note, however, that he was just carrying the wine for a friend (honestly) – and the double chin was just borrowed! 🙂 .
Other strange sights and sounds in Toronto included Gerry Webb, of the UK/Russian consultancy and launch arranger, Commercial Space Technologies, who apparently found his Doppelganger.
There was also a clothes store where you needed a rocket ship to get to the top rack.
On the subject of rocket ships, while Skylon may be the name of the UK’s great hope in this area, it is also the name of a tower overlooking Niagara Falls. Mind you, it looks like a spaceship itself.
