The SpaceCom Conference and Exposition concluded last Wednesday and was held at the George R. Brown Convention Center.  This is a very important event for the energy industry because of all the cross over technology that can possibly be applied.

The potential for spinoff technology is real because working  in either space or deep water, the conditions can be similar –  that is just one example.  Like in space, deep water drilling requires small mobile vehicles and sometimes special suits that can provide oxygen and protection to workers.  Other opportunities exist in propulsion, fuels, materials, and software technologies.

While at the conference I spoke to software developers who are either creating “hack” resistant software and operating systems, to virtual reality programs for training and safety, to computer applications for predicting weather from satellites.  Weather is definitely important to offshore rigs and even processing facilities along our coastlines.

The largest exhibitor at the conference was NASA.  But the second largest was the Italian space industry.  There were even representatives there from the Indian space industry.  Truly an international event.

Currently, there is much discussion about commercializing space travel – routine flights to the Moon, Mars, and beyond.  The space industry is proposing the colonization of space, where people would live permanently.  There are plans underway to build space ports in Houston and else where that would function like an airport shuttling people to and from space.

SpaceCom is set to return next year.  Please view their website:  http://www.spacecomexpo.com.  Come and join us !!!