Organising a conference on space

I've been thinking about a few things of late, and have realised that almost everything that I spend thought cycles on has some sort of direct correlation to space. I present the following examples:

• Zero-G combat techniques
• Closed Biosphere Systems
• Communal Reward-for-contribution Societal System
• The Rex Computer Information Interface
• The Blog Software (for collaboration and idea sharing)
• Extra-Terran Object Merit Evaluation (From the Moon to Eros to Mars)
• Other Fun Things...

I've been pondering setting up a conference (low budget, amateur but open to others to attend) on space habitation and all aspects of life in space that would be required in a near-future situation. On top of that, we'd also plot a very specific course of action from present to then. It would be interesting, and some hard-science people could be there, as well as some Sci-Fi types. I'm thinking possibly a weekend session to start the group off from the beginning, followed up by a weekly working meeting.

The main goal of this group is to make educated design decisions, and then directly start implementation using the cheapest, lowest budget, and most maintainable production procedures availible.

The fundamental values of this group should be as follows:

1. To create a permanent separation between the Earth's Global Environment and this permanent space establishment. Should an ultimate disaster strike the Earth, humanity would thus continue.
2. To be entirely independant of Earth, it's resources, governments and technologies. If it cannot be produced by the colony, we shall not use it. If this means that we abandon certain high-technologies to meet this criteria, so be it.
3. To create a system of self-governance suitable to the environment, and scalable to whatever size into which the program may grow.

Anyway, we'll see what's going to happen with this idea. Hopefully I can scrounge up some support, maybe look into getting a hall or somesuch. Anyway, I'll need the help of Evan, most likely, and possibly some contacts I have within the Universities.

So far just an idea, Be Safe