posted 04-15-2009 10:58 PM               

Tickets £40 each. E-mail: ken.willoughby@btinternet.com.

posted 08-19-2009 10:14 AM               

quote:

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Originally posted by Tykeanaut:
Pontefract, West Yorkshire, U.K. is again scheduled to play host to Ed Mitchell (April 2010) and Gene Cernan later in the year.

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What's the odds of either of them attending Autographica next month?

posted 08-19-2009 10:35 AM               

Tickets will be on sale at the Lovell Lecture priced at £30 each. Priority will be given to people who attend the Capt Lovell talk.

posted 08-20-2009 06:49 PM               

As it is one free autographed book per person, could one of you guys who either already has a signed copy of 'Apollo 13', doesn't want to bother getting one or just is a very nice person please please please pick me up a signed copy at the event?

This favour would be greatly appreciated - if you can find it in your heart to do so, then please contact me via e-mail!

posted 08-22-2009 11:35 AM               

quote:

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Originally posted by AstroAutos:
I myself am not able to make the Jim Lovell event in October, so I was hoping some kind-hearted collectSPACE member who is attending could do me a massive favour...

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Even if one of you guys is bringing along a family member or friend who doesn't want a signed copy, could you get them to get one for me? Please, if you can do it then contact me at bubbly-warp@hotmail.com.

posted 08-27-2009 05:49 PM               

I will let you know what Ken says.

posted 08-28-2009 06:50 AM               

Ken tells me in relation to Lovell that: "I would think he would personalise them but can check when I get chance."

posted 09-23-2009 06:10 AM               

No plans thus far as to whether it will be re arranged in the future.

People who have purchased tickets for the Lovell event can either transfer them to the Ed Mitchell visit due in April (Interest permitting!) (Tickets are £30 for Ed's visit) and you will then get a refund on the outstanding monies or you can get a full refund if you choose not to attend in April.

posted 09-23-2009 06:53 AM               

As recently as this morning I was sat on the computer at home trying to cost out how much it would be for me to attend, because I really would have liked to, but it just worked out too much in the end.

posted 09-23-2009 12:39 PM               

I was costing up to see if I could afford to go, the tickets were slightly more expensive this time I think. Cost wouldn't have been a consideration some time ago!

Perhaps a sign of the economic downturn, and something to do with just signing the book only...

All others astronauts have been most gracious in their presentation, and autographs afterwards... especailly Fred Haise.

posted 09-23-2009 12:53 PM               

It is always a hard thing to do and when you a reliant on ticket sales to pay fee's it is always going to be difficult as this has proved.

I am sorry for the people who have booked hotels and time off from work, travel etc and hope that you can get refunds or sort out your days, but please do support the events in the future, without supporting Ken's event in you attending, they simply wont go ahead no matter who organises them.

posted 09-23-2009 01:12 PM               

It has been notable at past presentations that there have been many whole families attending, including local people, curious onlookers, staff and students from the school.

Bringing a family of four or five to events such as Fred Haise, Charlie Duke etc was certainly a deep dig in the pockets but obviously many people were prepared to do it.

On this occasion I think the price effectively ruled out many of these groups attending. Plus I think what we would see as reasonable to pay is beyond that what the casual attendee/curious onlooker would be prepared to pay.

posted 09-28-2009 07:14 AM               

quote:

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Originally posted by StarDome:
[b]It is with regret that due to a lack of interest that I have to announce that the Jim Lovell event has been cancelled.

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posted 09-28-2009 11:28 AM               

At Ponty last year they must have been 250 /300 people... Sad news indeed.

posted 09-28-2009 12:57 PM               

Cernan contacted Ken shortly before the event to say that something had come up at short notice. He could still make it over but his stay would be shorter than planned and he would have to drop the lectures planned for the school hosting the event.

To have proceeded on those terms would have been cynical and tactless and under those circumstances Ken had no option but to postpone; it is hoped however that Cernan will be over again in the Fall of 2010.

posted 09-28-2009 04:19 PM               

Apollo astronauts can get called away at any time to do a myriad of different things. It is like a juggler trying to keep lots of things in the air at the same time, inevitably some time or other one will get dropped.

It was a case of lack of support this time round really, I tried to get some corporate sponsorship to help Ken out but no one was willing to part with any cash up north at this present time to support the event.

This, allied to higher ticket prices for Lovell, but that is a reflection of the astronaut's fee. Some charge more than others.

We are lucky in the UK that we have people like Ken and I amongst others willing to put their own time, money and effort into organising events like this. Okay, it doesn't always work out as this event has shown but at least we try and strive to make them happen. Ken has had success after success, so one event not going ahead due to lack of support/cost isn't a reflection of effort on his part.