"I have commented often that we need the leadership, vision and courage that was demonstrated by President Kennedy in 1961 when he challenged the nation to pull together and take on a difficult but important task. Nothing could be more important in shaping the geopolitical landscape of the 21st century and ensure peace and security for the nation (and the world) than to unleash our dependence on fossil fuels. With strong leadership, a call to challenge our greatest minds and innovative engineering talents catalyzed by the imagination of people that can envision a prosperous world without oil, I can imagine a "Space race" to energy independence. Nothing could please me more than to contribute in a small way toward that end." -Steve Nolet, TPI Composites

The aim of the Vehicle Design Summit is to catalyze an energy space race: to engage the passion, innovative drive and focus that enabled the United States to get to the moon and transpose these characteristics onto the large, complex and diffuse energy, development and sustainability questions of our day. The following images are meant to start the story from the beginning, and to allow you to draw your own conclusions about what this endeavor not only might take, but also create.

We strongly believe that every person works to have a lasting and positive impact on the planet, whether through their family, friends, community or colleagues. VDS is an attempt to articulate a strategy we believe so powerful that it could enable anyone, anywhere to find the people, resources, and vision they need to not only act on their wildest dreams, but do so in a manner that has huge and lasting impact on the future of humanity.

If these ideas move you, we invite you to apply to join VDS or start a similar endeavor of your own.

The image to the right shows the crescent earth rising above the lunar horizon. According ot the NASA repository, this image is from the Apollo 17 spacecraft during the final lunar landing mission.

Earth limb at sunrise. Part of the open payload bay and the stabilizer and wings of the shuttle Columbia can be seen in the lower left corner.