The Space Development Corporation LLC of Steamboat Springs, Colorado has established a prize to spur amateur discovery of near Earth asteroids. Named after the company's founder, James William Benson, the Benson Prize will award $500 for each discovery made by amateur astronomers of objects with perihelia less than the Earth's average distance from the sun.

Space Development Corp. is a private space exploration company that will announce in July a venture to build the first private spacecraft to go beyond Earth's orbit.

The Society is still going through its growing pains, but is starting to focus on workshops and publicity. Anyone who is interested in joining the Society, may contact Mr. John Spencer at 310-472-0846, or via email at jssdesign@aol.com. Over twenty members attended the brainstorming session and meeting. The following issues were discussed:

• "High Society" Newsletter -- There will be three seperate documents: a high quality introduction brochure; bi-monthly UPDATE; a "High Society" magazine modeled after the National Geographic magazine
• Space Tourism Workshop -- Mr. Charles Carr is the chair of a one day workshop for planning the 1998 Space Tourism Symposium. It will be held on December 13, 1997 on board the Queen Mary cruise ship, which is in permanent dock in Long Beach, California. Anyone who wants to participate, please contact Mr. John Spencer.
• NASA/STA Space Tourism Workshop -- the report on the workshop will finally be published in mid-summer. STS will secure copies and distribute them to the membership.
• "X Prize" Gala -- STS will participate in the September 27, 1997 event in St. Louis, Missouri. This event will be used to make the first national press announcement about STS. (September 26, 1997 will be the first anniversary of STS)
• Annual Lifetime Membership Award -- Dr. David Webb was awarded an annual lifetime membership because of his outstanding efforts in promoting commercial space development. Some of you may remember his involvement with the National Commission on Space, and the book they published called "Pioneering the Space Frontier."
• Corporate Sponsorship -- Three companies have requested corporate sponsorship materials. These materials are still under development.
• Conferences -- STS has been invited to the "Humans to the Moon 2000" symposium on July 4 in Pasadena. They have also been invited to the Space Frontier Foundation Conference on November 7-9 in Los Angeles.
• Media Coverage -- Several members have participated in several TV and radio programs, including "Strange Universe."
• "Space Lottery" -- STS is working with "Buzz" Aldrin on his lottery concept since it means opening space to the average person.
• MIR Space Station Commercialization -- STS also supports Mr. Derek Webber's efforts in privatizing MIR space station.
• "Space Tourism Dinner Theater" -- Mr. Mark Reiff presented his ideas for a comical "Murder Mystery" dinner theater performance loosely based on an Arthur C. Clarke story.