My wonderful supporters, we are working with the supplier to make sure you all get your rewards for pledging your support. Many have already gone out and I appreciate the patience of those who have not received their rewards. We’re actually ahead of schedule on some of them, but behind on others.

We’ve run into a snag with the XL t-shirts and hoodies, so those are delaying some orders, but it shouldn’t be long. I’m visiting with the supplier this week. Here’s a break down of where we are as of 11/7/14,

• $1 reward Digital Download of a Major Tom Burning Man photograph-DELIVERED -these are available for download at this address: http://vardenphoto.smugmug.com/Clients/Black-Rock-Observatory/ the pass word is Caranvansary. You can download as many high-res photos as you like, Ill be updating that gallery with new photos periodically.
• $5 reward  one Black Rock Observatory sticker, a high resolution digital photograph of Black Rock City by Major Tom and our sincere thanks – MAILING NOW –  DOWNLOAD Available some delivered
• $10 reward 106 backers YOUR NAME LASER ENGRAVED onto our prototype observatory dome destined for Burning Man 2014 + Digital Download of Major Tom Burning Man photograph Est delivery: Aug 2014. DELIVERED* This is a long story. I was assured before offering this reward that a company in Orange County had the equipment to do this on our dome panels, after committing and almost delivering, I was informed the table could only handle 4’x4′ sheets for laser engraving. They advised that I was given bad information and that they had a waterjet that could do the work, but there were no tables capable of engraving a sheet that large. After some more research, I discovered that I promised you something that just isn’t possible yet. A friend offered to help and managed to cut the names into a piece of wood that was to be placed inside the prototype observatory dome. I saw it with my own eyes, but it never made it to the Observatory. Lost in the move somewhere, the search is continues….rest assured, Ill do my best to get this completed by the next mission.
• $15 reward 6 backers Spacey songstress, Kim Boekbinder’s new astro-themed album The Sky is Calling. Est delivery: Aug 2014 – DOWNLOAD PENDING
• $25 reward 144 backers Your choice of Black Rock Observatory Patch for showing your support, Black Rock Observatory Logo Bandana or Gregg Fleishman Geometry Poster Download. Est delivery: Nov 2014 PATCHES & BANDANNAS DELIVERED, DOWNLOAD PENDING– there are a few pieces that were returned that have not been resent.
• $40 reward 81 backers A quality T-shirt with the Black Rock Observatory Logo Est delivery: Nov 2014 – CURRENTLY DELIVERING: XL’s are delayed, but many of these sizes are on their way or delivered. Some 3X and 4X hoodies are bad and need to be exchanged.
• $50 reward 23 backers Customized Astrolabe Star Map. Est delivery: Nov 2014-DELIVERY PENDING
• $65 reward 52 backers Black Rock Observatory Pewter Pendant Est delivery: Nov 2014 – CURRENTLY DELIVERING 
• $100 reward 38 backers A high quality zipper hoodie with the Black Rock Observatory logo. Est delivery: Nov 2014 – CURRENTLY DELIVERING – XL’s and 3X/4X delayed
• $150 reward 36 backers PACKAGE DEAL Black Rock Observatory logo Hoodie + Tshirt + Bandana + Patch + Wristband. Est delivery: Dec 2014 – CURRENTLY DELIVERING – XL’s and 3X/4X delayed
• $250 reward 5 backers Real Nickel-Iron Meteorite. Est delivery: Dec 2014 –DELIVERED
• $400 reward 2 backers Dome Cut List – Own your own full size copy of the Black Rock Observatory dome. Est delivery: Aug 2014 – DELIVERED
• $650 reward 2 backers Meteorite from Mars. Est delivery: Oct 2014 – DELIVERY PENDING- nice pieces and dealers that aren’t gouging are few and far between these days, but they’re out there. I’ve been keeping an eye out for months, I’ll pull the trigger at just the right moment to maximize your investment, delivery is likely before Christmas.

We’re still waiting on a quite a few survey responses, so if you requested a reward and never received a survey asking for your mailing address or clothing sizes, etc., check your spam folders or inboxes and drop us a line if you never received it. Thanks for your patience with us as we work towards fulfillment. Thank you very much for making this whole project possible.

Into the future and 2015….

At the moment, the domes are resting on a concrete pad in Leona Valley, Ca, stacked in semi-neat piles, dormant, awaiting orders. The crew is still recovering from all this craziness and many are working hard on real world astronomy and space flight stuff, but most of us sit and dream about it while we work at Earth jobs in the dust. The holidays are coming and it’s time to reconnect with family, the fireplace, shorter days and fat bellies.

There’s nothing on the radar for a few months. It feels kind of nice, actually. I’ve been obsessing for years now. I imagine, after fulfillment is complete, I’ll sleep a little more soundly. I’ve already started plotting and scheming for next year and there’s a ton of opportunities on the horizon.

I’ve been invited to speak about the Observatory by the Rose City Astronomers in Portland, OR in April. If you’re in the NW on April 20th, 2015 and would like to hear me blather on about Black Rock Observatory, Burning Man and Kickstarter, please stop by and connect, I’d love to meet you and say thanks in person.

There’s a science camp-out for kids in Joshua Tree in February, along with the Science Olympiad at the Antelope Valley College (the MRAC was there last year). March has BEquinox and I’ve been looking forward to taking the dome there since the prototype build, the dark skies there will allow our scope to really dig deep. After that, festival season is in full swing. Possible destinations for Black Rock Observatory include: Portland Regional -SOAK, Lucidity, Lightning in a Bottle, AZ Regional – Saguaro Man, CO Regional – Apogaea, Great Lakes Regional – Lakes of Fire + Electric Forest and more. We’d like to return to BRC and YouTopia obviously and we’re keeping our eyes open for more opportunities to bring BRO to the people.

I’ll keep you posted through the winter, but to keep in touch on a more personal level, join our Facebook Group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/BlackRockObservatory/ We regularly post a lot of great news stories there related to Burning Man, astronomy, space flight and science in general, so follow along or join the conversation, we’d love to have you.

Have I mentioned thank you?

Thank you. You have made my dreams come true.  I’ve said it enough myself in the last 6 months to make it a cliche all by myself, but it’s true. You’ve made the dreams of many others come true, too. Heck, we have 644 people standing here together!! We can change the world like this. NO! We already have. Sometimes I just can not believe that the real thing is sitting in front of me, it seems so surreal. Even after all the blood, sweat and tears, it seems like a dream.

One last note: I’m not always the best at connecting and am often introverted, but I feel you out there, each and every one of you. Every single dollar. I know you work hard for those dollars and we’re not as sexy as gadgets or cruises or that new Burning Man costume. Please, please understand that I feel your support. It means the world to me. I owe you one.

Reach out at any time if you’d like to connect at vardenphoto@gmail.com or friend me on Facebook. I’d love the opportunity to say thank you in person, so please stop me if you see me or avoid me if you don’t like hugs, ’cause I’m givin’ ’em. If you’ve read all of this, you’ve likely given me the adventure of a lifetime and for that, I am eternally grateful and I can’t wait to meet you. Until then,

-Major Tom, signing off….