Team Phoenix will be observing Yuri's Night, an international celebration of space exploration, time to coincide with the anniversary of the first manned space flight, by Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin.  This year is the 50th anniversary of that first flight, and coincidentally it's also the 30th anniversary of the first Space Shuttle flight.

Given the prominent role that robotics has played in space exploration, from the earliest Soviet efforts to explore the moon, through our own Ranger, Surveyor, Mariner, Pioneer, Viking, Voyager, and Cassini probes, through the various Mars rovers Sojourner, Spirit, and Opportunity, robots have done what they're best at--going places where humans cannot, serving as a mechanical/electronic extension of humanity as we strive to explore the depths of space--it's altogether appropriate that we, as a bunch of robotics enthusiasts, take some time to remember the past and look to the future.

We won't be doing all that much--since we don't have any money we don't have to worry about a budget--but still we'll take some time to commemorate mankind's efforts to reach the stars.  And  if anyone would like to join us, please feel free to do so!