Charles Simonyi Media Photo
Charles Simonyi was one of the first private space tourists

With the emergence of companies like Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin and Elon Musk’s SpaceX, space promises to get more accessible to the general public. In fact, space tourism is already a burgeoning industry, with Virgin Galactic continuing to test space planes despite a tragic setback.

On Tuesday, tourists tired of earthly locations can hear Charles Simonyi, the former Microsoft executive, Intentional Software founder, and one of the first private space tourists, speak about the practicalities of orbital space tourism as part of the University of Washington Astronomy’s 50th anniversary celebration.

The event is free and open to the public, but you’ll need to register here to get in.

That’s one of the selections from the GeekWire Calendar, our curated list of the Pacific Northwest’s top tech events. Keep reading and visit the full calendar for more.

summit sponsor postGeekWire Summit

What: “The GeekWire Summit is the premier technology conference in the Pacific Northwest, bringing together engineers, entrepreneurs, investors and innovators for a conversation about the future of business and technology. Now in its fourth year, the 2015 GeekWire Summit is expanding to two days, drawing hundreds of attendees and speakers from a variety of industries.”

Where: Sheraton, Seattle.

When: Oct. 1–2.

Register: RSVP for $599 – $649 here.

WTUX 2015 LOGOWearable Technology UX Conference

What: “Wearable Technology UX is the only user experience event exclusively dedicated to the relationship between humans and wearable technology. Going beyond the hardware, this year’s program will focus specifically on gaining inspiration and keeping the user in mind when creating the next generation of wearables.

In addition to eHarmony, adidas, Microsoft and Spotify, this year’s program will also feature presentations by Mad*Pow, MOOD, Artefact, The Crated, Empatica and Interactive Health Technologies. Planned sessions at Wearable Technology UX 2015 include why location matters with wearables; behavior change, wearables and individual empowerment; wearable design around wireless epidermal electronics; best practices involving voice interface; and a session on the benefits of regulating wearables, a current hot topic in the wearable industry.

Where: Renaissance Seattle Hotel

When: Oct. 1–2

Register: Tickets are $1,299 if purchased here before Sept. 28.

CFL_OnevestTag-Blue-280x210CoFoundersLab Matchup Seattle

What: “CoFoundersLab Matchup Seattle is aimed at helping entrepreneurs find co-founders, advisers & interns and to build strong, core founding teams. Get started networking now with a potential core team member by creating a free profile on CoFoundersLab.com.

Where: General Assembly @WeWork

When: Sept. 30, 6:30 p.m. – 9 p.m.

Register: Tickets are $10, available here

IMG_0225Seattle International Auto Show

What: “Come see over 400 of the latest cars, trucks, SUVs and crossovers plus high-end exotics and ultra-luxurious models on display all in one location, the Seattle International Auto Show presented by State Farm, October 8-11, 2015, at the CenturyLink Field Event Center. Get behind the wheel and test-drive over 75 vehicles right at the show! With Motor Trend producing on behalf of new owners, the Washington State Auto Dealers Association, Seattle’s most exciting automotive event of the year will truly be better than ever.”

Where: CenturyLink Field Event Center

When: Oct. 8, 2 p.m. – Oct. 11, 7 p.m.

Register: Tickets are $15 and can be purchased here.

New logo imageTiE Seattle presents Startup on Tap-“Startup to Big Business: Making the Transition”

What: “Startup on Tap is a TiE Seattle community program for entrepreneurs, investors, advisors and everyone interested in the startup community. This month Samir Bodas will talk about what does it take to scale up your startup to becoming a big business? You have funding, what are the next steps? What do you do with the capital? : Do you develop your product further? Start marketing and branding initiatives? Hire a round of employees? Undertake other business operations? Samir Bodas, is a serial entrepreneur and has scaled up his previous businesses multiple fold. He will share his perspective and lessons learnt.”

Where: Blue C Sushi, Bellevue

WhenOct. 6, 5:30 p.m. – 8 p.m.

Register: The event is $10

PIX+reframe-600x340(CL)PIX 2015

What: “Photo Interactive Experience or PIX2015, is a unique family-friendly photography expo that will take place on October 6th and 7th at the Seattle Center Exhibition Hall, McCaw Hall and online at PIX2015.com. Seasoned enthusiast photographers and complete camera novices looking for advice on how to get better pictures or just people who love being inspired by powerful stories told through the medium of photography, won’t want to miss PIX2015. PIX is presented by the world’s leading digital photography website, DPReview in association with Amazon.com and the Photo Marketing Association.”

Where: Seattle Center Exhibit Hall

When: Oct. 6, 10 a.m. – Oct. 7, 6 p.m.

Register: The event is free to pre-registered users. Register here.

Like what you're reading? Subscribe to GeekWire's free newsletters to catch every headline

Job Listings on GeekWork

Find more jobs on GeekWork. Employers, post a job here.