There are a lot of changes coming to Airlock Alpha, and many of the ideas found in those changes were born when SyUniverse was formed earlier this summer to help put the popular site in a new direction.

Led by Airlock Alpha co-founder and news editor Michael Hinman, the new group consists of marketing, design, writing and programming talents that are second to none and which will be unveiled in just a few weeks when the new Airlock Alpha launches.

"It's a very exciting time," said Hinman, who recently celebrated SyFy's fourth anniversary on the Web. "We've come from such meager beginnings, and I never knew when I launched the site in 1998 that four years later, I would be basking in the success of such a wonderful group of people all dedicated to making Airlock Alpha bigger and better than ever."

The new team has a Tampa, Fla. flare to it. Hinman lives there, as does the site's new project coordinator, Don Smith. Also joining the team is lead artist and co-designer Bryant Griffin -- also from the Tampa area -- as well as lead programmer and co-designer Shane Churchman, who hails from California. Longtime assistant Webmaster and supporter Brian Meskimen of Minnesota stays on as the newsletter coordinator/editor, in charge of bringing online the all-new SyFy Galactic Newsletter.

Similar to his longtime online Star Trek Galactic Newsletter -- whose site has been hosted by Airlock Alpha for the last year -- this new newsletter will bring a different side to science fiction that can't be found on Airlock Alpha -- or anywhere else.

"The SyFy Galactic Newsletter is going to be the official newsletter of Airlock Alpha," Meskimen said. "The SFGN covers all of the popular science-fiction shows and movies, including 'Enterprise,' 'Star Trek: Nemesis,' 'Farscape,' 'Firefly,' 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer,' 'The Lord of the Rings,' 'The Matrix,' 'The Twilight Zone' and more."

The newsletter is planning a September or October start, and is still looking for writers and subscribers. To do either, visit the SFGN Web site.

When the new Airlock Alpha launches the first thing many fans will notice right away is the brand-new logo. Designed by Bryant Griffin, the new logo is a major escape from the current Airlock Alpha logo found at the top of this page, but at the same time embodies familiar elements from science fiction.

"When approaching the redesign of Airlock Alpha's logo, I was motivated by the site's bold push to become the premiere source of science fiction news on the net," Griffin said. "This goal suggests a logo update that reflects both a serious and professional news organization, while maintaining a futuristic, but not over complex, image. With those concepts in mind, if the logo is easily recognizable, legible and would look at home (being) stenciled on the wall of a distant starbase, Airlock Alpha will continue to dominate its competition."

Another person who has been working hard since his recent addition to the SyUniverse staff is Shane Churchman, an accomplished designer and programmer who took on the tough task of trying to fill co-founder Greg Boubel's shoes. While it has been challenging, Churchman admits it hasn't hampered his excitement about being a part of Airlock Alpha.

"Well, one of the things I guess I'm looking to do with the site is have some fun," Churchman said. "Airlock Alpha is just a cool place to find some news about my favorite shows. One of the things I want to accomplish with regards to the design of the site is to help create a unique style that I feel is lacking on a lot of today's science fiction site designs. It's what I call ''50s style.'

"The classic designs of early science fiction weren't these sharp angular designs. Early '50s science fiction was very circular and smooth. Too many sites today use angular shapes and right angles. That's where my focus lays ... I want that old circular form I love, the ships from 'The Day the Earth Stood Still,' 'Flash Gordon,' 'Captain Proton,' even the '60s Enterpise design."

Churchman also said that he wants to soften the colors on the site, hopefully to help restore some of the old attitudes of science fiction.

"Too many people have gotten used to the 'Blade Runner' meets 'The Matrix' meets 'insert a menacing force here' science fiction that can be very depressing," Churchman said. "Sci-fi can be a drag, but it also can be inspiring and hopeful. You just need to look at the right side of the coin."

Finally, one of Churchman's goals in the new Airlock Alpha design is a more interactive site where visitors can discuss their views of the different genres that make up science fiction.

"I want to keep the community spirit of the site, but add to that spirit, perhaps allow the commenting of specific stories by readers," Churchman said. "One cool feature is a chatroom to allow more instantaneous communication. I want to keep that clean layout of the current site along with the current signature color scheme. I want a site that's both familiar, yet at the same time, unique. I want Airlock Alpha to be home for science fiction online."

While Don Smith's contributions to the site might not be noticeable by the average Airlock Alpha visitor, it's his work that's keeping everything together, organizing ideas and keeping the ship running smooth as a good captain would. The former newspaper editor, who once worked in the same publishing company as Hinman, said it was the co-founders drive and professionalism that attracted him to Airlock Alpha.

"After meeting Michael Hinman through work, I originally became a part of the SyFy community for a couple of reasons," Smith said. "I respected the reporting he did on this site -- he worked just as hard on the SyFy stories as he did on this day-to-day newspaper writing and editing. When Mike said that might all go away, I felt like I should get involved to help preserve what I saw as a somewhat unique venue for SyFy news and discussion on the Web.

"In the coming months, I'd like to see SyFy expand in a variety of areas. I'd like to include more original content, especially interviews with the stars of SyFy shows you know and love. We'll also expand the scope of what we cover a little. I'd like to see the community that has already been established (in the message boards) strengthen and grow -- both in size and discussion. I want Airlock Alpha to develop as not only a news nexus, but as a place for all SyFy fans to gather.

"I came to Airlock Alpha because I knew someone who ran it. I stayed because I liked what I saw. I offered to join the SyUniverse team because I felt the site had potential. Now, after working with the other members of the team and seeing their work, I know Airlock Alpha has more than that. It has a group of individuals that want to provide a quality source for news and a friend gathering place for SyFy fans on the Web. And with that, I know it will be successful."

The new Airlock Alpha is expected to launch later this summer. Keeping coming back to find out more about the relaunch. To share ideas and suggestions, contact Don Smith at don@airlockalpha.com or Michael Hinman at michael@airlockalpha.com.