Space Day 2010
March 3, 2010.

 

Florida Space Industry Sets March 3, 2010 for Florida Space Day in Tallahassee

Critical Year for Industry as Numerous Efforts Underway to Maintain Florida’s Leadership 

          Cape Canaveral, Fla., Jan. 20, 2010 -- Key representatives from Florida’s space industry will visit Tallahassee March 3, 2010, to participate in Florida Space Day and share the challenges the industry faces in ensuring Florida remains at the forefront of the nation’s space program.


As key industry leaders prepare for the 2010 Florida Space Day, numerous efforts by a variety of groups are underway as Florida fights to maintain its leadership in the aerospace industry.


“The issues facing the aerospace industry over the next year are not just a Brevard County issue, this is a critical state-wide concern that affects all Floridians,” said Mark Nappi, chairman for Florida Space Day 2010. “NASA has contractors in nearly all of Florida’s 67 counties and there are more than 1,000 subcontractors throughout the state. Although the Florida state budget is tight, this is a crucial time and we need to act now to preserve and foster Florida’s role.” Nappi is Vice President and Florida Site Executive for United Space Alliance.


When the Space Shuttle completes its flights and retires this year, the job losses could reach 7,000 thousand direct jobs at Kennedy Space Center, according to the Aerospace Workforce Outlook Phase III Report commissioned by Brevard Workforce. In addition, 14,000 indirect jobs across Florida could be lost.


Many efforts are underway including: Save Space, an effort led by Brevard County’s board of commissioners to encourage Floridians and other Americans to write letters to President Obama in support of the space program; the Space Caucus, a group of more than 40 Florida legislators whose mission is to uphold Florida’s commitment to ensuring a strong role for the state in the human spaceflight program and other aerospace endeavors; as well as a coordinated effort by the Central Florida Legislative Delegation, led by Sen. Mike Haridopolos and Rep. Dean Cannon, which brought together seven Central Florida counties at the end of 2009 to discuss the issues facing the aerospace industry. Most recently, Space Florida hosted a meeting with Gov. Charlie Crist, during which aerospace industry representatives laid out their recommendations for mitigating the impacts of the Space Shuttle Program retirement.
“The common theme of these efforts is the importance of Florida’s industry, government and citizens speaking in one unified voice.  All of the activities leading up to and surrounding Space Day in Tallahassee will do just that,” said Nappi. “The industry and Florida will see tremendous success when we all work together for a common goal.”


During Space Day Industry leaders and agency officials will visit legislators and government officials to discuss space and aerospace initiatives.


“It is critical that NASA receives an increase in its top-line budget to help close the ‘gap’ between the final shuttle flight and the beginning of the next human spaceflight program,” said Nappi. “It is imperative we ensure Florida’s competitiveness and capabilities for government and commercial launch operations, as well as provide new opportunities to preserve and expand our strategically skilled space transportation workforce.”  


Florida Space Day 2010 sponsors are ASRC Aerospace Corporation, Astrotech Space Operations, ATK Space Systems, The Boeing Company, Computer Sciences Raytheon, Delaware North, Dynamac Corporation, EG&G, Economic Development Commission of Florida’s Space Coast, InDyne, Inc., ITT Corporation, L-3 Communications, Lockheed Martin, Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne, Inc., SAIC, Sierra Lobo, Space Florida, SpaceX, Space Gateway Support, Space Coast Launch Services, United Launch Alliance, United Space Alliance, and Wyle Laboratories.  
To learn more about Florida Space Day 2010, visit www.floridaspaceday.com and follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/FLSpaceDay2010.


Florida Space Day is a milestone event that presents an opportunity to educate and bring awareness to Florida legislators on the significance of the aerospace industry and its impact on Florida’s economy.

 

Industry Partners

"Reaffirming Florida as the World’s Frontier to Space"


State needs to advance future space opportunities

 

With the new presidential administration and an uncertain economy, the State of Florida more than ever needs to maintain and promote its status as the premier launch complex for space launch and space exploration.

 

More than 50 years ago, the launch of Sputnik 1 caught us by surprise, and a few months later we followed with the successful launch of Explorer 1, the first Earth-orbiting satellite for the United States. 

 

Today we have ample warning.  We have international competitors quickly approaching to assume the lead in space exploration. China, Russia, India and the European Union have demonstrated their ability to launch satellites into orbit and are striving to develop the capabilities to explore the moon and Mars.

 

We must maintain Florida’s leadership in space as we move forward to send men and women back to the moon and beyond. In order to do this we must work to reduce the gap after the shuttle program concludes in 2010 and the introduction of the Constellation program.  During the gap, NASA will have to rely on the Russian Space Program to support the International Space Station.

 

The aerospace industry represents billions of dollars each year in economic impact to the state and employs thousands of residents in nearly all of our state’s 67 counties. We need to continue to support this industry to attract high value research and development, expand space industry business, boost commercial launch opportunities and provide employment assistance for keeping a highly skilled workforce in place. Most of all, support math and science educational programs that inspires students interest in aerospace and space exploration.

 

Today my friends and colleagues in the space industry will join me in visiting state leaders at the capitol to convey a unified message of preserving Florida’s vital commercial aerospace industry and workforce.  We will reaffirm and advance the future of space exploration and continue the journey not only for our state, but for the entire nation.

 

Support from the space business for this important visit to our State’s capital has never been greater. Our industry-wide unified goal in Tallahassee is to bring to the forefront the critical issues we are facing, as well as the importance the space industry can serve as an answer to the economic challenges we face and keeping space a priority in the overall Legislative agenda.

 

Florida Space Day is a significant event that offers an opportunity to educate and highlight to Florida legislators the significance of the aerospace industry and its impact on Florida’s economy.

 

We hope that more of you will educate yourself on the amazing spin-offs space brings that impacts your lives daily and the economic value of this asset to the state – an asset we cannot afford to lose.

 

Greg Pavlovich is the Vice President of SAIC at Kennedy Space Center, Fla. He is this year’s honorary chairman of Florida Space Day 2009.