SPACE FLORIDA PRESS RELEASE
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (September 8, 2008) — Space Florida and NASA at Kennedy Space Center will initiate testing on a new space experiment rack concept – named FASTRACK™ – aboard NASA’s first commercial research flights on ZERO Gravity Corporation’s parabolic aircraft September 9-12, 2008, at Ellington Field near Johnson Space Center in Houston.
Space Florida and NASA-KSC teamed up in January 2008 to design the new rack, which will support two standard Space Shuttle mid-deck lockers. The rack will facilitate NASA and commercial use of reusable U.S. suborbital flight vehicles in support of science investigations and technology development. The rack will also accommodate experiments aboard parabolic aircraft such as ZERO-G’s modified Boeing 727 jet, and may also be adapted in the future for additional orbiting vehicles and facilities.
Continue reading ‘Zero G Corp to Test NASA Experiment Rack in Parabolic Flight’
Florida plans duty-free launches
Zone gives incentives to commercial rockets
Florida Today
“A launch complex at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station is being licensed by the state of Florida as part of a larger plan to develop a duty-free trade zone to the International Space Station.
Working hand in hand with the Air Force, the state would rebuild Launch Complex 36 and make it available to multiple small- and medium-size rockets capable of carrying commercial payloads into low Earth orbit.”
Florida Today has a roundup of what the Florida Legislature has done during its current term to attract and keep aerospace companies. These measures include:
- $14.5 million to upgrade a launch complex for commercial flights;
- $1.25 million for space workforce retention and training programs;
- tax refunds for companies that retain workers; and,
- a measure limiting the liability of space tourism companies.
Ironically, the Legislature passed a budget that severely cuts funding for Space Florida, the organization that develops and promotes the state’s aerospace industry. Space Florida will receive $4 million this year, a reduction from its current $7 million budget. Gov. Charlie Crist had requested an increase to $8.5 million.
The cutback was apparently part of a general belt tightening effort in the midst of an economic downturn. A spokeswoman said Space Florida would cut back on trade shows and other promotional activities but does not anticipate any staff cutbacks.
Florida Today also reports that Space Florida is in negotiations with the U.S. Air Force over the use of Launch Complex 36, a deactivated Atlas rocket launch facility at the Cape Canaveral Air Station. The story does not indicate how the state would use the complex, but it could be related to efforts by Florida to lure Orbital Sciences Corporation to the state. The company is expected to make a decision soon on whether it will launch its new NASA-funded rocket from Virginia or Florida.
Space Florida has an update on its efforts to lure “more than 50 different space-related firms” to the state. The list includes Bigelow Aerospace, XCOR, Rocketplane Corporation, Orbital Sciences Corporation, and an unnamed team competing for the Google Lunar X Prize.
“The involvement of entrepreneurs and private corporations in the United States’ launches is creating new economic opportunities for our state’s aerospace industry,” Gov. Charlie Crist said. “This rapid shift is opening doors for new companies and technologies that are blurring the previous separations between aviation and spaceflight - and between civil, military and commercial industries.”
Meanwhile, a Florida Senate committee has passed a package of four bills aimed at helping Florida attract commercial space companies. The bills include $15 million to refurbish a launch pad at Kennedy Space Center, the extension of tax credits to space companies that are presently limited to defense contractors, and a measure encouraging co-operation between universities on research and development.
Florida Today reports that committees in the House of Representatives have approved similar measures. The full Senate and House must approve the measures, which would then be sent to Gov. Crist for approval.
SPACE FLORIDA PRESS RELEASE
Space Florida recently launched its inaugural unattended microgravity research flight from the Shuttle Landing Facility at the Kennedy Space Center.
Engaging twenty-two middle and high school teachers from 12 counties, this opportunity is one of many innovative Space Florida education programs designed to promote science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education, and engage and encourage student interest in space.
Continue reading ‘Space Florida Inaugurates Microgravity Research Flights’
SPACE FLORIDA PRESS RELEASE
Washington D.C., March 12, 2008 – As part of Space Investment Summit 4 (SIS-4), entrepreneurs and investors will meet on May 28, 2008 at the Capital Hilton Hotel to engage in a frank dialogue about the best investment opportunities in new space-related ventures. The summit comes at an exciting time for space-related business, with space startups like Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic and Elon Musk’s SpaceX nearing commercial operations, while space-related ventures like Google Earth and Garmin expand to reach global markets.
“A massive shift is underway in the aerospace industry,” stated Steve Kohler, President, Space Florida, “and it is clear that the future we are envisioning is possible, and it will arrive more rapidly than we expect.”
Continue reading ‘Space Florida to Present Fourth Space Investment Summit’
The Naples Daily News has a story about Space Florida, the state-created organization set up to make sure that Florida maintains its leading role in space exploration in the decades ahead.
Space Florida is working to attract new companies to make use of the state’s extensive aerospace expertise for projects as diverse as space tourism and asteroid mining.
CEO and President Steve Kohler says the space industry is in transition, with the shuttle retiring in 2010 and private space vehicles and orbiting facility coming online soon. Florida is now facing competition from Texas and even Singapore.
“Challenges create opportunities,” Kohler said.
Space Florida Press Release
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (Feb. 20, 2008) – Space Florida is actively engaged with dozens of commercial space companies who have expressed an interest in expanding existing operations, or bringing new business to Florida, and state officials are confident in their ability to support these entrepreneurial ventures.
Continue reading ‘Space Florida Actively Engaged in Growing State’s Aerospace Economy’
Grand Prize Winner will receive $2M Bonus Prize for Successful Florida Based Launch.
Space Florida Press Release via Business Wire
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla.–Space Florida, the organization charged by the Florida Legislature with promoting and developing Florida’s aerospace industry, today announced that it will be a new preferred partner and Florida will become the first preferred launch site for the $30 million Google Lunar X PRIZE competition. Each preferred partner offers additional prizes or strategic services at a discounted rate to all competition teams.
As the first preferred launch site, Space Florida will award an additional prize of $2 million to the Grand Prize winner of the Google Lunar X PRIZE competition, provided the winner launched the winning flight from the State of Florida and upon confirmation that the winner has complied with all competition rules.
Continue reading ‘Space Florida Announces Strategic Partnership for Google Lunar X PRIZE Competition’
SPACE FLORIDA PRESS RELEASE
Cape Canaveral, FL - March 19, 2007 - Space Florida, the new state agency charged with promoting Florida’s space industry, and Zero Gravity Corporation, announces the creation of the Florida Microgravity Education and Research Center, designed to facilitate Florida teacher and student space education and aerospace microgravity research expertise. The center will be the first-of-its kind by any state in providing the breadth and depth of academic and research capability to perform microgravity research and education programs.
To mark the start of the Center’s operations, a zero-gravity demonstration flight was held from the Shuttle Landing Facility at the Kennedy Space Center in Central Florida. The flight included eight teachers from Brevard, Broward, Duval, Highlands, Santa Rosa and Seminole counties, and students (four in total) who ranged in age from 14 to 16.
The teachers and students were joined by Steve Koehler, President and Chief Executive Officer, Space Florida; Jeanine Blomberg, Interim Commissioner of Education, State of Florida; Monesia Brown, Head of the Agency for Workforce Innovation; John Adams, President of Enterprise Florida; and Dr. Peter H. Diamandis, Chief Executive and Co-Founder, Zero Gravity Corporation.
Continue reading ‘Space Florida and Zero Gravity Launch Research and Education Center’