Task Force Lays Out $35 Million for Job Competition on Space Coast

Attention, Florida entrepreneurs: Uncle Sam has $35 million for the most promising job-creation ventures on the Space Coast.

The president's Task Force on Space Industry Workforce and Economic Development announced today that $35 million will be dedicated to a fast-track, competitive grant process.

"The grants will be awarded to the most promising job creation and economic development programs, with competition announced Sept. 1," the task force stated in a press release.

An additional $5 million will fund a new Commercial Spaceflight Technical Center to support commercial space launch and re-entry activities, the task force said.

Co-chaired by U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke and NASA Administrator Charles F. Bolden Jr., the task force was directed to implement economic development strategies along Floridas Space Coast as the space shuttle program winds down.

Another $60 million was set aside for other areas across the country that will be impacted by changes to the nation's space policy