Leaders in Floridas business, labor and space industry urged President Barack Obama in a letter Monday to extend the space shuttle program at Kennedy Space Center or replace it with a similar manned, heavy-lift vehicle as soon as possible.
Associated Industries of Florida, the Florida AFL-CIO, the Economic Development Commission of Floridas Space Coast and Space Florida united to demand that the president make changes to a proposed space budget that ends the shuttle program this year and threatens thousands of Space Coast jobs.
The letter, a digital copy of which was submitted to Sunshine State News Monday, was stamped with the names of Barney Bishop, president and CEO of AIF; Lynda Weatherman, president and CEO of the Economic Development Commission of Floridas Space Coast; Mike Williams, president of the Florida AFL-CIO; and Frank DiBello, president of Space Florida.
Due to the proposed upcoming retirement of our nations space shuttle fleet and program, coupled with the recent cancellation of the Constellation program, your administrations commitment to our nations human space flight endeavor, as well as tens of thousands of jobs related to the space industry, are in question, the message reads.
The letter comes just days before Obama lands at Kennedy Space Center to discuss his controversial space budget.
Although it gives NASA an extra $6 billion over five years, Obamas plan ends the shuttle program in September and terminates the Constellation program that would replace it and return astronauts to the moon. The plan instead concentrates on commercialized space flight, research and a trip to Mars.
State workers could lose roughly 9,000 direct jobs as a result.
The plan has prompted much frustration and condemnation (Space Coast workers rallied in protest Sunday). Said Rich Templin, spokesman for Florida AFL-CIO, the situation is "so grave that labor and business, as does happen from time to time, are completely unified."
Mondays letter centers around four proposals:
1. Eliminate the Gap Between the Termination of the Shuttle Program and the Next Generation of Crew Vehicle -- Either continue the shuttle program for five more flights using existing parts, implement a new heavy-lift program based on the shuttle or create a next generation shuttle that mixes old shuttle parts with new technology.
2. Protect Existing Investments in Florida -- Continue with spaceport and other improvements already planned at Kennedy Space Center.
3. Maximize the Effectiveness of the Commercial Space Industry -- Foster public-private partnerships to increase high-wage, high-tech jobs.
4. Maximize State Partnerships -- Go back to the business and labor communities more frequently for programming ideas for the space industry.
The groups behind the letter have been working on it for the last few weeks, and theyre hoping the president brings news of a changed budget.
Late last week, NASA revealed its proposed $7.8 billion budget for the 2011 fiscal year for Kennedy Space Center. Over five years, it would fund a new office for Commercial Crew Development programs and a Space Center overhaul that would aid the commercialization of space flight. It did not reveal how many jobs would be created.
Bishop said the budget was unacceptable, and he hopes that Obama is not returning to Florida to defend his original proposal.
If that is in fact what he does, he is going to get roundly criticized by the people of Florida, he said. And justifiably so.
The president needs to provide a clear vision for NASAs Mars exploration, Bishop said. He said hes not expecting a timeline or deadline when Obama comes to Florida Thursday, but he wants some type of definitive goal.
The letter wants something similar:
We implore you to outline the specific steps you take to support KSC, and the thousands of skilled workers who have always made Florida the capital of manned space flight for our nation, it reads. "President John F. Kennedy committed this nation in the 1960s to always being on the forefront of space because he knew that it would ensure that the world would be a safer place for all.
America cannot cede space to other nations without risking our own hard-fought national security and perhaps even the future of mankind."
Contact Alex Tiegen at atiegen@sunshinestatenews.com, or at (561) 329-5389.
To view the aforementioned letter, click here for Page One; click here for Page Two.
