The Space Caucus is ready for takeoff in the Florida Legislature.
State Rep. Tyler Sirois, R-Cocoa, announced the creation of the caucus during this week’s “Space Days” at the Capitol. Sirois and state Sen. Tom Wright, R-New Smyrna Beach, the chairman of the state Senate Military and Veterans Affairs and Space, will lead the new caucus.
“The Space Caucus will be instrumental in educating members of the Florida Legislature about the importance of space and Florida remaining the launch pad to America’s future in space exploration,” said Sirois on Wednesday.
“We want to see continued growth in Florida’s aerospace industry,” Sirois added. “For this growth to continue, it is vitally important that we have a well-trained workforce, education that focuses on meeting the needs of the industry, and a business environment that allows the industry to thrive."
Wright also stressed that the aerospace industry is growing in the Sunshine State.
“Florida’s Space Coast is seeing unprecedented growth as the aerospace industry is making a comeback since the end of the Space Shuttle program in 2011,” said Wright. “In 2017, spaceport operations in my district attributed to nearly 24,000 jobs with a total economic impact of $3.9 billion to the state of Florida.”
Sirois sounded an optimistic note about where the nation in general--and the Sunshine State in particular--are headed when it comes to space exploration.
"These are exciting times as we will once again return astronauts to space this year in American spacecraft, return to the moon, and from there, the first humans will fly to Mars,” said Sirois. “The future of space in our state is bright and we would love to get our colleagues here in Tallahassee on board.”
