FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

For additional information:
Fred Welch - Gulfport Regional Spaceport Corp.
281-652-1629 or FWelch@ci.pearland.tx.us

Robert Morehead - Amateur Spaceflight Association
832-816-6215 or rmorehead@asa-houston.org

ROCKET TO LAUNCH FROM BRAZORIA COUNTY;
AMATEUR GROUP TO BRING EXPERIMENT HERE

A group of engineers will set a World's Record by launching the first amateur rocket to reach space. ASA, The Amateur Spaceflight Association will take one step closer to this goal on Saturday, Feb. 8, 2003, with a rocket launch from the Gulf Coast Regional Spaceport in Brazoria County. ASA intends this flight to be another milestone in their quest for low cost access to space.

ASA is a non-profit company formed with the intent of pioneering the field of amateur space exploration. Rob Morehead, chief engineer and founder of ASA, stated, "The primary focus of ASA is to encourage, assist, and facilitate the amateur's reach into space, enabling the more rapid advancement of space research."
The February 8 launch will consist of a 5/12-scale version of ASA's space-capable rocket. This launch will prove the aerodynamics of the launch system and the functionality of the ground tracking system for larger size launches. This flight will travel faster than one and a half times the speed of sound, reaching an altitude of approximately 15,000 feet.

Fred Welch, president of the Gulf Coast Regional Spaceport Corporation, said, "This launch really opens the door to space for Brazoria County. Everyone is getting behind the fact that the county is an excellent place to launch rockets, and ASA is a prime example."

Hernandez Engineering of Clear Lake was hired to complete a flight safety analysis and determine what flight systems can safely launch from the Brazoria County site.

"The ASA team members are amateurs only because of the fact that they're doing this on their own time," said Bob Seiwell of Hernandez Engineering.

The second phase of ASA's development will be a full-scale rocket that should be ready for launch late in 2003. This rocket will set a world's record by being the first amateur rocket launched into space. The full-scale launch would go to an altitude of 75 miles above the earth and provide a zero gravity environment for research and development purposes for up to five minutes. The vehicle would return to earth with its payload and touch down via parachute.

ASA hopes to develop relationships with research bodies such as universities and other research institutions interested in micro-gravity experiments. There is a growing market in the United States and overseas for this type of research. This company hopes to develop an operating history to routinely launch micro-gravity experiments from the Brazoria County site.

Corporate sponsors of ASA include Rabbit Semiconductors, Performance Rocketry, United Space Alliance, Blue Fondue, Naknan, AWC, GraphTek and Microcosm.

The February 8 launch is open to the public. The Gulf Coast Regional Spaceport is preparing a special viewing area near the launch site at the Brazoria County Modeler's Association runway on FM 523. For information contact the Gulf Coast Regional Spaceport at 281-652-1629. Additional information about ASA is available at
www.asa-houston.org