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Space group
aims for county launch
Published December 20, 2005
PEARLAND
— With the help of local businesses, a group of space enthusiasts hopes
to have the Brazoria County spaceport’s second rocket launch ready to go in six months.
The Gulf Coast Regional Spaceport Development Corp. agreed
last week to help the Amateur Spaceflight Association raise the $18,000 the
group says it will cost to test a rocket engine built by high school and
community college students.
The association, a collection of aerospace engineers who
work with NASA, fired two rockets from the proposed site for a Brazoria County
spaceport in May 2003.
Rob Morehead told the spaceport board the first launches
generated intense local coverage and some national coverage, but believes
having students involved will bring the eyes of the world to Brazoria County.
“The purpose of this event is publicity,”
Morehead said.
Morehead said he identified $10,000 worth of potential
in-kind donations from local businesses just by checking Web sites to see who
sold the items the association needs, including concrete and rebar for the
launch stand.
The board agreed to send letters seeking money and supplies,
though not to spend its own money on the project.
“I think we should all look around and try to get some
contributions from some of our local companies,” said Brazoria County
Judge John Willy, who chairs the spaceport authority’s board, while
looking at fellow board member Steve Hazlewood, who works at Dow Chemical Co.
“I would look to Dow.”
Hazlewood didn’t commit his company, but expressed
interest.
“Is any of the stuff that y’all are going to
build of future use to the spaceport?” he asked Morehead.
Morehead replied the launch stand probably won’t be
big enough for paying customers, but would attract the attention of colleges
across the country who need a place to test their rockets.
The spaceport authority will send out fund-raising letters,
and the Spaceflight Association agreed to do the follow-up work.
Willy said he hopes local students will be involved.
“If any of the schools in Brazoria County have
an interest, we need to get with them and have enough lead time prior to this
event happening,” Willy said.
For information or to make a contribution,
e-mail Morehead at
donation(at)asa-houston.org.
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