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Tragedy delays
Spaceport test
By Michael Wright
The
Facts
Published February 04, 2003
The first test of the Brazoria County spaceport has been
canceled in the wake of Saturday’s disintegration of the space shuttle Columbia, but area officials
think private spaceports are still the future of space exploration.
Fred Welch, chairman of the board of the Gulf Coast Regional Spaceport
Development Corp., said the launch of a test rocket planned for Saturday has
been pushed back to early March.
The rocket was designed by a group of NASA engineers called the Amateur
Spaceflight Association.
“We want to let them concentrate on what they need to concentrate
on,” Welch said. “Let’s fix it and let’s fly.”
As the investigation into the Columbia accident begins,
proponents of privatization think a reassessment of America’s mission in
space could be a boon to their cause.
Brazoria County is one of three
sites in Texas working to develop
a site from which commercial rockets can be launched into space by private
companies.
“I see money available for privatization of space,” said Charlie
Whynot, a spaceport board member. “I think we’re coming in at a
great point.”
Whynot said people involved with NASA who have long fought any move toward
privatization are now supporting it as they realize it will create more
activity, not less. He said the Houston area is a natural
draw for those interested in space.
“People want to come to Texas,” Whynot
said. “I’ve got people referring firms to us. The first year and
a half it was doom and gloom.”
State Sen. Mike Jackson, whose district includes both Johnson Space Center
and about half of Brazoria County, said it’s too early to tell what
effect Saturday’s events will have on spaceport development.
“It could actually accelerate things,” said Jackson, R-La Porte.
“It could renew America’s interest in
the importance of what we’re doing. I would personally say it was way
too early to try to get any kind of forecast.”
Spaceport officials in Brazoria County and at two other
sites in Texas have been working
to get federal support of their efforts in the form of bank loan guarantees
and other federal subsidies.
That could take a back burner while NASA sorts things out.
“We’re going to give NASA some time to consider and establish
their priorities short and long term,” said Jonathan Grella, spokesman
for House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, R-Sugar Land. “Congressman
DeLay will continue to be there for NASA and the Johnson Space Center. NASA has developed
the technology.”
Welch believes federal talk of federal subsidies will return once NASA
finishes its investigation and reassessment of its mission.
“The important things right now is to focus on cause and effect,”
he said. “We’ve got to keep the program going.”
Whynot agrees that NASA will always have the dominant role in American space
exploration research and development
“We need NASA, there’s not question about it for the
R&D,” he said.
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