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Space Issues Pass in Florida Legislative Session (Source: ERAU)
The Florida Legislative Session came to an end Friday and a flurry of space-related bills were passed with broad support. Included were a Spaceflight/Informed Consent bill, a Qualified Space Contractor Tax Refund bill, $14.5 million for launch infrastructure modifications at the Cape Canaveral Spaceport, $4 million for Space Florida operations, $500K for a suborbital spaceflight research and training program, $1.25 million for an aerospace workforce training initiative, and a $40 million Reusable Space Vehicle Industry Prize Program (matching $20 million from the state with $20 million in private investments).

Left for next year was the Space Technology & Research Diversification Initiative (STRDI), which aimed to establish a multi-university space research effort that would move the state beyond its economic reliance on launch-related programs. STRDI was passed by the House but did not clear a Senate committee in time. (5/3)

Florida House Passes Space Research Bill (Source: WTSP Tampa)
Florida’s space industry might not take a hard hit in two years when the shuttle program ends. A bill that would expand research for space exploration near Kennedy Space Center passed the House unanimously today without debate. And if the bill gets through the Senate by the end of the week, Gov. Charlie Crist’s spokesman Sterling Ivey said the state’s chief executive is sure to sign it. The bill will fuel research through a partnership among state universities and the governor’s Office of Tourism and Economic Development. Grants and private funding are expected to cover the $20 million cost. (4/30)

State Giving $15M to Help Space Coast Economy Adjust After Shuttle Era (Source: Orlando Sentinel)
In an otherwise grim budget year, the Space Coast landed $15 million from the state to help wean its work force off the soon-to-be-retired shuttle fleet. The money is earmarked to help upgrade launch pads at Cape Canaveral and lure private enterprise. Space backers began the session seeking a $45 million incentive fund to lure companies looking to relocate. They also wanted financial sweeteners for aviation and aerospace companies willing to do business in Florida, including extending tax breaks previously offered to defense contractors and pumping $20 million into a multi-university research and technology center that could cluster space-related brain power.

State budget writers also had been asked to extend work-force retraining dollars for the thousands of soon-to-be-unemployed shuttle workers. The Legislature is still poised to pass the tax refunds and a bill authorizing the research center -- but without the money -- and another giving future commercial space ventures immunity from most lawsuits in the event of deaths. (4/29)

SpaceX VP on Web Seminar on May 5 (Source: CSA)
Dr. Jeff Ward, SpaceX Vice President, Avionics, will be featured on the May 5 Innovation in Aerospace and Space Exploration Webinar. The event will begin at 2:15 p.m. (PDT). Click here to participate. Enter your name and email address, and meeting password ("innovation"), then click "Join Now".

News Clips courtesy of Florida SpaceReport Edward Ellegood-Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University

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