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2008 SESSION

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088642588
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 246 Offered January 18, 2008 Encouraging the utilization of Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport (MARS) by commercial space launch providers to re-supply and re-crew the orbiting International Space Station (ISS) upon retirement of the space shuttle. ---------- Patrons-- Lewis and Poisson ---------- Referred to Committee on Rules ----------

WHEREAS, MARS is a gateway for a space-faring nation now and in the future; and

WHEREAS, the United States plans to discontinue space shuttle launches in 2010 leaving our nation without a government human spaceflight vehicle until at least 2015; and

WHEREAS, the Russian government has executed contracts to ferry U.S. astronauts to and from the International Space Station between 2010 and 2012; and

WHEREAS, MARS, as a Federal Aviation Administration licensed commercial spaceport on Wallop's Island, could serve as the best primary launch site for re-supply missions to the ISS following retirement of the nation's space shuttle fleet; and

WHEREAS, commercial space launch firms are evaluating MARS for its infrastructure and business suitability to enable commercial space launch carriers to utilize Virginia-owned and operated launch pad facilities; and

WHEREAS, embarking from MARS with supplies and/or astronauts to the ISS may bring millions of dollars of new business investment to Accomack County, the Eastern Shore, and Virginia while providing a service to the nation and international partners involved with the ISS; and

WHEREAS, recruitment of commercial space launch firms to utilize MARS for commercial space launch provider re-supply and crew exchange to the ISS should be an immediate economic development priority of the Commonwealth of Virginia; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly encourage the utilization of MARS by commercial space launch providers to re-supply and re-crew the orbiting ISS upon retirement of the space shuttle; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates transmit a copy of this resolution to the Governor, the membership of the Virginia Commercial Spaceflight Authority, the members of the Virginia and Maryland Congressional delegations, and the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration so that they may be apprised of the sense of the General Assembly of Virginia in this matter.