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2013 SESSION
WHEREAS, Dr. Billie M. Reed is commended for his work to bring the Commonwealth to the forefront of the commercial space industry during his 17-year tenure as the executive director of the Virginia Commercial Space Flight Authority; and
WHEREAS, a former Naval officer with extensive experience in advanced technology in military, industrial, and civil systems, Dr. Reed joined the Virginia Commercial Space Flight Authority (VCSFA) as its founding executive director in 1995; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Reed oversaw the design and development of the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport; development and negotiation of agreements, permits, and licenses; space launch operations; and new business development in the aerospace sector; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Reed worked to secure a partnership between the VCSFA and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to lease land at Wallops Flight Facility on the Eastern Shore with the Reimbursable Space Act Agreement; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Reed obtained a Federal Aviation Administration license for the VCSFA to launch rockets from the Wallops Flight Facility and worked with leaders at the local, state, and federal level for legislation that would attract aerospace companies; and
WHEREAS, the Commonwealth reaped the benefits of Dr. Reed’s tireless work when it was selected by Orbital Sciences Corporation as the location from which the company would launch its rockets to resupply the International Space Station as part of a $1.9 billion NASA contract; and
WHEREAS, today, the Virginia space industry contributes $7.6 billion in annual direct economic output and directly supports 29,638 jobs, making it a key part of Virginia’s economic vitality; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Reed’s astute management and visionary leadership while at VCSFA have established the Commonwealth as one of the nation’s leaders in the commercial space industry and an integral part of the nation’s space program, contributing to the quest to gain new knowledge to benefit humankind; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Reed, who has also served as an assistant professor of engineering management at Old Dominion University, will continue to serve Virginia’s space industry in a consultant capacity at VCSFA; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly hereby commend Dr. Billie M. Reed for his extraordinary leadership of the Virginia Commercial Space Flight Authority; and, be it
RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to Dr. Billie M. Reed as an expression of the General Assembly’s admiration and respect for his work to advance the commercial space industry in the Commonwealth.