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Earthly details slow space talks

Basic questions bog down the committee studying ways to expand the space industry in the state. It has a month to submit ideas.

By KRIS HUNDLEY
Published December 2, 2005

CAPE CANAVERAL - A special commission charged by Gov. Jeb Bush with exploring the future of space and aeronautics in Florida has only a month left to submit its recommendations. But during its fifth meeting at Cape Canaveral on Thursday, the panel was still wrangling over some basic but thorny issues.

Like, what should you call the body that will take the group's recommendations forward?

And should they focus strictly on space activities, or include aeronautics and aviation?

And what about the alphabet soup of existing quasistate boards and agencies that deal with space-related issues?

Meanwhile, the 15,000 people employed at nearby Kennedy Space Center and 15,000 more Floridians with space-related jobs might have more pressing concerns. Namely, what happens when the space shuttle program goes away at the end of the decade?

The space commission, headed by Lt. Gov. Toni Jennings, is peppered with a broad range of high-powered players, including Winston Scott, former astronaut and executive director of the Florida Space Authority; Bob Sieck, former director of shuttle operations at the space center; and Jay Honeycutt, vice president of NASA programs at Lockheed Martin.

Over the past few months, they have heard from government, military and commercial space agencies on their projected needs for the next 20 years. Among the range of topics: development of the crew exploration vehicle (which is slated to replace the shuttle), space tourism and unmanned aircraft.

The group, in advance of a January report to the governor, heard reports Thursday from its subcommittees suggesting how Florida might position itself to capture space jobs once the shuttle is history.

Jennings repeatedly urged the group to remember that Florida wants to be known for having more than just launch facilities. And it wants to attract space-related manufacturing, assembling, and research and development to all parts of the state, not just Brevard County.

Several common themes emerged as committee members discussed how the state might best prepare for the future. Top of the list: an improved educational system that starts with higher teacher salaries.

"That's the bottom line," said Dr. Penny Haskins, a nuclear physicist and president of Radiation Technologies Inc. in Alachua. "And incentivize schools of education to produce more math and science teachers."

Frank DiBello, president and chief executive of Florida Aerospace Finance Corp., suggested several incentives that could be used to lure aerospace industries to the state, including tax credits, a state investment fund and a supplemental insurance pool.

Currently, the state has a special sales tax exemption on space-related research and development, and purchase of equipment. Commission members discussed extending that.

In one forward-thinking move, the Florida Space Authority, an economic development agency, on Wednesday is discussing a plan to turn the Cecil Commerce Center, a former Navy base in Jacksonville, into a spaceport. The vision is to someday use the spaceport to launch civilian "space tourists" using spacecraft that would piggyback on larger planes.

Greg Pavlovich, who formerly supervised satellite launching from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, said he favors establishment of a commercial spaceport in the state, though he stopped short of recommending where it might be located.

"Put out an RFP (request for proposal) and let different areas of the state compete for the best place," said Pavlovich, who is now senior director of strategic programs with Science Application International Corp.'s Cape Canaveral operations.

As the commission wrestled with its recommendations, it was undoubtedly encouraged by the experience of Gary Spulak, president of Embraer Aircraft Holding Inc. in Fort Lauderdale.

Spulak, who is not a member of the group, said his company did a nationwide search several years ago for a place to build aircraft for the U.S. military. It picked Cecil Commerce Center.

"The fact this group is meeting makes us feel good," Spulak said. "It tells us that space is a priority for the state. And only good things will come from that in the end."

--Kris Hundley can be reached at hundley@sptimes.com or 727 893-2996.

[Last modified December 2, 2005, 01:13:14]