Report from Washington

In September, the pace of activity increases as Congress returns to session after Labor Day. Though numerous pieces of contentious legislation still await debate and final passage, it is unlikely we will see movement on most of this legislation with the November congressional elections so close. This legislation includes the annual appropriations bills, immigration reform, lobbying reform, pension reform, and the telecommunications laws overhaul. The conventional wisdom is that Congress will pass only a few bills for the President to sign – most notably the Defense appropriations and authorization bills – and put the rest on hold until after the elections.
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Headquarters Report

Space Foundation welcomes new corporate member
SI International

SI International is the Space Foundation's newest corporate member, joining at the partner level. Headquartered in Reston, Va., SI International is a provider of information technology and network solutions (IT) primarily to the federal government. They define, design, build, deploy, and operate mission-critical solutions for the Department of Defense and federal civilian agencies. SI delivers solutions quickly – often in a matter of months – with a focus on federal IT modernization, homeland security, and space systems modernization. Visit www.si-intl.com for more info.

Space Foundation corporate members receive significantly lower exhibit rates; complimentary registration(s) to the National Space Symposium and Strategic Space and Defense; special offers and discounts on sponsorships; invitations to special meetings with key government or industry leaders; advance notification of significant marketing and business development opportunities and much more. Visit the Space Foundation Corporate Membership Web site for more information and a complete list of our members.

Space Foundation participates at Center for Aerospace Policy Research workshop

In August, the Space Foundation's Washington office participated in a workshop on "Building and Maintaining a Constituency for Long-term Space Exploration," organized by George Mason University's Center for Aerospace Policy Research. The workshop was supported by grants from The Boeing Company, NASA, and Northrop Grumman and co-sponsored by the Space Foundation (as well as the American Astronautical Society, AIAA, European Space Policy Institute, International Astronautical Federation, International Space University, National Space Society, and the Space
Generation Foundation).

An invitation-only event, the workshop included participants from a wide variety of backgrounds, perspectives and experience in the space industry. Using a unique set-up of two separate working groups, divided into "The Veterans," who have spent a significant amount of time in the space industry, and the "Space Generation," who are in the early stages of a career in the space industry, the workshop addressed the question of sustainability for long-term space exploration initiatives. The two groups worked independently during the workshop, each producing a series of observations and recommendations. The suggestions and findings of the two groups will be synthesized into one document that will be presented to NASA and at several upcoming conferences including the International Astronautical Congress this October in Valencia, Spain, and the International Space University Symposium in Strasbourg, France, in February 2007.

Senior Pentagon communicator leads
Space Foundation's Research and Analysis

The Space Foundation has named Col Marty Hauser, USAF, as the new vice president, Washington Operations, Research and Analysis. Launched in April 2005 as a key strategic step forward in serving the space community, the Research and Analysis enterprise provides balanced and objective data and analysis for and about the civil, commercial and national security space community.

Hauser previously served at the Pentagon as assistant director of Public Affairs, Secretary of the Air Force. He was the primary Department of Defense spokesperson for the Space Shuttle Challenger accident, recovery, and return to flight. He also was instrumental in the Air Force's declassification of national security launch dates and times. Hauser has served as press secretary and spokesperson for the Secretary of the Air Force, the Director of the National Reconnaissance Office, and two Assistant Secretaries of Defense.

Hauser earned a Bachelor of General Studies degree in broadcast management and organizational communication from The Ohio University and a Master of Arts degree in mass communication from the University of Oklahoma.

The Space Foundation will release The Space Report: The Guide to Global Space Activity this fall; the book is the latest product from the Research and Analysis department, which produced a collection of scholarly essays and research findings in The Case for Space Exploration: Failure is Not an Option and the white paper "National Security Space Industrial Base: Understanding and Addressing Concerns at the Sub-prime Contractor Level."

Space Career Fair expands to Strategic Space and Defense 2006

The Space Foundation's Space Career Fair, offered each year as part of
the National Space Symposium, has been expanded and will take place
this fall at Strategic Space and Defense 2006. The Space Career Fair takes place Tuesday, Oct. 10, 2006 from 2:00 - 4:00 p.m. at the Qwest Center Omaha. Undergraduate and graduate college students, transitioning military, and entry-level aerospace personnel can attend the Space Career Fair free of charge to learn about career opportunities within the space industry. The Space Foundation and its corporate members host the Space Career Fair.

Hawaiian educators participate in Space Foundation training

The Space Foundation's education team recently returned from conducting the third in a series of Professional Development Training sessions for the North Kona Complex in Hawaii. The training is part of an awarded No Child Left Behind contract and uses the Space Foundation's Literacy Science Integrated Model to improve student understanding in literacy, math, and science. Schools involved in this initiative are Kelakehe Elementary, Kahakai Elementary, Holualoa Elementary, Kealakehe Intermediate, and Kealakehe High School.

The goal of the grant is to improve student achievement across all grades. The Space Foundation developed needs assessments for both teachers and students in the district. Based on the analysis of this data, the Space Foundation wrote integrated customized curriculum aligned with national and Hawaii state standards. The Space Foundation team provided professional development training on this curriculum to the teachers, taught some of the prepared lessons in the Kona schools' classes, and team taught and coached the teacher cadre members.

Teacher and student pre- and post-test and assessment tools were developed to provide useful feedback to the district. Participating teachers were able to earn graduate credit for the training through the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs.

Eagle Eyes becomes exclusive member of
Space Certification Program

Eagle Eyes Optics, whose patented TriLenium Gold, Lenses were recognized as a Certified Space Technology in February 2006, recently signed an agreement with the Space Foundation that grants them exclusive rights to the Certified Space Technology designation for protective sunglass eyewear. The technology used in the TriLenium Gold Lenses was developed by NASA scientists to protect human vision from the detrimental effects of radiation from the light spectrum, including outer space sunlight. For more information, visit www.eeo.com.

CNBC interviews Space Foundation's Elliot Pulham

On Thursday, Aug. 30, Space Foundation President and Chief Executive Officer Elliot G. Pulham was a featured guest on CNBC's "Power Lunch," hosted by Bill Griffith and appeared in a segment with Rick Tumlinson, Space Frontier Foundation. Pulham discussed what NASA's yearly budget really costs, the benefits of space exploration, the importance of commercial space enterprises, and explained why the United States need to return to the Moon. Click here to watch the interview.

Space industry steps forward to support
Strategic Space and Defense 2006

Scheduled Oct. 10-12 in Omaha, Neb., the Strategic Space and Defense 2006 conference addresses the space-related and other key missions of the United States Strategic Command, its component and supported commands, and the contributions and leadership of the aerospace contractor community, elected and appointed federal officials and others upon whom the command counts for success.

The conference agenda includes a spectacular opening ceremony and reception at Omaha's new Holland Performing Arts Center, co-sponsored by Lockheed Martin and the Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce; and a keynote luncheon, co-sponsored by Northrop Grumman. Other sponsors include AirLaunch LLC, Analytical Graphics, Inc. (AGI), ATK, the Bellevue Chamber of Commerce, The Boeing Company, Booz Allen Hamilton, Computer Sciences Corporation (CSC), Honeywell, Raytheon Company, and Sterling Computers, a Sun iForce partner.

Several industry leaders have confirmed their participation to address a wide variety of topics: Mr. Mark E. Bitterman, senior vice president, Government Relations, Orbital Sciences Corporation; Mr. Wes Bush, president and chief financial officer, Northrop Grumman Corporation; Ms. Debra Facktor Lepore, president, AirLaunch LLC; Mr. David J. Helfgott, president and chief executive officer, Americom Government Services; Ms. Joanne Maguire, executive vice president, Lockheed Martin Space Systems; Ms. Susan P. Miller, president, Intelsat General Corporation; and Mr. Lou Von Thaer, president, Advanced Information Systems, General Dynamics.

A few sponsorship opportunities and some exhibit space are still available. E-mail sponsorships@spacefoundation.org or exhibitor@spacefoundation.org for more information. Full conference information is available at www.StratSpace.org.