Commercial Spaceflight Federation Announces Creation and Initial Membership of Spaceports Council
New Group to Enhance Cooperation among Spaceports Worldwide
Washington, D.C., November 23, 2009 - The Commercial Spaceflight Federation is pleased to announce the creation and initial membership of the Spaceports Council, composed of spaceports worldwide who seek to cooperate on issues of common interest such as airspace access, legal and regulatory frameworks, infrastructure, international policy migration, liability, and voluntary common operating standards.
The Spaceports Council, which will operate under the aegis of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation (CSF), was officially created following the conclusion of the second CSF Spaceports Executive Summit held on October 20, 2009 in Las Cruces, New Mexico to coincide with the International Symposium for Personal and Commercial Spaceflight. This summit built on the success of an earlier CSF spaceports summit held on May 27, 2009, hosted by Space Florida as part of the International Space Development Conference in Orlando, Florida.
Initial member spaceports and spaceport principals of the CSF Spaceports Council include:
Spaceport America, represented by Executive Director Steve Landeene (Chairman)
Aeroports de Catalunya, represented by Executive Director Jordi Candela
Cecil Field Spaceport, represented by Administrator of Planning and Development Todd Lindner
Mojave Air and Space Port, represented by General Manager Stuart Witt
Oklahoma Spaceport, represented by Executive Director Bill Khourie
Space Florida, represented by President Frank DiBello
Spaceport Indiana, represented by President Brian Tanner
Spaceport Scotland, represented by Chairman Howie Firth
Spaceport Sweden, represented by Vice President Bengt Jaegtnes
Wisconsin Aerospace Authority, represented by Chairman Tom Crabb
Steve Landeene, Executive Director of Spaceport America, has been selected as the first chair of the CSF Spaceports Council. Landeene stated, "I am deeply honored and humbled to take up the first chairmanship of the Spaceports Council. Collecting and sharing the knowledge and experience base of spaceports worldwide will be beneficial to us all as commercial space vehicles begin to push the envelope toward more and more flights. And when working with policymakers, spaceports will benefit by formulating and presenting common positions."
The Spaceports Council will convene regular meetings of spaceports principals, as well as coordinate additional cooperation between spaceports on the staff level, in order to address common problems affecting spaceports, work toward voluntary uniform standards for development of common use equipment and operational procedures, and advise vehicle operators, developers, and other members of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation, on issues of concern to the spaceport community.
Bretton Alexander, President of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation, stated, "The formation of the Spaceports Council marks another milestone in the growth of the commercial spaceflight industry. By deepening the cooperation among both domestic and international spaceports in this new industry, we can help ensure that the industry continues to grow and flourish. Congratulations to Steve Landeene on his selection as the first chairman of this group, as well as all the spaceports that have chosen to form the initial membership of the Council."
Stuart O. Witt, General Manager of Mojave Air and Space Port and an Officer of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation, added, "We are excited to welcome this great group of spaceports, both domestic and international, as we join together to share our lessons learned. As we look toward a new generation of suborbital and orbital launch vehicles, I know that a strong spaceport network, armed with the latest in operational 'lessons learned,' will be critical."
About the Commercial Spaceflight Federation
The mission of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation (CSF) is to promote the development of commercial human spaceflight, pursue ever higher levels of safety, and share best practices and expertise throughout the industry. CSF member organizations include commercial spaceflight developers, operators, and spaceports. The Commercial Spaceflight Federation is governed by a board of directors, composed of the member companies' CEO-level officers and entrepreneurs. For more information please visit www.commercialspaceflight.org or contact Executive Director John Gedmark at john@commercialspaceflight.org or at 202.349.1121.
About the CSF Spaceports Council
The Spaceports Council, which operates under the aegis of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation (CSF), is composed of spaceports worldwide who discuss and collaborate on issues of common interest, such as access, legal and regulatory frameworks, infrastructure, international policy migration, liability, voluntary common operating standards, and engagement with other spaceport stakeholders including vehicle developers and operators, other spaceport users, and government agencies. For more information please contact CSF Executive Director John Gedmark at john@commercialspaceflight.org or at 202.349.1121.
