Space Foundation declares inaugural Florida Space 2005 successful

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Nov. 17, 2005) — The Space Foundation, which presented Florida Space 2005 at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex Nov. 15-17, declared the inaugural event a strong success. More than 350 registrants participated in the conference, and nearly 600 people attended the opening ceremony. “Florida Space brought together leaders in the space industry for a necessary discussion of the opportunities and challenges facing the Florida space economy. We are thankful for our partners and the hospitality of the state of Florida, which helped make this conference great,” said Elliot G. Pulham, Space Foundation president and chief executive officer. “We are confident this event will have a positive impact for the future of Florida’s space economy and we look forward to Florida Space 2006 next year in Orlando.” National recording artist Jeff Kashiwa played jazz saxophone in the Rocket Garden at the opening ceremony of Florida Space 2005 on Nov. 15. The ceremony also recognized science fair winners and Jack Wiles, the first chairman of the Canaveral Council of Technical Societies, and was accompanied by a reception, appearances by NASA astronauts Steve Frick, Ken Ham, Kay Hire, and Steve Swanson, and a fireworks display. Registrants heard innovative, timely panel discussions and featured speeches from Dr. Michael Griffin, NASA administrator; The Honorable Dr. Ronald M. Sega, under secretary of the Air Force; Gen Lance W. Lord, USAF, commander, Air Force Space Command; The Honorable Toni Jennings, lieutenant governor of Florida; Mr. Lon Rains, vice president, Editorial, Imaginova Corp. and editor, Space News; and Mr. John Glisch, Editorial Page editor, Florida Today. Sponsors of Florida Space 2005 were Analytical Graphics, Inc. (AGI), ATK Thiokol, The Boeing Co., Booz Allen Hamilton, Delaware North Parks Services, the Economic Development Commission of Florida’s Space Coast, L-3 Communications, Lockheed Martin, Perot Systems, Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne, the Space Coast Office of Tourism, Space Gateway Support, and United Space Alliance. Florida Space 2005 was conducted by the Space Foundation in association with NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, the U.S. Air Force 45th Space Wing, Florida Space Authority, and The Canaveral Council of Technical Societies. It built on the best features of Space Congress and the Cape Canaveral Spaceport Symposium, both long-time community space events now retired, and whose heritage was honored at this inaugural event. The Space Foundation will host the second Florida Space conference Nov. 14-16, 2006.

About the Space Foundation Founded in 1983 and headquartered in Colorado Springs, the Space Foundation is a national nonprofit organization that vigorously advances civil, commercial, and national security space endeavors and educational excellence. The Space Foundation has offices in Washington, D.C., and Cape Canaveral, Fla. In addition to Florida Space 2005, the Space Foundation annually conducts, along with its partnering organizations, the National Space Symposium, April 3-6, 2006, at The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs; Inside Aerospace, 24-25 April 2006, in Washington, D.C.; and Strategic Space, 10-12 Oct. 2006 in Omaha, Neb. For more information, visit www.SpaceFoundation.org.