Griffin Addresses Space Foundation Correspondents Group

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Jan. 14, 2009) — On Jan. 13, the Space Foundation hosted a meeting of the Space Foundation Correspondents Group (SFCG) featuring NASA Administrator Michael Griffin, Ph.D. During the breakfast Griffin addressed a variety of issues including the value of U.S. international cooperation in civil space to national security, the importance of investing in the superiority of the U.S. civil space program as other nations make advancements in space, and recommendations to include space spending as part of the economic stimulus package as a way of immediately creating high-tech jobs. He emphasized that the next administration will need to address a number of immediate issues such as funding for scientific experiments like the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer to be flown to the International Space Station (ISS), ISS funding if it is to be utilized beyond 2015, and access to space during the next five years which includes a decision on keeping the shuttle flying, accelerating Orion development, or continuing with the current plan of purchasing flights from Russia.

This SFCG event is part of a regular series of gatherings for Washington, D.C. -based space, defense, science and technology, business, and international journalists to engage in dialogue with leaders from across the space industry.