FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 5, 2017
COALITION FOR DEEP SPACE EXPLORATION STATEMENT FOLLOWING NATIONAL SPACE COUNCIL INAUGURAL MEETING
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Coalition for Deep Space Exploration (Coalition) congratulates Vice President Pence and Executive Director Dr. Scott Pace on the first meeting of the reconstituted National Space Council in more than 25 years, which was held today at the National Air and Space Museum’s Udvar-Hazy Center. Key administration officials attended the Council’s meeting, including National Space Council Chairman, Vice President Mike Pence; Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson; Secretary of Commerce, Wilbur Ross; Secretary of Transportation, Elaine Chao; Acting Secretary of Homeland Security, Elaine Duke; Office of Management and Budget Director, Mick Mulvaney; National Security Advisor, H.R. McMaster; Director of National Intelligence, Daniel Coats; Acting NASA Administrator, Robert Lightfoot; Homeland Security Advisor, Thomas Bossert; Deputy Secretary of Defense, Patrick Shanahan; Deputy Chief Technology Officer of the United States, Michael Kratsios; and the Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Paul J. Selva.
The Coalition was well represented at the meeting with presentations by Lockheed Martin President and CEO Marillyn Hewson, Boeing Company President and CEO Dennis Muilenburg and Orbital ATK President and CEO David W. Thompson. Other members in attendance included Aerojet Rocketdyne, Honeywell, Jacobs Engineering, L3 Cincinnati Electronics, Leidos, Made in Space, Moog, Northrop Grumman, and United Launch Alliance. Additionally, Coalition President and CEO Dr. Mary Lynne Dittmar and Coalition Legislative Liaison Tom Culligan attended on behalf of all Coalition member companies.
“The Coalition is honored to have been present at the inaugural meeting of the National Space Council and pleased by the strong representation from some of our most prominent member companies,” said Dittmar. “Our Coalition includes large and small firms at the leading edge of U.S. manufacturing, aerospace engineering, new technology development, space science, and human space exploration. We support not only NASA’s programs of record such as the Space Launch System, the Orion crew vehicle, the James Webb Space Telescope, the Juno mission, OSIRIS-Rex, and the International Space Station, but also small business manufacturers in communities across the country and innovative companies focused on creating new business approaches for exploration technologies, such as in space manufacturing, robotic lunar landers and habitats. Our increasingly diverse membership is drawn from the aerospace sector as a whole, and represents the full range of America’s industry expertise and innovation.”
“We were encouraged by, and offer our full support for, the statements made by Vice President Pence today that U.S. leadership in space is a priority for this Administration. In particular, we eagerly anticipate the day Americans once again return to deep space on American vehicles. We look forward to supporting lunar missions and missions to the area of space around the moon even as we prepare for Mars, and anticipate working closely with the Administration and with Congress to advance national leadership in human space exploration, science, and commerce in deep space. We welcome the opportunity to explore synergies between our interests and those of the broader space community.”
The Coalition previously attended the White House signing ceremony with the President and Vice President reestablishing the National Space Council earlier this summer, with Dr. Dittmar and many large and small Coalition member companies in attendance.
About the Coalition for Deep Space Exploration
The Coalition for Deep Space Exploration is a national organization of more than 70 space industry businesses and advocacy groups focused on ensuring the United States remains a leader in space, science and technology. Based in Washington D.C., the Coalition engages in outreach and education reinforcing the value and benefits of human space exploration and space science with the public and our nation’s leaders, building lasting support for a long-term, sustainable, strategic direction for our nation’s space program.
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MEDIA CONTACT
Lauren Quesada – Griffin Communications Group
(832) 864-7224; Lauren@GriffinCG.com