The final capitalist frontier

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PROSPACE Press Release

CONTACT:
Charles Miller, 937-431-1054

              PART OF "CITIZENS' SPACE AGENDA" PASSES U.S. SENATE

                                 Commercial Space Act Unanimously Adopted

The Commercial Space Act, H.R. 1702, passed the Senate by unanimous
consent late Thursday evening.  ProSpace has organized nearly 500 individual
congressional briefings on this important piece of legislation during this
Congress.   It is a primary piece of ProSpace's "Citizens' Space Agenda."

ProSpace President, Charles Miller, stated "This is good news for America's
commercial space transportation industry, and for the long-term economic
and national security of this nation.  We have been fighting for this
legislation for 4 years, and the U.S. Senate was the last major hurdle.
Miller continued, "I expect the House/Senate conference will be
concluded quickly this September, and that the President will sign it into
law this Fall."

A key provision of the bill provides the U.S. Department of Transportation
with the ability to authorize "re-entry" of reusable launch vehicles and
commercial payloads.  Kistler Aerospace, a company which is developing a
reusable launch vehicle without any government financial assistance, had
already moved to Australia because the DoT had no authority to allow their
operations in the United States.  Other American companies have suggested
they would follow in Kistler's footsteps if the legislation does not pass.

Miller stated, "This is the most important action Congress has taken on the
"ChinaGate" launch issue.  Instead of becoming protectionist, we should
leapfrog the Chinese and the rest of the international competition.  China
can have its "horse & buggy" launch vehicle."

He continued, "I want to thank Senators Bill Frist (R-TN) and John McCain
(R-AZ) for making this bill a priority in the U.S. Senate.  Their
stewardship at the Commerce Committee made this happen.  I also want
to thank Senators Connie Mack (R-FL) and Bob Graham (D-FL) for their
leadership and support on this issue.  Finally, I want to thank Majority
Leader Trent Lott for bringing it to the floor.

In addition to the re-entry authorization, the bill also:  a) Requires the
government, in most cases, to procure domestic commercial space
transportation *services* for U.S. Government payloads, b) Requires the
government to purchase space science data - including information about
the Moon and other solar system bodies - from the private sector where
available, c) Requires NASA to study commercial possibilities for the
International Space Station and further privatization of Space Shuttle,
and d) Streamlines the licensing process for remote sensing satellites.
More information on the Commercial Space Act can be found at
<http://www.prospace.org/issues/SpaceCommerce/index.htm>.

ProSpace - The Citizens' Space Lobby - is fighting to "Open the Space
Frontier for ALL people as rapidly as possible."  For more information
about ProSpace, visit <http://www.prospace.org>, or call 937-431-1054.


                     *********************

"Opening the Space Frontier for ALL People"

For more information on ProSpace - The Citizens' Space Lobby, 
visit <http://www.prospace.org>

        Vision without action is just a dream
        Action without vision is just activity
        Vision and Action together can change the world.