KMXT 100.1 FM Public Radio in Kodiak, Alaska
Ellen Lockyer/KSKA
Senate President Gary Stevens of Kodiak hosted the Alaska Rocket and Space Summit at the Anchorage legislative information office Thursday. The day long session featured presentations from representatives of successful aerospace enterprises in Florida and Utah, and from Alaska agencies like the state Department of Transportation and the Alaska Aerospace Corporation.
In trying to catch up with the outside groups, Governor Parnell put $30-million into the state capital budget this year for the Alaska Aerospace Corporation, which operates the Kodiak Launch Complex.
Stevens says the state can’t afford to abandon the KLC.
— (Space Summit Stevens 1 18s "You know we’ve put a lot … make sure that it works.")
Stevens says Lockheed Martin has also promised to put $100-million into a medium-lift facility at Narrow Cape this year. The company is eyeing Kodiak for its Athena III rocket for West Coast launches. Stevens says the Athena III is able to launch payloads of 13,000 pounds into orbit.
— (Space Summit Stevens 2 25 sec "The advantage that Alaska … rainy you can still launch.")
Stevens says the testimony he’s heard indicates that satellites can be launched from Alaska as effectively and as economically as anywhere else in the country.
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