For more information, contact: Wes Sumner (321) 674

- 6218 wsumner@fit.edu FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Aug. 19 , 2010


## Florida Tech a Core University of New FAA Center of Excellence for Commercial Space Transportation

WASHINGTON, D.C.

— U.S. Transport ation Secret ary Ray LaHood Wednesday announced that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has selected New Mexico State University (NMSU), Las Cruces, NM, to lead a new Air Transportation Center of
Excellence for Commercial Space Transportation. The center is a partnership of academia, industry, and government, developed for the purpose of creating a world

class consortium that will address current and future challenges for commercial space transportation.
Florida Institut e of Technology in Melbourne is a core university of the center.
The Florida Center for Advanced Aero

- Propulsion (FCAAP), a partnership of Florida universities, is also core to the center. FCAAP

- i nvolved institutions include the University of Florida, Florida State University and the University of Central Florida. Other key supporte rs who will be integral to the c enter’s success include: Space Florida, the NASA Kennedy Space Center, the NASA Glenn Research Center, Virgin Galactic, SpaceX , Qinetiq North America/Analex, Florida Turbine Technol o gies, the International Space University and Starfighters. “The Obama Administration is committed to making sure the United States
remains the world leader in space development and exploration,” said SecretaryLaHood. “This new center underscores that commitment, and will ensure that the commercial space community can meet our current and future space transportation
needs.” The Obama Administration recently released its new National Space Policy, which recognizes opportunities and advancements in commercial space transportation and lays out specific ways to use commercial capabilities. “Commercial space flight is ready to p lay a greater role in the nation’s space program,” said FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt. “Universities working with industry partners will fuel the research necessary to help keep us in the forefront of both technology and safety in space.”
Called the Ce nter of Excellence for Commercial Space Transportation, the new center is expected to begin operations this month. The research and development efforts will include four major research areas: space launch operations and traffic management;
launch vehicle s ystems, payloads, technologies, and operations; commercial human space flight; and space commerce (including space law, space insurance, space policy and space regulation). The FAA will enter into 50

- 50 cost

- sharing cooperative agreements to establish the partnerships, with plans to invest at least $1 million per year for the initial five years of the center’s operations. NMSU Las Cruces will lead a team of colleges and universities throughout the country. Other core universities participating not previously mentioned include : Stanford University in California, the New Mexico Institute of Mi ning and Technology
in Socorro , the University of Colorado at Boulder, and the University of Texas Medical
Branch at Galveston. Congress aut horized Air Transportation Centers of Excellence under the Federal Aviation Administration Research, Engineering and Development Authorization Act of 1990. This legislation enables the FAA to work with universities and their industry partners to conduct re search in environment and aviation safety, and other activities toassure a safe and efficient air transportation system. With the establishment of this center, research will extend to cutting

- edge technologies and infrastructure for private human spacefli ght and orbital debris mitigation. The United States’ space program has three sectors

— civil, military and commercial. The FAA’s Office of Commercial Space Transportation is responsible for licensing, regulating and promoting the commercial sector space industry. Since the office was created in 1984, the FAA has issued licenses for more than 200 launches, has licensed the operation of eight FAA

- approved launch sites known as spaceports, and has helped ensure that no loss of life or serious injury has bee n associated with these efforts. For more information on FAA’s commercial space transportation activities, a
fact sheet is available at: http://www.faa.gov/news/fact_sheets/news_story.cfm?newsId=11559 The FAA has established eight other centers of excell ence, focusing on air cabin environment, noise and emissions mitigation, airport pavement technology, operations research, advanced materials, aircraft structures, airworthiness assurance, and general
aviation. For more information about the FAA Centers of Excellence program, visit the web page at http://www.faa.gov/go/coe

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About Florida Institute of Technology Founded at the dawn of the Space Race in 1958, Florida Tech is the only independent, technological university in the Southeast. With more than 9, 000 students enrolled on main campus, extended campuses and online, Florida Tech has been named a Barron's Guide “Best Buy” in College Education, designated a Tier One Best National University in U.S. News & World Report, and named as one of just nine schools in Florida lauded by the 2011 Fiske Guide to Colleges. The university offers undergraduate, graduate and doctoral programs. Fields of study include science, engineering, aeronautics, business, humanities, mathematics, psychology,

c ommunication and education. Additional information is available online at www.fit.edu

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