California Space Infrastructure Program (CSIP) has crossed a number of milestones in the last four months. Early projects have been completed, and new projects have been funded but are still awaiting funding release. The major effort to renovate the rocket test stands at Edwards AFB has been completed with both Test Stand 1D (high thrust) and Test Stand 2A (component testing) reaching readiness status. They stand ready to support any new engine development work that the President's new Moon, Mars & Beyond Initiative spawns.

The CSA-Booz | Allen | Hamilton Extended Range Study became the departure point for a generation of seven range technology roadmaps developed jointly by NASA and the Air Force through the Advanced Range Technology Working Group activities. The roadmaps will be the baseline for identifying and performing key technology demonstration projects as we migrate to a mobile--nd later, space-based--range. A number of smaller projects including Pico-sat and UAV Systems Engineering (PAUSE), Spaceport Arrival and Departure Safety Systems (SPADS) and Range Systems Technology Laboratory (RSTL) are on-going and will produce results in the coming nine months.

The ARJIS project, cited as a separate article, represents a truly cooperative and useful result of the CSIP process.

The solicitation and recommendation cycle for projects to be funded in FY-05 is underway with forty submissions and eight recom-mendations having been forwarded to Congress.

Pictured from left to right: Rex Moen, Field Representative for State Senator Pete Knight; Col. Jack Gregory, Vice Commander, Air Force Flight Test Center; Tom Haack, Vice President, Palm Beach Campus, Pratt & Whitney; Col. Joe Boyle, Site Commander, AFRL Detachment 7; Janice Dunn, Director of Federal Government Relations, CSA; Major General Paul Neilsen, Commander, AFRL; Olyvia Rodriguez, Field Representative for U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein; Lew Stults, Field Representative for Congressman Buck McKeon; Col. Mike Heil, Director, Propulsion Directorate, AFRL; The Honorable George Runner, Office of State Assemblywoman Sharon Runner; Bill Burns, VP of Engineering, Boeing Rocketdyne Propulsion; Lee Meyer, Director of Business Development, Aerojet.

Officers of the CSA Board of Directors

The new chair of the National Coalition of Spaceport States (NCSS) is The Honorable Andrea Seastrand, Executive Director of the California Space Authority (CSA). NCSS is a coalition of states committed to the support and development of technology and infrastructure necessary for next generation spaceports.

CSA COO Apppointed to National Board

In the fall of 2003, Dr. Larry Gooch was nominated by Allan Hancock Community College, and invited to serve on the National Aerospace Technology Advisory Committee. This committee provides guidance and oversight to the Spacetech Consortiium of 11 two-year colleges in their effort to establish a common, standardized aerospace technician certification process. This effort has been funded under a federal government grant.

California Space Authority (CSA) conducted three demonstrations of the use of satellite technology for law enforcement. These demonstrations illustrated how satellite communications can serve as back-up and fill-in to cellular-based communications, particularly as it relates to our Homeland Security efforts. CSA identified the San Diego-based Automated Regional Justice Information System (ARJIS) as a law enforcement program that could be enhanced with space technology, access to Field Interview data, and a technology study to identify future enhancement opportunities.

CSA demonstrated the application of satellite communication to the current ARJIS cellular environment that, like all cellular systems, suffers from lack of geographical coverage, over-utilization by civilian cell phone users (especially during emergencies) and failures that occur during power outages and natural disasters. The cellular-based handheld devices carried in the field were unusable in many areas of the ARJIS region because of one or more of these limitations. During the recent blackouts in the Northeast and the forest fires of southern California, satellite communications were the only link unaffected by the conditions. Many law enforcement officials believe that a reliable satellite-based technology should be developed for law enforcement, especially with the added communications burdens imposed by homeland security.

The demonstrations highlighted space enterprise's ability to contribute to national homeland security through the use of space technology and gained support and visibility for ARJIS. The demonstrations made use of the GlobalStar's Low Earth Orbit constellation and showcased the ability of satellite communications technology to provide similar utility to terrestrial connections while remaining unaffected by the limitations of cellular connections.

In addition to duplicating the current terrestrial-based communications, the demonstrations showed how exceptional performance could be obtained through the satellite connection when the applications were optimized for satellite transmission. A technology study was completed and recommendations will be made to ARJIS to adopt enhancements that can improve the system and make it available regardless of location and emergency conditions.

Federal-level participation included a congressional staffer and an FBI official. Also in attendance at the demonstrations were representatives of the National Guard, the California Highway Patrol, several police departments, sheriffs, district attorneys, and fire departments. Booz | Allen | Hamilton teamed with CSA and executed the technical aspects of the demonstrations.

For a larger view of the ARJIS diagram, click here.

For nearly a year, California has held a key leadership position in the Aerospace States Association (ASA), an organization led by the lieutenant governors of aerospace-supportive states. California Lieutenant Governor Cruz Bustamante has been serving as one of three vice chairmen of the ASA. In February, 2004, the Lieutenant Governor represented California at the February 2004 ASA hearing on"The Future of Air Transportation in America," held on Capitol Hill after the ASA meeting.

The keynote speaker was The Honorable Norman Mineta, Secretary of Transportation. Other speakers included The Honorable Robert S. Walker, Chairman of the Commission on The Future of the Aerospace Industry; Mike Hudson of the National Academy of Science's Commission on Aeronautics, Research and Technology for Vision 2050; Marion Blakey, Administrator, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA); as well as John Kern, Director, Joint Planning and Development Office for the Next Generation Air Transporation Systems.

CSA Executive Director Andrea Seastrand, Lieutenant Governor Cruz Bustamante's ASA alternate and also ASA Finance Chair, attended the meetings with CSA's Director of Federal Government Relations Janice Dunn, who serves as ASA Policy Chair.

Lt. Governor
Cruz Bustamante