2013 SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION 13-020 BY SENATOR(S) Newell and Balmer, Todd, Aguilar, Baumgardner, Cadman, Crowder, Giron, Grantham, Guzman, Harvey, Heath, Hill, Hodge, Hudak, Jahn, Johnston, Jones, Kefalas, Kerr, King, Lambert, Lundberg, Marble, Nicholson, Renfroe, Roberts, Scheffel, Schwartz, Steadman, Tochtrop, Ulibarri, Morse; also REPRESENTATIVE(S) Kraft-Tharp and Primavera, May, Nordberg, Ryden, Salazar, Buck, Buckner, Conti, Coram, Court, DelGrosso, Dore, Duran, Everett, Exum, Fields, Fischer, Foote, Garcia, Gardner, Gerou, Ginal, Hamner, Holbert, Hullinghorst, Humphrey, Joshi, Kagan, Labuda, Landgraf, Lawrence, Lebsock, Lee, Levy, McCann, Melton, Mitsch Bush, Moreno, Murray, Navarro, Pabon, Peniston, Pettersen, Priola, Rankin, Rosenthal, Saine, Schafer, Scott, Singer, Sonnenberg, Stephens, Swalm, Szabo, Tyler, Vigil, Waller, Williams, Wilson, Wright, Young, Ferrandino. CONCERNING THE RECOGNITION OF "COLORADO AEROSPACE DAY". WHEREAS, Our nation and the world have significantly benefited from technological and scientific advances resulting from space exploration and aerospace activities; and WHEREAS, Space technologies benefit the everyday lives of the citizens of our nation and the state of Colorado, including technologies such as global positioning system satellites (GPS) that not only help us navigate but also offer a wide range of uses in agriculture, financial transactions, and search and rescue operations; weather satellites that help us plan our daily lives and give advance warning of severe weather events; and space exploration that helps us understand our universe and has resulted in thousands of innovations subsequently adopted for a wide variety of commercial and medical uses; and WHEREAS, The United States lost the ability to put persons in space with our own national assets with the end of NASA's space shuttle program, forcing us to rely on other countries for space exploration program research; and WHEREAS, Colorado is key to regaining the ability of the United States to put persons into space with programs such as the Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle that Lockheed Martin is developing with NASA for missions beyond low-earth orbit and the Dream Chaser that Sierra Nevada Corporation's Space Systems is developing to deliver persons and cargo to the International Space Station and to other missions within low-earth orbit aboard United Launch Alliance (ULA) launch vehicles; and WHEREAS, Companies such as Ball Aerospace, Boeing, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon, ITT Exelis, and many others in Colorado all make significant contributions to aerospace; and WHEREAS, Colorado was a significant contributor to the premier space event of this decade, the Mars Science Laboratory "Curiosity" mission to Mars, with the involvement of many Colorado companies including the launch by ULA, major subsystems such as the aeroshell provided by Lockheed Martin, critical elements of the landing system provided by Sierra Nevada Corporation, and sensor instruments provided by Southwest Research Institute; and WHEREAS, Colorado has the second-largest aerospace economy in the United States, with over 165,000 people employed in space-related jobs, ranking only behind California; and WHEREAS, Eight of the nation's top aerospace contractors have significant operations in Colorado and more than 400 space-related companies call the state home, with over 25,000 private sector jobs developing products from spacecraft, launch vehicles, and satellites to command and control software, sensors, and navigation operations; and WHEREAS, Colorado is a strategic location for national space activity, with four key military commands: Air Force Space Command, Army Space Command, United States Northern Command (USNORTHCOM), and the North American Aerospace Defense (NORAD), as well as three space-related Air Force bases: Buckley, Peterson, and Schriever; and WHEREAS, Along with major military installations, department of defense facilities, and NASA research activities, Colorado's universities are among the world's best for aerospace-related degrees; and WHEREAS, Webster University's Space Systems Operations Management (SPSM) graduate students, in cooperation with the Colorado Space Business Roundtable, formulated the strategic analysis and business plan that led Governor Hickenlooper and the Colorado General Assembly to designate Front Range Airport as "Spaceport Colorado" and to pursue licensing to operate as Colorado's commercial space transportation hub of the future; and WHEREAS, Front Range Airport is pursuing designation as a commercial spaceport by, among other things, enlisting faculty and students at Metropolitan State University of Denver's aviation and aerospace department to assist in feasibility studies for the integration of aircraft and space vehicles in the surrounding airspace as well as conducting training for suborbital commercial operations; and WHEREAS, Colorado is fortunate to have the leadership of organizations such as the Colorado chapter of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics that addresses the professional needs and interests of the past, current, and future aerospace workforce to advance the state of aerospace science, engineering, technology, operations, and policy to benefit our global society; the Colorado Space Coalition that brings together industry, academia, and nonprofit organizations as well as federal, state, and local officials to advocate on behalf of aerospace; and the Colorado Space Business Roundtable that brings together companies and organizations of all sizes to network and advance aerospace in Colorado; and WHEREAS, Colorado is also fortunate to have world-renowned institutions such as the Wings Over the Rockies Air and Space Museum and the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, which inspires people of all ages with exhibits and activities relating to space and promotes the study of academics in the areas of science, technology, engineering, and math; and WHEREAS, Colorado offers aerospace companies one of the country's most educated workforces and a dynamic atmosphere for business growth; now, therefore, Be It Resolved by the Senate of the Sixty-ninth General Assembly of the State of Colorado, the House of Representatives concurring herein: (1) That we, the members of the Colorado General Assembly, strongly urge and request the executive and legislative branches of the government of the United States of America to take action to preserve and enhance United States leadership in space, to spur innovation, and to ensure our continued national and economic security by preserving and increasing funding for space exploration and activities, including regaining the ability of the United States to deliver persons and cargo to low-earth orbit by 2015 and committing to sending persons to destinations such as the moon, Lagrange points, asteroids, and Mars within this decade or as soon as technologically possible; (2) That we recognize and appreciate the contributions of Colorado's aerospace companies, organizations, universities, colleges, and national research laboratories for their scientific discoveries and technological innovations as well as for their commitment to securing the economic and national security of the United States; (3) That we express our most sincere and deepest appreciation to the men and women working in and supporting military and civilian aerospace companies and organizations in Colorado; and (4) That we hereby designate March 25, 2013, as "Colorado Aerospace Day". Be It Further Resolved, That a copy of this Joint Resolution be sent to President Barack Obama; House Speaker John Boehner; House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi; Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid; Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell; Senator Mark Udall; Senator Michael Bennet; Congresswoman Diana DeGette; Congressman Jared Polis; Congressman Scott Tipton; Congressman Cory Gardner; Congressman Doug Lamborn; Congressman Mike Coffman; Congressman Ed Perlmutter; NASA Administrator Charles F. Bolden, Jr.; NASA Deputy Administrator, Lori B. Garver; FAA Associate Administrator for Commercial Space Transportation, Dr. George C. Nield; Governor John Hickenlooper; Lieutenant Governor Joe Garcia; The Adjutant General for Colorado, Major General H. Michael Edwards, Colorado National Guard; Mr. Charles Huettner, Executive Director, Aerospace States Association; Mr. Elliott Pulham, Chief Executive Officer, Space Foundation; Major General (retired) Andy Love, Co-Chair, Colorado Space Coalition; Mr. Tom Marsh, Co-Chair, Colorado Space Coalition; Mr. Edgar Johansson, President and CEO, Colorado Space Business Roundtable; and Ms. Stacey DeFore, Chair, Colorado Space Business Roundtable. ____________________________ ____________________________ John P. Morse Mark Ferrandino PRESIDENT OF SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE THE SENATE OF REPRESENTATIVES ____________________________ ____________________________ Cindi Markwell Marilyn Eddins SECRETARY OF CHIEF CLERK OF THE HOUSE THE SENATE OF REPRESENTATIVES