Leaders in the aerospace industry hailed the award winning success of SpaceShipOne’s historic flight today which captured the $10 million Ansari X Prize for Scaled Composites. SPACEHAB’s President and Chief Executive Officer, Michael E. Kearney, commended this accomplishment, saying “Congratulations to Burt Rutan, Paul Allen, and the SpaceShipOne team for their triumph in suborbital human spaceflight. It is this kind of pioneering spirit and dedication that will help us in the next phase of space exploration.”
Kearney added, “The culmination of this effort is a true demonstration of the value of private investment in the space market. This initiative, and the many like it, assists in what will be the routine transportation of people to space. With both the government purchase of commercial services and products and the encouragement of significant prizes to help close the business case for new initiatives, the outcome becomes a win-win scenario for private industry and government programs in space.”
SPACEHAB is keenly aware of humankind’s innate need to explore new frontiers and gain benefit from what can be found there. The Company understands this vital endeavor, and, more importantly, that it should not be limited to the world’s governments and the privileged few. Consequently SPACEHAB, a true success story of a company spearheading space commercialization through private investment, is encouraged by the emerging growth in other successful private enterprises.
SPACEHAB, Incorporated (www.spacehab.com) is a leading provider of commercial and government space services with three primary business units. The Flight Services business unit develops, owns, and operates habitat and laboratory modules and cargo carriers aboard NASA’s Space Shuttles for Space Station resupply and research purposes. SPACEHAB’s Astrotech subsidiary provides payload processing support services for both commercial and government customers at company-owned facilities in Florida and California. The Company’s Government Services business unit supports NASA’s Johnson Space Center providing configuration management, product engineering, and support services for both the Space Station and Space Shuttle programs. Additionally, through The Space Store, Space Media provides space merchandise to the public and space enthusiasts worldwide (www.thespacestore.com).
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Kimberly Campbell, Vice President, Corporate Marketing and Communications, SPACEHAB, Inc.
ph. 713.558.5049, fax 713.558.5960, campbell@spacehab.com
