Optical Illusion

Thank you for the fine coverage before and during the 25th National Space Symposium March 30April 2 in Colorado Springs, Colo. Your partnership helped make the symposium the best – and biggest – that the Space Foundation has ever had.

I must convey our disappointment that you used a photo of Space Foundation Chief Executive Officer Elliot Pulham to illustrate your story “Colorado Encourages California Space Firms to Relocate to the Rocky Mountain State” [April 2 supplement, page 10], giving the false impression that the Space Foundation is involved in Colorado recruitment efforts.

The Space Foundation is an international organization that promotes space endeavors for the good of all people on Earth. While we do actively engage in improving the business climate for space, we are not engaged in – and we do not engage in – promoting any state’s interests over another’s.

Quoting Mr. Pulham as a third-party expert about the space industry in Colorado is fine and the statement attributed to him that Colorado has “a lot of activity in engineering, software and applications” is accurate. What is disturbing – and entirely out of context – is the use of his photo with the article. We would greatly appreciate your setting the record straight that the Space Foundation is a champion for the space industry regardless of location and that we are a strong proponent of cooperation and collaboration among the states engaged in this very important business.

Janet P. Stevens

Director Communications and Public Outreach

The Space Foundation

Editor’s Note: The photograph and article appeared in the April 2 Space News supplement distributed at the 2009 National Space Symposium in Colorado Springs, Colo.