California
Tax Break a ‘Small Step’ for California’s Space Industry
The bill exempts hardware and related items developed by space companies in the state from local property taxes.
SpaceX Capsule Arrives at California Port after Station Cargo Run
About two days after splashing down in the Pacific Ocean, the commercially operated Dragon space capsule laden with 760 kilograms of return cargo from the international space station arrived at port in San Pedro, Calif.
Virgin Galactic Now Hiring in California, New Mexico
Virgin Galactic and the Spaceship Company — Virgin’s joint venture with Scaled Composites to build the SpaceShipTwo suborbital spaceplane and its WhiteKnightTwo carrier aircraft — announced April 30 they are seeking to fill a combined 18 positions.
The Spaceship Company Gets $290K from California for Energy-efficient Hangar
The Spaceship Company (TSC), the Virgin Galactic and Scaled Composites joint venture building Virgin’s SpaceShipTwo suborbital spaceplane, received a $290,000 incentive check from Southern California Edison for designing a final integration, assembly and test hangar — FAITH, for short — in Mojave, Calif., that exceeds the state’s energy-efficiency standards, according to a March 12 press release.
California Space Authority Disbands [Pacific Coast Business Times]
The California Space Authority, the nonprofit corporation whose mission was to promote the state's space industry, is no more, according to the Pacific Coast Business Times. The group's board of directors voted unanimously June 6 to dissolve the organization.
Andrea Seastrand, Executive Director, California Space Authority
As the state of California grapples with a $20 billion budget shortfall and Northrop Grumman Corp. prepares to move its headquarters from Los Angeles to Washington, the California Space Authority (CSA) faces the daunting task of trying to retain and expand space enterprise in the state that once housed most of the dominant players in the aerospace industry. While the job is not easy, the 11-member team that makes up Sacramento-based CSA continues to champion every accomplishment made by California’s space enterprise, which includes commercial, civil and national security space programs in industry, government and academia.
