Resolution 2008-161
RESOLUTION NO. 2008- 161
A RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
OF COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA, TO THE FLORIDA
CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION REGARDING THE
NATIONAL STRATEGIC IMPORTANCE OF
MAINTAINING SPACEFLIGHT EXPERTISE AT THE
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER AND ENSURING THAT
FUTURE CREW AND CARGO LOGISTIC MISSIONS TO
THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION USE
DOMESTIC CAPABILITIES.
WHEREAS, the United States has a strategic interest III maintaining the nation's
preeminence in spaceflight; and
WHEREAS, the spaceflight expertise at the Kennedy Space Center is a center of
excellence that should be maintained after the discontinuance of Space Shuttle missions; and
WHEREAS, the United States has obligations to provide crew and cargo logistic
services to the International Space Station after the Shuttle is retired; and
WHEREAS, until the Constellation Program reaches operational status, the United
States currently plans to substantially fulfill those obligations by purchasing logistic services
from Russia, notably Soyuz and Progress flights; and
WHEREAS, these plans make the United States largely dependent on the Russians for a
five-year period or more in obtaining access to the International Space Station; and
WHEREAS, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has executed
Space Act Agreements under the Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) Program
to foster domestic commercial capability to provide crew and cargo logistics to the International
Space Station; and
WHEREAS, the COTS Program provides for four different cargo and crew logistic
capabilities known as Capabilities A, B, C, and D; and
WHEREAS, the United States is the world's premier space faring nation because the
American aerospace industry has consistently provided solutions to national needs including
those of NASA; and
WHEREAS, these talents should be tasked to providing domestic solutions to America's
crew and cargo logistic needs; and
WHEREAS, resources to be spent on procuring Russian Soyuz and Progress logistic
services would best be devoted to the development and procurement of domestic crew and cargo
logistic capabilities.
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NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE BOARD OF COUNTY
COMMISSIONERS OF COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA, that:
I. This resolution be forwarded to the State of Florida Congressional Delegation
with a request that the Delegation as a whole urges the Administrator of the
National Aeronautics and Space Administration to immediately explore all
possible domestic options - including COTS Program Capabilities A, B, C, and D
- to reduce or eliminate the need to procure foreign logistic services to the
International Space Station.
2. Such efforts should not be limited to cargo logistics but should aggressively target
crew logistic needs including but not limited to COTS Capability D.
3. The Delegation work to obtain funding in the Fiscal Year 2009 Federal Budget
for execution of these options.
4. The Delegation encourages the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and
Space Administration to fully utilize the demonstrated excellence of the Kennedy
Space Center for the integration and launch of these crew and cargo logistic
operations.
THIS RESOLUTION ADOPTED after motion, second and majority vote this 27th day of
May, 2008.
ATTEST:
DWIGtIT €;'BJ.tOCK, Clerk
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA
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