Stratolaunch, the Paul G. Allen company that announced they would be breaking ground in Mojave in December of 2011, actually moved into their 88,000 square foot low bay a month ahead of schedule. They plan to complete their high bay, to produce the largest airplane ever built, here [...]]]> It’s been an amazing year at Mojave.

Stratolaunch, the Paul G. Allen company that announced they would be breaking ground in Mojave in December of 2011, actually moved into their 88,000 square foot low bay a month ahead of schedule. They plan to complete their high bay, to produce the largest airplane ever built, here in Mojave, and they plan to be in that ahead of schedule in February of 2013. I understand there’s already 80 people working full time in the low bay. That is a new build out on 19 acres in Mojave.

The rocket companies had some amazing accomplishments. Masten Space Systems with Xaero and Xombie conducted a number of tethered flights, untethered free flights. It was just fascinating in the skies to see them demonstrating precision take off, navigation and landing of various family of landers, even in very strong cross winds up to as much as 40 knots.

On the unmanned air systems or optionally piloted aircraft front, this year we had two firsts: Firebird from Northrop Grumman was the second generation from the “Old School” design at Scaled Composites. Northrop flew the second gen of that on its first flight last month, which opened up a whole new family of unmanned air systems under an optionally piloted vehicle certificate of authorization from the FAA. This is a big deal. This just adds to our 60-year history in unmanned air systems in Mojave, with a whole new family, looking well into the future.

On the rocket front, we continue to have numerous tests every day. I mean we’ve had as many as nine this year, nine in one day, rocket tests. A whole host of companies. And now companies are coming from around the states to Mojave, just to test, to piggyback on existing test sites. We had Interorbital, we had Masten Space Systems, we had AMPT from Colorado, Whittinghill Aerospace, Virgin, Scaled.

Add that to the number of glide flights of Virgin Galactic, nearing the powered flight phase of SpaceShipTwo, WhiteKnightTwo. You see the development at XCOR of their new family of suborbital craft. It’s just been a wild ride this year in Mojave on the aviation front.

Firestar Engineering is another remarkable young company that came to Mojave to find a house to develop and test new green rocket motor technologies and components.

This year Incotec celebrated in October their 20th anniversary. The same month they produced their billionth aircraft fastener. That’s remarkable. A small company that came to town as a supplier to an emerging industry is now the leading supplier of fasteners for composite to metal structures in commercial airplanes. It’s a classic outcome of what’s possible when you create an environment for entrepreneurs.

From the airport side, creating this infrastructure where the innovators can find a home to innovate, to test and develop, takes some thought to try to be out in front.

We first have to assess what do our tenants need? Not only what do they need today, but what can we anticipate that they will be needing at the end of the year. And we build to it.

These people expect and demand access to data. Very high speed, high volume data. This year we completed airport-wide fiber installation. We now connected that fiber with One Wilshire in Los Angeles. We have direct access to the largest pipe in the nation for data.

Now that fiber is being extended to the rocket test sites, where these companies can watch testing from anywhere in the world at very high data rates. We believe this is one of the biggest attractants we’ve been able to provide the new tenants in Mojave.

Also, just basic infrastructure, water, power, sewer, improving our runways, taxiways, making building sites available, enhancing our environmental assessments preparing us for our next licensing phase with the FAA. All of these activities were going on concurrently in 2012.

We are completely tearing up and completely rebuilding a brand new runway, called 4-22, as a crosswind runway, extending its length and lighting it. This is a great enhancement to the airport, for both general aviation and potential returning space vehicles.

We are constantly trying to position the airport where the business is going, not where it is today.

Each year we are amazed at the revenue we receive from the rail industry. This last year we actually invested even deeper in our rail yard. It’s amazing now what comes in by rail. I believe in the future, resin will come into this airport in tanker cars and spaceships will go out the other side. I think the production line is starting to show signs that people understand that we have a rail yard. It supports the wind industry currently, the auto industry, specialty freight shipments of all kinds, and I believe shortly it will be supporting the aerospace industry.

On the facilities side, we had a requirement from the tenants a couple of years ago, to build out an event center. There was no place in the Mojave area where the tenants could hold an all-hands meeting. They had grown to the point where they didn’t have their own facilities big enough for everybody to get in one room and have a get-together.

We started working with the community organizers in town concerned with the revitalization of Mojave and determined that this community really does need a community center for events, not just for the airport but for everyone. So my board invested in a joint-use facility, for performing arts, aerospace events, lectures, training, you name it. That is our Building 137. My board allocated $600,000 this year to complete that project. We believe we’re going to have that building ready for its first event in the April time frame of 2013.

Along that line, every third Saturday of every month there’s an event hosted by locals in the community called Plane Crazy. And it’s an opportunity for people who own vintage airplanes to put them on display. So that event has grown, and it’s become a gathering point for aviation enthusiasts, anybody, kids, anybody who wants to come out and see cool airplanes.

One of the most successful Plane Crazy Saturdays this last year was on a day when Scaled Composites held an open house and a job fair. They parked all of their really cool airplanes – specialty flight test and flight research airplanes – on the ramp, and 4,000 people attended. College grads from across the nation piled into cars and drove to Mojave to put their resumés on file with these forward-leaning aerospace firms. It was an amazing day.

Another event we hosted this year was for the Office of Commercial Space Transportation with the FAA on an emergency preparedness workshop for the commercial space industry.

From my perspective we’ve developed a number of lessons learned in Mojave over the last 11 years. We have actually designed and built purpose-built response vehicles for composite aircraft and rocket-powered aircraft. We have a procedure every day looking at all of the events for tomorrow, and ensuring that the various response vehicles are staffed and loaded with the right agents if they’re needed.

So we put on a workshop with best practices and emergency response preparedness on how we handle explosives, how we handle hazardous materials, how we conduct air quality surveys, and how we give people permission to do very risky things. It was very well-received by everyone, the government and the industry.

We added a new staff member this year, which exponentially broadened our reach into industry and academia, through Karina Drees, an MIT Sloan fellow and an aerospace professional, who is making a remarkable difference in our ability to reach out to tomorrow’s work force. We look for very big things in 2013 from Karina.

Another thing we’ve learned at Mojave is that policy matters. Words matter. When policy makers say something, whether it be in Sacramento or other state capitals or at the federal level, people listen. And it has a profound impact on the future. To that end, we sponsored Assembly Bill 2243 carried by now-Senator Steve Knight, which made its way through both the lower and upper house in Sacramento, both judiciary committees without a single No vote. In California, in this economy, about aerospace.

Something rather remarkable happened on September 21st over California. It was a touching moment to see the last flight of Endeavour coming down the runways at Mojave, and to look left and right at literally the thousands of people who drove here to just be a part of it. Millions of people came out of their doors and their offices that day to catch a glimpse of Endeavour, a symbol of American ingenuity.

Something else happened that day. Governor Brown held a small press conference on the steps of the Capitol in Sacramento to announce the signing of Assembly Bill 2243 as Endeavour flew over Sacramento. I applaud the Governor for his signature, and for taking a stand to keep business in California in this emerging new industry.

This next year we intend to seek minor amendments to 2243 which will increase our ability to retain this industry in California, and again be a nationwide leader in shaping policy, which is going to be needed to foster this industry nationwide and be a leader around the world.

We are also looking at policy on revamping law that was signed by President Johnson in 1968, shaping the International Trade in Arms Regulations, which regulates rocketry. We believe the new commercial space industry are not designing weapons but are designing vehicles to haul products and people to space, and they should not be regulated under the arms treaties, but under the Commerce Clause. And so we’re seeking legislation at the federal level this year that will help the entire industry.

A number of years ago a very small group of us got together and founded what was then the Personal Spaceflight Federation. We believed that there would come a time in the very near future when we would need a standards-based organization and a consensus organization that would represent this industry. That industry has now grown. This year you saw SpaceX launch a privately built vehicle, built in Los Angeles, to the International Space Station two times, and take cargo and return cargo back to Earth. That is something very new. That company SpaceX is one of the founding members of the CSF.

This year it was a very high honor of mine to be elected as Chairman of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation Board of Directors.

I’m excited by the year 2013. I can see real events happening next year that will capture the imagination of tomorrow’s work force. They will be occurring at a number of sites around the nation, but specifically here at Mojave.

We have three tenants that fully expect to be in powered flight in rocketry. We have two tenants who expect to be in the optionally piloted vehicle arena this next year. Those are big deals.

We have considerable interest from two different companies for new facilities on Taxiway B, and we are in design phase right now for those facilities. I think at this time next year you’ll be excited to hear about the accomplishments on Taxiway B.

The biggest thing that we can focus on from my desk in 2013 is ensuring that we continue to give this industry permission. Permission to develop, to design, to test, to succeed or fail. America and the world desperately needs Mojave.

Stuart O. Witt, CEO
Mojave Air & Space Port

In the skies over Mojave airport the first private enterprise space ship showed the world that a small, talented team could put a man into space.

Amazing things happen here. (Carl Ingram, Mojave [...]]]> On the western edge of the Mojave desert in Kern County, California, there is a place like nowhere else on Earth.

In the skies over Mojave airport the first private enterprise space ship showed the world that a small, talented team could put a man into space.

Amazing things happen here. (Carl Ingram, Mojave Tower)

It’s really an entrepreneurial go-getting kind of place. One of the nice things is, you taxi out in the morning and there’s guys flying space ships, small aircraft, homebuilt aircraft. (Nigel Speedy, National Test Pilot School)

I fly WhiteKnightTwo and SpaceShipTwo. ( David Mackay, Virgin Galactic)

I built it right here in this hangar. (Ralph Wise, Gt Aero)

I’m in Mojave because number 1, I work at Scaled Composites, and number 2, it’s the epicenter of homebuilt aircraft, with Burt Rutan, obviously, the history there. (Justin Gillen, Scaled Composites)

There’s not a better place anyplace to do what we love to do most. And that is, have an idea, have the ability to go out in a shop like this and actually build it, and then find some trusting soul to get in it and see if it flies. (Dick Rutan)

It’s not of interest to the people who hang out at Mojave if you can’t build it. (Elliot Seguin, Scaled Composites)

I’m on the board here at Mojave Makers and I just love making stuff. (Matthew Wright, Scaled Composites & Mojave Makers)

There really are just tons and tons of cool weird things being built here. (Scott Nietfeld, Masten Space Systems & Mojave Makers)

Mojave is very unassuming. This is the kind of place where you would never know the types of activities that are going on here actually happen. (Karina Drees, Mojave Air & Space Port)

Space has been my passion since I was really little. Here I found a way to do that and I get to build the thing that’s taking me there. (Jeremy Voigt, XCOR Aerospace)

We are Wasabi Air Racing. (Jennifer Whaley, Scaled Composites & Wasabi Air Racing)

We got involved in air racing because it’s a fantastic challenge. As engineers, as pilots and as builders. (Elliot Seguin, Wasabi Air Racing)

This is the Mecca of aviation right here. (Melissa Vannoy, Virgin Galactic)

The National Test Pilot School is the preeminent civilian flight test training center in the world.

Flight test is going out and evaluating either an aircraft or an aviation system to determine whether it’s safe and whether it meets certain requirements. (Dr. Allen Peterson, National Test Pilot School)

Mojave is just a naturally good place for flight test. (Wes Persall, Virgin Galactic)

In the first place, you’re in the middle of nowhere. Being out in the middle of nowhere gives you enormous freedoms to take risks. (Stuart Witt, Mojave Air & Space Port)

It’s wide open. (Melissa Vannoy)

What we’re working on is new rocket propellants and new thrusters. And whenever you develop something new it’s a challenge. And there are successes and failures and you learn from both. You want to be somewhere where you can test. Mojave provides that. (Suparna Mukherjee, Firestar Technologies)

The companies operating out here are incredibly innovative. We encourage these companies to challenge on a daily basis. (Karina Drees)

It’s one of the few places in the world where we can freely test our rockets. (David Masten, Masten Space Systems)

We go out and we test three, four, five days a week. (Alexander Hreiz, Masten Space Systems)

Mojave is a great place because it allows us the freedom to do this, as well as the space. (Khaki Rodway, XCOR Aerospace)

Don’t be afraid to fail. You learn more through failure than you do from success. Every single time. (Dick Rutan)

The folks at the spaceport want to help you. They’re not here to impede you. (Greg Peters, Firestar Technologies)

It’s always easy to say no. If you say yes, you have to be willing to back it up and actually do something that is business-friendly. So our job is getting to Yes. (Stuart Witt)

Stu’s there when you need him. Something goes wrong or you need some help here on the airfield, you pick up the phone and you call Stu, and he usually can solve your problem in a very short period of time, or will turn you on to somebody who can help solve your problem. (Dr. Allen Peterson)

The airport operators understand what our mission is. They understand that what we do is experimental in nature. (Wes Persall)

My job is to give people permission. Every day in the skies over Mojave and on the ground at Mojave Air & Space Port, people take enormous risks, which someday will yield great things for all humanity. (Stuart Witt)

We have the freedom to do a lot of those crazy things that people wouldn’t allow you to do at a normal airport. (Wes Persall)

We’ve got years of infrastructure. This is what we do out here. We’re standing out on our Taxiway B, it’s kind of our Taxiway of Dreams. (Kevin Wojtkiewicz, Mojave Air & Space Port)

I’m currently working on the Stratolaunch program, which is building a huge hangar down the flightline there, and it’s going to be a lot of fun. (Matthew Wright)

Mojave’s a really unique place if you look at what’s being developed here. It’s a proven incubator for innovative design. (Enrico Palermo, Virgin Galactic)

It has a whole huge quotient of freedom and flexibility. And if you have some clever and innovative people who like to do neat things and you put them in an environment of almost total freedom and flexibility, what comes out of that is incredible. Those people may even build an airplane to fly around the world. Or maybe even fly one that would go into space. Who knows what’s going to happen? (Dick Rutan)

There is no place like this anywhere on the Earth. (Jon Turnipseed, Virgin Galactic)

It’s a pioneer spirit. (Khaki Rodway)

It’s frontier land. (David Mackay)

Making the impossible happen (Wes Persall)

Kind of a Right Stuff atmosphere (Jeremy Voigt)

Pretty much can-do and entrepreneurial type of place (Dr. Allen Peterson)

The Mojave spirit – it’s pioneering (Greg Peters)

Imagination and creativity and there’s no limit (Andrew Bingham, Firestar Technologies)

It’s a group of people coming out here to get things done, very hands-on and we’re trying to make the commercial space thing really happen. (Travis O’Neal, Masten Space Systems)

There’s a spirit of innovation here and it’s been here for a long time. I think that’s why companies come here and why you continue to see new companies coming here and trying out new ideas. (Suparna Mukherjee)

With true freedom and flexibility – what you can accomplish is only limited by what you can dream. Incredible what can happen. Hey wait a minute – it did happen, right here. Cool. (Dick Rutan)

Mojave Air & Space Port 2012
East Kern Airport District
Mojave, California

Producer, Writer – Robin Snelson
Director, Cinematographer, Editor – Christopher Angel
Original music – Myles A. Young
Aerial photography – Kenneth Brown

With grateful acknowledgement for video provided by amazing people and companies at Mojave Air & Space Port

Dick Rutan
Firestar Technologies
Masten Space Systems
Mojave Aerospace Ventures
National Test Pilot School
Northrop Grumman Corporation
Scaled Composites
Stratolaunch Systems, A Paul G. Allen Project
Virgin Galactic
Wasabi Air Racing
XCOR Aerospace

Residents of Mojave and [...]]]> Mojave, CA – Citizens all across the state of California witnessed the breathtaking flight of Space Shuttle Endeavour today with low flybys over Palmdale, Lancaster, Mojave, Sacramento, San Francisco and Los Angeles. Endeavour’s final resting place will be the California Science Center for permanent display next month.

Residents of Mojave and employees at the Mojave Air & Space Port enjoyed spectacular views of the shuttle as it flew over runway 26 at approximately 8:45 Friday morning. Mojave Air & Space Port Chief Operating Officer Kevin Wojtkiewicz stated, “we feel honored to have made the flyby schedule of Endeavour. We had a wonderful crowd on the flight line to witness this historic occasion and it was such an incredible sight.”

While today might mark the end of an era with the final flight of the space shuttle, it marks the beginning of another for the state of California with the signing of Assembly Bill 2243. This legislation limits liability for space-flight companies and was signed today by Governor Brown. Mojave Air & Space Port CEO Stuart Witt commented, “The entire Commercial Space Industry wishes to acknowledge and thank Assemblyman Knight and Senator Fuller for their steadfast leadership in sponsoring this required legislation. We also wish to thank the many members of the Assembly, Senate, local government and Federal Supporters together with Governor Brown for crafting meaningful policy, which is required by the job creators of tomorrow in our exciting new industry. This is a very big step forward and we couldn’t be more pleased at the outcome.”

Washington, D.C. – The Commercial Spaceflight Federation has elected Stuart O. Witt as the next Chairman. Witt was nominated and elected by CSF’s Executive Board of Directors, whose members span the industry. Witt succeeds Eric Anderson, who has completed his appointed [...]]]> The Commercial Spaceflight Federation Elects
Stuart O. Witt as Chairman

Washington, D.C. – The Commercial Spaceflight Federation has elected Stuart O. Witt as the next Chairman. Witt was nominated and elected by CSF’s Executive Board of Directors, whose members span the industry. Witt succeeds Eric Anderson, who has completed his appointed term. Anderson will continue to serve as a CSF Officer and member of the Board.

Witt, one of CSF’s founders, is the CEO of the Mojave Air & Space Port, which was designated as the nation’s first inland spaceport and is the birthplace of our nation’s commercial space endeavors. Mojave is home to Scaled Composite’s SpaceShipOne, which won the $10M Ansari XPRIZE in 2004.

Witt and his team’s tireless efforts have earned him commendations from California’s former Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, as well as the California State Assembly and Senate, Kern County’s Board of Supervisors, and U.S. Congressman Kevin McCarthy.

Witt’s predecessor Eric Anderson stated, “Stuart will be invaluable to CSF as Chairman during this crucial time for the commercial spaceflight industry. As the pace of test flights increases, Stuart will provide essential leadership to the industry with his extensive career as a Naval Aviator, engineering test pilot, and business executive. He is an excellent selection as Chairman for the CSF and I have no doubt the organization will continue to effectively champion the commercial spaceflight industry under his guidance.”

CSF President Michael Lopez-Alegria said, “I am thrilled to welcome Mr. Witt as CSF’s Chairman. The rare combination of his experience as an operational aviator and test pilot with his proven business acumen will serve the industry well. After operating the Mojave Air & Space Port for the past 10 years, Mr. Witt has written the book on how to effectively operate a commercial spaceport. The CSF is indebted to Eric Anderson for his assiduous leadership during his tenure, and I’m comforted to know that he will continue to be a key advisor in his role as an Officer of the Board.”

“I am extremely honored to have been chosen to be the next Chairman of the CSF. As an organization of industry leaders, the Commercial Spaceflight Federation will play a crucial role in the burgeoning commercial space industry as companies begin powered flight testing, and flying passengers and payloads to space,” Witt said. “This industry has an incredible potential to create cutting-edge technology, provide safe and routine access to space from U.S. soil, and bring high-tech jobs to the American people. The CSF has made great strides recently due to the steadfast leadership of Eric Anderson, who has taken the organization to a new level. I look forward to working with the CSF President, Executive Board, and members to further the industry’s initiatives.”

The CSF’s Executive Board also elected Rob Meyerson, President and Program Manager of Blue Origin to serve as an Officer. Meyerson replaces Jeff Greason, President and co-founder of XCOR Aerospace, who has completed his term.

About the Commercial Spaceflight Federation

The mission of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation (CSF) is to promote the development of commercial human spaceflight, pursue ever-higher levels of safety, and share best practices and expertise throughout the industry. The Commercial Spaceflight Federation’s member companies, which include commercial spaceflight developers, operators, spaceports, suppliers, and service providers, are creating thousands of high-tech jobs nationwide, working to preserve American leadership in aerospace through technology innovation, and inspiring young people to pursue careers in science and engineering. For more information please visit www.commercialspaceflight.org or contact Assistant Director Sirisha Bandla at sirisha@commercialspaceflight.org or at 202.349.1120.

MOJAVE, California (May 15, 2012) Mojave Air & Space Port, the world’s premiere civilian flight test center, announced the appointment of Karina Drees to Director of Business Development. In the newly formed role, Drees will provide strategic direction for economic development and marketing initiatives, while working on tenant expansion and retention.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MOJAVE, California (May 15, 2012) Mojave Air & Space Port, the world’s premiere civilian flight test center, announced the appointment of Karina Drees to Director of Business Development. In the newly formed role, Drees will provide strategic direction for economic development and marketing initiatives, while working on tenant expansion and retention.

Drees brings more than 12 years of experience in strategy and business development. She has held management positions for growing technology companies ranging in size from startups to large public companies. Most recently, she was a member of the strategy and positioning team for SRA International, a large defense contractor in Fairfax, VA.

“Karina will be a great addition to the our leadership team,” said Stuart Witt, CEO. “She is an accomplished business development executive with a genuine passion for the unique activities that go on here in Mojave. She will be a strong asset as we expand our aerospace business.”

Drees has a BS from Arizona State University and an MBA from the MIT Sloan School of Management, where she ran the MIT $100K Entrepreneurship Competition. Following MIT, Drees attended the International Space University’s Summer Session Program in Beijing, China. She is a board member of the MIT $100K Entrepreneurship Competition and a judge for the MIT Global Challenge. In addition to her entrepreneurial activities, Drees serves as an SBIR proposal reviewer and panelist for the National Science Foundation.

In 2007, Witt and Drees collaborated to develop an “access to space” action plan for commercial operations of the next generation of space transportation vehicles from Mojave.

#####

About Mojave Air & Space Port

The world’s premiere civilian flight test center is operated by the East Kern Airport District. Strategically located 90 miles north of Los Angeles in Kern County, California, America’s first inland spaceport is home to a growing number of companies engaged in aerospace and high technology research and development.

Mojave Air & Space Port CEO and General Manager Stuart O. Witt speaks at TEDx Kiruna arranged by Spaceport Sweden on 27 March 2012 in Kiruna, Swedish Lapland.

PALO ALTO, California (February 27, 2012) The man who manages the nation’s first commercial spaceport called on state lawmakers Monday to help him keep the emerging commercial space industry in California.

Stuart Witt, CEO of the East Kern Airport District, which manages the Mojave Air and Space Port, said immediate action is [...]]]> FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

PALO ALTO, California (February 27, 2012) The man who manages the nation’s first commercial spaceport called on state lawmakers Monday to help him keep the emerging commercial space industry in California.

Stuart Witt, CEO of the East Kern Airport District, which manages the Mojave Air and Space Port, said immediate action is needed to battle efforts by governors in several states to lure the new industry to their states.

Speaking at the NextGen Suborbital Research Conference in Palo Alto on Monday, Witt warned that “Virginia, Maryland, Texas, Florida, New Mexico, Colorado, and other states, with the support of their Governors, legislators and business communities, are visiting aerospace businesses at the Mojave Air and Space Port in an effort to recruit them and their highly-skilled jobs to their states.”

“These states are serious about stealing jobs, revenue, and businesses from California while our state does nothing to stop them,” Witt added. “Former New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson, who successfully lured Virgin Galactic to headquarter at his state’s spaceport, told me on several occasions that ‘Your state makes my job easy!’”

“California, we have a problem,” Witt said. “We are first in flight test, but we are in last place on the list of business-friendly states. Many of the young, innovative companies in this growing industry of commercial space launch are based in California, especially at Mojave Air & Space Port in Kern County. We want to keep them.”

“To do that, California must compete.”

“In Mojave, we have a thriving community of aerospace and high-technology companies attracted only by our local incentives, wide open spaces, and pioneer spirit,” Witt said. “Today we call on our State representatives and Governor Brown to take one small step to encourage our growing commercial space industry to keep innovating and doing business in California.”

The former Navy Top Gun pilot said California lawmakers need to enact legislation to support the emerging commercial space industry.

Witt said California should match incentives available in competing states, including:
Legislation to limit liability as this new industry develops, “Zero G Zero Tax” zones to provide tax incentives for investing in companies involved in space-related activities, tax credits for aerospace job creation, cash incentives, taxpayer-financed infrastructure, and loans to attract and retain this industry.

“Florida, Texas and Virginia have already enacted legislation to encourage the booming business that got its start at Mojave; Colorado and New Mexico will soon follow,” Witt told the meeting of space industry leaders.

“We need a state commitment to attract aerospace to California rather than letting it continue to erode as it has for the last 30 years,” he said.

#####

Contact:
Stuart O. Witt, CEO
Mojave Air & Space Port
Mojave, California
Stuart@MojaveAirport.com

News and Commentary from Stuart O. Witt, CEO and General Manager, Mojave Air & Space Port

2011 was a transformational year here in Mojave. The first privately funded, purpose-built facility to build spaceships was completed in Mojave. That’s a big deal.

Next door the announcement that Paul G. Allen and [...]]]>

News and Commentary from Stuart O. Witt, CEO and General Manager, Mojave Air & Space Port

2011 was a transformational year here in Mojave. The first privately funded, purpose-built facility to build spaceships was completed in Mojave. That’s a big deal.

Next door the announcement that Paul G. Allen and Stratolaunch will now be constructing two facilities to construct a carrier aircraft, as a critical component of a new space system, will also be built in 2012. So our Taxiway B project, which was designed 11 years ago and constructed seven years ago, now has two showcase tenants. We’re very pleased to have them in Mojave and appreciate their business.

In 2011 we also constructed a photovoltaic tracking system, using concentrated Fresnel lenses to concentrate the Sun’s energy on very small chips, powering the Administration building and others at the airport. We chose a forward leaning concentrated PV system to capture the enormous amount of solar energy falling on Mojave, and put it to our long-term use. It sends a powerful message to our new tenants, and the rest of the world, that we are a totally innovative organization looking at any way to improve efficiencies and capitalize on technology.

We also improved our primary runway. This primary runway can now handle the largest aircraft flying in the world, and that’s significant for a General Aviation airport. It’s also significant that that same runway can hold an aircraft the size of what Mr. Allen plans to produce under Stratolaunch.

For the last few years in the development of our rail yard, which we’ve used to support the wind industry and other specialty freight hauling needs, we’ve realized a considerable amount of un-budgeted revenue. That revenue has been used to enhance our entire facility, the refurbishment of many old World War II facilities that now have a new life. All of those facilities are filled.

We continue to upgrade older buildings. We will continue that in 2012, hiring local labor from the local work force. The long-term goal is to completely facelift the entire Mojave Air and Space Port to meet the needs of the future.

In 2011 we began the process of designing a new rocket test facility on the east side of the airport that would require the movement of water, power, sewer and natural gas under our primary runway, which in itself will now open thousands of acres for development on the east side.

Many of the space tenants at Mojave – Masten Space Systems, XCOR Aerospace, Firestar, BonNova and others – have been testing rocket motors quietly, if that’s possible.

In an amazing way, when you look at the totality of rocket tests worldwide, more rockets have been tested in Mojave than the rest of the world combined in the last decade. Today nine rocket tests will be conducted at Mojave, by one company, Masten. Nowhere else on Earth is that happening today.

Mojave has had a long term attachment to western Europe. Test pilots from western Europe have come to Mojave for several decades, to train and practice their skills, bring projects that are European-based over to Mojave where they have a place to test. This last year we took that to a new level. I worked with representatives of a company in the Netherlands known as Space Exedition Curaçao, and joined them in Curaçao to do an assessment of needs and assessment of operations on how they could operate suborbital spaceflights from the island of Curaçao.

We also worked with Spaceport Sweden in the Swedish Lapland in a place called Kiruna, which is actually a place very much like Mojave, a northern mining community in a very dry climate that happens to be very cold. It’s very interesting that both locations have been in the aerospace business for over 60 years. Kiruna, Sweden’s focus has been in space where Mojave’s has been in the aero. And now Mojave is getting into the space and Kiruna is branching out into the aero, for flights through the Northern Lights, and now they want to do suborbital spaceflights in Kiruna. So we signed a historic agreement to partner on projects.

Furthermore we’re looking at similar agreements with organizations from Spain and Belgium in 2012.

Through these trips and through these agreements we meet a whole new host of people around the world, and we all share common desires, and that is to actually exponentially expand human spaceflight. And we need to do that across borders. We need to do that by collaboration. This is an exciting time and we are very thankful to be at the center of it here in Mojave.

At a very local level, one thing that several of our tenants have identified as a critical need in Mojave is revitalization of the town of Mojave. So we have partnered now on starting an initiative with the Chamber of Commerce to begin a revitalization plan, no different than what the community did in Tehachapi and just made a remarkable difference in the lifestyle in Tehachapi. It helps so many ways. It helps with recruitment of the talent and workforce required to carry out your mission. It helps with retaining those people by providing a livable lifestyle in their own community.

People like and want to work green. Not everybody wants to drive a car to work. Many would like to ride a bicycle. That lifestyle is what the younger work force demands, and that’s what we intend to deliver.

As we look to the past and then reflect on what’s possible in the future, we can’t ignore the accomplishments of the designer Burt Rutan and his brother Dick the pilot, who designed Voyager. That was a remarkable accomplishment and the record stands today as the first un-refueled nonstop flight to circumnavigate the globe 25 years ago today. Fascinating accomplishment, and the legacy of that accomplishment is alive and well in Mojave today.

Looking forward to 2012, people want to know my view of what the future holds, and what’s possible. Since 2004, the last suborbital flights that carried humans and were conducted from Mojave, I’ve predicted that 2012 would be the next year. I still think 2012 will be the next exciting round of manned suborbital development flights from Mojave.

If we are successful, several companies developing these systems will then offer these systems to extend around the United States and hopefully around the world. If our government can find relief on ITAR, which is currently holding back an entire industry from a market that’s out there in the world that wants access to our minds, services and capabilities. Read that as Products. Humans made this rule. Humans can undo this rule and open an entire world market to the products coming out of Mojave and other places around the United States.

When I traveled around the world this year and met with people from Europe, long-standing customers with Mojave and developing new European customers with Mojave, people all say the same thing: What we offer here is actually quite simple, and they say, “So American.” But frankly it’s been lost on many Americans. What we offer is permission. We give people permission to dream, to develop and to test and hopefully find breakthroughs. We will not lose the focus on our primary core mission of giving people permission.

Sincerely,

Stuart O. Witt

NASA Dryden and Mojave Air & Space Port hosted by Spaceport Sweden in Swedish Lapland

News Release December 6, 2011

Just one month after Mojave Air and Space Port and Spaceport Sweden signed a historic memorandum of understanding (MOU), Sweden hosted executives, [...]]]> Spaceport Sweden Hosts Space Industry Summit on Collaboration and Innovation

NASA Dryden and Mojave Air & Space Port hosted by Spaceport Sweden in Swedish Lapland

News Release December 6, 2011

Just one month after Mojave Air and Space Port and Spaceport Sweden signed a historic memorandum of understanding (MOU), Sweden hosted executives, researchers, students and political representatives from the Swedish space industry at the Swedish Institute for Space Physics in Kiruna (Swedish Lapland 200 KM north of the Arctic Circle) for the National Swedish Space Summit.

Mr. David McBride, NASA Dryden Center Director and Mr. Stuart Witt, CEO of Mojave Air and Space Port were keynote speakers on the topics of markets, collaboration and innovation in the new space industry at the event hosted by Ms. Karin Nilsdotter, CEO of Spaceport Sweden.

For many years, NASA Dryden has conducted northern latitude atmospheric research flights from Kiruna in conjunction with the Esrange high altitude balloon and sounding rocket range just 20 minute drive from Kiruna. As Mr. McBride commented, “Northern Sweden is a hub of near space atmospheric research along with being a prime location for conducting sounding rocket flight experiments up to 800 KM along with providing NASA with a northern latitude tracking station for polar orbit missions and the space station and shuttle.”

Dryden has operated its ER2 and DC8 research craft from Kiruna Airport and as Mr. McBride stated, “Kiruna is good business for Dryden and we hope to continue this in the near future with expanded operations.”

Mojave Air and Space Port CEO Stuart Witt noted, “The Aerospace Valley of California has a long history of flight research and European collaboration in the valley is simply very good business. The National Test Pilot School operates SAAB Aircraft and trains Scandinavian Test Pilots each year, as do many European countries. It is very important that Mr. McBride, myself and all aerospace leaders in the Aerospace Valley work to expand collaboration with previous long standing clients, this is a critical part of our mission and specifically our jobs.”

This was Mr. Witt’s second visit to Swedish Lapland this year. As Mr. Witt stated, with the significant investment from Europe, specifically Virgin Galactic, attendees at the National Test Pilot School long and short courses, European filming and other aerospace activity, the Aerospace Valley will continue to focus on Europe as a source of future aerospace research and flight development and testing.

Witt also noted, “It is simply amazing the impact Ms Nilsdotter has had on our industry in such a short time. Her detailed focus on America’s ITAR regulation and how it is limiting American business from expanding to Europe has been priceless. It is simply astounding how regulation in America is stifling expanded markets around the globe. Frankly, it is only hurting American business as Ms. Nilsdotter has pointed out. The world will find countries and firms willing to supply space components to a thirsty world, but Europe desires access to American markets and vendors. Congress must take up this onerous regulatory environment and quickly if we are to have any role in new space. We have agreements in place, but regulation is severely limiting export of our minds and products which impacts jobs at home.”

Ms. Nilsdotter noted that the only way the new space industry will find traction is to collaborate and innovate across borders for the betterment of humanity. Her goal is to create an entire industry complete with fashion, technology, training and maintain a keen focus on STEM education worldwide.

Contact:
Karin Nilsdotter, Karin@spaceportsweden.com
Stuart Witt, Stuart@MojaveAirport.com
David McBride, david.d.mcbride@nasa.gov

Mojave Air & Space Port and Spaceport Sweden building bridge across borders

An agreement with the aim to mobilize, stimulate and facilitate the growth of the commercial suborbital human spaceflight industry across borders at Kiruna, Sweden, and Mojave, California, was signed on Friday 21 October 2011 in San Francisco by [...]]]>

With the Oakland Bay bridge behind them, Stuart Witt, CEO of the East Kern Airport District, at left, and Spaceport Sweden CEO Karin Nilsdotter hold an agreement that aims to mobilize, stimulate and facilitate the growth of the commercial suborbital human spaceflight industry across borders at spaceport Sweden in Kiruna, Sweden, and at the Mojave Air and Space Port at Mojave, California. Contributed

Mojave Air & Space Port and Spaceport Sweden building bridge across borders

An agreement with the aim to mobilize, stimulate and facilitate the growth of the commercial suborbital human spaceflight industry across borders at Kiruna, Sweden, and Mojave, California, was signed on Friday 21 October 2011 in San Francisco by Mojave Air and Space Port CEO Stuart Witt and Spaceport Sweden CEO Karin Nilsdotter.

Mojave Air and Space Port, owned by the East Kern Airport District, is California’s premier location and R&D center for the new commercial man rated space activity being America’s first commercially licensed spaceport, where Scaled Composites’ SpaceShipOne won the Ansari X-Prize in 2004 and numerous firms are currently developing suborbital space vehicles, subsystems and engines.

Spaceport Sweden is a pioneering initiative to establish space tourism in Europe and Sweden with the vision to become a world leading spaceport and hub for commercial human spaceflights and cross-industry innovation. Located in Kiruna, Swedish Lapland, and Europe’s premier space city since 1957, Spaceport Sweden offers unique world-class experiences through the northern lights and under the midnight sun, further supplying launch infrastructure, R&D facilities and high-tech expertise to commercial space operators.

Ms Nilsdotter said “the aim of the MOU is to broaden Sweden’s efforts by expanding Kiruna’s long history in exploratory atmospheric research using sounding rockets and high altitude balloons by adding human suborbital spaceflights and further establishing a hotspot where minds and industries will meet to share ideas and create innovative products and services providing world-class excitement, entertainment and education using on space as the platform”.

Jointly, Spaceport Sweden and Mojave Air and Space Port will engage in cross-border projects to involve evaluating and testing spaceport systems, methods, and processes, and developing joint marketing and sponsorship of events aimed at strengthening the role of commercial spaceports for space travel, education and economic growth.

“We plan to work together to develop a framework that will encourage and facilitate cooperative activity in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics education and space travel and seek further to identify, develop and craft a competition to retire a critical element of humanity’s manned space exploration,” Nilsdotter said.

Mr Witt said the agreement is the result of a year long effort between the two organizations including trips to Kiruna and Stockholm, Sweden, Washington DC and Mojave, California. Witt was visited by a Swedish delegation last fall and has made two visits to Sweden this year.

Ms Nilsdotter addressed the International Symposium for Personal and Commercial Spaceflight in New Mexico earlier in the week and called for “a review of America’s International Traffic in Arms Regulations to enable global growth in the commercial space market while opening the world market to American minds and products.”

“This is an historic agreement between two pioneering communities,” Witt said. “Mojave and Kiruna are places that develop, share and encourage big ideas, foster a spirit of innovation, and are blessed with a wealth of talented people. We are both looking forward to this effort to expand this exciting new industry.”

Contacts:
Stuart Witt, CEO Mojave Air & Space Port
Mobile: 661 824 8417, Email: stuart@mojaveairport.com

Karin Nilsdotter, CEO, Spaceport Sweden
Mobile: +46 (0) 70 2268801, Email karin@spaceportsweden.com