The importance of spaceport infrastructure was one of the clear messages from our first Spaceports Executive Summit, held at the Kennedy Space Center in May 2009. As we prepare for our second Spaceports Executive Summit on October 20, 2009 (to be held in conjunction with the International Symposium for Personal & Commercial Spaceflight in Las Cruces, New Mexico), we wanted to share some information about the STIM-Grants Program, an important initiative for upgrading spaceport infrastructure.

Unlike airports, commercial spaceports currently have no opportunity to apply for federal matching dollars for infrastructure to support operations and protect public safety. In the 1993 NASA Authorization Act (Public Law No. 102-588), Congress authorized a new program to support commercial space transportation facilities, but no funding has been appropriated to date.

Under the Space Transportation Infrastructure Matching Grants Program (also known as STIM-Grants), existing and proposed spaceports in California, Florida, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Virginia / Maryland, Alaska, Wisconsin, Indiana, and other states, will be eligible for competitively-awarded grants.

To build infrastructure for a vital national capability and develop a source of high-tech, high-wage jobs, funding support for STIM-Grants is crucial, and we will be sure to keep you updated on the status of this important program.

To learn more about the STIM-Grants Program, please click here.