Report from Washington, D.C.

April was a busy month for the Space Foundation's Washington, D.C., office. The Space Report 2008: the Authoritative Guide to Global Space Activity, produced by the Space Foundation's Research and Analysis division, was released on April 8, 2008. Well received by the space industry, business community, and media, the release has generated a significant amount of news coverage about the report and its key findings, including the continued growth of the global space industry in 2007, which now exceeds $251 billion.

The Space Report 2008 identifies, for the first time, the top five space states based on average annual wages and the three leading U.S. metropolitan areas based on space wages, and reveals that employment within the space industry grew more than the private sector between 2003 and 2006. Another key finding is that the average annual space industry wage of $88,200 is more than double the average private sector wage of $42,400. The Space Report 2008 includes many additional details and is available for purchase at www.TheSpaceReport.org.

Since the release of The Space Report 2008, the Space Foundation's Washington, D.C., office has briefed congressional staffers on the report and continues to brief policy makers and space industry representatives. In addition, the Space Foundation will be distributing copies of The Space Report 2008 to Congress, individuals in the administration and other government agencies, as well as international agencies and embassies in Washington.

The recently concluded 24th National Space Symposium included significant congressional participation: The Honorable Wayne Allard, United States Senate; The Honorable Tom Feeney, United States House of Representatives; The Honorable Mark Udall, United States House of Representatives; and The Honorable Heather Wilson, United States House of Representatives. Allard opened the symposium, addressing the challenges facing the space industry and national security space as the nation transitions to a new presidential administration. Udall also addressed the conference, highlighting the important role Colorado plays in the space industry.

In Washington, Congress continues to hold hearings addressing key issues facing various sectors of space in the coming fiscal year and in the near future. The retirement of the space shuttle, the transition to a new human spaceflight capability, and access to and utilization of the International Space Station have garnered particular scrutiny. Challenges for national security space programs continue to be reviewed by both the House and Senate.

This article is part of Space Watch: May 2008 (Volume: 7, Issue: 5).