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WELCOME[Press Conference: "Spaceport Collins Aerospace Opening"]
TO AT THE, YOU KNOW, IT'S AN AMAZING TIME TO BE A PART OF THE SPACE INDUSTRY, AND I HOPE YOU'RE AS EXCITED AS I'M TO BE HERE TODAY.IT'S A REALLY GREAT DAY AND GREAT ENVIRONMENT FOR US IN THE SPACE INDUSTRY.
1969, MY FAMILY, LIKE MANY OTHERS AROUND THE WORLD, GATHERED TO THE NEAREST TELEVISION SET TO HEAL, HEAR NEIL ARMSTRONG SAY THOSE FAMOUS WORDS OF ONE SMALL STEP FOR MAN ON GIANT LEAP FOR MANKIND.
LATER, I LEARNED THAT ARTHUR COLLINS, ONE OF THE FOUNDERS OF COLLINS AEROSPACE, CREATED THE RADIO THAT NOT ONLY MADE THAT SPEECH POSSIBLE TO HEAR ON EARTH ON THE SURFACE OF THE MOON, BUT IT ALSO TRANSMITTED THE VIDEO OF NEIL ARMSTRONG SETTING FOOT ON THE MOON.
I'M NOT SURE IF IT WAS SEEN THE SUBSEQUENT APOLLO MISSION UNFOLD THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE SPACE SHUTTLE, THE LAUNCHES OF THE BIKING SPACECRAFT, VOYAGER PROBES TO THE HEAVENS, OR AS A YOUNG BOY GROWING UP IN THE FIELDS OF NORTHEASTERN IOWA, GAZING UP AT THE STARS THINKING THAT I WANTED TO BE AN ASTRONAUT.
AS YOU CAN SEE, MY CAREER TOOK A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT YET RELATED PATH.
I GOT A JOB AT THE COMPANY THAT WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT RADIO AND VIDEO BROADCAST, AND BECAUSE OF THAT JOB, I NOW GET TO LIVE WITH THE DREAM OF RESPONSIBLE FOR LEADING A GREAT ORGANIZATION IN THE SPACE INDUSTRY.
BEING HERE WITH ALL OF YOU TODAY, WE START THE NEXT CHAPTER IN THAT JOURNEY, WE CELEBRATE THE PARTNERSHIPS THAT WE HAVE CREATED TO ENABLE THE NEXT GENERATION OF SPACE BOARD.
AS I MENTIONED, IT'S AN EXCITING TIME IN THE SPACE INDUSTRY AND AN EXCITING TIME FOR OUR COMPANY WITHIN THE SPACE INDUSTRY.
WE'RE OPENING THIS INCREDIBLE FACILITY WHICH WILL DEVELOP AND TEST MANY OF THE SYSTEMS AND SOLUTIONS THAT WILL SERVE A CRITICAL ROLE IN THE FUTURE OF SPACE EXPLORATION.
THAT INCLUDES OUR NEXT GENERATION SPACE SUIT.
COLLINS JOINED THE HOUSTON AEROSPACE COMMUNITY OVER 40 YEARS AGO WHEN WE BEGAN SUPPORTING CRUDE SPACE FLIGHT PROGRAMS. WE CONTINUE TO SUPPORT SPACE PROGRAMS WITH THE MOST RECENT EXAMPLE BEING THE JAMES WEBB SPACE TELESCOPE.
THAT'S USING OUR SPACE WHEELS TO ALIGN THE TELESCOPE SO IT CAN TAKE THOSE INCREDIBLE IMAGES THAT WE'RE ALREADY SEEING, OUR ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL AND LIFE SUPPORT SYSTEMS, AND THE NOT SO GLAMOROUS, BUT REALLY NECESSARY UNIVERSAL WASTE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, AKA, THE SPACE TOILET ARE ENABLING LONGER DURATION OF EXPLORATION INTO DEEP SPACE.
BUT THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING FOR SPACE TODAY.
AND TODAY THE CELEBRATION IS LOOKING FORWARD.
IT'S ABOUT THE SPACE FOR AND THE FUTURE OF SPACE FLIGHT, AND WE'RE VERY EXCITED TO BE A PART OF THAT FUTURE.
BEING A PART OF THIS FACILITY ALLOWS US TO COLLABORATE WITH THE BRILLIANT MINDS THAT ARE USING THE HOUSTON SPACEPORT INCUBATOR FOR LOCAL STARTUPS TO UNIVERSITIES.
TOGETHER WE'LL CREATE NEXT GENERATION TECHNOLOGIES PRODUCTS, SPACE FLIGHT THAT DON'T EXIST TODAY.
I WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME AND THANK OUR ESTEEMED GUESTS AND PARTNERS, INCLUDING SENATOR CONGRESSMAN BRIAN BABIN, HOUSTON MAYOR S TURNER OF THE HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL, HOUSTON AIRPORTS DIRECTOR MARIO DIAZ, DIRECTOR ARTURO, AKA GREATER LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION AND LEADERSHIP FROM THE BAY AREA HOUSTON ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP.
WE ALSO HAVE SEVERAL DIFFERENT OFFICES WITH
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THE NATIONAL SECURITY PROGRAM.WELL, I ALSO WANT TO RECOGNIZE THE SENATOR ALONG WITH CONGRESSMAN BABIN FOR THEIR TIRELESS EFFORTS TO EXTEND THE LIFE OF THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION TO 2030, WHICH WAS RECENTLY ENACTED INTO LAW AND WILL CONTINUE TO SERVE AS OUR TEST BED IN SPACE FOR HUMAN SPACE FLIGHT AND THE SERVICE EVENT TEST BED FOR HUMAN EXPLORATION SCIENCE ACTIVITIES THAT WILL ULTIMATELY ENABLE US TO RETURN TO THE MOON AND EVENTUALLY MARS, AND WILL ALSO ALLOW US TO MAINTAIN UNITED STATES LEADERSHIP IN SPACE.
SENATOR, WE'RE GRATEFUL THAT YOU TOOK THE TIME TO BE WITH US TODAY.
PLEASE JOIN ME IN WELCOMING SENATOR CRUZ TODAY.
WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, PHIL.
CONGRATULATIONS TO COLLINS ON, ON WINNING THE, THE, THE BID TO DESIGN THE NEW SPACESUITS, AND IT IS EXCITING TO BE HERE FOR THIS RIBBON CUTTING.
IT IS EXCITING TO BE HERE TO, TO CELEBRATE NOT ONLY THE NEW JOBS THAT THIS IS BRINGING TO HOUSTON, BUT THE CONTINUED AMERICAN LEADERSHIP IN SPACE AND THE CONTINUED LEADERSHIP OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
I'M A LIFELONG HOUSTONIAN, EVEN BEFORE NEIL ARMSTRONG SAID ONE SMALL STEP FOR MAN EVEN BEFORE THAT, THE WORDS HOUSTON THE EAGLE HAS LANDED.
OUR CITY ECHOED OUT FROM THE VERY FIRST INSTANT MAN LANDED ON THE MOON AND SPACE CITY HAS CONTINUED FRONT AND CENTER EVER SINCE.
I'VE BEEN PROUD FOR THE PAST DECADE TO LEAD THE FIGHT TO CONTINUE AMERICAN LEADERSHIP IN SPACE.
I'VE SAID MANY TIMES THAT THE FIRST BOOT THAT LANDS ON THE SURFACE OF MARS WILL BE AN AMERICAN BOOT, AND IT MAY WELL BE AN AMERICAN BOOT DESIGNED BY COLLINS AND PRODUCED RIGHT HERE IN HOUSTON, TEXAS.
WE'RE AT A TIME WHERE THERE'S A LOT OF PARTISAN DISAGREEMENTS AND BICKERING IN WASHINGTON, BUT I'M PROUD TO SAY ONE AREA THAT HAS BEEN LARGELY IMMUNE FROM THAT HAS BEEN SPACED FOR A DECADE.
WE'VE SEEN BIPARTISAN COOPERATION ON ENSURING AMERICA'S, AMERICA'S CONTINUED LEADERSHIP IN SPACE.
IN 2015, I LAUNCHED THE COMMERCIAL SPACE, UH, SPACE LAUNCH COMPETITIVENESS ACT, AND SIGNED INTO 17, I AUTHORED THE NASA THAT WAS SIGNED INTO LAW BY PRESIDENT TRUMP, AND JUST THIS YEAR, I, I AUTHORED THE LATEST NASA AUTHORIZATION THAT 22 DAYS AGO WAS SIGNED INTO LAW BY PRESIDENT BIDEN.
WE'VE SEEN NOW THREE MAJOR PIECES OF LEGISLATION SIGNED BY THREE SUCCESSIVE PRESIDENTS CONTINUING AMERICA'S LEADERSHIP IN SPACE, AND CONTINUING IN PARTICULAR MAN 2017 NASA AUTHORIZATION.
I CO-AUTHORED WITH THEN SENATOR BILL NELSON, DEMOCRAT FROM FLORIDA, AND FOR A LOT OF YEARS IN THE SENATE, THE DEMOCRATS LISTENED TO BILL AND THE, AND, AND THE REPUBLICANS TRUSTED ME.
AND IF BILL AND I COULD COME TOGETHER AND REACH AN AGREEMENT THAT BILL WOULD PASS THE SENATE AND PASS INTO LAW.
ONE OF THE ELEMENTS OF THAT 2017 CRUZ NELSON AUTHORIZATION THAT WE PASSED WAS A MANDATE TO NASA TO BID OUT THE CONTRACT TO DESIGN A NEW SPACE SUIT RATHER THAN USING THE SPACESUITS THAT HAD BEEN USED FOR 40 YEARS.
AND SO I'M FREE PLEASED TODAY TO SEE THE CULMINATION OF THAT LEGISLATION WE PASSED FIVE YEARS AGO, MANIFESTING IN HUNDREDS OF NEW HIGH PAYING JOBS HERE IN HOUSTON, TEXAS,
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AND PHIL, AS YOU NOTED, JUST 22 DAYS AGO, PRESIDENT BIDEN SIGNED INTO LAW THE LATEST AUTHORIZATION THAT AMONG OTHER THINGS, CODIFIED THE ARTEMIS PROGRAM FOR AMERICA TO GO BACK TO THE MOON AS A WAY STATION TO GO INTO MARS.AND IT ALSO FINALLY EXTENDED THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION UNTIL 2030.
SOMETHING I'VE BEEN FIGHTING A LOT OF YEARS TO DO, THERE WERE SOME FOOLISH VOICES IN WASHINGTON THAT WANTED TO MOTHBALL THAT HUNDRED BILLION DOLLAR INVESTMENT.
IN MY VIEW, WE SHOULD GET EVERY OUNCE OF USE OUT OF THAT INVESTMENT AS LONG AS IT IS SCIENTIFICALLY POSSIBLE AND SAFE FOR OUR ASTRONAUTS.
SO CONGRATULATIONS TO COLLINS.
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE INNOVATORS, TO THE SCIENTISTS WHO WILL BE HERE HELPING CONTINUE AMERICA'S LEADERSHIP GOING FORWARD.
I'M NOW PLEASED TO INVITE OUR NEXT SPEAKER TO THE STAGE WHO NOT ONLY REPRESENTS TEXAS'S 36TH DISTRICT IN CONGRESS, BUT HAS ALSO BEEN A KEY LEADER IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES SINCE THE START OF HIS TIME IN CONGRESS AS THE CHAIRMAN AND RANKING MEMBER OF THE HOUSE SPACE AND AERONAUTICS SUBCOMMITTEE, DR.
BAVAN IS A LIFELONG RESIDENT OF EAST TEXAS AND SINCE AND SINCE 2015 HAS REPRESENTED NASA'S NASA'S JOHNSON SPACE CENTER AND HIS CONSTITUENTS INCLUDE MANY OF NASA'S EMPLOYEES, CONTRACTORS, AND ASTRONAUTS LIKE SENATOR CRUZ.
RAVEN HAS BEEN A CHAMPION FOR HUMAN SPACE FLIGHT AND EXPLORATION PROGRAMS, INCLUDING THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION AND THE ARTEMIS SYSTEM, LIKE THE SPACE LAUNCH SYSTEM, AND THE ORION SPACECRAFT, WHICH ARE CURRENTLY ON THE PAD SCHEDULED TO BE LAUNCHED ON SATURDAY.
THOSE, IT'S THOSE MISSIONS AS SENATOR CRUZ MENTIONED, THAT WILL CARRY THE ASTRONAUTS AND THE NEXT GENERATION SPACESUITS TO THE MOON AND BEYOND DE DEMARS.
PLEASE JOIN ME IN WELCOMING CONGRESS, BRIAN CONGRESSMAN BRIAN BABIN TO THE STAGE AS OUR NEXT SPEAKER.
APPRECIATE YOU AND GREAT TO BE HERE WITH YOU TODAY.
UH, IT'S ALWAYS A, A TOUGH ACT TO FOLLOW WHEN YOU GO, WHEN YOU COME BEHIND, UH, TED CRUZ.
AND, UH, BUT CELEBRATING THIS GRAND OPENING OF THE NEW COLLEGE AEROSPACE FACILITY HERE IN HOUSTON AND OUR SPACEPORT, UH, IS A TREMENDOUS HONOR FOR ME AND ACTUALLY PART OF MY NEW DISTRICT.
WE GOT REDISTRICTED, UH, THIS PAST YEAR, AND, UH, THIS IS GOING TO BE PART OF MY, MY NEW DISTRICT, UH, DISTRICT 36.
I'M VERY, VERY PRIVILEGED, UH, TO BE HERE, UH, AS YOUR REPRESENTATIVE IN WASHINGTON, DC.
I WANT TO THANK COLLEGES, UH, FOR INVITING ME HERE TO BE PART OF THIS VERY MOMENTOUS DAY.
AND A SPECIAL THANKS TO EVERYONE HERE FOR THE IMPARTED WORK THAT YOU HAVE DONE TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN.
ADDITIONALLY, I WANT TO THANK PHIL JASPER.
UH, PEGGY, UH, GARGUS RIGHT THERE.
UH, OF COURSE, PHIL IS THE PRESIDENT OF THE MISSION SYSTEMS COLLEGE AND AEROSPACE.
AND, AND, UH, PEGGY IS SENIOR DIRECTOR OF THE SPACE SYSTEMS, UH, WHICH IS THE NEW SITE LEADER, HOUSTON SITE LEADER FOR COLLEGE.
UH, I WANNA THANK YOU BOTH FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP IN THE DEFENSE AND AEROSPACE INDUSTRY, BOTH HERE IN HOUSTON AND EVERYWHERE ACROSS THE COUNTRY AS WELL.
AND ONE LAST THANKS TO TOM CULLIGAN.
WHERE'S TOM, BOY HERE A SECOND AGO? THERE HE IS, RIGHT THERE.
HE'S BEEN A TREMENDOUS ASSET FOR ME AND FOR MY ENTIRE STAFF FOR MANY YEARS EVER SINCE I'VE BEEN SERVING, AND I'M IN MY EIGHTH YEAR, SO APPRECIATE YOU VERY MUCH.
FOR MANY YEARS NOW, THE ROLE THAT COLLINS AEROSPACE AND ITS PARENT COMPANY, RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES HAVE PLAYED HERE IN TEXAS HAS BEEN A KEY IN EXPANDING OUR COUNTRY'S DEFENSE CAPABILITIES AND OUR AEROSPACE TECHNOLOGIES REGION BY TRIPLING, TRIPLING THEIR WORKFORCE WITH THIS NEW FACILITY.
UH, FOR THE PAST 40 YEARS HERE IN HOUSTON, WE HAVE LONG CHAMPIONED THE COLLABORATION BETWEEN ENTREPRENEURS AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TEAMING UP TO LEAD
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AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TEAMING UP TO LEAD THE WORLD IN HUMAN SPACE FLIGHT.AND COLLINS HAS BEEN A LEADER IN THAT COLLABORATIVE EFFORT FOR THOSE DECADES WITH THE JOHNSON SPACE CENTER ON MANY, MANY PROGRAMS LIKE THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION THAT SENATOR JUST MENTIONED, AND THE FACT THAT HE'S GOING TO BE WITH US UNTIL 2030.
THAT'S A WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL, UH, BIT OF, UH, INFORMATION THAT I HOPE YOU ALL ARE AS HAPPY AS I AM ABOUT.
THEY'VE ALSO HELPED WITH OUR SPACE LAUNCH SYSTEM, WHICH IS SITTING ON THE PAD.
I SPENT A COUPLE OF DAYS OVER THERE WITH MY FINGERS CROSSED, AND UNFORTUNATELY, UH, UH, WE'LL HAVE TO WAIT A FEW MORE DAYS TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS THERE.
I WANT TO THANK THE ORION CREW SPACECRAFT, UH, GATEWAY AND AERONAUTICS, UH, RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT, AND NOW WE'LL BE, UH, DESIGNING, UH, UH, COLLEGE THAT IS AND BUILDING THE NEW, UH, XEVA SPACE SUITS.
UH, THOSE ARE, UH, YOU KNOW, WE CAN'T USE THE SPACE SUITS WE'VE BEEN USING FOR 50 YEARS.
AND, UH, SO WE'RE REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO SOME INNOVATIONS THERE.
AND, UH, LOOKING FORWARD TO, UH, LOOKING AROUND THIS PLACE AS WELL.
UH, THIS CONTRACT WILL SUPPORT OUR ASTRONAUTS AND, AND, AND LOW EARTH ORBIT AND THE ARTEM EXPLORATION MISSIONS THAT WILL BE GOING TO THE MOON.
IN FACT, COLLINS HAS PROVIDED OUR ASTRONAUTS WITH SPACESUITS FOR 50 YEARS, SERVING A VITAL ROLE IN SOME OF OUR COUNTRY'S PROUDEST ACHIEVEMENTS.
AND AS WE PREPARE TO SEND AMERICANS BACK TO THE MOON, HOLLANDS ALONGSIDE THEIR PARTNERS, OCEANEERING AND ILC, DOVER WILL ONCE AGAIN BE THERE TO PROVIDE OUR ASTRONAUTS WITH THE VERY HIGHEST QUALITY SPACE SUITS TO ENSURE SUCCESSFUL MISSIONS IN THE FUTURE.
AND WHAT BETTER PLACE TO BE DEVELOPING THESE SUITS? AND RIGHT HERE AT THE HOUSTON SPACE BOARD, I THINK YOU OUGHT TO GIVE 'EM A HAND.
WELL, WHERE THESE GREAT COMPANIES ARE WORKING ON STATE-OF-THE-ART TECHNOLOGIES EVERY SINGLE DAY, THE OPENING OF THIS NEW COLLEGE AEROSPACE FACILITY WILL HELP NOT ONLY TO GROW JOBS IN THIS REGION, BUT WILL DRIVE INVESTMENT IN SOUTHEAST TEXAS AND ACROSS OUR WHOLE STATE FOR HOUSTON.
THE TEAM UP WITH THE WORLD'S LARGEST SPACE, UH, AIR LARGEST AEROSPACE AND DEFENSE COMPANY, AND THE SECOND LARGEST COMMERCIAL AEROSPACE COMPANY, MEANS THAT THIS REGION WILL CONTINUE TO LEAD IN HUMAN SPACE EXPLORATION IN SCIENCE AND AERONAUTICS RESEARCH, AND IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF ALL THE ABOVE.
I JUST CAME FROM FLORIDA EARLIER THIS WEEK WHERE ARTEMIS ONE IS GEARING, UH, UP FOR THEIR LAUNCH.
AND WHILE IT HAS BEEN TEMPORARILY DELAYED, UH, UNTIL SATURDAY, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO A SUCCESSFUL MISSION, WHICH WILL BE AN INCREDIBLE FEAT MADE POSSIBLE BY LITERALLY THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE SPENT YEARS WORKING ON THIS PROGRAM, INCLUDING THE FOLKS THE GOOD PEOPLE ARE HERE AT AT COLLEGE.
THE AMERICAN PEOPLE ARE EXCITED ABOUT SPACE EXPLORATION.
AND I WOULD JUST SECOND WHAT SENATOR CRUZ SAID, BECAUSE IN A, IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, WE'VE SEEN SOME TOUGH TIMES IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND WILL NOT REALLY GREAT NEWS COMING FORWARD ON A DAILY BASIS, BUT IN SPACE IT HAS BEEN JUST THE OPPOSITE.
WE'VE SEEN SOME REALLY GREAT STRIDES, UH, IN SPACE, AND SOME OF THE THINGS THAT HAVE OCCURRED OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS OR WILL OCCUR IN THE NEXT YEARS, UH, SEVERAL YEARS ARE VERY, VERY HEARTENING FOR THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA TO STAY THE NUMBER ONE SPACE FAIRING NATION, UH, IN THE WORLD, WHICH IS SO VERY IMPORTANT.
UH, SO WITH THAT, I WANT TO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR HAVING ME AND I LOOK FORWARD, UH, TO SEEING ALL THAT THIS COMPANY CAN AND WILL ACHIEVE, UH, IN THE FUTURE OF SPACE EXPLORATION.
SO WITH THAT, I'LL SAY THANK YOU AND LOOKING FORWARD TO THE AFTERNOON.
NEXT, I'D LIKE TO WELCOME THE MAYOR OF HOUSTON, SYLVESTER TURNER.
MAYOR TURNER IS A LONG LIFE HOUSTONIAN.
HE STILL LIVES IN THE ACRES HOMES COMMUNITY WHERE HE GREW UP.
HIS FASCINATION WITH SPACE ALSO BEGAN IN 1969 WHEN HOUSTON HELPED PUT A MAN ON THE MOON ALL THESE YEARS LATER.
AND MAYOR TURNER IS NOW SUPPORTING THE LATEST SPACE TECHNOLOGY, THE LATEST SPACE RACE AS A PIVOTAL PLAYER IN CREATING THE HOUSTON SPACE BOARD.
IN JUST A FEW YEARS, THE SPACE BOARD HAS GENERATED ABOUT $300 MILLION OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES, AND TODAY, AS COLLINS AEROSPACE EXTENDS ITS REACH, SO DOES THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
MAYOR TURNER, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.
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BILL.LET ME JUST SAY GOOD AFTERNOON AND, AND, UH, TO YOU AND YOUR ENTIRE TEAM FOR ASSEMBLING US HERE TODAY.
AND IT'S WITH GREAT PLEASURE AND EXCITEMENT THAT I JOINED, UH, COLLINS AEROSPACE AND THE HOUSTON SPACE BOARD IN CHARTING ITS NEXT COURSE.
AND WE ARE WITNESSING HISTORY HERE AT TON AIRPORT TODAY, MORE THAN 100 YEARS AGO, IN 1917, FARMERS WATCHED THE US ARMY CARVE THESE ONE WAYS THROUGH RICE FIELDS OF THE NATION'S FIRST PILOT COULD TRAIN FOR WORLD WAR I.
DECADES LATER, NASA CHOSE THIS SITE TO TRAIN FOR THE APOLLO LUNA LANDING.
55 YEARS AFTER BECOMING THE SPACE CITY, HOUSTON CONTINUES TO SOAR.
AND BEFORE I DIVE INTO OUR FUTURE, I'D LIKE TO AGAIN ACKNOWLEDGE OUR DISTINGUISHED GUEST, SENATOR CRUZ AND CONGRESSMAN BABIN AND OUR CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO ARE HERE TODAY.
COUNCIL MEMBER SALLY ALCO, COUNCIL MEMBER ABBY CAYMAN.
AND I'LL BE REMISS NOT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE MAYOR PRO TEM DAVID MARTIN, EVEN IN HIS ABSENCE.
I'D LIKE TO ALSO ACKNOWLEDGE MARIO DIAZ, THE DIRECTOR OF AVIATION FOR HOUSTON AIR FORCE.
THIS IS A MAN WHO LOOKED UP AT THE STARS A DECADE AGO AND DARE TO DREAM MARIO.
IT IS, IT IS WITH YOUR VISION AND YOUR TEAM'S RELENTLESS SPIRIT FOR EXCELLENCE AND ACHIEVEMENT THAT WE ARE HERE TODAY.
AND BEFORE I GO EVEN ANY FURTHER, PLEASE, IF YOU WILL ACKNOWLEDGE MARIO DIAZ COLLINS AEROSPACE AND THE STATE OF THE ART EIGHT ACRE CAMPERS IS BLAZING TRAILS FOR OTHER AVIATION AND AEROSPACE COMPANIES.
COLLINS IS ALIGNED WITH OUR VISION TO CREATE A FOCAL POINT FOR SPACE EXPLORATION AND INNOVATION.
IT'S THROUGH COMPANIES LIKE COLLINS AEROSPACE THAT WE WILL LEAD THE NATION FROM A GOVERNMENT FOCUS TO A COMMERCIAL DRIVEN SPACE PROGRAM.
THE FUTURE OF SPACE IS HERE, RIGHT HERE IN THIS CITY, AND THE FUTURE OF SPACE IS RIGHT NOW.
WE ARE TALKING ABOUT OUT OF THIS WORLD, OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE RE-ENERGIZING AND EXPANDING OUR WORKFORCE.
CUSON IS ALREADY HOME TO MORE THAN 500 SPACE AVIATION AND AEROSPACE COMPANIES, AND WITH THAT COMES ONE OF THE HIGHEST CONCENTRATIONS OF ENGINEERING TALENT IN THE COUNTRY.
MORE THAN 23,000 AEROSPACE AND AVIATION PROFESSIONALS CALLED HOUSTON HOME WITH COLLINS OPENING THE DOORS TO THIS SPRAWLING 116,000 SQUARE FOOT CAMPUS, HOUSTON WILL CONTINUE TO ATTRACT THE WORLD'S BEST MATHEMATICIANS AND MECHANICS, SCIENTISTS AND ENGINEERS.
AND THESE ARE HIGH PAYING JOBS THAT PAVED THE WAY FOR A TRILLION DOLLAR AEROSPACE ECONOMY.
THIS FACILITY ALONE IS CREATING 300 NEW JOBS, BUT IF WE LOOK OUT ON THE HORIZON, HORIZON, WHEN ALL THREE ANCHOR TENANTS, COLLEGES AND TOUR MACHINES AND AXIOM SPACE COMPLETE THEIR STATE-OF-THE-ART CAMPUSES HERE AT THE HOUSTON SPACE BOARD, 1800 JOBS WILL BE CREATED.
JOBS THAT WILL SPARK A SURGE IN BUSINESS AND AT LOCAL RESTAURANTS, JOBS THAT WILL BOOST HOME BUYING AND ATTRACT EVEN BIGGER CROWDS TO CHEER ON THE HOUSTON ASTROS WHO ARE DESTINED TO WIN.
AND SINCE I'M THE MAYOR OF LAW, EVEN THE HOUSTON ROCKETS AND THE HOUSTON TEXANS WILL BE RIGHT BEHIND
OUR SPACE BOARD HAS UNLIMITED POTENTIAL FOR JOB CREATION AND ECONOMIC IMPACT IS THROUGH THE INNOVATIVE AND CREATIVE MINDS HARD AT WORK HERE THAT HOUSTON WILL CONTINUE TO MAKE HISTORY.
COLLINS AEROSPACE CREATED THE RADIO.
NEIL ARMSTRONG USED TO BROADCAST HIS FAMOUS WORDS FROM THE MOON IN 1969.
THAT SMALL STEP AND THAT GIANT LEAP CONTINUED TO THIS VERY DAY.
THE COMPANY IS NOW HARD AT WORK DESIGNING THE NEXT GENERATIONAL SPACESUITS FOR THE NA ASTRONAUTS WHO WILL RETURN TO THE MOON.
THOSE CUTTING EDGE SUITS DESIGNED FOR MEN AND WOMEN ASTRONAUTS WILL
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BE TESTED RIGHT HERE IN THIS BUILDING.IT'S ALL HAPPENING AND IT'S HAPPENING RIGHT HERE IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
IN A WEEK WHEN WE ARE WATCHING WITH ANTICIPATION, THE EMIS LUNCH NOW SCHEDULED FOR SATURDAY, UH, COMMEMORATING THE 60TH ANNIVERSARY OF PRESIDENT JOHN F KENNEDY'S MEMORIAL.
WE CHOOSE TO GO TO THE MOON SPEECH AT RICE UNIVERSITY.
KENNEDY'S 1962 SPEECH FUELED THE SPACE RACE AND PUT THE UNITED STATES ON A TRAJECTORY TO THE SUCCESSFUL APOLLO 11 MISSION IN 1969 AND FUTURE SPACE FLIGHTS.
AND SO, AGAIN, I CAN ONLY STRESS AND CANNOT STRESS ENOUGH, WE ARE WITNESSING HISTORY TODAY AT THE ONLY TRULY URBAN SPACE BOARD IN THE WORLD, AND IT'S RIGHT HERE IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
THIS IS NOT THE BEGINNING, IT IS ONLY THE BEGINNING.
AND IT'S BECAUSE OF THE DIVERSITY AND THE INCLUSIVENESS OF EVERY MAN AND WOMAN IN THIS CITY THAT WE ARE ABLE TO MAKE IT HAPPEN.
AND WHEN WE STAND AND WORK AS ONE, THE MOON AND THE MARS AND BEYOND ARE WITHIN OUR GRASP.
WHAT A GREAT DAY FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
HOUSTON AIRPORTS HAS LONG BEEN A SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTOR TO THE REGIONAL ECONOMY, AS MAYOR TURNER ALLUDED TO.
AND AT THE HELM OF THAT IS MARIO DIAZ, THE DIRECTOR OF AVIATION FOR HOUSTON AIRPORTS.
AS MAYOR TURNER ALLUDED TO AND STATED, MR. DIAZ IS A MAN WHO LOOKED AT THE STARS AND STARTED THE DREAM.
HE ARRIVED IN HOUSTON IN 2010 AND IMMEDIATELY BEGAN TO DEVELOP ELLINGTON AIRPORT INTO THE NATION'S 10TH LICENSED SPACEPORT.
ONE OF THE REASONS WE'RE HERE TODAY IS BECAUSE OF THE UNSTOPPABLE IMAGINATION AND THE RELENTLESS SPIRIT THAT MR. DIAZ AND HIS TEAM HAVE BROUGHT TO HOUSTON.
THEIR COURAGE AND PERSISTENCE TO ENVISION THE NEXT GENERATION OF SPACE FLIGHT ALIGNS WITH COLLINS AEROSPACE IN OUR MISSION TO PUT HUMANS BACK ON THE MOON AND EVENTUALLY ON THE SURFACE OF MARS.
PLEASE HELP ME IN WELCOMING MARIO DIAZ.
IT'S A GREAT DAY, I GOTTA TELL YOU.
IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME AND, UM, THE PAYOFF IS WONDERFUL.
I WANNA START OFF BY THANKING MAYOR TURNER FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF THE STRATEGY TO EXPAND ELLINGTON AIRPORT INTO A SPACE PORT.
A STRATEGY THAT AS NEW CONCEPT WE UNDERSTAND WAS FRAUGHT WITH MANY RISKS TO THE LEADERSHIP OF COLLINS AEROSPACE.
THANK YOU FOR BELIEVING IN US AND OUR ABILITY TO DELIVER FOR YOU AND SUPPORT YOU ALL THE WAY TO OUR CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION.
UM, OUR DISTINGUISHED GUESTS HERE WITH US TODAY, THANK YOU FOR JOINING IN OUR CELEBRATION AND FOR THE SUPPORT YOU ARE PROVIDING IN WASHINGTON TO HELP US FUND THE INFRASTRUCTURE WE WILL NEED TO CONTINUE TO GROW THE ECONOMIES OF THE REGION AND THE STATE.
AND TO MY TEAM MEMBERS AT THE HOUSTON AIRPORT SYSTEM.
THANK YOU FOR HELPING MAKE THIS EVENT IN THE HISTORY OF THE AIRPORT SYSTEM HAPPENED.
NOW, AS HAS BEEN SAID, IT WAS ABOUT 10 YEARS AGO TO THIS MONTH THAT WE MADE THE STRATEGIC DECISION TO CONVERT CAR OF ELLINGTON AIRPORT INTO A SPACE BOARD.
AFTER LOOKING AT ALL THE USUAL OPTIONS FOR WHERE TO PLAY AND HOW TO WIN STRATEGIES, WE SETTLED ON UNIQUE PROPOSITION OF CREATING A SPACE BOOK.
AND WHY NOT? HOUSTON IS SPACE CITY.
USA, ITS MAJOR WEAKNESS WAS THAT IT HAS, IT HAD NO MANUFACTURING SPACE IN THE AEROSPACE SECTOR.
WE LEARNED SOON ENOUGH THE CHALLENGE TO COMPETE IN THE SECTOR WAS NOT GOING TO BE A WALK IN THE PARK, AS THEY SAY.
BUT THE STRATEGY FIT WELL WITH THE STRATEGIC POSITION OF THE CITY AND WITH THE CORE BUSINESS OF THE HOUSTON AIRPORT SYSTEM.
AND SO WE PROCEEDED THE HOUSTON SPACEPORT RECEIVED ITS LICENSE FROM THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION AS THE 10TH LICENSE SPACEPORT IN THE COUNTRY IN JUNE, 2015 THAT PAVED THE WAY FOR US TO BEGIN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE 422 ACRES OF LAND YOU SEE HERE TODAY AT
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AND BEING, SOURCING AND RECRUITING TENANTS TO THE PROJECT.AS YOU CAN SEE TODAY, THE DEVELOPMENT IS WELL UNDERWAY IN CREATING THIS OPPORTUNITY FROM THE GROUND UP, WE FOCUSED ON TWO CRITICALLY IMPORTANT.
HOW DO ONE ELEMENTS OF OUR STRATEGY, LOGISTICS, AND TRAINING, WHETHER HOUSTON IS A LOGISTICS POWERHOUSE THAT IS ITS STRENGTH, WHETHER YOU CONSIDER ITS DEEP WATER PORT THE RAIL SYSTEM OF FANS OUT INTO THE HEARTLAND OF THE NATION.
ITS VAST NETWORK OF HIGHWAYS AND ITS TWO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORTS THAT CONNECT THE WORLD TO HOUSTON.
YOU COME TO UNDERSTAND THERE IS SIMPLY NO COMPETITOR WITH THE EQUIVALENT SET OF ASSETS IN PLACE.
WHETHER YOUR SUPPLY CHAIN EXTENDS ACROSS THE NATION OR SPANS AROUND THE WORLD, HOUSTON IS THE OPTIMAL NEXUS FOR THE EFFICIENT MOVEMENT OF THE RESOURCES AND MATERIAL WITHIN IT.
WE ALSO LEARNED ALONG THE WAY THAT THE AEROSPACE INDUSTRY WAS GOING TO NEED SUPPORT FROM THE COMMUNITIES IN WHICH IT MAKES INVESTMENTS SUPPORT IN THE FORM OF TALENTED, WELL-TRAINED, WELL-EDUCATED WORKFORCE.
SAN JACINTO COLLEGE, OUR OFFICIAL PARTNER IN EDUCATION AND TRAINING IS ALREADY OFFERING COURSES THROUGH FUTURE AEROSPACE ENGINEERS AND SCIENTISTS.
THROUGH ITS EDGE CENTER INNOVATION, EDUCATION, AND INSPIRATION ARE THE SPACEPORTS LEADING PRINCIPLES.
WE ARE NOW WORKING WITH SAN FICINO, WITH RICE, WITH TEXAS SOUTHERN AND UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON, CLEARLY LAKE, TO STRENGTHEN THEIR DIRECT CONNECTION BETWEEN HOUSTONIANS AND THE NATION'S RECOMMITMENT TO MAN SPACE EXPLORATION BY DEVELOPING THE HOUSTON AEROSPACE INSTITUTE RIGHT HERE ACROSS THE STREET AS YOU LOOK WEST FROM THIS SITE.
MORE ON THAT IN THE COMING MONTHS.
BUT FOR TODAY, THE, WITH THE OPENING OF THE COMMON AEROSPACE CAMPUS MEANS THAT, UM, AN OPENING OF A 10,000 SQUARE FOOT, AND I BELIEVE WE'RE, WE'RE IN THE, THE SPACE HERE, A 10,000 SQUARE FOOT INCUBATOR.
IT IS A SPACE DEDICATED FOR STARTUPS AND UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES TO COLLABORATE ON CRITICAL SPACE TECHNOLOGY CHANNELS LIKE ROBOTICS, MEDICINE ADDED IN MANUFACTURING.
THIS IS THE FIRST EVER INCUBATOR OF ITS KIND IN THE CITY, AND IT'S HAPPENING RIGHT HERE AT THE HOUSTON SPACE BOARD.
INTUITIVE MACHINES, ONE OF THE THREE ACCOMPANYING AEROSPACE COMPANIES AND ANCHOR TENANTS HERE IS PREPARING TO LAUNCH ITS CUTTING EDGE LUNAR LANDER THAT WILL HELP NASA EXECUTE ON ITS ARTEMIS MISSION.
TO RETURN TO THE MOON, THE FIRST COMMERCIAL SPACE STATION, THE AXION STATION WILL BE ASSEMBLED RIGHT HERE IN HOUSTON.
UM, SPACEPORT, THEIR CAMPUS IS ALSO UNDER CONSTRUCTION, AS YOU WILL SEE, UM, ON THE TOUR, IF YOU TAKE, UH, THAT LATER THIS AFTERNOON.
AND AS MAYOR, MAYOR TURNER HAS MENTIONED, COLLINS IS REDESIGNED MORE INCLUSIVE AND FUNCTIONAL SPACING, PERMISSIONS TO THE MOONS AND MARKS.
THE HOUSTON SPACEPORT OFFERS UNPRECEDENTED ACCESS TO A THRIVING AEROSPACE COMMUNITY.
IT'S HERE LESS THAN 20 MILES FROM DOWNTOWN HOUSTON THAT WE WILL GET TO WITNESS LAUNCHINGS AND LANDINGS OF SUBORBITAL REUSABLE LAUNCH VEHICLES.
OUR THREE ANCHOR TENANTS ARE HELPING US FIND NEW AND GROUNDBREAKING WAVES TO INCREASE VALUE FOR ALL TENANTS AND FUTURE PARTNERS.
LOCATED IN THE FOURTH LARGEST US CITY, THE SPACEPORT IS NOW A MAJOR MANUFACTURING CENTER FOR THE AEROSPACE AND AVIATION INDUSTRIES.
BOTH SUCH A CONNECTION HISTORY IS UNFOLDING HERE AT THE HOUSTON SPACEPORT.
THE SPACEPORT IS POSITIONED AT THE INTERSECTION BETWEEN INNOVATION AND EXPLORATION IN AN URBAN CENTER WHERE TECHNOLOGY AND TENACITY ARE ROOTED IN THE SPIRIT OF SPACE CITY.
LATER, AS YOU TOUR THIS MODERN FACILITY, I INVITE YOU TO IMAGINE THE POSSIBILITIES.
OUR MISSION CONTINUES TO BE, TO CONNECT THE PEOPLE, THE BUSINESS, THE CULTURES AND ECONOMIES OF THE WORLD TO HOUSTON, AND IN THIS CASE, ONE BUSINESS AT A TIME.
CONGRATULATIONS TO COLLINS AEROSPACE AND AGAIN, WELCOME BILL.
AS I ADMIRE YOUR NEW BUILDING, I SAY WITH FULL APPRECIATION, APPRECIATION AND CONFIDENCE.
NOW I'D LIKE TO WELCOME OUR LAST SPEAKER, PEGGY GGA, GENERAL MANAGER OF SPACE SYSTEMS AT COLLINS AEROSPACE.
PEGGY HAS OVER 20 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN AEROSPACE AND NOT JUST IN PRIVATE INDUSTRY.
SHE SPENT SIX YEARS IN NASA AS A SYSTEMS ENGINEER AND SIX YEARS IN MISSION OPERATIONS AS AN EVA FLIGHT CONTROLLER AND INSTRUCTOR.
VERY PROUD TO HAVE PEGGY ON OUR TEAM AND HAVE HER WITH US TODAY.
I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO PEGGY SO SHE CAN EXPLAIN MORE ABOUT HER BACKGROUND AND THE EXCITEMENT THAT WE ALL HAVE TO BE HERE TODAY.
[00:35:10]
OKAY, THANKS PHIL.WELL, TODAY REALLY FILLS ME WITH A LOT OF EXCITEMENT.
IT KIND OF TAKES ME BACK TO THAT FIRST DAY OF MY FIRST JOB.
I'M, MANY OF YOU KIND OF REMEMBER THAT FEELING, KIND OF THE, THE NERVES, THE ANTICIPATION, THE EXCITEMENT OF REALLY EMBARKING ON SOMETHING REALLY, REALLY SPECIAL.
WELL, MY FIRST JOB WAS AS PHIL MENTIONED, AS AN EVA OR A SPACE FLIGHT CONTROLLER AND INSTRUCTOR.
AND I REMEMBER DRIVING ONTO THE CAMPUS OF THE JOHNSON SPACE CENTER THAT FIRST DAY AND THINKING, I REALLY GET TO BE PART OF SOMETHING AMME.
AT THAT TIME, WE WERE REALLY JUST STARTING THE ASSEMBLY OF INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION AND WE HAD AN UNPRECEDENTED NUMBER OF EPAS ON THE HORIZON.
BUT WE HAD TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
WE HAD TO PUSH SOME BOUNDARIES.
WE HAD TO BE INNOVATIVE AND DO THINGS THAT NOBODY HAD REALLY DONE BEFORE.
NOW 25 YEARS LATER, YES, I'M DATING MYSELF A LITTLE BIT, UM, BUT WE'RE ONCE AGAIN ON THE CUSP OF A NEW ERA OF HUMAN SPACE FLIGHT.
WITH THE IMPENDING ARTEMIS LAUNCH, WE EMBARK ON A JOURNEY TO RETURN TO THE MOON AND EVENTUALLY GO TO MARS.
IT'S A REALLY EXCITING TO BE PART OF THE SPACE INDUSTRY AND I FEEL SO FORTUNATE TO BE PART OF THIS COMMUNITY.
ALL NOW, THE NEXT GENERATION SPACESUIT GETS TO CALL SPACEPORT HOME.
AND WITH THE HELP OF OUR TECHNOLOGY PARTNERS, PARTICULARLY OCEANEERING AND ILC DOVER, WE ARE GOING TO DESIGN, DEVELOP, TEST, AND INTEGRATE OUR NEXT GENERATION SPACE SUIT UNDER THIS ROOF TOGETHER.
THE CALL AEROSPACE LED REGISTRY TEAM HAS MADE A GIANT STEP TO PUT BOOTS.
I THINK HE MADE THE STAIRS LOOK EASIER THAN I DID IN HEELS,
SO THIS NEW SPACESUIT WAS DESIGNED BY ASTRONAUTS.
IT'S LIGHTER OR WHITE, IT'S MODULAR, IT'S EXTENSIBLE, UH, FOR MOON AND ISS.
THE SPACESUIT HAS MORE THAN 18,000 PARTS THAT ALL HAVE TO WORK TOGETHER TO KEEP OUR ASTRONAUTS COMFORTABLE IN THE HARSH ENVIRONMENT.
THE PURPOSE OF THE NOW, THAT TYPE OF INTEGRATION AND COORDINATION IS SIMILAR TO THE WAY THAT THE CITY OF HOUSTON, HOUSTON AIRPORT SYSTEM, THE BAY AREA HOUSTON ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP AND COLLINS AEROSPACE CAME TOGETHER TO MAKE HISTORY A REALITY.
YOUR PARTNERSHIP, DEDICATION TO SPACE, FLIGHT, AND INNOVATION ARE THE REASONS THAT WE'RE ACTUALLY HERE TODAY.
THE HOUSTON SPACE BOARD PROVIDES A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY FOR MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY TO COME TOGETHER, INNOVATE TO COLLABORATE.
WE'RE HONORED TO BE AN ANCHORED TENANT, THE HOUSTON SPACE BOARD, AND TO CONTINUE THIS JOURNEY WITH ALL OF YOU.
WELL, AS YOU'VE HEARD AND SEEN TODAY, WE'RE ALL VERY EAGER FOR THE FUTURE OF SPACE FLIGHT TO GET HERE, SO LET'S NOT DELAY IT ANY LONGER.
WHICH SENATOR CRUZ, CONGRESSMAN BABIN, MAYOR TURNER AND MR. DIAZ JOINED PEGGY AND I ON THE STAGE TO OFFICIALLY OPEN THE COLLINS AEROSPACE FACILITY AT THE HOUSTON SPACE BOARD.