FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
WEDNESDAY, OCT. 28, 2009

CONTACT
Ellen Dumm, 303 866-6361 (office), 303 829-0194 (cell), ellen.dumm@state.co.us

LT. GOV. O'BRIEN: SUCCESSFUL ARES 1-X LAUNCH A GOOD OMEN

Lt. Gov. Barbara O'Brien, co-chair of the Colorado Space Coalition, said today's successful launch of NASA's new generation of rockets is good news for Colorado.

"The Ares 1-X rocket launch ushers in a new era of space exploration, the next step after the space shuttle. Today's success is a good omen for Colorado's aerospace industry, which is the second largest in the nation," said Lt. Gov. O'Brien. "We have research institutions and private companies -- large and small -- that will play critical roles in this next generation of space exploration."

NASA is phasing out its space shuttle program and is proposing to replace it with the Constellation Project, which includes a new rocket launching system and the Orion space craft, which will be built by Littleton-based Lockheed Martin Space Systems. Colorado-based United Launch Alliance has suggested that it can build a launch system that would be less expensive than the Ares rocket.

"As the United States redefines its next phase of space exploration, it is clear that Colorado is poised to be a major player in that effort," said Lt. Gov. O'Brien.

The Colorado Space Coalition is a group of industry stakeholders, including government, academic and research institutes, the military, and aerospace companies all working to make Colorado a center of excellence for aerospace.