Homeland Security Committee Objectives 2013-14

The events of 9/11/01 markedly changed all our lives in myriad ways.  Defense of the United States and her protectorates had always been a priority, but until a small group of men, using commercial aircraft launched that stunning attack on civilian buildings on American soil, most people were comfortable that they were relatively safe from violence.  We have lived for over a decade in a world where that is no longer true.

The events of 9/11 that day were carried out with traditional, kinetic means.  In our current world, our future attacks will come from unexpected sources through non-traditional means.  Modern life in the United States is increasingly reliant on systems and devices that are interconnected.  Whether it’s a heart patient whose pacemaker is synchronized through wireless signals to a medical facility hundreds of miles away, a small population center near a chemical plant, or a major city where all the citizens find themselves on the smart grid.

 One of the most vulnerable aspects of homeland security in this aspect is aviation.  Whether this is the Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) constellation constantly providing coordination to millions of drivers, automated systems that provide air traffic controllers the locations and spacing of thousands of pilots, down to an individual drone.  All of this technology is experiencing exponential growth in threats and vulnerabilities.

 One of the most difficult aspects is getting humankind to actually get their heads around a significant risk that has only really been around for the past three decades.  One of the main objectives of the HSC in 2013 would be to reach out to the states and help them with awareness programs- for every resident.  Whether how an individual ensure safe practices while surfing the web.  To the major companies providing critical Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) services that if breached would result in significant casualties.  The HSC also hopes to address Critical Infrastructure Protection in the aerospace environment.

Marci Woolson, Chair

Education Committee Objectives 2013-14

As the education chair for ASA, Lt. Governor Reynolds looks to collaborate with participants in both the public and private sectors to increase awareness and visibility of STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) subjects in grades K-12. That includes seeking to increase student interest and achievement in STEM subjects so that students will have greater opportunities to pursue a STEM and Aerospace career.  And to do this, actions steps include identifying high-quality programs that are already in place and working, and then to look for ways to scale them across the nation.

As committee chair, the Lt. Governor’s goal is to continue to drive innovation and economic development, while aligning with a highly-skilled workforce. And she believes that that skilled workforce must be trained in the areas of science, technology, engineering and math, (STEM) if we want our states to be competitive in today’s global economy.

 Lt. Governor Kim Reynolds, Chair

Aerospace R&D Committee Objectives 2013-14

For professional guidance the ASA Aerospace R&D Committee will consult and coordinate with professional organizations such as the AIAA and citizen organizations with aerospace interests and programs such as the Planetary Society. It should be noted that ASA interest in aerospace R&D includes a geographical perspective broader than the present system of federal installations, prime contractors and research universities located in a few handfull of states. It would be in the interest of many states that a portion of aerospace R&D funds were allocated to the underrepresented half of all states according to the formula used by the National Science Foundation EPSCOR program (Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research).

 Pending enhanced capabilities in more states there is one aerospace program that has come in the public eye in which ALL states have an interest and capability. Given the recent visit to and crash with Terra by NEOs (Near Earth Objects) the subject of Planetary Defense has gained visibility. According to the AIAA position paper “Protecting Earth from asteroids and comets” planning for such an unlikely but potentially catastrophic event should be undertaken by all levels of domestic and foreign governments, including states and provinces. Such state planning could – and should- be funded by the federal government.  And as for the NASA human  flight   program if we plan for astronauts to visit an asteroid their mission might include to try to budge the orbit of their host.

Michael Fulda, Chair

NextGen Committee Objectives 2013-14

The NextGen committee will work with the Joint Planning and Development Office (JPDO) and the Industry Management Council of the NextGen Institute to help facilitate implementation of UAS systems and the next generation air traffic management system in America. We will keep states informed on progress, raise state concerns to federal organizations, and work to resolve issues that cross state lines.

Charlie Huettner, Chair

State Aerospace Organizations Committee Objectives 2013-14

The ASA State Aerospace Organization Committee’s goals are to help our state aerospace and aviation organization committee members collaborate and share information to grow aerospace and aviation in their states; and share best practices, lessons learned, business models, charters and organizational models.  Over the next two years, we will expand our committee membership (with the goal of having every state/region represented), develop a more comprehensive database of state aerospace and aviation organizations, and identify policy issues and initiatives to bring forward to the ASA general membership for consideration.

Mike Heil, Chair

Policy Committee Objectives 2013-14

I am certainly open to any ideas or other taskings that may come about as we move forward, but I believe the focus of the Policy Committee over the next couple of years is to develop ASA recommendations for a national innovation policy and a national aerospace policy.  These two priorities came about at our October meeting in Fort Worth and were discussed on last month’s telecon.  The intent is to develop clear, concise, and compelling recommendations that are widely supported by the ASA membership that we then forward to our members of Congress and ask for action.

A few people have contacted me after last month’s telecom volunteering to assist and I owe you getting a telecom set up.  Please let me know if anyone else would like to participate in the drafting efforts and I’ll include you in the telecom meeting notice.  We’ll have a few telecons between now and March to prepare drafts that we can then circulate to the membership before our next in person meeting in April at the National Space Symposium.   Ideally we’ll have broad consensus by April so we can use that meeting to discuss next steps.

Joe Rice, Chair

 

ASA Space Exploration Committee Objectives 2013-14

The recent retirement of the U.S. Space Shuttle and broad budget concerns nationwide are posing fundamental questions concerning America’s future capabilities and leadership in aerospace – particularly with regard to space exploration. Concurrently, both President Obama and the U.S. Congress have challenged our nation to enhance humankind’s capacity to “work, learn, operate and live safely beyond the Earth” to establish a “permanent human presence in space”. Clearly, these circumstances call for innovative approaches that can reduce the costs, expand the benefits, and enhance the feasibility of future space missions. As such, the goal of the ASA Space Exploration Committee in the upcoming biennium will be to recommend cogent strategies and methodologies for achieving these goals – leveraging the aerospace-related resources, capabilities, and priorities of member states to facilitate national dialogue and collective action toward cost-effective and sustainable space enterprise beyond low-Earth orbit.

 Jim Crisafulli, Chair

Aviation Committee Objectives 2013-2014

As a FYI, the FAA foresees $619 million sequestration cut 1 March. HLS Sec Janet Napolitano said to the Senate Appropriations Committee: “At major international airports, average wait times to clear customs will increase by 50%” Wait times at the busiest US airports are already 2 hours and could double and other domestic passenger wait times would increase by more than an hour.  (for comparison DoD is looking at $490 billion in automatic spending cuts.)

With these cuts in mind, ASA can play a role by advocating on behalf of the States back to the Federal Government.

1. We need ASA members to voice back to Congress the impact of FAA budget decisions in their respective States.
2. We need ASA member to voice back to Congress the positive or negative impact of Next Gen ATM deployment in their respective States.
3. We need ASA member to voice back to Congress to impacts of FAA budgets and it impact of on rural Air Service and the Airport Improvement Program.

Brian Dubie, Chair

ASA Vision for Space Exploration

Reaching Beyond Low-Earth Orbit

A Prescription for Cost-Effective and Sustainable Space Exploration

Prepared By
The Aerospace States Association Space Exploration Committee (Tel: 808-586-2388 / Email: jcrisafu@dbedt.hawaii.gov)

Introduction: The ASA Vision.

Over the past half century, the exploration of space has radically transformed our lives on Earth, as well as inspired far-reaching visions to extend humanity’s presence beyond our home planet.

Innovations born of the Pioneer, Mariner, Viking and Voyager Missions, the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo Programs, Skylab, the Space Shuttle, the International Space Station, the Magellan and Galileo probes, the Hubble Space Telescope, and other pioneering exploration initiatives have forged new inroads to scientific discovery, advanced our national engineering and manufacturing expertise, catalyzed revolutions in communications technology and computer science, enhanced environmental understanding and protection of our home planet, and ultimately afforded new frontiers for humankind to explore and develop.

Today, the exploration of space holds equal if not greater potential for innovation in science and technology that can uplift our national economy, enhance global security, educate a technologically proficient workforce, improve healthcare diagnostics and delivery, enable space-based renewable energy systems, and ultimately pioneer sustainable settlements on other worlds. Yet the recent retirement of the U.S. Space Shuttle and growing budget concerns nationwide are posing fundamental questions concerning America’s future capabilities and leadership in aerospace – particularly with regard to human space flight.

President Obama has challenged our nation to enhance humankind’s capacity to “work, learn, operate and live safely beyond the Earth for extended periods of time”, and to do so in ways that will strengthen our vanguard on the frontiers of space. Congress also has called for a space program that will facilitate a “permanent human presence beyond low-Earth orbit”, coupling space exploration to both national and global needs. In light of growing federal deficits, rising energy costs, and other acute economic challenges, these goals will mandate innovative approaches to reduce the expense, enhance the feasibility and ultimately maximize the scientific, educational and commercial returns of future space missions.

To achieve these goals, we believe our nation needs to embrace a collaborative, multinational vision for space exploration – one that incorporates the extensive knowledge, resources and capabilities developed through our nation’s historic Earth-orbiting, Moon, Mars, and other planetary space missions, along with the substantial experience and achievements of other space-faring nations, to chart affordable and sustainable roadmaps for humans to inhabit the realms of cis-lunar space and beyond.

We also must leverage the substantial assets, expertise and entrepreneurial spirit of our private sector in pioneering the space frontier – not only to maximize the potential benefits from research and exploration, but also to facilitate development and utilization of extraterrestrial resources that can benefit people on Earth, as well as support long-term voyages to and settlements on other planets.

Finally (and to ensure sustainability), we need an inclusive, “participatory” approach to space enterprise that will engage and empower the public – an interactive portal, facilitated through the Internet and other networking media, that will enable citizens to envision and assist in the design of future space missions, and ultimately inspire future generations of scientists, engineers, humanists, artists, educators, doctors, lawyers, entrepreneurs, and other key professionals who will orchestrate our spaceward migration.

The Role of the States.

The exploration of space is inherently a technologically and fiscally challenging enterprise – one that requires multiple assets and capabilities, as well as political will, to succeed. Although NASA and other federal agencies play important roles in defining and funding the potential opportunities and goals for our national space program, they must leverage the resources and expertise resident in states nationwide to ensure that future space missions are both affordable and sustainable.

In particular, states provide unique capabilities to combine federal resources with assets and capabilities in both academia and industry to:

• Educate and train aerospace professionals (the next generation of scientists, engineers and entrepreneurs) who will pioneer the frontiers of space.
• Develop, test and incubate new technologies across a wide spectrum of corporate, academic, and private innovation infrastructures.
• Sponsor aerospace conferences and business roundtables to enable networking among key aerospace leaders.
• Facilitate attractive tax structures, leverage venture capital, and seed public-private partnerships to promote entrepreneurship and expand space enterprise.
• Provide adequate infrastructure (e.g., roads, communications, internet access) and leverage unique geographical assets (e.g., landforms, location, climate) to develop terrestrial analog test sites.
• Dedicate public lands for space launch and other space-related activities, and create space research and education centers to both support these programs and facilitate technology transfer.
• Convey the multiple scientific, educational and commercial benefits of space exploration to the general public.

The Role of ASA.

As a nonpartisan organization of Lt. Governors and other top-ranking community leaders from every state across the nation, ASA is able to represent states’ interests in federal aerospace and aviation policy development. It also advocates on behalf of all 50 states for research and design funding, workforce training, economic development in aerospace and aviation, and excellence in science, technology, engineering and math education. The primary goals are to help maintain U.S. leadership at the forefront of aerospace research and development, as well as to enhance states’ competitiveness in global aerospace markets. As such, ASA is uniquely qualified to help seed and support innovative synergies between state and federal programs that will strengthen states’ roles as both major contributors to and beneficiaries of national space enterprise.

How the ASA vision will help grow America’s aerospace industry, providing new business opportunities and high paying jobs to enhance both our economy and national security.

The ASA vision for space exploration (promoting multinational space initiatives that leverage entrepreneurship in the private sector and engage the public as stakeholders) is designed to stimulate industry growth by:

1. matching common space exploration goals with complementary resources and capabilities among space-faring nations to promote collaborative utilization of assets (technological and human) that can reduce the costs and enhance the benefits of space missions;
2. fostering public-private partnerships that strategically apportion intellectual and technical assets among government and corporate entities to maximize efficiencies and accelerate timetables for mission planning and implementation;
3. promoting long-term, community-based advocacy for aerospace initiatives that reach beyond the policies and priorities of individual Administrations and Congresses to enable sustainable programs over decadal time periods; and
4. focusing on initiatives that embrace a broad range of applications and deliverables through a balanced program involving both robotic and human exploration that can:

• advance space science, education and commerce;
• test, validate and deploy new technologies that can extract and utilize extraterrestrial resources in-situ; and thereby
• enhance humankind’s ability to establish affordable and sustainable settlements beyond low-Earth orbit.

Epilogue:

The heady days of Apollo, which endowed our nation with a pioneering legacy second to none, dismissed “can’t” from our conventional lexicon and fueled human aspirations to reach for the stars. At this decisive juncture in our national space program, we must restore America’s “can-do” spirit – forging innovative and sustainable programs that will both rejuvenate our economy and invest in our future. For all the reasons cited above, multinational, entrepreneurial, and participatory space exploration is an excellent way to make this investment – “for all Mankind”! ASA is committed to partnering with federal agencies, industry and academic institutions nationwide toward achieving this goal.

Click here to dowload a PDF of the ASA Vision for Space Exploration

Small Manufacturers Committee

2013-14 Objectives

We will continue to strengthen the relationships between regional manufacturing extension partnership entities and manufacturers.  Many regional MEP organizations have unique and valuable services to assist manufacturers in the aerospace supply chain.  Regional best practices need to be identified by manufacturers and recommended to serve all states.  Stronger regional connections to aerospace companies and related supply chains need to be developed to collect that input. Two specific areas of analysis will be:

· Supply chain identification/expansion

· ISO Certification assistance to potential supply chain companies

Additionally, there will be focus on capturing an even greater percentage of the global aerospace market. With projections of growth for the next 20 years it is important for US manufacturers to not only keep pace with that growth but demonstrate a competitive advantage. A specific area of discussion will include STEM/workforce development partnerships.

Lt. Governor Rebecca Kleefisch, Chair

Interactive area for Small Manufacturers Committee

Aerospace States Association (ASA) Aerospace Manufacturing Special Committee Charter

I. Background: ASA is a bi-partisan organization representing the grass roots of the American aerospace industry. It is an organization of Lieutenant Governors and state appointed delegates. The ASA was formed to promote a state-based perspective in federal aerospace policy and support state initiatives that enhance education, economic development, and the competitiveness of the U.S. aerospace industry.

ASA will accomplish this by:

1. Advancing America’s vision for space science and exploration.
2. Implementing the NextGen aviation system as soon as possible.
3. Promoting an educational system that will result in an aviation and an aerospace workforce that is second to none.
4. Stimulating investments in science, research and technology at levels that will ensure American leadership.
5. Revising legal and procedural export controls to increase the U.S.’s ability to compete in global markets.
6. Emphasizing the importance of small to medium-size aerospace manufacturers to the economic health and competitiveness of the industry.

We will work to achieve these objectives by mobilizing industry within our states and local communities, creating partnerships between industry and our education and training institutions, working with federal agencies, informing the media, and bringing together state congressional delegations. The U.S. aviation and aerospace industry are a national strategic asset. It is vital to our national security and the well being of our economy. We must join together now to create a safer, stronger, better and more globally competitive America.

II. Goal of the Manufacturing Special Committee: Improve the global competitiveness of U.S. small to medium-size aerospace manufacturers in such a way that will benefit local, state, regional and national economic interests.

III. Committee Chairs: The initial Chairperson of the Manufacturing Committee is Robert Mansfield, Jr., Brigadier General, USAF (Retired), will provide professional guidance to the committee, direct day-to-day activities, and be responsible for recommending funding decisions for consideration by the committee to the ASA. After the initial term, Chairs will be selected by the ASA Chairman as part of the regular biennial election process.

IV. Committee Membership: All state Lt. Governors, their representatives, and Associate Members are eligible and encouraged to participate on the committee. Membership is focused on those interested in achieving the goals of the Manufacturing Committee in particular states, regions and across the country.

V. Responsibilities of the Manufacturing Special Committee: The responsibilities of this committee include but are not limited to:

1. Developing a biannual agenda that addresses the needs of the aerospace manufacturing industry; with emphasis on the small to medium-size firms that comprise the majority of our nation’s aerospace manufacturing supply chain.
2. Engaging the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) community to create a strong “SBIR for Manufacturing” emphasis that can be a resource to fund innovations which directly improve the efficiency, profitability and competitiveness of firms to grow their businesses.
3. Encouraging federal Manufacturing Extension Program (MEP) organizations in the states and territories to become associate members of the ASA and join the Manufacturing Special Committee.
4. Identifying resources that can help American aerospace manufacturers improve their performance. Areas of interest include, but are not limited to technology, processes, and most importantly the aerospace workforce.
5. Developing position papers; identifying policy issues and recommendations for the ASA membership to consider for presentation to state and federal officials.
6. Increasing the ASA presence in its for coordination and collaboration with national, local and regional organizations working to enhance manufacturing in the United States; for example: the National Institute of Standards and Technology, National Association of Manufacturers, General Aviation Manufacturing Association, National Association for Advanced Manufacturing, Aerospace Industries Association, the National Defense Industries Association, including state MEPs, not-for-profit aerospace organizations and workforce and economic development organizations, whether ASA members or not.
7. Increasing the ASA coordination and collaboration with technical schools, colleges and universities that offer courses and programs that are relevant to manufacturing in the aviation and aerospace industry.
8. Identifying opportunities to finance the operations of the committee.
9. Encourage aerospace manufacturing organizations to become ASA members.

 

NextGen Implementation

Interactive area for NextGen Implementation Committee

Real World Design Challenge

Interactive area for Real World Design Challenge Committee

 

The Aerospace States Association is working with educators across the country to promote the Real World Design Challenge (RWDC) – a program that gives high school students practical experience leading to science and engineering-based jobs. An annual competition aimed at engaging youth in aeronautics and engineering, RWDC invites students to develop solutions to practical aviation design challenges posed by industry experts. Last year, 28 states and 600 high schools participated in the challenge, and I hope to see even more involvement during the 2011-2012 school year.

RWDC is run by a public-private partnership focused on long-term economic competitiveness, and thanks to corporate support, the program is offered free to students and schools and incurs no cost to taxpayers. I encourage you to bring your state on board today, as a way of supporting education and workforce development with no financial burden to your state.

The program will create tremendous opportunities for the students of your state. Every state champion team receives an all-expense-paid trip to Washington, D.C., and students involved in previous competitions have earned paid internships through their participation. Last year’s national champions presented their work before the president at the White House.

The program not only offers a creative educational opportunity for students, but it also provides some excellent resources for the classroom. Each teacher that registers a team will receive professional engineering software for use in the classroom that costs industry buyers $1 million. Students will also receive access to mentors from industry, government and academia.

If your state is already participating, please urge as many of your teachers as possible to take advantage of this exciting opportunity for their students.

For more information on the Real World Design Challenge, visit http://www.realworlddesignchallenge.org, and to participate, contact RWDC Director Dr. Ralph Coppola at (703) 298-6630 or rcoppola@ptc.com

State Aerospace Organizations

Interactive area for State Aerospace Organizations

Workforce Committee

ASA Workforce Committee

Statement of Purpose

Many challenges threaten the viability of the U.S. aerospace in the coming years.  For instance, the industry faces a tsunami of Baby Boomer retirements in the near future, particularly in the manufacturing sector.  Coupled with a reluctance of many young people to enter what is often perceived as a less than cool job, working in a factory, the U.S. aerospace manufacturing sector will face a significant skills shortage in touch labor.

An illustration of this comes from a 2011 survey of Connecticut manufactures by the Connecticut Business and Industry Association Education Foundation, the survey found that many firms had a difficult time filling vacancies for CNC programmers, CNC machinists, tool and die makers, and CAD/CAM technicians–and this is in a state with an established history of manufacturing and a vibrant aerospace sector.

The long term viability of the U.S. aerospace industry, which employs some 800,000 Americans and continues to be an engine of innovation, will be threatened unless we identify ways to fully develop and maintain our human capital.

To do this the ASA Workforce Committee seeks input from ASA members to not only identify critical problems affecting and sustaining the workforce, but also solutions to those issues, and, then, effective ways to disseminate those solutions.

Bruce Olson, Chair

Space Exploration Committee

Interactive area for Space Exploration Committee

Policy Committee

Interactive area for Policy Committee

Education Committee

Interactive area for Education Committee

Aviation Committee

Aerospace R&D Committee Committee Network

Interactive area for Aerospace R&D Committee