Keeping to its original mission as the "Nevada Proving Grounds," the Nevada Test Site is embarking on a new mission which could change the way people view this key national resource and at the same time bode well for the future of the state.

The Nevada aerospace initiative is a true partnership of business and government at many levels, working together toward the betterment of Nevada. Nevada Governor Kenny Guinn and U.S. Senator Harry Reid (D-Nev), identified through the Nevada Test Site Development Corporation (NTSDC) the need to facilitate building an aerospace industry and their vision has received strong and unified state support.

Guinn, members of the Congressional Delegation, NTSDC President and CEO Tim Carlson and other members of a special task force recently hosted a presentation by the latest of many commercial launch ventures - the highly coveted VentureStar program headed by Lockheed Martin.

"VentureStar is one of many space related companies that are aware of the benefits of the Nevada Test Site," said Guinn. "The opportunity to use the test site as the western gateway to space will not only create high-tech, well paying jobs for the Nevada economy, but will also help to bring more tourism to the Las Vegas Valley."

There are currently 31 candidate sites in 15 states vying for the two launch sites planned for the VentureStar program. However, the Nevada Test Site is the only non-governmentally regulated commercial launch site with a current tenant.

"We already have one tenant, Kistler Aerospace, and we are working to bring more of this beneficial economic activity to our state," said Carlson. "This is an exciting opportunity. With the test site as the hub of this aerospace industry growth, we foresee Nevada becoming a leader in an emerging international growth industry."

Growth of the telecommunications market has been driving the demand for expanded aerospace activity in recent years. Currently, there is a significant backlog of payloads and estimates are that an additional 1,700 satellites will need to be deployed in the next ten years.

"These events promise to have a dramatic and positive effect not only on Nevada business growth and development, but also on U.S. ability to corner a large share of the estimated $60 billion that will be spent worldwide on the commerical space sector by the year 2000," said Senator Reid.

NTSDC Chairman Joe Brown noted that the test site offers a number of launch and support parameters unavailable at other launch facilities in the United States. "The location has a high elevation and at least 300-plus days of clear weather every year," he said. "In addition, it features multiple launch azimuths with overflights over sparsely populated areas, and companies using this secure location will benefit from Nevada�s favorable corporate tax structure and outstanding quality-of-life.

"Kistler Aerospace is headed by George Mueller, the former head of NASA�s manned space program," said Brown. "Dr. Mueller recognized this site�s potential and signed on more than two years ago." Kistler plans to launch its K-1, the world�s first fully-reusable two-stage launch vehicle, from Nevada and Australia.

As the successor to the Space Shuttle, VentureStar is an unmanned, single stage to orbit vehicle which launches vertically and lands like a commercial airliner.

Both the K-1 and VentureStar employ reusable technologies as an alternative to single-use (expendable) launch vehicles (ELVs). Representative of the move to commercialize the aerospace industry, these and other reusable launch vehicles (RLVs) will increase access to space by deploying satellites and lofting other payloads into orbit at a fraction of today�s cost. Reducing launch costs will, in turn, lower cost to consumers for satellite-based services.

Our nation�s mission to commercialize the space industry couldn�t be achieved without the strong support of Nevada�s Congressional Delegation, including Senator Reid, who helped unlock the doors of the U.S. space program to private industry.

Early last year, Senator Reid was instrumental in spearheading the approval of the Commercial Space Act, authorizing the Federal Aviation Administration to license commercial re-entry sites.

"The western commercial gateway to space at the Nevada Test Site enjoys strong community and governmental support - at the federal, state and local levels," Reid said. "The NTSDC VentureStar Task Force includes government representatives working together with university and private industry executives. It�s truly a collaborative effort between business, education and government, all working in tandem to realize a vision and to write a new chapter in the history of the test site, Nevada and the nation."

NTSDC is a non-profit, public-private venture funded by the Department of Energy (DOE) to find companies and institutions that will facilitate alternative uses of the Nevada Test Site and pursue development of peacetime technologies. NTSDC is working closely with the DOE to facilitate availability of the test site as a home for VentureStar.

A formal process is currently underway though Guinn�s office to review the results of the VentureStar meeting before proceeding to the next phase of the national competition.