Press Release

Private spacecraft will resupply Int’l Space Station with your help!

By SpaceRef Editor

March 28, 2000

Filed under Prospace

PRIVATE SPACECRAFT WILL RESUPPLY INT’L SPACE STATION – WITH YOUR HELP!!!

Dear Friend:

ProSpace would like to enlist your immediate support and assistance in
helping to secure vital funding for NASA’s new “Alternative Access”
Program. Please read on as I am going to ask you to take some specific
actions that will help us in this important endeavor.

ProSpace has strongly advocated requiring NASA to use commercial providers
to service a portion of the multi-billion dollar ISS resupply mission
market. In fact, NASA was directed by the Commercial Space Act of 1998 to
use commercial providers wherever possible. We are therefore gratified
that President Clinton’s FY01 budget request for the agency includes $40
million for “Alternative Access” funding.

According to NASA, these funds are intended “to enable NASA to establish
and use alternative means of access to space to the International Space
Station.” What does this mean to the United States? First, by using
multiple providers NASA will be assured of an uninterrupted supply line to
the International Space Station. Should one class of vehicle be grounded
for any period of time (as the shuttle was by wiring problems last year),
NASA can simply turn to another method of providing vital supplies to the
station crew.

And, by opening ISS re-supply to other vehicles, NASA is providing a major
market segment that will make investment in new space transportation
systems more attractive to private investors. That will increase domestic
launch capacity and significantly reduce costs, saving the government
hundreds of millions of dollars – each and every year! In addition, these
new systems will help us to recapture a greater share of the international
launch market that we have lost over the past twenty years.

In short, “Alternative Access” is the probably the most cost-effective
NASA initiative in many years. This single budget line may do more to
open the space frontier than any other endeavor currently under
consideration.

PROSPACE HEARTILY ENDORSES THE GOALS OF THE “ALTERNATIVE ACCESS” PROGRAM.
HOWEVER, THE PRESIDENT’S BUDGET REQUEST DOES NOT GO FAR ENOUGH.

Congress should increase the funding for “Alternative Access” to a level
that will promote the development of a variety of new ISS-capable vehicles
wholly within the private sector.. Expending additional funds under this
line item will demonstrate to the capital markets a firm commitment that a
substantial portion of the lucrative ISS resupply market will be available
to competitive space transportation systems as they become available.

During this year’s March Storm, ProSpace members visited 225 House and
Senate offices with a call to double “Alternative Access” funding to $80
million. Initial discussions on these numbers will begin soon within the
VA-HUD Appropriations Subcommittee in the Senate, which has responsibility
for the NASA budget.

So, what can you do to help secure the increase to $80 million for
Alternative Access? One of two things!

1. Check the list at the end of this message to see if one of your
Senators is a member of the VA-HUD Appropriations Subcommittee. We have
included a list of the members below for your convenience, including their
telephone and fax numbers. If your Senator is a member, please call or
fax them as soon as possible to register your support for increasing the
Alternative Access funding level to $80 million for FY 2001.

2. If your Senators do not appear, call or fax the offices of your
state’s Senators and ask them to inform their colleagues on the VA-HUD
Appropriations Subcommittee that they support the funding increase. If
you don’t know the phone or fax numbers for your particular
representatives, you can locate them at:
http://www.vote-smart.org/

Sample fax letters for you to use in either case are included below for
your convenience. Just copy it into your word processor and fill in the
appropriate names.

It is vital that you take action right away. Because this is an election
year, Congress is working hard to complete work on appropriations bills as
soon as possible. Time is short, so a regular letter will take too much
time. PLEASE DON’T DELAY – CALL OR FAX YOUR SENATORS TODAY!!!

Many thanks for your help.

Sincerely,
Ransom Wuller
President, ProSpace America

SAMPLE FAX LETTER – TO VA-HUD SUBCOMMITTEE MEMBERS (IF YOUR SENATOR IS A
MEMBER)
(items in parentheses need to be personalized or otherwise changed)

(Today’s Date)

The Honorable (Senator’s Name)
United States Senate
Washington, D.C. 20510
Via Fax

Dear Senator (Name):

The President’s budget request for NASA includes $40 million for
“Alternative Access” to the International Space Station. I heartily
endorse the goals of this exciting new program. However, I also believe
that the funding requested is not sufficient to get the job done.

I therefore request that you support an increase in the funding
level for “Alternative Access” to $80 million for FY2001. Doing so will
help this program get off to a strong start, and help save the federal
government billions of dollars over the life of the International Space
Station.

In addition, the new space transportation systems enabled by this
program will decrease our dependence on foreign launch providers. The
United States will be able to regain market share lost over the past
twenty years. This is absolutely critical to our national security
interests. And the future economic viability of our national space
enterprise will be considerably influenced as well.

In short, this program is vital to our nation’s future. And your
support is vital to the “Alternative Access” program.

I thank you for your sincere consideration.

Sincerely,

(Your name)

(SAMPLE FAX LETTER – TO YOUR SENATOR ASKING FOR HIM TO CONTACT THE VA-HUD
SUBCOMMITTEE MEMBERS
(items in parentheses need to be personalized or otherwise changed)

(Today’s Date)

The Honorable (Senator’s Name)
United States Senate
Washington, D.C. 20510
Via Fax

Dear Senator (Name):

I therefore request that you support efforts to increase the
funding level for “Alternative Access” to $80 million for FY2001. Doing
so will help this program get off to a strong start. And that start could
save the federal government billions of dollars over the life of the
International Space Station.

In short, this program is vital to our nation’s future. And your
support is vital to the “Alternative Access” program. Therefore, I
respectfully request that you contact your colleagues on the VA-HUD
Appropriations Subcommittee today and ask them to include the increase to
$80 million for Alternative Access in the NASA budget.

I thank you for your sincere consideration.

Sincerely,

(Your name)

CONTACT INFORMATION FOR MEMBERS OF SENATE VA-HUD APPROPRIATIONS
SUBCOMMITTEE:

SENATE:

Appropriations Chairman:
Ted Stevens (R-Alaska)
Tel: (202) 224-3004
Fax: (202) 224-2354

Ranking Member:
Robert C. Byrd (D-West Virginia)
Tel: (202) 224-3954
Fax: (202) 228-0002

VA-HUD Subcommittee

REPUBLICANS:

Christopher S. Bond (Missouri)
Subcommittee Chairman
Tel: (202) 224-5721
Fax: (202) 224-8149

Conrad Burns (Montana)
Tel: (202) 224-2644
Fax: (202) 224-8594

Richard C. Shelby (Alabama)
Tel: (202) 224-5744
Fax: (202) 224-3416