Press Release

SPACEHAB MAKES MAJOR INVESTMENT IN COMMERCIAL SPACE; ASTROTECH EXPANSION AIDS FLORIDA SPACE COAST GROWTH

By SpaceRef Editor
November 19, 1999
Filed under

Washington, DC, November 19, 1999 — SPACEHAB, Inc. (Nasdaq: SPAB) is strengthening its position as a
supplier of commercial space services by expanding the Titusville, Florida, facilities of its wholly owned subsidiary
Astrotech Space Operations. At a groundbreaking ceremony for a new payload processing facility that will double
AstrotechÕs Florida operations, U.S. Rep. Dave Weldon (R-FL-15), cited the strategic importance of this expansion
to the competitive position of FloridaÕs Space Coast in the global space launch market. “What we are seeing here,”
said Rep. Weldon at the November 12 event, “and what I believe is so critical to our future in commercial space, is
the emergence and expansion of a commercial space supplier market Ñ the second and third tier commercial
service providers that are so important to introducing and maintaining market efficiency.”


(Rep. Weldon is Vice Chairman of the Space and Aeronautics Subcommittee of the House Science Committee and
Co-Chairman of the Congressional Aviation and Space Caucus. As an advocate for issues relating to space
commercialization, he has sponsored legislation to upgrade launch ranges and provide indemnification coverage for
commercial launch companies, and he was instrumental in getting the Commercial Space Act passed into law.)


“All of us here are committed to making Florida the Ôplace for spaceÕ,” Astrotech President George Baker said at
the groundbreaking, “and Astrotech is particularly committed to helping to attract more commercial and government
launch business by providing state-of-the art payload processing facilities.” State and federal officials in Florida
recently formed a Spaceport Management Council to develop a five-year space transportation plan for the state.
Since 1985, Astrotech, a wholly owned subsidiary of SPACEHAB, Inc. (NASDAQ: SPAB), has processed over 100
satellites launched from the National Aeronautics and Space AdministrationÕs Kennedy Space Center and the U.S.
Air ForceÕs Cape Canaveral Air Station.


AstrotechÕs new facility, a $30 million project slated for completion in 2001, will increase the companyÕs total
processing space by 75 percent, adding 70,000 square feet for handling larger satellites and payload fairings
associated with BoeingÕs Delta IV and Lockheed MartinÕs Atlas V evolved expendable launch vehicles (EELVs).
Both launch developers recently awarded Astrotech multi-year EELV payload processing contracts; Astrotech is
now committed to processing payloads for Boeing through 2010 and for Lockheed Martin through 2005 (with contract
options through 2010). Astrotech estimates that EELV payload processing at the new facility will raise FloridaÕs
commercial launch rate from 10-12 to 16-18 missions per year.


SPACEHAB, with its Johnson Engineering and Astrotech subsidiaries, is the worldÕs leading provider of commercial
payload processing services for manned and unmanned payloads. SPACEHAB is the first company to commercially
develop, own and operate habitable modules that provide laboratory facilities and logistics resupply aboard NASAÕs
Space Shuttles. The company also supports NASA astronaut training at Johnson Space Center, Houston. .

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Kimberly Campbell
Manager of Marketing
SPACEHAB, Inc.
(281) 853-1031
campbell@spacehab.com

SpaceRef staff editor.