By Fred Johnson
Texas Aerospace Commission
Many states have recently sought to implement legislation and spaceport authorities in order to become the base of commercial space and reusable launch vehicle technologies. The Gulf Coast Spaceport Development Corporation (www.gulfcoastspaceport.org) commissioned the Center for Economic Development and Research at the University of Houston-Clear Lake to study the impact of a commercial spaceport facility on the Gulf Coast of Texas. The findings were released in a report issued in July 2000.
The scope of the report addresses both the business volume and individual impact of establishing a commercial spaceport within a rural region.
The report takes into account certain assumptions and limitations. For example, only private sector impacts are considered, and public/private infrastructure costs outside the spaceport facility are not factored in. The impact that such a facility would create to a region is overwhelming – 9,000 direct and indirect jobs during construction and 5,000 (direct/indirect) employed once the facility begins operation. This would result in a business volume between $330 and $500-million dollars annually.
In terms of the economic model, a commercial spaceport would have a similar effect and impact that a large manufacturing facility would create. However, its unique nature and workforce demands fuse this model with both an airport model and research facility. As such, the establishment of a commercial spaceport in Texas would need to access and source the expertise of the Houston/Clear Lake area surrounding the NASA Johnson Space Center.
The investment is minimal based upon its potential return as demonstrated in the report. Extracts of this study may be found at: http://www.tac.state.tx.us/spaceportl .htm or for a full copy of the study, contact Fred Welch at (800) 759-1822. For more information on aerospace activities in Texas, contact the Texas Aerospace Commission, (888) 844-4822 or http://www.tac.state.tx.us.
