Capitol Connection
By State Senator Joe Leibham
November 5, 2008
Wisconsin Aerospace Authority Continues Successful Lift-Off
As you may recall, in a recent Capitol Connection column I provided an update on the progress of the Wisconsin Aerospace Authority (WAA) which, as you know, was created in 2006 by legislation that I authored with Representative Steve Kestell (R-Elkhart Lake). The purpose of the WAA is to promote aerospace industry and education in Wisconsin, as well as to work toward the creation of a spaceport in the Sheboygan area.
Representative Kestell and I, along with six appointed members and the Director of the Wisconsin Space Grant Consortium, serve on the WAA. We recently had our second meeting and I am happy to provide an update on this session.
The meeting was held in Middleton at Orbital Technologies Corporation (ORBITEC), an exciting business co-founded by Tom Crabb, one of the members of the WAA. ORBITEC researches and develops controlled environments, sensors and instrumentation, advanced combustion and propulsion systems, and space resources processing for use in the aerospace industry and the U.S. Military. ORBITEC has worked extensively with NASA and some of their products have even become components in space shuttles and other aspects of our space program.
Meeting at ORBITEC was helpful in gaining an understanding of the aerospace industry as it currently stands in Wisconsin. The session increased my enthusiasm for the potential job growth that could come to Wisconsin as we venture into this new economic frontier. We also had the chance to review and discuss what other states are doing to promote their own aerospace industries and develop spaceports of their own. One interesting example was Spaceport America in New Mexico, which I would encourage you to check out at www.spaceportamerica.com. This informative session will help the WAA formulate optimistic goals while remaining realistic, pragmatic and fiscally responsible.
The meeting continued as we set up many of the logistical aspects of the WAA. We discussed future initiatives, passed bylaws and elected officers. I was honored to be nominated and elected by my colleagues on the board to serve as Chairman of the WAA. In addition, Tom Crabb, President and co-founder of ORBITEC, was elected Vice Chairman and Tom Mullooly, attorney and partner with Foley & Lardner LLP, was elected Secretary/Treasurer. Mr. Mullooly is the Vice Chairman of the firm’s Energy Industry Team and works on energy and telecommunications matters. He has had a long interest in the space industry and has worked in the past to help secure funding for Wisconsin aerospace projects while working for U.S. Senator Herb Kohl.
I am humbled to lead such an impressive group of professionals as Chairman, and I am thankful for the trust that was placed in me. I look forward to working hard in the coming months with my fellow members and officers as we begin to solidify Wisconsin as a competitor in this new economic frontier.
The next meeting of the WAA will be in January 2009, when we will focus on the current state of aerospace education, science and engineering in Wisconsin. From there, it is our hope that we will be able to project goals into the future and get on our way to promoting a robust aerospace industry and educational infrastructure in Wisconsin.
Is there a state program, law or issue you would like me to address? “Just ask Joe” by calling me at 888-295-8750, writing to P.O. Box 7882, Madison, WI 53707-7882, or by e-mailing me at Sen.Leibham@legis.wi.gov. You can also log on to the 9th Senate District on-line office at www.leibhamsenate.com.
As always, it has been a pleasure communicating with you. It is an honor representing the residents of the 9th District in the State Senate!