Change will come to the space industry in the form of more launches, an increased commercial emphasis and new rocket systems, Brig. Gen. Edward Bolton, commander of the 45th Space Wing, said Tuesday.Last year, only seven rockets launched from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station and Kennedy Space Center. Including Wednesday evening's scheduled launch, nine rockets and shuttles are scheduled to blast off by May.
"That' the first thing to change," said Bolton, who was the keynote speaker at the National Space Club's monthly meeting in Cocoa Beach.
Other changes include the retirement of the space shuttle and the Air Force's retirement of the Delta II, and the introduction of SpaceX's Falcon 9. (United Launce Alliance will continue to offer the Delta II to other customers.)
"We have more systems coming onto the range and going off the range than at any time in my memory," said Bolton, whose career in the space industry spans 25 years.
SpaceX last week erected the first new rocket design in many years at Launch Complex 40. The Falcon 9 is scheduled for a summer launch, and the low-cost launch, if successful, could lure commercial satellite launches back to the U.S. from Asia and Russia.
"We've got SpaceX coming as close to a purely commercial venture for a main system as has ever been done in this country," said Bolton. "With the changing mission, the changing requirements, we also have a changing infrastructure."
The Air Force has leased Launch Complex 36 to Space Florida, which plans to lure a second commercial launch company there. Space Florida, a state funded agency, will pay for improvements to the launch pad in order to attract commercial launch companies. Formerly, said Bolton, the U.S. government directed and funded all launches from the Cape.
"Today the world is different," he said. "That footprint is going to get smaller."
Nevertheless, Bolton was upbeat about the full launch schedule for the coming year.
"Launch work is teamwork," he said. "And that's how we're going to get through these tough times."
Bolton also reminded the space industry officials that the American military depends on them.
Soldiers rely on Global Positioning Satellites, reconnaissance satellites, satellite maps and laser sighting of military targets.
"When we do this space mission, we are part of the war on terrorism - as big a part as anyone - and we've got people out there in harm's way who are counting on us to be successful," Bolton said. "So it's important to launch rockets and feel good about it."
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