Bill Cotterell of Gannett's Florida Capital Bureau offers this report:TALLAHASSEE - Scores of aerospace executives and a pair of astronauts are working the Florida Capitol today to promote awareness of how important space exploration is to the state's economic health and scientific future.
This year's Space Day is clouded by economic uncertainties, with the Space Shuttle program slated to end next year and the state facing extremely hard financial times.
Thousands of Brevard-based engineers and missile technicians could be looking for new jobs soon, and the Missile Defense Agency in Alabama is likely to pick up many of them.
Astronauts Al Worden and Peggy Whitson joined the 80 company executives and local officials celebrating Space Day at the Legislature.
The event's 22 sponsors ranged from Boeing and Lockheed Martin to Space Florida, the state public-private consortium that promotes commercial exploration opportunities.
"It's a difficult row to hoe," said Sen. Mike Haridopolos, R-Merritt Island. "We know the vital nature of it, not only from NASA but also commercial space. We want to make sure people understand the importance of Florida being the worldwide address for space."
The annual observance began Tuesday with the showing of an IMAX film, "Space Station," at the Challenger Center in the Capitol's shadow. On Wednesday, participants worked hallways of the House and Senate office buildings to meet with lawmakers about education and economic-development activities relating to space.
The group also set up an information display on the Capitol's second floor, with a space suit-clad volunteer posing for pictures with state officials and tourists and the real astronauts signing autographs.
IMAGE NOTE: Rep. Matt Hudson, R-Naples, left, has his picture taken with an astronaut look-alike during Space Day festivities today at the Florida Capitol in Tallahassee, Fla. Photo credit: AP Photo/Phil Coale.
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