Newsroom

Statement by AIA President and CEO Marion Blakey on Successful Launch of TacSat-3

May 21, 2009

We congratulate the Defense Department’s Operationally Responsive Space Office for its role in successfully launching a military satellite Tuesday evening.

This launch of the Tactical Satellite-3 from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport at Wallop’s Island, Va., is a critical step forward in demonstrating the ORS concept of rapid response, low-cost satellites to support our military commanders. AIA has been a staunch supporter of the ORS Office and led early efforts to ensure both the Department and Congress recognized the benefits of these capabilities.

With federal budgets facing constraints at a time of increased national security challenges, we believe that the ORS concept has the potential to become an important model to fulfill affordable, on-demand space support for military operations.

We strongly urge Congress to continue funding this crucial capability, which fills a wide variety of national security requirements including U.S. diplomatic, information, military, and economic needs. This launch clearly demonstrates the ORS initiative’s ability to provide responsive, flexible and affordable space systems that support the U.S. warfighter.