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Governor McAuliffe Announces Multi-Year Contract for Commercial Space Flight in Virginia

NASA awards contract to Orbital ATK to launch payloads from Wallops Island spaceport

RICHMOND - Governor Terry McAuliffe, along with U.S. Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine, announced today NASA awarded a new multiyear contract to Orbital ATK, a Virginia based company, to deliver cargo and supplies to the International Space Station from spaceports, including the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport (MARS) located at Wallops Island.

"This is a big win for Virginia and space exploration," said Governor McAuliffe. "As a result of collaboration with our federal partners in NASA and our congressional delegation, NASA will continue an important contract that brings our state to the national forefront in the commercial space business, creating jobs and strengthening Virginia’s new economy.  We have a come a long way in the last year.  MARS has fully recovered from the October 2014 launch mishap, repaired damaged portions of the spaceport and the state reached an agreement with Orbital regarding repair costs and insurance coverage.  MARS is open for business and the return to space flight."

Completion Of Repairs at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport Launch Pad 0A

Norfolk, Va. September 30, 2015

RELEASE: IMMEDIATE

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NORFOLK, Va. – Today, September 30, marks the completion of the major repair work at the Virginia Space – MARS Launch Pad-0A, located on NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility. This is a significant milestone in support of Orbital ATK resuming cargo resupply service with the upgraded Antares launch vehicle to the International Space Station for NASA.

NASA Wallops looks to bump up drone traffic

Link to original article: http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2015/09/29/wallops-drone-flights/73029294/

WALLOPS ISLAND, Va. -- Drone technology may seem like the hot new thing.

At NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility? That’s sooo 20th century.

The spaceport’s original name in 1945, after all, was the Pilotless Aircraft Research Station. These days, officials with NASA and the Virginia Commercial Space Flight Authority are hoping to continue that tradition well into the 21st century with the construction of a longer airstrip dedicated to drone flights.

Governor McAuliffe Announces Agreement to Continue Operation of The Virginia Commercial Space Flight Authority

The Governor also announced a separate agreement to build a 3,000-foot runway for Unmanned Aircraft Systems

NORFOLK, Va. – Governor Terry McAuliffe announced today an agreement has been reached between the Commonwealth of Virginia and Orbital ATK regarding repair costs and insurance coverage following the October 2014 launch mishap that damaged portions of the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport (MARS).  The agreement provides funding to complete remaining repairs to the pad as well as property insurance for future launches.