Mikulski's Role in Commercial Space Plan: "Critical" to the Delmarva Peninsula

How Does Wallops Island Figure Into Mikulski’s Decision on NASA’s Commercial Space Plan? is the question posed by space blogger Doug Messier on Parabolic Arc today.

Maryland Senator Barbara Mikulski will play a significant role in the future of the NASA Wallops Flight Facility, the commercial Mid-Atlantic Commercial Spaceport, the commercial future of Virginia's 'space island' and the future budget of the space agency more generally as chair of the powerful subcommittee of the US Senate appropriations committee yet to approve the Obama space budget.

The future economic growth of the Delmarva Peninsula is dependent upon her in the instant case. The Maryland Senator does have a keen interest in the future development of the spaceport as hundreds of space workers reside in her state and traverse Highway 13 every work day to the NASA Wallops Flight Facility just, 10-miles across the stateline into sister state Virginia. Mikulski's role will be "critical." Jeff Foust at SpacePolitics provides more on the recent Senate subcommittee hearing.