Opportunity is now to further grow the Texas space industry
Texas 2036 Policy Advisor Mitrah Avini thanked lawmakers in testimony last Thursday before the Senate Finance Committee for considering a request to make an additional appropriation to the Space Exploration and Aeronautics Research Fund (SEARF), the $150 million trust managed by the Texas Space Commission.
The fund, which was created along with the Texas Space Commission during the 88th Texas Legislature, is designed to help grow and advance the space industry in Texas. Replenishing that fund would help the Texas Space Commission continue to support the burgeoning Texas space ecosystem in the upcoming biennium.
“Since September, over 284 grant applications have been received by the Texas Space Commission, totaling over $3 billion in funding requests… Given the wide gulf between available grant funding and the overwhelming interest the Commission has received, Texas 2036 respectfully requests that the Legislature make another appropriation to the SEARF grant program.”
As part of her testimony, she also noted that the commercial space industry in Texas is vital to the state and nation’s growing concern for national security and homeland defense needs, with private industry increasingly partnering with NASA and Department of Defense (DoD) programs.
You can watch the full testimony HERE.