Houston doesn't have a problem, and neither does the state of Texas.
After work last session by the Texas legislature, Governor Greg Abbott held a news conference at NASA to announce that Texas is stepping back in to the lead role of space exploration, after the creation of the Texas Space Commission.
In a live exchange with Houston based astronaut Loral O'Hara who was is currently on the ISS, Abbott said quote, "I want you to know that we are at NASA today, because this last year Texas and the state legislature passed a Texas Space Commission, where the state of Texas itself is going to take a more profound lead and involvement in advancing space exploration for the future."
As for the news conference itself, it was like a sci-fi flick seeing Governor Abbott sitting next to embattled TX House Speaker Dade Phelan. But the future of NASA and Texas remains bright.
"Texas will be the launchpad for Mars" Abbott said, "And as we look to the future of space, one thing is clear. Those who reach for the stars, do so from the lone star state, the great state of Texas."
“Since its very inception, NASA’s Johnson Space Center has been home to manned spaceflight, propelling Texas as the national leader in the U.S. space program,” said Governor Abbott. “It was at Rice University where President John F. Kennedy announced that the U.S. would put a man on the moon—not because it was easy, but because it was hard. Now, with the Texas Space Commission, our great state will have a group that is responsible for dreaming and achieving the next generation of human exploration in space. Texas is the launchpad for Mars, innovating the technology that will colonize humanity’s first new planet. As we look into the future of space, one thing is clear: those who reach for the stars do so from the great state of Texas. I look forward to working with the Texas Space Commission, and I thank the Texas Legislature for partnering with industry and higher education institutions to secure the future of Texas' robust space industry."
The Governor was joined at the announcement by Speaker Dade Phelan, Representative Greg Bonnen, Representative Dennis Paul, NASA's Johnson Space Center Director Vanessa Wyche, and other state and aerospace industry leaders. Prior to the announcement, the Governor toured NASA’s Mission Control Center and spoke with native Texan and NASA Astronaut Loral O'Hara via International Space Station feed.
The Texas Space Commission will work to strengthen Texas’ proven leadership in civil, commercial, and military aerospace activity by promoting innovation in the fields of space exploration and commercial aerospace opportunities, including the integration of space, aeronautics, and aviation industries into the Texas economy. The Commission is governed by a nine-member board of directors, who will also administer the legislatively created Space Exploration and Aeronautics Research Fund to provide grants to eligible entities.
TARSEC will independently identify research opportunities within this state that strengthen Texas’ proven leadership in civil, commercial, and military aerospace activity; enhance this state’s position in aeronautics research and development, astronautics, space commercialization, and space flight infrastructure; and boost the integration of space, aeronautics, astronautics, and aviation industries into the Texas economy. TARSEC is governed by an executive committee and will be composed of representatives of each higher education institution in the state, who will also provide funding and research recommendations to the Texas Space Commission.