Vice President Mike Pence recently announced the updated membership of the National Space Council Users’ Advisory Group (UAG).
Pence, who chairs the National Space Council, announced that Governor Kay Ivey (R-AL) and United Launch Alliance (ULA) president and CEO Tory Bruno have each been nominated to new two-year terms.
Ivey and Bruno are original members of the UAG, which was formed by the White House in 2018.
Five new members have been appointed to the group, in addition to a slew of renominations.
This includes Eileen Drake, the president and chief executive of Aerojet Rocketdyne, becoming a new UAG member. Aerojet Rocketdyne has recently kickstarted major operations in Huntsville, which are continuing to expand. This has included moving the company’s production of large solid rocket motor casings to the Rocket City in December 2019.
RELATED: Aerojet Rocketdyne completes successful test of advanced large solid rocket motor
Further, James Taiclet, Jr., a member of the board of Lockheed Martin who will become president and CEO of the company on June 15, has replaced University of Alabama alumna Marillyn Hewson, who is stepping down as Lockheed president and CEO effective the same date.
Pence has previously called the members of the UAG “truly exceptional Americans — men and women who are committed to advancing and renewing American leadership in space.”
United Launch Alliance, which builds rockets at its world-class facility in Decatur, this past weekend completed its second mission for the U.S. Space Force. The Alabama rocket builder previously completed the newly-formed space agency’s first national security space mission in March. The latest launch was ULA’s 139th mission, during which it has enjoyed a 100% success rate. It was the 84th for an Atlas V rocket and the seventh in the 501 configuration.
Speaking at a Yellowhammer News Shapers event last year, ULA’s Bruno remarked, “I do build rockets here in Alabama, and I wouldn’t build them anywhere else.”
Governor Ivey has been a consistent champion for the state’s — and the country’s — aerospace industry.
In addition to Ivey’s leadership on the UAG, Lt. Governor Will Ainsworth (R-AL) currently chairs the Aerospace States Association.
Sean Ross is the editor of Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @sean_yhn
Don’t miss out! Subscribe today to have Alabama’s leading headlines delivered to your inbox.