Cocoa Beach Regional Chamber Leads Advocacy Effort for Human Space Exploration

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BREVARD COUNTY • COCOA BEACH, FLORIDA – The Cocoa Beach Regional Chamber of Commerce played a pivotal role in leading a collaborative initiative during Citizens for Space Exploration’s annual advocacy journey to Washington, DC.

Building on the triumph of its Second Annual “State of Space” event, the Chamber partnered with a diverse array of space-focused organizations to advocate for sustained funding for human space exploration.

Citizens for Space Exploration is a multi-state coalition comprising American taxpayers who ardently support the nation’s investment in human space exploration. Its membership encompasses private individuals, small business owners, students, educators, representatives from various industries, and local government officials.

Established in 1992 through the joint efforts of the Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership (TX), the Cocoa Beach Area Chamber of Commerce (FL), the Huntsville/Madison County Chamber of Commerce (AL), and the Partners for Stennis (MS and LA), Citizens has progressively expanded its influence.

Over time, it formed alliances with the Coalition for Space Exploration in 2005 and the Colorado Citizens for Space Exploration in 2014.

Each year, representatives from Citizens for Space Exploration converge in Washington, D.C. to engage with congressional members and staff, advocating for the multifaceted benefits of human space exploration.

These benefits encompass advancements in medical research, technological innovation, national security, economic growth, and the inspiration of future generations to pursue careers in STEM fields.

Heading the delegation from the Cocoa Beach Chamber was Brian Baluta of Lockheed Martin, serving as the 2024 Citizens for Space Exploration Trip Chair and Chair of the Chamber’s Space Council, alongside Cory Skeates, the Chamber’s Vice President of Community Development and staff liaison of the Chamber’s newly established Space Council.

Skeates’ team, comprised of Tom Palmer, retired Air Force and former Lockheed Martin executive, now CEO of WIE International, and Mackenzie Fravel, a Geology major at Florida State University, held meetings with 14 Congressional Offices, mainly from Florida, with additional engagements with members from Minnesota and New Jersey.

In total, this year’s trip had 286 congressional office appointments with approximately 90 citizen representatives attending from 25 different states around the country, including 30 university students.

Reflecting on the experience, Skeates stressed the significance of tailoring discussions with representatives, leveraging individual backgrounds and experiences to underscore the importance of NASA’s mission.

While Skeates brought insights from community and business development perspectives, Palmer contributed expertise from the military, government, and commercial space sectors, and Fravel shared firsthand examples of NASA’s impact on her academic pursuits and her enthusiasm for the industry’s future.

The team garnered unanimous support from members across the political spectrum regarding the necessity of continuing to fund space exploration. However, as Joe Mayer, Past Chair of Citizens for Space Exploration, highlighted, the primary risks and opportunities in America’s leadership in space exploration are primarily political rather than technical, necessitating ongoing advocacy and engagement.

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