Washington, D.C.– NASA’s Deputy Administrator, Lori Garver, will be the opening keynote speaker at the Next-Generation Suborbital Researchers Conference on February 18-20, 2010, at which scientists, engineers, educators, and vehicle developers will gather to discuss the research and education benefits of new commercial suborbital spacecraft.

The conference, co-organized by the Commercial Spaceflight Federation, the Universities Space Research Association (USRA), and the Southwest Research Institute (SwRI), will take place in Boulder, Colorado. Deputy Administrator Garver is scheduled to speak on the opening day of the conference on Thursday, February 18.

“We are honored to have Lori Garver keynote the Next-Generation Suborbital Researchers Conference,” said Bretton Alexander, President of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation. “The commercial spaceflight industry is excited to work with NASA and other government agencies to utilize new commercial vehicles for science, technology development, workforce development, and education. Companies such as Blue Origin, Masten Space Systems, Virgin Galactic, Armadillo Aerospace, and XCOR Aerospace are developing and testing suborbital vehicles that will enable exciting new scientific and research applications.”

Space scientist and lead conference organizer Dr. S. Alan Stern, chair of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation’s Suborbital Applications Researchers Group (SARG), stated, “The Next-Generation Suborbital Researchers Conference will mark a watershed moment in the growth of research and education applications for these new commercial spacecraft.” Stern, who also serves as Associate Vice President at the Southwest Research Institute, added, “Lori Garver will join an all-star lineup of speakers that includes Dr. Pete Worden, NASA Ames Research Center Director; Dr. George Nield, Associate Administrator of the FAA Office of Commercial Space Transportation; former NASA astronauts Rick Searfoss and Sam Durrance; and a multidisciplinary group of leading scientists, engineers, and educators. We encourage anyone with an interest in this growing new industry to come and join us in Boulder, Colorado next month.”

For more information and to register for the Next-Generation Suborbital Researchers Conference, visit http://www.lpi.usra.edu/meetings/nsrc2010/. A discount for early pre-registration is available through Friday, January 15, 2010.

Lori B. Garver has served as Deputy Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration since July 17, 2009. As deputy administrator, Garver is NASA’s second in command. She is responsible to the administrator for providing overall leadership, planning, and policy direction for the agency. Garver represents NASA to the Executive Office of the President, Congress, heads of government agencies, international organizations, and external organizations and communities. She also oversees the work of NASA’s functional offices, including the Office of the Chief Financial Officer, Office of General Counsel and Office of Strategic Communications.

About the Commercial Spaceflight Federation
The mission of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation (CSF) is to promote the development of commercial human spaceflight, pursue ever higher levels of safety, and share best practices and expertise throughout the industry. CSF member organizations include commercial spaceflight developers, operators, and spaceports. The Commercial Spaceflight Federation is governed by a board of directors, composed of the member companies’ CEO-level officers and entrepreneurs. For more information please visit http://www.commercialspaceflight.org or contact Executive Director John Gedmark at john@commercialspaceflight.org or at 202.349.1121.