JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A Navy veteran and NASA astronaut reflected on the importance of the Space Coast to Florida’s economy and the future of space exploration.
This Week In Jacksonville: Business Edition
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Winston Scott’s journey to the stars began in the Navy, where he spent 27 years honing his skills as a pilot.
After being selected by NASA, he flew on two space shuttle missions, Endeavour and Columbia. One of his specialties was spacewalks.
“Jacksonville is like home for me because I was stationed here,” Scott said. “I spent three years at Naval Air Station Jacksonville at the depot as a production test pilot at the depot, flying A-7 and F-18s back in the day.”
Scott also discussed the increasing frequency of Kennedy Space Center launches, with projections exceeding 100 launches this year.
He believes that the Space Coast is crucial to Florida’s economy and the future of space exploration. He’s also excited about the possibility of NASA headquarters relocating to Florida.
“I think it’s a great idea for a number of reasons,” Scott said. “First and foremost, if you want to reduce the cost of space, one thing you can do is get the headquarters like a Washington, D.C.” Florida’s much more affordable than buildings and infrastructure. The Space Coast is where the launches all happen, so why wouldn’t you have your headquarters where all the action is."
As the conversation turned to the value of space exploration, Scott emphasized the tangible benefits that come from scientific advancements.
From satellite technology to advancements in agriculture and medicine, Scott believes that investment in space exploration is an investment in our future.
“The things that we learn from scientific exploration, including the space program, help us solve problems here on Earth,” Scott said.
He talked about how the science has benefited farmers.
“The things we learn in space help farmers to get higher yield out of their soil and growing their crops,” Scott said.
Winston Scott’s insights remind us that the pursuit of knowledge and discovery is a shared endeavor that can inspire generations to come. For more on this story and to hear the full interview with Scott, he is our guest on This Week in Jacksonville: Business Edition. The newest podcast episode comes out Thursday at 9 a.m.
