Boeing Space Exploration Vice President and General Manager John Elbon, sixth from left, cuts the ribbon on the company’s new CTS-100 Starliner Simulator, which will be used to train for flights to the International Space Station. The CST-100 Starliner’s first crew flight test to the ISS is expected in 2017 and will be Boeing’s first commercial flight transporting humans to that destination. Joining him are, from left, La Porte Mayor Louis Rigby, Harris Country Tax Assessor Collector Mike Sullivan, NASA Astronaut Bob Behnken, Johnson Space Center Director Ellen Ochoa, U.S. Rep. Dr. Brian Babin, State Rep.Dennis Paul, Friendswood City Councilman and former Astronaut Mike Foreman, Houston City Councilman Dave Martin and Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership President Bob Mitchell.
New Chamber directors named
The Clear Lake Area Chamber has announced the newly elected members of its Board of Directors.
They are: Nicole Bellow, Smarter HR Solutions; Jonathan Cottrell, Martha Turner Sotheby’s International Realty; Teri Crawford, San Jacinto College; Rita Cunningham, Clear Lake Regional Medical Center; Sue Flannigan, Berkeley Eye Center; Chris Reed, Chris Reed Consulting; Wayne Rutledge, Rutledge Commercial Real Estate; and Katherine Walsh, Houston Methodist St. John Hospital.
La Porte plans Town Center
La Porte city officials and residents had two reasons to celebrate July 4 – the birthday of our country and the groundbreaking of their proposed 95-acre La Porte Town Center project.
The Center is expected to be a destination location offering families entertainment, children’s activities, educational museums, special events, sports and miniature golf. It will also feature restaurants, retail shops and office space.
Tenants already committed include Gilley’s Family Entertainment Center, Gilley’s Texas Roasters, Golf World, Fashion District, McCardell’s Pub, Locked and Loaded Arms and Hamburgers by Gourmet. A full service resort hotel and conference center also is planned to provide facilities for businesses meetings and conferences.
La Porte Town Center will be located near Sylvan Beach,along State Highway 146 adjacent to the Bay Forest Golf Course.
Barrios to support Boeing programs
Boeing has selected Barrios Technology to support the Houston-based International Space Station and Boeing’s commercial space programs under the Boeing Engineering and Technical Service Support program.
Barrios will focus its expertise on software development including the critical flight software used by NASA to support the ISS program and Boeing’s commercial space vehicle CST-100. “Barrios has performed as a sub-contractor to Boeing since 2004 providing engineering and integration services along with software development and testing. We are very pleased to have this opportunity to continue to be a valued supplier to The Boeing Co.,” Barrios Technology President Robert McAfoos said.
Barrios Technology is a woman-owned AS9100 certified engineering services company with expertise in aerospace engineering, space operations, scientific research, and technology solutions. Established and headquartered in Houston since 1980, Barrios provides services to NASA and the aerospace industry.
United to fly nonstop to Cuba
The U.S. Department of Transportation has tentatively awarded United Airlines nonstop flights to Cuba from Houston’s Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) and New York/Newark. Starting later this year, United will offer Saturday nonstop service between IAH and Havana’s Jose Marti International Airport.
