'A-TEAM' TO SEEK NASA WORK GOVERNOR FOLLOWING UP ON SUGGESTION FROM RUNNERS.

Byline: Jim Skeen Staff Writer

SACRAMENTO - At the urging of Antelope Valley's husband-and-wife state legislators, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has ordered the creation of a high-level team to look for ways to lure to California work on the nation's next manned spacecraft.

In a letter to state Sen. George Runner and Assemblywoman Sharon Runner, Schwarzenegger administration officials said an ``A-team (action team),'' led by California Space Authority officials, will pursue work on NASA's crew exploration vehicle.

``California will provide the winning NASA contract recipient with access to a highly trained workforce and options among existing and available facilities that can effectively meet the demands of world-class next-generation space vehicle manufacturing,'' said the letter, signed by Sunne Wright McPeak, secretary of the Business, Transportation and Housing Agency, and Victoria Bradshaw, secretary of the Labor and Workforce Development Agency.

In July, the Runners wrote Schwarzenegger urging him to form such a team to pursue work on the project, potentially worth $6.5 billion. The Runners envision the team working to clear away bureaucratic hurdles, actively promote California's advantages to aerospace companies, and evaluate whether specific policy changes are necessary.

The Runners believe that Air Force Plant 42, where the nation's space shuttle fleet was built, could handle work on the CEV.

``By the governor appointing an A-Team to work together with the goal of bringing aerospace projects like the crew exploration vehicle to California is critical to improving California's economy and to the Antelope Valley,'' George Runner said.

The Runners and their staff have held conference call meetings with state agencies and with Rep. Howard P. ``Buck'' McKeon, R-Santa Clarita, to solicit federal support.

``Developing the CEV is an exciting opportunity that could translate into more jobs and a boost to the economy for both the Antelope Valley and the entire state of California,'' Sharon Runner said.

The competition for the rights to develop the crew exploration vehicle is between Lockheed Martin Corp. and a partnership of Northrop Grumman Corp. and Boeing Co.

The two contracting teams are developing plans for the CEV that will first be used to put astronauts into orbit and then later taking people back to the moon.

NASA wants the CEV to be able to carry up to six astronauts into low- Earth orbit soon after the space shuttle fleet is retired in 2010.

The agency plans to select a single contractor to build the spacecraft in 2006.

Jim Skeen, [phone]

james.skeen(at)dailynews.com