H.R. No. 1167 R E S O L U T I O N 1-1 WHEREAS, With the success of the Wake Shield Facility 1-2 experiment aboard the space shuttle Discovery in February 1994, Dr. 1-3 Alex Ignatiev, director of the University of Houston Space Vacuum 1-4 Epitaxy Center (SVEC), has opened new frontiers in the commercial 1-5 utilization of space and the development of high technology 1-6 materials; and 1-7 WHEREAS, Established in 1986 as a NASA Center for the 1-8 Commercial Development of Space, SVEC united a consortium of 1-9 academic, industrial, and governmental institutions in the campaign 1-10 for space commercialization, and Dr. Ignatiev, a member of the 1-11 University of Houston faculty since 1974, was given the tremendous 1-12 challenge of directing SVEC's operations; and 1-13 WHEREAS, Since its inception, SVEC funding received from 1-14 NASA, the National Science Foundation, the Office of Naval 1-15 Research, and industry partners has totaled approximately $34.5 1-16 million, and this has had an enormous economic impact on the State 1-17 of Texas; and 1-18 WHEREAS, SVEC is now a major player in the field of science 1-19 and research, bringing great acclaim not only to the University of 1-20 Houston but to the city of Houston and the State of Texas as well; 1-21 under Dr. Ignatiev's capable leadership, the SVEC has heightened 1-22 the university's reputation in the international scientific 1-23 community, and the University of Houston has assumed its place in a 1-24 powerful league with other major research centers across the 2-1 country; and 2-2 WHEREAS, The Wake Shield Facility was developed by the SVEC 2-3 in partnership with Space Industries, Inc., and it was the first 2-4 NASA payload to come from the State of Texas; it consists of a 2-5 stainless steel disk measuring 12 feet in diameter that, while 2-6 traveling in orbit, should form in its wake a vacuum much better 2-7 than any achieved on earth, and this will provide an environment in 2-8 which high-quality thin film materials for the micro-electronics 2-9 and communications industries can be grown without contamination; 2-10 and 2-11 WHEREAS, Scientists are pleased with results from the first 2-12 Wake Shield Facility experiment, and they look forward to pursuing 2-13 this important research aboard three more shuttle flights, the next 2-14 of which is scheduled for July 1995; with a production cost of 2-15 about $13 million, far less than the $50-$100 million cost normally 2-16 expected for a NASA project, the Wake Shield Facility demonstrates 2-17 the feasibility of commercial ventures in space, and this has 2-18 opened up a new realm of scientific and industrial possibilities; 2-19 and 2-20 WHEREAS, The future of the Lone Star State will undoubtedly 2-21 be determined by our ability to keep pace with the rapidly changing 2-22 worlds of science and technology, and individuals such as Dr. 2-23 Ignatiev are ensuring that our state will remain on the cutting 2-24 edge of these important fields; his groundbreaking work at the 2-25 Space Vacuum Epitaxy Center will be of tremendous benefit to all 2-26 Texans, and he is indeed deserving of highest praise and 2-27 recognition for his vital work; now, therefore, be it 3-1 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the State of 3-2 Texas hereby honor Dr. Alex Ignatiev and his colleagues at the 3-3 University of Houston Space Vacuum Epitaxy Center for their 3-4 remarkable scientific advances and extend to them best wishes for 3-5 continued success in their work; and, be it further 3-6 RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be 3-7 prepared for Dr. Ignatiev as an expression of highest regard by the 3-8 House of Representatives of the State of Texas.