1-1                          SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 476

        1-2           WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas is proud to honor

        1-3     Dr. Alex Ignatiev, Director of the Space Vacuum Epitaxy Center at the

        1-4     University of Houston, and Thomas D. Jones and Kenneth D. Cockrell,

        1-5     National Aeronautics and Space Administration astronauts for their

        1-6     invaluable work with our nation's space program; and

        1-7           WHEREAS, Professor of Physics and Chemistry at the

        1-8     University of Houston, Dr. Ignatiev has been with the university for

        1-9     over 20 years and was appointed to the position of director of the

       1-10     Space Vacuum Epitaxy Center in 1988; and

       1-11           WHEREAS, The Wake Shield Facility program, one of Dr. Ignatiev's

       1-12     main projects, has focused on the utilization of the vacuum of space

       1-13     for new thin film materials development; and

       1-14           WHEREAS, A native of Maryland, Thomas D. Jones is a 1977

       1-15     distinguished graduate of the United States Air Force Academy and

       1-16     earned a doctorate in planetary science from the University of

       1-17     Arizona; Dr. Jones became an astronaut in 1991 and has flown on

       1-18     successive flights of space shuttle Endeavour; during the space

       1-19     flight of STS-80, Dr. Jones released into and grappled from orbit

       1-20     the Wake Shield satellite, using Columbia's robot arm; and

       1-21           WHEREAS, Kenneth D. Cockrell is a native of Austin, Texas, and

       1-22     graduated with a bachelor of science degree in mechanical engineering

       1-23     from The University of Texas in 1972 before earning a master of

        2-1     science degree in aeronautical systems from the University of

        2-2     West Florida in 1974; a captain in the United States Naval Reserve,

        2-3     Kenneth Cockrell became an astronaut in 1991, flew on two space

        2-4     flights in 1995, and was assigned to command the third flight of the

        2-5     Wake Shield Facility aboard Columbia on STS-80 in late 1996; and

        2-6           WHEREAS, The long-term objectives of the Wake Shield Facility

        2-7     program are to commercialize the use of the space ultra-vacuum for

        2-8     the production of high value thin film semiconductor materials and

        2-9     devices for terrestrial and space use; the economic impact of the

       2-10     space thin film will greatly support Texas as a Space State and will

       2-11     significantly impact the burgeoning electronics industry in Texas;

       2-12     now, therefore, be it

       2-13           RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas,

       2-14     75th Legislature, hereby commend these remarkable individuals who

       2-15     have made such magnificent contributions to the NASA program and to

       2-16     the State of Texas.

       2-17                                                                   Brown

       2-18                                  ______________________________________

       2-19                                          President of the Senate

       2-20                                       I hereby certify that the above

       2-21                                  Resolution was adopted by the Senate

       2-22                                  on April 10, 1997.

       2-23                                  ______________________________________

       2-24                                          Secretary of the Senate

       2-25                                  ______________________________________

       2-26                                           Member, Texas Senate