Ground Breaking Press Release

DASEF Breaks Ground on ITEC Center;
Permanent Statewide Facility Serves & Attracts

June 11, 2003 Ground will be broken Friday June 13, 2003 at the South Smyrna exit of Route 1 for the planned new $7.2 million Innovation Technology Exploration Center (ITEC) campus of the Delaware AeroSpace Education Foundation (DASEF).

Ceremonies hosted by DASEF President and CEO Dr. Stephanie M.G. Wright, will be at 2:30 p.m. At this time, speakers will include Senators Joe Biden and Tom Carper, Congressman Mike Castle, Representative Bruce Ennis and Commissioner David Burris.

The 40-acre ITEC site in northern Kent County is located adjacent to Route 1 at the South Smyrna exit, directly at the midpoint between Delawares Coastal attractions and its Northern Delaware attractions. DASEFs ITEC will share the total 89-acre site with Kent County Department of Parks and Recreation and is firmly committed to maintaining the grounds of ITEC in a complementary partnership.

DASEF, under the leadership of Dr. Wright, is creating a unique facility that will embody responsible use of technology, along with stewardship of our planet and its resources. It will demonstrate how technology plays a role in all aspects of exploration and preservation of the natural world and the universe.

Since 1989 DASEF has established itself as an innovative and progressive organization with the vision and resources required to link the science and technology of space with the education of youth, educators and the public. DASEF is pleased to have many partners that include Delaware's institutions of higher learning, Delaware Space Grant, Delaware Air National Guard, Dover AirForce Base, Department of Transportation, Delaware Parks and Recreation, corporate sponsors and the Civil Air Patrol.

ITECs first phase will include a 2,000 square foot energy state-of-the-art environmental outpost and observatory incorporating both active and passive solar strategies. The core of the outpost will be a solar house that was built by University of Delaware mechanical engineering students as a part of the National Solar Decathlon Program. It was donated by the University to the Delaware AeroSpace Education Foundation (DASEF) for their use at Big Oak Park.

Also included in Phase I is a 35,000 square foot education wing which will contain a contemporary museum with exhibits that feature technology, earth, planets, air, water and structures. Classrooms and an educator resource center facility will be located on the first and second floors. For those attending overnight academies and events at the center, dormitory spaces will be available on the third floor. These spaces will approximate the environment that one might experience aboard the International Space Station, complete with bunk beds and porthole-type exterior windows.

Nature walks, stream watch and a focus on indigenous plantings will integrate the grounds with the foundations state-of-the-art green construction. Key features of the outdoor experience will be a solar-powered sculpture by Charles Parks and the model rocket launching area integrated with wildflower fields.

The long-range plans for ITEC include an interactive simulation dome, which includes a 360 theater, planetarium and laser show capability. Parties and tour groups will enjoy ITECs catering service area, and visitors gift shop.

Through ITEC, Delawares tourism industry will find another attraction that will interest and attract visitors to the First State. ITEC will provide a facility that demonstrates the appreciation and understanding of our natural world and beyond and the integration of human ingenuity with the ecosystems of the Earth.

The Congressional delegation agrees that Delaware sets the standard when it comes to creating partnerships to strengthen our communities. As our interest in science and technology grows so will our desire to dream up innovative solutions. This center will be an invaluable resource. For further information, visit www.DASEF.org.

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