Texas Governor Greg Abbott Reappoints Gwen Griffin to Space Commission Board

Austin, TX – Governor Greg Abbott reappointed Gwen Griffin to the TSC Board of Directors for a term set to expire on February 1, 2031. Ms. Griffin was initially appointed to the Board on March 26, 2024, and was unanimously elected Chair by her fellow Directors at their initial meeting on May 8, 2024.

Yesterday, the Texas Space Commission (TSC) Board of Directors (Board) held an open meeting in accordance with Section § 551.127 of the Texas Government Code. 

Stephanie Murphy, Chair of the Texas Aerospace Research & Space Economy Consortium (TARSEC) executive committee, provided an overview about the U.S. Department of Defense’s Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) program requirements. She highlighted that Texas space and launch-sector companies will soon need to demonstrate formal cybersecurity maturity when handling federal contract information and controlled unclassified information (CUI), as well as stressed that early compliance will enhance competitive positioning and fortify the state’s mission-critical infrastructure.

Following the Open Meeting, the Board convened in a Closed Meeting pursuant to TGC § 551.092 for matters pertaining to the DoD and NASA. 

“We must match Texas’ strengths with the nation’s most urgent space defense requirements,” said Gwen Griffin, Chair of the board of directors, “Awareness of the national security launch portfolio capacity allows us to identify shared infrastructure needs that will enable the state to support a system that is resilient, rapid, and operationally ready.”

In previous Open Meetings, the TSC Board has conditionally approved 22 projects with a combined total of $126 million in grants awarded.

About the Texas Space Commission
Established by the 88th Texas Legislature in 2023 through House Bill 3447, authored by Rep. Greg Bonnen, M.D., the Texas Space Commission advances innovation in the fields of space exploration and commercial aerospace to strengthen the state’s proven leadership across civil, commercial, and military domains. To date, the total appropriation made by the Legislature for the SEARF Trust is $450 million. Learn more

Contact
To submit a media inquiry to the Texas Space Commission, please send an email to TSCPressInquiries@space.texas.gov.