PITTSBURGH \u2014 Senator Dave McCormick walked around Astrobotic\u2019s headquarters on the North Side with the company\u2019s CEO, John Thornton, on Monday.<\/p>\n
The senator said he believes the technology being made there could be beneficial for the Pittsburgh area.<\/p>\n
\u201cSpace offers enormous opportunity for the country and there\u2019s an enormous investment going in there, and Pennsylvania … is at the center of that,\u201d McCormick said.<\/p>\n
During his tour, he asked about Griffin: Astrobotic\u2019s lunar lander. They\u2019re targeting the end of the year to land Griffin on the moon.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re going to be developing lunar infrastructure to put power on the Moon,\u201d Thornton said.<\/p>\n
Two years ago, Channel 11 spoke exclusively to Thornton shortly after Astrobotic\u2019s Peregrine launched and headed for the Moon\u2019s surface, but had to turn around and come back because it started losing propellant.<\/p>\n
PREVIOUS COVERAGE >>> Channel 11 speaks with Astrobotic CEO after Peregrine mission<\/a><\/p>\n Thornton said they\u2019d be using the successes and failures of that mission to develop Griffin.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m excited about what you\u2019re doing,\u201d McCormick said. \u201cThis kind of industry and this kind of growth is really critical for America, but it\u2019s also critical for Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania is uniquely positioned for this moment.\u201d<\/p>\n And today, McCormick said federal and state governments should want to help with that, not hinder.<\/p>\n \u201cI view my job as working with great business leaders and others in the public sector to make sure those building blocks exist. I think if those building blocks exist, Pennsylvania is going to thrive,\u201d McCormick said. <\/p>\n Download the FREE WPXI News app<\/a> for breaking news alerts.<\/p>\n Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook<\/a> and Twitter<\/a>. | Watch WPXI NOW<\/a><\/p>\n TOP STORIES FROM CHANNEL 11 NEWS <\/p>\n \u00a92026 Cox Media Group<\/p>\n