The newly established Florida Space Institute–a partnership between the Spaceport Florida Authority (SFA), several local universities and the NASA-sponsored Florida Space Grant Consortium–announced this month it won a $500,000 grant from the Defense Department to design a small satellite to test laser communications technologies. Florida universities will build the "Photon" payload with assistance from SFA and project sponsor Boeing Corp. [BA], although the project awaits additional funds. The project will be based at Cape Canaveral, with facilities and other support provided by the U.S. Air Force’s 45th Space Wing, Boeing and the Spaceport Authority. (SFA, 407/868-6983.)