Colorado Space Industry Profile
Colorado has one of the largest aerospace
economies in the nation. Home to the top-seven aerospace contractors, Colorado
companies are leading the nation's most notable space projects like Orion, the
Phoenix Mars Mission, the Kepler Mission, and Deep Impact.C
Colorado is well established in launch vehicle, spacecraft, and sensor production. With our deep knowledge-driven workforce, we also contribute heavily in the industries of ground control, navigation, remote sensing, and data dissemination. With this view to the horizon, Colorado's space entities are poised to capture their share of future projects.
World-Class Research Institutes and Laboratories
Extensive Federal funding produces outstanding research from organizations including the DoD, NASA, and National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). In fact, the University of Colorado (CU) is the single largest public recipient of NASA-sponsored research funding in the nation.
Large and Diverse Mix of Military Installations
Colorado is home to four military commands - the Air Force Space Command, the Army Space Command, the North American Defense Command (NORAD), and the U.S. Northern Command (USNORTHCOM). As the primary customers for space-based research, development, acquisition, and operations, these military commands form a solid foundation for future space-related growth.
Major Space Industry Corporate Presence
All of the nation's major space contractors base important operations in Colorado, including Ball Aerospace, Boeing, ITT Corporation, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon and United Launch Alliance.
Capable Small Space Technology Company and Supplier Base
More than 300 consulting, engineering, manufacturing, and supplier companies provide space-related products and services in Colorado.
Leading-Edge Space Technology
The state leads the nation in the number of remote sensing, imaging, and related cutting-edge industries. Colorado is also the nation's space imaging and geospatial information capitol. The country's leading space imaging companies - DigitalGlobe and GeoEye - are located in Colorado.
First-Class Workforce
Colorado residents are among the most educated in the country. Most college graduates remain in the state once hired by Colorado aerospace companies.
Strong Educational Emphasis on Space
The University of Colorado (CU) has graduated more astronauts than any other public university in the U.S. In 2004, Air Force Space Command (AFSPC) and CU signed an agreement establishing the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs (UCCS) as the lead university in the Space Education Consortium (SEC), and AFSPC activated the National Space Science & Technology Institute. The SEC and NSSTI complement each other to better support the education and training of space professi