Justin Wilmeth Pushes for Expansion of Arizona's Commercial Space Industry

State Representative Justin Wilmeth (R-2) is calling for the expansion of Arizona's commercial space industry following the state's Space Commission hearing on Wednesday.

The Context

State Rep. Wilmeth noted that companies such as Northrop Grumman, Phantom Space, KinetX Aerospace, and Paragon Space Development have bases in the Grand Canyon State, while the University of Arizona and Arizona State have led NASA missions, including the collection of samples from the Bennu asteroid, the Psyche mission, and the camera investigation on the Perseverance Mars rover.

Additionally, State Rep. Wilmeth has introduced and sponsored legislation advancing the Space Commission's goals, including setting a deadline for its statewide five-year strategic plan to further bolster the industry.

What Wilmeth is Saying

"Arizona has spent decades helping America explore space. Now I want us to lead in the growing commercial space industry," the State Representative said in a press release. "We already have companies building satellites, developing rockets, and helping NASA carry out missions across the solar system. I've made this a priority in the Legislature because I want more of those businesses and jobs here in Arizona. Yuma and Sierra Vista are working toward commercial spaceports, and there's tremendous potential across the state. We need to make sure our laws and infrastructure encourage that growth and give companies a reason to invest here."

Other Space Endeavors

Earlier in October, Governor Katie Hobbs (D-AZ) convened the Arizona U.S. Space Academy Steering Committee in her bid to have the Grand Canyon State host the proposed United States Space Academy.

President Donald Trump issued an executive order to form a new service academy focused on space operations, especially as a training ground for NASA, and with Arizona already holding a sizeable space industry, Gov. Hobbs hopes to make the Grand Canyon State the new academy's host.

"Arizona is bringing together the state's pre-eminent leaders on space science and exploration, representing our world-class universities, industry partners, local communities, and the Arizona Space Commission to build a strong proposal for NASA," the Governor said. "Together, we are going to secure the US Space Academy for our state and continue Arizona's dominance in cutting-edge advanced manufacturing, aerospace and defense, and science and engineering."