By Daniel Stefanski |
A coalition of Arizona lawmakers have set their eyes on space.
Three Arizona legislators recently transmitted a letter of commitment to the Southwest Regional Aerospace Innovation Alliance’s pending application to the National Science Foundation (NSF) “for funding to develop Yuma as the nation’s next commercial and industrial spaceport.” The lawmakers were State Representatives Justin Wilmeth and Michele Peña, and Senator Tim Dunn.
According to the press release issued by the coalition, the “creation of a Yuma-based spaceport would strengthen national security, boost economic growth, and drive advancements in space exploration, generat[ing] $2 billion in annual economic activity, create thousands of jobs, and establish a strategic hub for commercial space launches and innovation.”
In a statement that accompanied the announcement of the letter, Representative Wilmeth said, “With the new Trump administration prioritizing spaceflight and economic expansion, Arizona is ready to play a leading role. House Republicans urge state and federal officials to support the Alliance’s NSF application, ensuring long-term investment in space exploration and economic growth. Arizona has an opportunity to help drive American innovation and prosperity.”
Representative Peña added, “Yuma is the ideal location for the next spaceport, offering advantages unmatched by any costal alternative. With optimal weather, proximity to military and defense assets, pro-business policies, a skilled workforce, and exclusive launch directionality over the Sea of Cortex, it is the smartest and most efficient choice.”
Senator Dunn also weighed in, saying, “Yuma continues to be leaders in innovation. I ran the legislation several years ago and am proud to support this collaboration and encourage its selection.”
The letter highlights that Arizona passed HB 2423 in 2019 “to promote commercial space flight activities in Arizona ‘through the launch of stratospheric, suborbital and orbital missions’ and to ‘promote the creation of space infrastructure in Arizona to increase economic development.’”
The lawmakers also noted that just last year, the state legislature approved HB 2254 to “establish the Arizona Space Commission and Arizona Space Exploration and Aeronautics Research Fund to support the development of emerging technologies in human space flight, the development of a skilled labor workforce for commercial spaceflight and space commerce, and the development of infrastructure for establishing and maintaining a spaceport in Arizona.”
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
