Powerful Partnerships and Leadership in Emerging Areas Continue To

UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO BOULDER LEEDS SCHOOL OF BUSINESS

A publication of the Business Research Division Volume 87, Number 2, 2021 Powerful Partnerships and Leadership in Emerging Areas Continue to Grow CU’s Impact on Aerospace IN THIS ISSUE PAGE 1 Powerful Partnerships and Leadership in Mark Kennedy Emerging Areas Continue to Crow CU’s Impact on Aerospace PAGE 3 To Drive a Strong Economy, Shoot for the Stars PAGE 6 Over 70 Years of LASP Growth Fuels Space Exploration PAGE 9 Now is the Time to Push Further PAGE 11 Educating Aerospace Leaders in the Ann and H.J. Smead Department of Aerospace Engineering Sciences PAGE 14 Colorado’s Aerospace Industry: The Supporting Ecosystem PAGE 19 In Pursuit of Winning U.S. Space Command PAGE 21 Streamlining External Engagement PAGE 22 Colorado: The Epicenter of National Security Space Capability PAGE 24 Lockheed Martin: How Our Colorado Footprint is Shaping the Future of Space PAGE 26 Center for National Security Initiatives – Building from Fundamental Research Capabilities to Applications in the Aerospace Defense Sector PAGE 28 Sierra Nevada Corporation in Colorado: Committed to Colorado in Air and Space ULA Delta IV rocket liftoff, carrying the GPS III SV-2 mission for the U.S. Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center. Photo courtesy of United Launch Alliance. PAGE 30 Leeds and Smead Collaborate on a Space Sustainability Initiative

Given my last name, my lifelong television. In the coming days, tributes to Each space launch I watched with my fascination with space exploration may JFK poured forth celebrating his legacy classmates in our elementary school have been preordained. and leadership, including his significant cafeteria further fueled my fixation on One of my earliest memories is watching expansion of the U.S. space program space. One of my first family vacations news coverage of John F. Kennedy’s and his famous call to land a man on the assassination, my large family huddled moon before the end of the 1960s. around our diminutive black and white FROM THE EDITOR

The aerospace industry is an economic driver in the state of Colorado, employing thousands of workers, performing research that leads to scientific and commercial discoveries, and providing CU President Mark Kennedy, second from left, poses with CU and LASP leadership during technological solutions that impact a tour of CU Boulder’s Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP) on July 1, our everyday lives. This issue of the 2019, Kennedy’s first official day on the job. From left, CU Boulder Chancellor Phil DiStefano; Kennedy; Debbie Kennedy, Mark’s wife; LASP director Dan Baker; Vice Chancellor for focuses on Colorado Business Review Research & Innovation Terri Fiez, and Provost Russell Moore. (Photo by Glenn Asakawa/ the aerospace industry with articles University of Colorado) written by business and education leaders. The publication describes outside my native state of Minnesota education, research, and discovery: Our the expertise of some of Colorado’s included a visit to the Kennedy Space campuses have 20 affiliate astronauts leading aerospace companies; the Center. My younger brother was named who have served on the earliest Mercury focus of some of the key educational after Neil Armstrong. missions, the space shuttle program, programs in the state; and the nexus Moving beyond these anecdotes, JFK’s and the International Space Station; CU vision and challenge to our nation to be between government, the universities, Boulder is number 1 in NASA funding a leader in space has resonated with me among U.S. public universities; and its and the private sector. over the course of my life. Increasingly, graduate and undergraduate aerospace I believe our country’s freedom and engineering programs rank in the nation’s democratic ideals hinge on retaining our top 10. Additionally, CU Boulder offers a Our next issue will present a midyear innovative edge, which, in turn, hinges space minor to students from any major economic update. Look for it in July on our activities in space. The extent to with an over-arching background in all in your inbox. which we continue to research, explore, aspects of space – especially the ways discover, and secure space will define in which it has transformed how we our future. The University of Colorado communicate, receive news, engage in has long contributed to these efforts and Please contact me directly at commerce, and address issues critical to helped drive Colorado’s robust aerospace our future. 303-492-1147 with any industry by meeting its research and CU Boulder’s Laboratory for comments or questions. workforce needs. Our impact continues Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP) to grow thanks to powerful partnerships has been active in space for more than —Richard Wobbekind and leadership in emerging areas. 70 years and has designed instruments for nearly 20 key space missions. As the The Place for Aerospace and More only university-based Mission Operations CU is well established as the place to & Data Systems center that trains and be for anyone interested in aerospace certifies undergraduates to perform continued on back page... 2 COLORADO BUSINESS REVIEW To Drive a Strong Economy, Shoot for the Stars Amy Guttmann

The nation’s next-generation GPS satellites are built by Lockheed Martin at the company’s GPS III processing facility in Colorado. Photo courtesy of Lockheed Martin.

When it comes to building a strong Corporation (EDC) began tracking certainly grown to critical mass—placing economy, Colorado has proven it has the aerospace data back in 2004. us second only to California in the size of right stuff. For several years running, U.S. “Colorado’s aerospace industry is our aerospace economy. News & World Report has ranked our regarded nationally and internationally as The 33,460 private aerospace economy top in the nation. Despite a rise one of the brightest lights in this universe. employees span nearly 300 businesses, in unemployment in the fourth quarter of But closer to home, it may be one of covering the complete spectrum of 2020—mainly due to Covid’s impact on our best-kept secrets, economically products and systems for commercial, tourism, restaurants, and hospitality—our speaking,” said J. J. Ament, CEO of the military, and civil space applications. From economic foundation remains strong. And Metro Denver EDC, a nonprofit marketing prime contractors to startups, the wide when coupled with a lifestyle that is hard and business development engine that range of Colorado aerospace companies to beat, Colorado remains a magnet for works to attract and grow innovative is driving success and innovation, business and talent alike. companies and a talented workforce producing everything from planetary Further, the diversity of industries to Colorado. “The aerospace industry spacecraft, satellites, and launch working across the state is an important makes a tremendous impact that extends systems, to cutting-edge navigation driver of our success. Case in point: well beyond the people who work in it technology for GPS systems and satellite Colorado’s aerospace industry. It every day.” communication. The industry is made takes the top spot for employment up of companies large and small. In fact, concentration in the United States, with 30% Industry Growth … and Climbing 63% of Colorado’s aerospace companies over 33,000 people working across What started as a strategic site for have 10 or fewer employees. aerospace sectors—an all-time high since military air defense in the 1950s, the Our aerospace ecosystem is further the Metro Denver Economic Development Colorado aerospace industry has fueled by more than 200 space-related

COLORADO BUSINESS REVIEW 3 Aerospace Day at the Colorado Capitol 2020. Photo courtesy of ICOSA Media.

companies and suppliers, as well as a PRIVATE SECTOR AEROSPACE substantial national defense and civil Colorado United States PROFILE, 2020 space presence. The state is home to major space-related Department of Direct employment, 2020 33,460 384,270 Defense facilities and an incredible depth Number of direct companies, 2020 290 6,230 of NASA research and development One-year direct employment growth, 2019-2020 10.0% 3.7% activities. Five-year direct employment growth, 2015-2020 30.1% 18.4% With such robust activity in the Avg. annual direct employment growth, 2015-2020 5.4% 3.4% ecosystem, the Colorado aerospace Direct employment concentration 1.1% 0.2% industry continues to outpace growth % of companies with <10 employees 62.8% 64.9% in the United States overall, with employment up by 10% in 2020, Sources: Dun & Bradstreet, Inc., Hoover’s Online Database; Market Analysis Profile, compared to only 3.7% at the national 2015-2020; Development Research Partners. level. The average industry wage in Colorado is $142,990, with the industry contributing more than $4.3 billion to the state’s annual payroll. And while aerospace gains alone are impressive, the industry workforce supports an additional 170,340 jobs throughout Colorado, bringing direct and indirect employment to 232,610 workers. 4 COLORADO BUSINESS REVIEW “The aerospace industry has cemented itself as a key driver of our economy. And better yet, it’s offered stability to families across Colorado, especially when faced with a year of such uncertainty,” said Vicky Lea, Director of the Aerospace & Aviation Industry for the Metro Denver EDC, which houses the Colorado Space Coalition. A group of industry stakeholders who work to support and further advance Colorado’s aerospace industry, the Space Coalition’s mission centers on business recruitment and retention, industry promotion, and legislative advocacy efforts. Blue Canyon Technologies technician examines a reaction wheel board. Photo courtesy of Blue Canyon Technologies. Building a Stellar Global Hub for Interstellar Work funding in the country. Metro State • Lockheed Martin Space received a In recent years, Colorado has attracted University of Denver houses multiple $473.8 million contract for the U.S. its share of attention as aerospace disciplines to answer the industry’s Navy’s Trident II nuclear missiles companies from across the United advanced manufacturing needs. The through 2026. Nearly 80% of the States and beyond have sought to join Colorado School of Mines’ Space work will be based in Jefferson our orbit. Industry insiders frequently Resources Program is the world’s first County. reference the unique “center of gravity” multidisciplinary graduate program in the • U.S. Space Force added $378 that pulls in both aerospace talent and developing field of space resources, and million for Raytheon Technologies those companies looking to relocate to Colorado State University’s Cooperative Corp. to shift its hardware provider the state. Institute for Research in the Atmosphere for its Colorado-based global In 2020, Japanese aerospace company is a unique partnership with the National positioning systems contract. ispace U.S. Technologies chose to Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration “These wins continue to position our establish its headquarters in Metro (NOAA), in the field of climate research. state as a leader in aerospace,” said Denver as it works to develop a lunar “Colorado’s incredible higher Michael Gass, Colorado Space Coalition lander and establish industries on the education institutions, paired with co-chair and retired president and CEO moon. Luxembourg-headquartered Kleos strong industry partnerships, help build of United Launch Alliance. “But they also Space S.A. also announced plans to a quality pipeline of talent who continue show the long commitment the state has open its principal U.S. engineering office to feed the success of our industry,” had to building a strong foundation to in the region, creating up to 100 new said Dr. Ron Sega, a co-chair of the foster and grow this impactful industry.” jobs. Metro Denver EDC’s Colorado Space Colorado is continuing to position itself Their main reasons for relocation? The Coalition, a former astronaut, and a for success. From the addition of the access to exceptional talent. leader in developing systems engineering Colorado Air and Space Port in Adams “There were a variety of factors for us, curriculum in collaboration with industry County to the Aerospace Corporation’s but one of the things that stood out was and universities across the state. new $100 million state-of-the-art research the accessibility of engineers. There’s a and development facility in Colorado lot engineering talent here,” ispace U.S. Resilient and Ready for 2021 … Springs, leaders are optimistic about CEO Kyle Acierno told CNBC following and Beyond the continued growth and impact of the company’s announcement last Colorado’s aerospace industry has aerospace. November. proven to be resilient in the face of the “The sky is never the limit for aerospace Colorado’s education system is ripe pandemic, with many existing projects in Colorado,” Lea said. “We’re coming with degree programs that support deemed critical to national defense. New into 2021 with plenty of momentum and aerospace, providing the industry with an contracts awarded in 2020 included: the ambition to keep aiming higher.” exceptional talent pipeline. For example, • U.S. Space Force selected United the University of Colorado Boulder and Launch Alliance and SpaceX to Amy Guttmann is Director of Marketing the U.S. Air Force Academy offer two launch national security satellites & Brand Strategy at the Metro Denver of the top-10 programs for aerospace for the U.S. military and intelligence EDC. She may be reached at engineering. CU Boulder is also the agencies for five years. [email protected]. top public university for NASA research COLORADO BUSINESS REVIEW 5 Over 70 Years of LASP Growth Fuels Space Exploration Daniel Baker

More than seven decades have taken the University of Colorado from its first exploratory rocket measurements of Earth’s upper atmosphere to amazing investigations of every planet in the solar system—and beyond. From its fledgling start as CU’s Upper Air Laboratory in 1948 through its transition to the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP) in 1960, the institute has been notable among research university labs as a leader in space exploration through cutting-edge observations, engineering, mission operations, and data analysis. As Historical photos of LASP’s beginnings as the CU Upper Air Laboratory. Photo courtesy a result, CU Boulder and LASP have led of LASP (1948). the way to a deeper understanding of the Sun, Earth, and solar system dynamics that informs global socioeconomic challenges such as climate change and space weather effects on our technical infrastructure. Today, LASP builds upon a legacy of forefront space missions to pursue the frontiers of modern space exploration and to expand humans’ capability to address the unknown. At any given time, multiple research endeavors are underway including conceptual studies, balloon flights, sounding rockets, small satellites, instruments, and medium-size autonomous spacecraft. All this is achieved with the involvement of local, Photo courtesy of LASP (1948). national, and international partners. On February 9, LASP marked a collaborative milestone when the Emirates Mars Mission (EMM) spacecraft, Hope, achieved orbit around Mars, the Emirates Mars Mission program personnel install a solar array on the Hope Probe at the culmination of a first-of-its-kind science University of Colorado LASP clean room in Boulder, CO. Photo courtesy of and engineering partnership between Emirates Mars Mission. LASP and the United Arab Emirates. Science drives LASP. With a focus on our own solar system—including solar physics and influences, astrophysics, atmospheric studies, planetary sciences, and space physics—LASP services both 6 COLORADO BUSINESS REVIEW the experimental and theoretical aspects of science research. The expertise of LASP engineers spans generations. The depth of the staff’s technical proficiency and organization mirror those of a medium-size aerospace company (with more than 600 employees). Faculty, staff, and students are experienced and trained to create, develop, operate, assess, and support every aspect of a space mission. LASP is the only university institute to encompass the full cycle of space research from inception to completion by virtue of its collaborative workforce: • Scientists are extensively involved in mission and instrument design to answer key research questions; • Engineers and facility staff support the design and manufacture of LASP mission operators currently manage the day-to-day mission and science operations for spacecraft and instrumentation in two satellites and more than 140 space science instruments. Photo courtesy of LASP. support of the science goals; • Operators manage the day-to-day mission and scientific operations for numerous spacecraft and instruments—LASP is one of only a few university-based mission operations centers in the world; and • Data systems personnel ensure the delivery of scientific data to scientists and the public, continuing the cycle of space exploration. This intimate collaboration of scientists, engineers, and operators maximizes scientific return. LASP is committed to educating the next generation of space professionals. The lab is exceptional among university- based space institutes in the quantity and quality of jobs performed by over 140 LASP’s in-house engineers and facilities support the design and manufacturing of scientific student employees. Since the laboratory’s instrumentation for space missions. Photo courtesy of LASP. inception, scientists and research professionals have worked side-by-side with CU students throughout entire missions. Students have made significant contributions to missions and projects including the Solar Mesosphere Explorer (SME), the first NASA mission to be operated by students; the Student Nitric Oxide Explorer (SNOE), a full spacecraft designed, built, tested, and integrated by students; and the Student Dust Counter

COLORADO BUSINESS REVIEW 7 (SDC), the first student-built payload to fly routinely partners with other universities, on a NASA interplanetary mission. LASP’s the private sector, and international undergraduate and graduate students entities through contracts and grants as work in all areas including Science, a prime contractor, sub-contractor, or Mission Operations & Data Systems, vendor on multimillion-dollar missions. Engineering, and Administration. Their Several successful companies have hands-on experience enables many been started by LASP personnel who work at NASA, the Jet Propulsion including Ball Aerospace and Blue Laboratory, SpaceX, and other aerospace Canyon Technologies. Former LASP sector companies to carry on the future students, scientists, and engineers are of space exploration. employed throughout the aerospace LASP is committed to building community in all aspects of government, innovative education and outreach commercial, academic, and international programs that connect scientists and organizations. engineers with the public. Joining LASP has never been more forces with high-quality educational and comprehensive in its capabilities or deep scientific partners in Colorado and across in its expertise. A growing staff provides the country, the lab creates dynamic exceptional strength in numerous areas Earth and space science programs of engineering, program management, tailored to the unique needs of students, and support services. The entire LASP teachers, and the public. Based on “machine” is proven and ready to LASP’s unparalleled record of success pursue the new generation of challenges in designing and building space science brought about by the revolutionary instruments and end-to-end mission commercialization of the space sector. LASP mentors CU engineering students, providing hands-on, real-life experience to involvement, the lab’s education and As LASP ventures beyond the confines train the next generation of space professions. outreach efforts bring the excitement of of our solar system and focuses on new Photo courtesy of LASP. space exploration to a wide variety of approaches to better understand our audiences. home planet, the lab will become an All this is made possible through the even more capable and innovative force integral relationship LASP has with the for good in the emerging realm of New space community as a whole. LASP Space. personnel participate in, and take leadership roles on, national advisory Daniel Baker is the Director of the committees, contributing to the definition Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space of our nation’s space exploration Physics (LASP), Distinguished Professor priorities. In turn, LASP responds to of Planetary and Space Physics, and new opportunities through proposals the Moog-Broad Reach Endowed Chair for funding, which in 2020 accounted of Space Sciences at the University of for almost 32%, over $100 million Colorado Boulder. annually, of total CU research institute revenue. As an active member of the global space research community, LASP’s connections and relationships are enduring and productive. The lab

8 COLORADO BUSINESS REVIEW Now is the Time to Push Further U.S. Representative Ed Perlmutter

U.S. Representative Ed Perlmutter (pictured center in a dark gray suit) tours the SAS Manufacturing when it opened a new facility in Arvada in September 2017. Photo courtesy of SAS Manufacturing.

This past year has been anything but all of us is to explore the unknown once the Obama-Biden Administration to expected. Thanks to the COVID-19 again. support commercial development of key vaccine, we are finally turning the corner During the height of the pandemic, our capabilities for the ISS and enable NASA in combating this global pandemic aerospace programs proved once again to focus their human space exploration which has devastated our communities, their ability to inspire. On May 30, 2020, development efforts on the Moon and upended the lives of almost every SpaceX launched American astronauts Mars. American, and put millions of people from American soil for the first time On July 30, 2020, all attention was out of work. As we pick ourselves back since the Space Shuttle retired in 2011. I back on NASA as United Launch Alliance up and focus on the future, now is the watched this launch from my living room launched the Perseverance Rover to time to invest in scientific discovery and along with millions of Americans craving Mars. This was the result of years of advancing our exploration of the solar excitement and positivity. This successful planning, engineering, testing, and system. Our space programs have launch represented the first time the U.S. adaptation as the team learned how provided inspiration and aspiration since launched humans on a commercially to safely keep the launch on schedule President John Kennedy declared we built and operated spacecraft to the during the COVID-19 pandemic to meet would send our astronauts to the Moon International Space Station (ISS). This the once every 26-month launch window in 1961, and I believe a unifying goal for commercial crew program began under for missions to Mars. Six months later,

COLORADO BUSINESS REVIEW 9 on February 18, we all anxiously watched programs, which meet all of these use this as a learning and proving ground Perseverance land safely on the surface goals. Investing in aerospace will inspire for the technologies and skills required for of Mars. Perseverance is now beginning Americans and the next generation of Mars missions. We will also advance our its mission to continue searching for signs scientists and engineers who will open understanding of the Moon through the of life on Mars and preparing for human doors for new technologies and answer analysis of lunar resources and advancing exploration of the red planet. new questions we cannot even imagine NASA’s use of In-Situ Resource Utilization It is this ingenuity and excellence in today. which will support sustainable human engineering that gives me confidence We have never known exactly where space exploration. Colorado is already we can do anything we put our minds our space exploration will take us, but leading the charge on the utilization of to. Colorado aerospace companies the benefits we’ve seen on Earth from space resources through our institutes of include the best of the best as they our investment in exploration since higher education and leading aerospace have consistently met the challenges the Mercury Program 60 years ago companies. The use of resources in our country has for them. We have have been tremendous. The promise space both on the Moon and eventually big multinational companies, we have of scientific advancement in medicine, Mars will create new opportunities and established small- and medium-size research, engineering, and manufacturing improve our ability to understand and businesses specializing in certain through space exploration is exactly what explore the solar system. manufacturing or technologies, and we we need right now. Space exploration enjoys broad have startup companies with the right Space exploration is hard, and it bipartisan support in Congress. The idea for the right moment in time. We will require sustained investment from Biden administration has already pledged benefit from having the best mix of civilian Congress and continued ingenuity by the its support for the Artemis program and military aerospace companies all smart people at NASA, universities, and and continuing our space exploration leveraging their expertise for the mission the commercial space industry. Many missions. The job we have now is to work at hand. In Colorado, we truly do have people have seen my bumper sticker together to set ambitious and achievable it all. And these companies and the for human exploration of Mars – 2033: timelines and budgets for NASA that get thousands of aerospace workers adapted We CAN Do This. I have been using this us to the Moon and onto Mars quickly. this past year to work safely during a bumper sticker to generate support for These are smart investments in our pandemic to keep their programs on a simple message that we CAN do this future, and I am confident we can all work schedule. if we commit ourselves to this goal and together to do our part. Moving forward from this pandemic, have the foresight to plan and invest A mission of this magnitude is bigger we need to invest smartly in programs to wisely for the future. The time for that than any one person, community, state, support key national priorities, advance plan is now. or nation, and it is the aspirational and scientific progress, and create good- This plan starts with a successful inspirational medicine America and the paying jobs. Put simply, now is the time Artemis program to land the first woman world need to fully recover from the to invest in and expand our aerospace and the next man on the Moon so we can COVID-19 virus. I believe now is the time to move forward and look to the future.

Ed Perlmutter is the U.S. Representative for Colorado’s 7th Congressional District, encompassing Adams and Jefferson counties. In the 117th Congress, Ed serves on four committees in the House: Financial Services; Science, Space and Technology; Rules; and the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress.

10 COLORADO BUSINESS REVIEW Photo courtesy of Smead Aerospace Engineering Sciences, College of Engineering and Applied Science at the University of Colorado Boulder.

Educating Aerospace Leaders in the Ann and H.J. Smead Department of Aerospace Engineering Sciences Brian Argrow

Visit the Black Swift Technologies (BST) graduates from the Ann and H. J. Smead the emerging area of “unmanned aerial website and you will find in the company Department of Aerospace Engineering vehicles” (UAVs), now referred to as description: “…recognized for delivering Sciences at the University of Colorado unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), or just reliable, robust, and highly accurate Boulder. Ten years prior, BST founders drones. When asked to reflect on the unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) capable Jack Elston, Maciej Stachura, and Cory company’s 10-year journey, BST CEO of flying scientific payloads in demanding Dixon were undergraduates or still in Elston considers himself an example of atmospheric environments. …” A high school, while the American Institute how an entrepreneurial Smead Aerospace Boulder-based small business, BST was of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) graduate can couple personal drive and founded 10 years ago by a trio of PhD was organizing the first conferences in knowledge with mentoring and research

COLORADO BUSINESS REVIEW 11 Photo courtesy of Smead Aerospace Engineering Sciences, College of Engineering and Applied Science at the University of Colorado Boulder. experiences to establish a business challenge aerospace engineering In every core course, the unique hands- that not only enables him to pursue his educators and educational institutions. on Smead Aerospace undergraduate passion, but empowers him to contribute Curricula must continuously evolve to curriculum integrates theory and hands- to the local aerospace economy. balance the relatively slow changing on laboratory experiences with product The term aerospace first appeared in foundational math and science, with design. The curriculum culminates in the the 1950s, describing vehicles operating emerging topics that require shifting senior year with a year-long capstone in the Earth’s atmosphere and extending emphasis in engineering-science topics, project course where the seniors work to the new class of vehicles beginning to and greater shifts in skills and knowledge in product teams to design, build, test, operate in space outside the atmosphere. required to master the most important and verify a product prototype. Most of Since then, aerospace has evolved into tools for applications and designs. Even the projects are industry-funded, giving a much broader rubric, encompassing more challenging is to integrate changes prospective employers the opportunity the breadth of topics, subdisciplines, and constrained by a total number of credit to observe potential employees in action. technologies from aircraft and spacecraft hours that has not changed for several Recent graduate Nick Renninger (BS ‘19, to robotics and autonomous systems, decades. Smead Aerospace meets these MS ‘20) commented on his experience: and the software required for the challenges to ensure that a holder of a “I’m currently working at MITRE as an automation and emerging intelligence of Smead Aerospace degree is certified as Autonomous Systems / AI engineer. It’s aerospace vehicles and systems. prepared for the evolving demands of been quite an interesting time. The work Similar to GPS and smartphones, the aerospace industry, as well as other is mostly aligned with my grad thesis the emergence of drones exemplifies industries and research institutions. work, but I am so thankful for the breadth how disruptive technologies constantly and depth of knowledge I have from

12 COLORADO BUSINESS REVIEW Photo courtesy of Smead Aerospace Engineering Sciences, College of Engineering and Applied Science at the University of Colorado Boulder. undergrad (especially the senior project); When asked about her undergraduate temperature, and magnetic field testing so much of it is useful!” Relating to experience, Smead Aerospace junior on our chip scale atomic clock in order the breadth of the “aerospace rubric,” Caroline Dixon started by talking to characterize the stability of its clock Renninger also noted, “As an aside, I about her experience working in a signals and provide a baseline for the would also praise our ties with the CS Smead Aerospace research lab with flight experiment. In the near future, I /Applied Math departments. ... those CU Distinguished Professor Penny will be able to witness the results of our minors continue to be helpful. Having a Axelrad, an expert in GPS and related lab’s work being launched into orbit, and strong CS and math background helped technologies: “The Smead Aerospace that is incredibly exciting for all of us. My a ton going into grad school and into my undergraduate program has a work on the chip scale atomic clock flight past and current jobs!” rigorous and rewarding curriculum that experiment has shown me what I am The word is out and demand for the prepares students for their endeavors capable of and being able to meaningfully Smead Aerospace programs resulted in after graduation. In addition to my contribute to our lab team has increased a doubling of undergraduate enrollment undergraduate curriculum, I have the my self-esteem as both a student and from 560 in fall 2014 to 1,055 in fall privilege of working under Dr. Axelrad’s aerospace engineer.” 2020, while graduate student enrollments mentorship on the CONTACT (Colorado have increased from 130 MS and 127 Nanosat Atomic Clock Testbed) project. …” Brian Argrow is Professor and Chair of PhD students in 2014, to 308 and Dixon continued to talk about how Smead Aerospace Engineering Sciences 218, respectively, in fall 2020. These the curriculum, coupled with real-world and Director of IRISS in the College of enrollment increases have pushed research experience, is contributing to Engineering and Applied Science at the Smead Aerospace into the top-5 largest her development: “…the experience of University of Colorado Boulder. undergraduate and graduate aerospace working in Dr. Axelrad’s lab has been engineering programs in the country. The valuable for me because I am able to August 2019 opening of the Aerospace implement my undergraduate aerospace Engineering Science Building is a curriculum knowledge into a real-world testament to the CU Boulder investment aerospace engineering project. I am in a department consistently ranked conducting low earth orbit simulation, among the top-10 in the country.

COLORADO BUSINESS REVIEW 13 recently announced plans to relocate its Colorado’s Aerospace Industry: Strategic Systems Programs to Jefferson County from California, the only state currently ahead of Colorado in terms The Supporting Ecosystem of the size of its aerospace economy. Anna Sernka While defense put Colorado’s aerospace industry on the map, it is now fueled by major NASA programs, according to Jay With the nation’s second-largest Space Administration), have long- Lindell, a retired major general of the U.S. aerospace economy, it is reasonable to standing relationships with Colorado. Air Force. Colorado receives the third- wonder what about Colorado makes When the Cold War began, defense highest NASA funding of any state and it such an effective ecosystem for this leaders scrambled for a strategic the second-highest NASA funding per industry? The answer lies in a complex location and landed on Colorado, in capita. NASA additionally provides the web of interactions between government part because it was out of range for University of Colorado Boulder with more entities, commercial players, and enemy missiles being in the middle of the funding than any other public university, academic institutions. country. Today, nine out of the nation’s according to the National Science Government entities involved in space top 10 major defense contractors are in Foundation. In terms of Department of activity, like the Department of Defense Colorado. Understanding the benefits Defense funding per capita, Colorado and NASA (National Aeronautics and that Colorado has to offer, the U.S. Navy again outperforms and ranks ninth in the nation. The future of the Department of Defense and NASA in Colorado continue to look bright as their budgets have remained constant despite the recent economic downturn. Of the SBIR/STTR grants that are awarded nationally, 51% are distributed through the Department of Defense or NASA. In Colorado, however, this percentage is nearly 60%. The journey to space does not stop here—commercial players work in tandem with these government entities to support Colorado’s aerospace ecosystem. Industry leaders such as Ball Aerospace, Boeing, L3Harris, Lockheed Martin, Maxar Technologies, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon, Sierra Nevada Corporation, and United Launch Alliance attract contract work from the federal government, which funds approximately 80% of the industry. State leadership is committed to attracting and retaining these businesses through a lax regulatory environment as well as single-factor taxes and a low corporate tax rate. In 2021, Colorado’s corporate income tax rate is 4.55%. Only nine other states have tax rates at or below 5%. The presence of these large players in aerospace makes it easy to forget that the majority of aerospace firms, 64.5%, have 10 or fewer employees. Startups and smaller firms often build specific elements for a project close in proximity to large

14 COLORADO BUSINESS REVIEW has the fifth-highest concentration (8.8% of the population) of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) jobs, following Virginia (9.1%), Massachusetts (9.1%), Washington (9.4%), and Maryland (9.6%). Attracting top talent is key to the aerospace industry’s success, and this initiative is supported by academic institutions that provide not only research but a steady pipeline of educated workers. Notable universities include the University of Colorado Boulder, which recently built an 180,000 square foot Aerospace Engineering Sciences Building and has faculty ranking in the top 8% nationally in research productivity. The U.S. Air Force Academy is currently ranked the top undergraduate program in aerospace engineering (where a doctoral is not offered) and hosts 20 research centers. Metro State University of Denver and Colorado State University created a dedicated Aerospace Engineering Science Building and a Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere, respectively. Colorado School of Mines built the first graduate program in space resources, and the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs is the Space Education Consortium’s lead university to educate future aerospace workers. Higher education R&D performance in Colorado reached almost $1.5 billion in 2018 (15th in the nation), with almost industry leaders, a mutually beneficial for the number of private aerospace half going toward Earth Sciences, arrangement. The relationships between jobs per capita. When including both Engineering, Physical Sciences, or Math large firms and startups proved to be so direct and indirect employment, close and Computer Sciences, according to the important that both Boeing and Airbus to 200,000 people work in aerospace in National Science Foundation. Colorado created venture capital funds in the late Colorado. On top of a high quality of life, also had almost 3.7 million square feet 2010s. In the Global Startup Ecosystem workers are drawn to the state due to of academic research space in 2017, a Report 2020 by Startup Genome, the aerospace wages that are 24.4% higher figure that has continued to grow since Denver-Boulder region ranked with than the national average. While the the time of study. There were also 14,100 the top 30 most successful startup average annual aerospace industry salary SEH (Science, Engineering, and Health) ecosystems in the world. There are even in the United States was $111,480 per graduate students in Colorado institutions more overlapping networks that enhance year, it reached $138,730 in Colorado in granting research-based degrees in 2018, the aerospace industry in Colorado— 2018. The starting salary in the aerospace the 15th-highest number in the nation. sectors like cyber and energy also play cluster is also far higher; compared Colorado outpaces the nation in its supporting roles in aerospace projects. to the average starting salary across engineering and science-based academic This unique environment draws not only all industries in Colorado of $35,540, offerings and research. Approximately businesses to Colorado, but workers as workers starting in the aerospace cluster 48% of the population 25 and older with well. According to a Metro Denver EDC received a starting salary of $59,800 in a bachelor’s degree or higher studied report, Colorado ranked first in the nation Colorado in 2018. Furthermore, Colorado science, engineering, or related fields

COLORADO BUSINESS REVIEW 15 AEROSPACE ECOSYSTEM 2021 A snapshot of aerospace activities and resources at CU Boulder and throughout Colorado.

ACCELERATORS Colorado Division of Aeronautics • Colorado Office of STATE Economic Development and International Trade • OEDIT Advanced Industries Accelerator Program • E-Space • GOVERNMENT Colorado Aerospace and Defense Caucus • Air Force Accelerator Powered by Techstars • Catalyst Campus • Colorado Aeronautical Board National Security Innovation Network

MILITARY ACADEMICS & SPECIALTY AREAS AT CU BOULDER North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) • U.S. Space Command (Provisional) • U.S. Northern Command • National Space Defense Ann and H.J. Smead Dept of Aerospace Engineering Sciences • Dept of Astrophysics Center • U.S. Space Force Space Operations Command • Buckley Air Force and Planetary Sciences • Dept of Applied Math • Dept of Atmospheric and Oceanic Base • Peterson Air Force Base • Schriever Air Force Base • Cheyenne Sciences • Dept of Electrical, Computer, and Energy Engineering • Paul M. Rady Mountain Air Force Station • Fort Carson Army Post Dept of Mechanical Engineering • Dept of Physics • Colorado Space Grant Consortium • Space Minor • Aerospace Ventures Earth & Space Sciences • Aerospace Engineering Systems • Space Weather Space Situational Awareness • LABS & RESEARCH Human and Robotic Exploration • Spacecraft Design • Instrument Development • Small Satellites • Astrodynamics • Position, Navigation, and Timing • Unmanned Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP) • Cooperative Institute for Research Aerial Systems • Bioastronautics Remote Sensing • RF and Electromagnetics • in the Environmental Sciences (CIRES) • Cooperative Institute for Research of the Optics and Photonics • Sounding Rockets • Hypersonics Atmosphere (CIRA) • JILA • Colorado Center for Astrodynamics Research (CCAR) • CLUBS: AIAA-CU Chapter • Boulder Astronomy & Space Society • CU Astronomy Research and Engineering Center for Unmanned Vehicles (RECUV) • BioServe Space Club • CU Robotics Club Technologies (BioServe) • Aerospace Mechanics Research Center (AMReC) • Integrated Remote and In-Situ Sensing (IRISS) • Space Weather Technology, Research, and Education Center (SWx TREC) • National Snow and Ice Data Center • National Solar Observatory • Earth Science and Observation Center • Cooperative Institute for Research of the Atmosphere • EXAMPLE INDUSTRY LEADERS National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) • High Altitude Observatory • National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Boulder • National Institute for Standards and Lockheed Martin • The Boeing Company • Northrop Grumman • L3Harris • Ball Technology • Center for National Security Initiatives (NSI) • CU Anschutz Center for Combat Aerospace • Sierra Nevada Corporation • Raytheon • General Atomics • Maxar • Medicine and Battlefield (COMBAT) Research • TAP Lab • UNAVCO United Launch Alliance • Leidos • Blue Canyon Technologies • Red Canyon Engineering • Astra • SPIRE Manufacturing • SEAKR Engineering • Advanced Space • Orbital Microsystems • York Space Systems • Advanced Space • NONPROFITS Capella Space • CACI • Honeywell • Custom Microwave Inc. • DSoft Technology, Engineering & Analysis, Inc. • Jacobs • Parsons Corporation

Colorado Space Business Roundtable • Colorado Space Coalition • Space Foundation • Colorado Chapter for Citizens for Space Exploration • Aerospace States Association • CO-LABS • AIAA—Rocky Mountain Chapter • Wings Over the Rockies • Aerospace EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS Corporation • Space Information Sharing and Analysis Center (Space ISAC) • National Cybersecurity Center (NCC) • Rocky Mountain Section of the American Astronautical Society (AAS) • SRI International • The MITRE Corporation • Space Force Association • U.S. Air Force Academy • University of Colorado Anschutz Medical National Defense Industrial Association—Rocky Mountain Chapter • Air Force Campus • University of Colorado Boulder • University of Colorado Association—Lance P. Sijan Chapter • Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Colorado Springs • University of Colorado Denver • Colorado School of Association (AFCEA)—Rocky Mountain Chapter Mines • Colorado State University • Metropolitan State University Denver

16 COLORADO BUSINESS REVIEW AEROSPACE ECOSYSTEM 2021 A snapshot of aerospace activities and resources at CU Boulder and throughout Colorado.

COLORADO BUSINESS REVIEW 17 25 and older has a bachelor’s degree or higher, a figure that is 3.5 percentage points higher than the overall state. Within this region, Boulder and Douglas counties have the highest levels of educational attainment with 64.8% and 58.1% of the population 25 and over having a bachelor’s degree or higher, respectively. Colorado also has a higher concentration of its 25 and over population with a graduate or professional degree (16%), compared to the national rate of 12.8%. The ability to select workers from a talented pool is just another element that adds to the viability of Colorado’s aerospace industry. It would be impossible to pinpoint the industry’s success on one thing, as it draws support from a wide range of players in the realm of government entities, commercial players, and academic institutions that interact in a way that is unique to Colorado.

Anna Sernka is a Student Research Assistant with the BRD. She may be contacted at [email protected].

Photo by Casey A. Cass/CU Boulder.

in Colorado, compared to the national In addition, Metro Denver EDC rate of approximately 45% in 2019. identified a nine-county region where Additionally, Colorado outperforms the a significant amount of Colorado’s key nation in the percentage of the population aerospace activities take place (Adams, 25 and older with a bachelor’s degree or Arapahoe, Boulder, Broomfield, Denver, higher in any field at 43%, compared to Douglas, Jefferson, Larimer, and Weld the national rate of 33% in 2019. counties). Here, 46.5% of the population

18 COLORADO BUSINESS REVIEW In Pursuit of Winning U.S. Space Command Reggie Ash

The Boeing Wideband Gapfiller Satellite is part of the Defense Satellite Communications system controlled at Schriever AFB, under the command of U.S. Space Command, as are all military satellites. Image courtesy of the Boeing Company.

Over two years ago, the Colorado have long been considered the that are leaders in creating innovative Springs Chamber & EDC embarked epicenter of national security space. military space technologies. Catalyst on the Winning U.S. Space Command (“National security space” is a term that Campus, a collaborative ecosystem campaign to permanently house the differentiates the use of space for military where entrepreneurs and venture capital command at Peterson Air Force Base and intelligence purposes, rather than intersect with aerospace and defense (AFB). Space Command holds great the commercial endeavors more closely industry to create community, spark economic impact opportunities for our linked to NASA and private enterprise.) innovation and stimulate business community and state, and it bolsters Since 1982, Peterson AFB has been growth. The Space Foundation, our identity as the epicenter of national home to the Department of Defense’s headquartered in Colorado Springs, is security space. While the campaign has (DoD) senior space official, which has the international leader advocating for taken twists and turns, and some bumps alternately been the commanders of the space industry through education, in the road, the on-going campaign has Air Force Space Command and U.S. information, and collaboration. They also achieved some mid-course goals. Space Command. Yes, Space Command host the world’s largest space industry The economic impact of Space existed previously, calling Peterson symposium annually at The Broadmoor. Command proves this is a valuable AFB home from 1985 to 2002, when it It is no surprise Colorado has the largest pursuit. According to the Colorado was disbanded to create U.S. Northern concentration of aerospace employees in Space Coalition, the direct impact from Command focusing on defense of the country, in large part due to the talent Space Command’s 1,400 high-paying the homeland. President Trump re- pipeline created by a great university jobs is over $450 million. When including established Space Command at Peterson system. the multiplier effect of local purchases AFB in August 2019. The Colorado Springs Chamber & (direct and indirect), the economic impact We earn the label of the epicenter of EDC began our campaign when the Air grows to over $1 billion. Additionally, the national security space not just because Force, the Executive Agent for space, headquarters would include a military of a military headquarters. Colorado began their typical basing process, construction project approaching has a significant preponderance of the designed to exclude outside influence. $1 billion. Furthermore, combatant Space Force’s operational units, including Despite the intent of isolation, politics commands are often magnets for the eight of nine Space Deltas, and the can potentially creep into basing defense and aerospace industry leading Space Force’s new Space Operations decisions. So, the Chamber & EDC led to accelerated growth. Command. Colorado is home to over 500 the community, generating advocacy Colorado and Colorado Springs space-related companies and suppliers COLORADO BUSINESS REVIEW 19 details were confirmed by a senior White House official in the Trump administration. The Colorado Springs Chamber & EDC continues to lead the Winning U.S. Space Command campaign, working closely with our elected leaders at all levels, especially with Governor Polis and our Congressional delegation. We are already seeing strong indications of support from members of Congress representing other states. At the request of Rep. Cooper (D-TN) and Rep. Garamendi (D-CA), the Office of the DoD Inspector General announced on February 19, that it has begun to review the basis for selecting Huntsville, Alabama, and the Government Accountability Office recently announced they will review the process, as requested by our Congressman Doug Lamborn. The Peterson-Schriever Garrison is home to preponderance of the DOD’s operational space In the meantime, the Chamber & EDC, assets, including the National Space Defense Center, and 8 of 9 Space Deltas. Photo courtesy our elected leaders, and our partners of the Colorado Springs Chamber and EDC. throughout the state are asking the Biden administration to suspend all action letters from a variety of elected leaders, D.C.-insiders and valuable insights to move the headquarters, review the and proclamations from our Board of into the White House decision-making process to determine the best advice of County Commissioners and City Council. process. They also helped us promote senior military leaders in both 2019 and During that first basing process, there Colorado’s defense and aerospace 2021, and finally remove politics from the were six finalists, four of which were economy, so decision makers in D.C. decision. in Colorado. Florida’s Congressional would recognize Colorado as the only Washington, D.C. is likely to see lean delegation was not pleased to learn that logical place for Space Command. budgets in the next few years due to the they were not considered a finalist, even The parameters of the new process pandemic. Spending money to move though the vast majority of their space lacked transparency and did not allow for Space Command, especially when its industry is in the commercial sector. As collaboration between communities and current headquarters is being renovated Congressman Waltz noted in a December their installations. Additionally, the data to house the command, is fiscally 2020 interview on Florida’s Spectrum they collected was suspect. For example, irresponsible. The Biden administration News, the Florida delegation, including in rating the schools where Space should reconsider the Trump Gov DeSantis, takes credit for changing Command families would send their administration’s decision to move the the basing process to be more favorable children, the Air Force included schools a combatant command out of its current to Florida. Marina Koren noted a January 90-minute drive from Peterson AFB. That facility, which was not an option under the 2021 article in The Atlantic that Colorado is just one example of numerous flaws, recently completed process. was the original recommended site. which are likely due to Secretary Esper The basing process has been long and Once the Florida delegation convinced directing a unique process specifically resource-intensive, but it is a worthwhile, President Trump to change the process, for this basing decision. Despite those valuable campaign. Our national security the Air Force created a raw competition, flaws, on January 11, 2021, Secretary and our federal budget deserve a pitting communities against each other of the Air Force Barbara Barrett went decision based on military leaders’ best under renewed and reinvigorated to the White House and recommended advice rather than presidential politics. oversight by the White House. This is a Peterson AFB as the permanent home of The Chamber & EDC will continue to highly unusual and seemingly political way U.S. Space Command. President Trump work with our elected leaders to ensure to conduct a basing decision process wanted the headquarters in Florida, Space Command’s critical mission is intended to put U.S. national security but his staff convinced him to at least not interrupted and the headquarters first. In late 2019, we recognized the pick the “red” state that was in second remains here. direct impact of presidential politics. We place: Alabama. Once the decision was changed gears in our campaign, hiring made, the Air Force needed to support Reggie Ash is the Chief Defense consultants with D.C.-based political the Commander-in-Chief’s decision, and Development Officer at the Colorado expertise who provided access to they have defended the decision. These Springs Chamber & EDC. 20 COLORADO BUSINESS REVIEW Streamlining External Engagement George Hatcher

Hypersonics. Space Domain companies, that make Colorado such an includes activities like pursuing joint Awareness. Autonomous Systems. Just important destination for all things space. research projects, investing in faculty a few of the innovations that require As industry continues to innovate and research and development, and access strategic partnerships between industry become more agile to meet the needs to workforce development events. and academia to advance the capabilities of the aerospace ecosystem, so is CU For more information, or if you of the growing aerospace and defense Boulder. In close collaboration with our are a company looking to engage ecosystem. industry partners, in 2020, CU Boulder with CU Boulder in the areas of With Colorado being the #1 aerospace established the Industry & Foundation aerospace and defense, technology, economy per capita, the University Relations (IFR) team to maximize its sustainability, biosciences, innovation and of Colorado Boulder (CU Boulder) industry and foundation relationships. The entrepreneurship, and a number of other is positioned to lead in these areas, IFR team serves as the central conduit themes, please visit the IFR landing page: amongst many others, while training the for engaging with CU Boulder, while https://www.colorado.edu/industry/ next generation workforce. Designated providing a holistic, cross-campus view about-us. as an R1 research university with world- of the university’s top priorities. Centered class faculty, CU Boulder is actively around key themes for the university, George Hatcher is Senior Managing engaged in cutting edge research that this model allows companies to tap into Director of Industry Relations at the prepares students to meet the evolving CU Boulder quickly, matching internal University of Colorado Boulder. He demands of today’s challenges while and external expertise and needs, and may be reached at George.HatcherIII@ providing unique access to many of the in doing so, serve as a ‘one stop shop’ colorado.edu. leading companies, and emerging small for new collaborative opportunities. This

Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, CU Boulder.

COLORADO BUSINESS REVIEW 21 Space-Based Infrared Satellite (Notional). Photo courtesy of SpaceNews, February 19, 2018. Colorado: The Epicenter of National Security Space Capability Jay Lindell

Colorado is home to our nation’s 33,000 employees that support more Space Force Garrison in Colorado most critical space capabilities that than 230,000 aerospace-related jobs Springs. The SBIRS system is operated provide defense for our nation and our across all industry sectors. With direct from the Buckley Space Force Garrison allies. The capabilities include precision employment growth from 2019 to 2020 just outside Aurora. Each of these navigation and timing signals, ballistic at 10.1%, the Colorado aerospace systems is critical to our national security missile threat detection and warning, industry continues to grow faster than capability, and each system will be and communications systems that are the national average of 3.7%, according highlighted in more detail. vital for all national security operations. to the Colorado Space Coalition 2020, All of us understand the incredible These capabilities are enabled by a Aerospace Cluster Preview. capabilities that GPS provides to all of significant defense space infrastructure; There are three major defense systems us daily. We rely on it to navigate and an innovative and thriving aerospace as well as their associated command and find the shortest or most traffic-free business ecosystem; and a highly control systems that best characterize available routes to shopping locations, educated, talented, and skilled workforce. Colorado as the epicenter of national gas stations, and even to work. For These economic attributes not only security space capability, including military capability, encrypted signals are provide for a strong national space- the Global Positioning System (GPS), used that provide greater accuracy as based defense capability, but also Space Based Infrared Satellites (SBIRS), well as other enhanced capability. This are a catalyst for the nation’s largest and the Wideband Global Satellite is especially critical for weapon systems per capita aerospace economy in the Communications Systems (WGS). The to limit casualties and collateral damage. nation. Colorado is home to more than GPS and WGS satellite systems are However, the most significant impact 500 companies and suppliers with over operated from the Peterson-Schriever to our daily lives that GPS provides is

22 COLORADO BUSINESS REVIEW the timing signal. The GPS timing signal allow the U.S. military to expand technical Colorado is also the temporary home is synchronized with national atomic intelligence gathering and bolster for U.S. Space Command and is the clocks and is accurate to a billionth of situational awareness on the battlefield. basing location for critical Department of a second. According to GPS.gov, the The next SBIRS (SBIRS-5) is scheduled Defense space operations which includes precision timing signal provides world- to be launched by United Launch Alliance the National Space Defense Center at the wide synchronization for communication this year. Peterson-Schriever Garrison. Although systems such as the internet, electrical In January 2020, Iran launched more Huntsville, Alabama was recently selected power grids, financial networks, mobile than a dozen missiles at Iraqi bases to be the eventual permanent home for phones, and automatic teller machines. hosting U.S. and Coalition troops during U.S. Space Command, no other state Across the world, the impact of GPS in early morning hours when most military in the nation has the preponderance our daily lives is immeasurable. personnel were asleep in above ground of defense space systems operations, In a 2019 GPS economic impact targeted sleeping quarters. According defense space production capabilities, study hosted by the National Institute to a January 8, 2020 article in The a highly skilled and talented aerospace of Standards and Technology (NIST) Guardian, Iran declared the strikes to workforce, and a national security in Boulder and conducted by the be retaliation for the U.S.-admitted space headquarters, Air Force Space International Research Triangle Institute strike the week prior targeting an Iranian Command. Colorado is truly “the (RTI), the economic impact of the senior general in Iraq. Al-Asad airbase in epicenter of national security space GPS system was evaluated. RTI Iraq’s Anbar province was hit 17 times, capability.” examined 10 economic sectors of the including by two ballistic missiles that U.S. economy that utilize GPS in their failed to detonate, according to the Iraqi Jay Lindell is Aerospace & Defense day-to-day business activities. These government. A further five missiles were Industry Champion of Global Business included precision agriculture, financial targeted at a base in the northern city Development at the Colorado Office of services, location-based services, of Erbil where U.S. forces were based. Economic Development & International mining, surveying, telecommunications, No American lives were lost, and none Trade. He may be reached at telematics, electricity, maritime navigation, were seriously injured. The lives saved [email protected]. and oil and gas industries. The takeaway were credited with warning provided was a $1.4 trillion economic impact that by SBIRS operators based at Buckley the U.S. private sector has gained in Space Force Base in Aurora. The warning economic benefits since GPS was made communicated though secure satellite available to the private sector. communications systems enabled U.S. The GPS system is not only operated troops in Iraq to take cover in prepared from Colorado, but most of the GPS bunkers. satellites in operation today were WGS provide the backbone of the U.S. produced in Colorado, and the next military’s global satellite communications generation GPS III system consisting of with control and operations based 32 satellites will be built by Lockheed at the Peterson-Schriever Garrison. Martin Space based in Colorado. In According to the Air Force Space addition, many of the satellites have Command Public Affairs Office, the been, and many more will be, launched constellation provides a flexible, high- into orbit by United Launch Alliance— capacity communications for defense also based in Colorado under a National operations, presidential communications, Security Space Launch contract. GPS is State Department communications, an incredible capability free to the world allies, and other special users. The that Colorado Springs-based Air Force highly capable communications Space Command provides. constellation is produced by Boeing in SBIRS are produced by Lockheed El Segundo, California, and comprises Martin Space located in Colorado satellites in geosynchronous orbit with with assembly facilities at Sunnyvale, the latest launch in 2019 (WGS-10) by California. Many subcontractors United Launch Alliance. International in Colorado also contribute to the partners participating in the program SBIRS’ powerful satellites by providing include Australia, Canada, Denmark, sophisticated scanning and infrared Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and New surveillance sensors. These sensors also Zealand.

COLORADO BUSINESS REVIEW 23 Lockheed Martin: How Our Colorado Footprint is Shaping the Future of Space Rick Ambrose

Artistic rendering of the Lucy spacecraft. Image courtesy of Lockheed Martin.

Lockheed Martin is a global security rockets at our Waterton facility in Littleton. asteroids, will be managed from Boulder and aerospace company that solves Today, our aerospace legacy continues at the Southwest Research Institute. complex challenges, advances scientific as our workforce builds satellites, Lucy will perform the first reconnaissance discovery, and delivers innovative spacecraft, and ground systems that of the Jupiter Trojan asteroids orbiting solutions to help our customers keep do amazing things for both government the sun in tandem with the gas giant. people safe. and commercial customers alike. And Lucy’s launch window opens in fall 2021, With approximately 110,000 employees our partnership with local universities so we will see a lot of activity on that spread across more than 375 facilities and industry experts has created an program this year. Lockheed Martin is around the world, over 100 nations aerospace ecosystem that continues to proud to have designed and built, and rely on our employees, products, and flourish, where Colorado ranks number will ultimately operate this spacecraft for technologies to help them protect and one in the nation for per capita private NASA – all from Colorado. connect their citizens while also gaining aerospace employment. The Lunar Trailblazer will help forge knowledge from the exploration of space. a path for humans to safely return to What many people may not realize is Partnering Locally on NASA Missions the Moon, thanks to its detailed study that much of our work supporting our One great example of how we are of lunar water. NASA’s Lunar Trailblazer customers’ various missions happens continuing our history of partnerships with and Janus spacecraft both hail from right here in Colorado, the home of our Colorado-based academic institutions our Waterton facility, and we are looking Space business. is through our work on NASA missions. forward to finalizing their design phases Our roots in Colorado run deep, tracing Here are just a few examples. this year in order to begin production back to the 1950s when we built Titan Lucy, the first mission to Jupiter’s Trojan next year. These are two of the first class

24 COLORADO BUSINESS REVIEW of three Small Innovative Missions for driven approaches. Lockheed Martin was Planetary Exploration (SIMPLEx) missions one of the founding partners for ADAPT. for NASA – a cost-effective class of Our partnerships expand beyond the planetary science missions that are less Denver Metro area. In southwestern than 400 pounds. Overall, we anticipate Colorado, we’re partnering with Fort Lewis seeing this trend – small spacecraft that College in Durango on solar research unite the best value with the best science technology, with their Solar Innovation Park – to continue to grow across the space offering an opportunity to help expand industry. advanced technology applications and And finally, we are a major economic opportunities in rural Colorado. subcontractor for Louisville-based Sierra Working with small universities and Nevada Corporation that is building the businesses is a win-win all around, and Dream Chaser cargo spaceship. With we’re looking forward to discovering even the help of our Skunk Works® business more opportunities to develop talent in in Fort Worth, Texas, we built the large our local communities. composite body and wings of the spacecraft. Growing the Talent Pipeline In order for our industry and state Investing in the Workforce and to sustain growth, we must address Technology of the Future the increasing demand for science, One important way we’re building talent technology, engineering and mathematics is by working with universities across (STEM) talent. Lockheed Martin Colorado, not only for recruitment, but is collaborating with students and also to develop technology. Some of universities around Colorado on various our missions operate from the University technical programs, preparing them for of Colorado Boulder, our material careers in the aerospace industry and Graphic courtesy of Lockheed Martin. characterization work comes from shaping the workforce of the future. partnerships at Colorado School of Mines, While we have invested in STEM impact in the state of Colorado. SWAP and we work with Metropolitan State programs across the nation for years is a three-year development program University of Denver to recruit some of the – through organizations like FIRST designed to attract, develop, and retain best aerospace technicians. Robotics, Project Lead the Way, and Girls early-career technical professionals in Our $3 million partnership with CU Inc. – we are focused on fostering talent software and cyber-related careers. Boulder is supporting academic programs in our communities through partnerships Students are accepted into the program in aerospace and electrical engineering with various schools and initiatives. For before they graduate with their associate aimed at cultivating the next generation of example, FIRST Robotics draws more degree to accelerate the clearance space engineers. The partnership includes than 1,400 students in Colorado, many process and to be ready to join Lockheed a Lockheed Martin-endowed professorship of whom are considered for internships at Martin after graduation. and radio-frequency (RF) curriculum, our Colorado facilities. We also realize the importance of with an RF-focused graduate certificate In addition, Lockheed Martin has hiring and supporting those who have for electrical engineering and aerospace developed a Registered Apprenticeship served our country, and we’re proud to engineering students. Lockheed Martin program in partnership with the Colorado partner with Hiring Our Heroes in support also sponsors research with undergraduate Department of Labor and Employment. of its Corporate Fellowship Program in and graduate students across a range of The Advanced Manufacturing Technician Colorado. aerospace engineering disciplines. Apprenticeship Program (AMTAP) was Through programs and partnerships We also provided a $2.5 million grant to created in 2016 and designed to develop like these, we will continue to inspire and Colorado School of Mines in December electronics manufacturing technicians and learn from the next generation, strengthen 2015 to partner on additive manufacturing, to ensure we have enough skilled workers the future talent pipeline, and advance helping to advance the industry and grow to support major programs in this region. the aerospace industry in Colorado and our talent pipeline. With headquarters at This paid training program provides beyond – and I can’t wait to see what Colorado School of Mines, the Alliance for on-the-job support for certification and we’ll accomplish together next. the Development of Additive Processing qualification in production operations Technologies (ADAPT) was also developed manufacturing techniques. to serve as an industry-academia In the last three years, the Lockheed Rick Ambrose is Executive Vice consortium dedicated to solving challenges Martin Software Associate Degree President of Lockheed Martin Space. in additive manufacturing through data- Program (SWAP) has created a big COLORADO BUSINESS REVIEW 25 Center for National Security Initiatives – Building from Fundamental Research Capabilities to Applications in the Aerospace Defense Sector Iain D. Boyd

Hypersonic vehicles: a key priority for national security and a research focus at CU Boulder.

The aerospace defense sector is research capabilities developed under opportunities including invaluable hands- a vibrant ecosystem in the state of funding from a variety of sources, NSI on experience gained through design- Colorado covering the full spectrum aims to facilitate its further development build-fly activities for Unmanned Air of activities including national security and application for national security Systems (drones) and for CubeSats. CU operations at military bases, development challenges. With research projects has deployed more CubeSats in space of technological capabilities by large staffed mainly by graduate students and than any other university in the nation. industry and entrepreneurs, and basic postdoctoral fellows, the NSI activities will A significant amount of basic research research and workforce development at also contribute important contributions to is being performed at CU Boulder that the state’s universities. Across the sector, much-needed workforce development in is motivated by aerospace defense a very broad range of aerospace defense critical technologies. applications. For example, the College applications is being worked throughout A key foundation of NSI lies in CU of Engineering and Applied Sciences is the state for the air, space, and cyber Boulder’s very strong aerospace investing internal funds to support the domains of operation. capabilities. The university receives Hypersonic Vehicles Interdisciplinary At the University of Colorado Boulder, more funding from NASA than any other Research Theme (HyVIRT) to expand the Center for National Security Initiatives public university and the programs in the the study of hypersonic systems that (NSI) is a new effort aimed at increasing Department of Aerospace Engineering are a top priority for the Department the engagement of the Boulder campus Sciences (AES) are ranked in the top 10 of Defense. The goal of HyVIRT is to with all of the missions of the Department nationally at both the undergraduate and bring faculty with deep knowledge of of Defense (DoD) and the Intelligence graduate levels among public universities. specific hypersonic systems together Community. Building on fundamental Students have tremendous educational with other faculty who are experts on

26 COLORADO BUSINESS REVIEW optimization to maximize hypersonic vehicle performance. In space research, telescopes on the roof of the AES building are used to track spacecraft in orbit. Sensors deployed around the globe are used by AES faculty to develop techniques to make use of GPS and signals from other satellites to improve navigation capabilities. In addition to these aerospace activities, many unique research capabilities at CU Boulder have aerospace defense applications. For example, the quantum science laboratory JILA involves a close collaboration between CU and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), which is a component of the Department of Commerce (DOC). Based on quantum phenomena, JILA develops incredibly accurate atomic clocks and other sensing technologies that are relevant to the critical military mission of Positioning, PNT: required for a wide range of national security missions and a research strength at Navigation, and Timing (PNT). The CU Boulder. Collaborative Institute for Research that is sometimes required. Access underway and proposals submitted on Environmental Sciences (CIRES) to classified information is sometimes in a number of aerospace defense is a close collaboration between CU beneficial in working with DoD, and NSI technologies including hypersonics, Boulder and the National Oceanic and manages security clearances for faculty PNT, SDA, and satellite communications. Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), when needed, and arranges access to These efforts involve over 40 CU faculty also a part of DOC. In helping to support classified facilities. and involve support from a variety weather operations, CU researchers NSI staff are also working to develop of sources including government, develop capabilities based on data new funding opportunities in the national nonprofits, and prime contractors. As the analytics to fuse large and disparate security domain. For example, effective flagship aerospace research university in data sets into actionable information. partnering is essential to making CU the state of Colorado, working through This process has many similarities to key Boulder competitive for major DoD NSI, CU Boulder looks forward to defense missions such as Intelligence, applied research awards. Opportunities continued expansion of its capabilities Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) are therefore actively being explored with and participation to become a leader in and Space Domain Awareness (SDA). many potential partners who may offer addressing the technological challenges NSI has been established through capabilities that are complementary to of the Aerospace Defense sector. internal campus funding and is working those that already exist at CU Boulder. in a variety of ways to increase campus These partners come from industry, engagement in national security research. nonprofit organizations, and other Iain D. Boyd is the Director of the For example, unique infrastructure is academic institutions, including all three Center for National Security Initiatives at often required to participate in applied sister campuses across the University of the University of Colorado Boulder. He may research for the DoD. NSI includes Colorado System in Colorado Springs, be reached at [email protected]. experienced staff with a detailed Denver, and the Anschutz Medical knowledge of contractual mechanisms Campus. NSI is also engaging directly and requirements that can be very with the government to better understand different from those associated with basic their research priorities and to increase research grants issued by organizations their awareness of CU’s advanced such as the National Science Foundation research capabilities and interests. (NSF). Dedicated Information Technology Now in its second year, NSI is on a systems are being acquired that can strong growth path with active projects handle controlled, unclassified data

COLORADO BUSINESS REVIEW 27 Sierra Nevada Corporation: Committed to Colorado in Air and Space Gregg Burgess and Betsy McDonald

SNC’s Descent Brake lowering Perseverance to the surface of Mars. Image Credit: NASA/JPL Caltech.

“Tango Delta! Perseverance is safely on 1,900 talented people in Colorado across high-performance mission suites the surface of Mars.” four campuses, SNC’s success would not on manned and unmanned aircraft, With those words, NASA’s Jet be possible without CU – there are 360+ delivering critical, timely capability to the Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)-built CU graduates at the company! U.S. government and allied nations. It Perseverance rover, nicknamed “Percy,” SNC, owned by Chairwoman and also provides cybersecurity for critical completed its 309-million-mile journey to President Eren Ozmen and CEO Fatih infrastructure and is an FAA Diamond Mars February 18, 2021. The last 21 feet Ozmen, is a trusted leader in solving Award-winning provider of certified of the rover’s commute was enabled by the world’s toughest challenges through maintenance and repair for commercial technology designed and built at Sierra best-of-breed, open architecture aircraft. IAS encompasses 14 hangars Nevada Corporation (SNC) in Louisville, engineering integrations in Space across the region and draws upon the Colorado. SNC’s Descent Brake did its Systems, Commercial Solutions, and highly educated workforce and quality of job, unreeling three steel cables from National Security and Defense. Under life the area offers. the Sky Crane hovering over the Martian the Ozmen’s leadership since 1994, SNC Also operating in Colorado is SNC’s surface, to safely lower Percy for a soft has grown from a small, Nevada-based Mission Solutions and Technologies landing. This is SNC’s 14th mission to company into a global enterprise via 20 (MST) business area, working on Mars alongside NASA, demonstrating strategic acquisitions. The company’s Electronic Support items for Department the tech company’s long and successful Colorado journey began in 2005 through of Defense customers in support track record in delivering cutting-edge one of these acquisitions, Straight Flight, of current operations. MST’s core innovations to high-profile missions. which laid the foundation for SNC’s largest capabilities and customers originated Best known publicly for SNC’s Dream business area, Intelligence Surveillance in 1963 in Nevada, where SNC is Chaser® spaceplane, SNC has deep and Reconnaissance, Aviation and headquartered, gaining speed and roots in Colorado. Its 60-year legacy Security (IAS), and allowed SNC to expand capabilities through the addition of of state-of-the-art civil, military, and its offerings to include aircraft modification. talented engineers and support staff and commercial solutions includes delivering Starting with just four employees in the acquisition of companies such as more than 4,000 space systems, Centennial, IAS is now 1,400+ strong in Advanced Countermeasure Systems in subsystems, and components to Centennial, Englewood, and Colorado 1998. As SNC capabilities in electronic customers worldwide, and participation Springs. IAS is a full-service prime and information systems grew, MST in more than 450 missions to space. With contractor that integrates and operates established itself in Centennial. This has

28 COLORADO BUSINESS REVIEW allowed the business area to capitalize where the business area is assembling Centennial-based United Launch Alliance on the area’s adept workforce and the the Dream Chaser spaceplane. Under (ULA), the ISS mission launch provider. presence of key customers requiring NASA’s Commercial Resupply Services Each Dream Chaser ISS mission specialized expertise in sensitive areas. 2 (CRS-2) contract, Dream Chaser will also includes SNC’s Shooting Star™ SNC’s space journey began in 2008 undertake at least seven cargo missions transport vehicle. Shooting Star provides with the acquisition of SpaceDev and to the International Space Station (ISS) substantial payload storage and facilitates Boulder’s Starsys, followed by Littleton’s and return to Earth by runway landing. cargo disposal when it burns up during Microsat Systems, Inc. These companies Winning CRS-2 meant an expansion of re-entry into Earth’s atmosphere. While formed the core of Louisville-based SNC’s Louisville workforce and that of CRS-2 is an unmanned space system SNC’s Space Systems Group (SSG), that hosts astronauts while at the ISS, SNC’s dream of building a manned spaceplane is still alive along with its vision of runway landings that return astronauts and other precious cargo home with a safe runway landing. Further, SNC has designed an inflatable, three-story LIFE habitat for NASA for its NextSTEP-2 project, demonstrating the enormous potential of inflatable structures for working, living, and thriving long term in space. In addition to spacecraft and space exploration systems, SNC produces SNC’s mission enhancement capability includes facilities large enough for high-reliability precision mechanisms and C-130 aircraft. solar panels for satellites, environmental systems for human life support in space, and propulsion systems for launch vehicles, satellites, and spaceplanes, including components for fellow members of the Colorado space ecosystem, Ball Aerospace, MAXAR, and Lockheed Martin Space. As SNC continues to expand across the globe, Colorado operations remain at the heart of the company. In fact, SNC recently took occupancy of an 81-acre campus complex in Englewood. Bringing together more than 1,400 employees, every inch of the Rocky Mountain Campus was designed to encourage innovation, collaboration, and streamlined workflows. The state-of-the- art, 400,000-square-foot facility houses offices and laboratories. SNC is proud to be part of Colorado’s robust business and academic aerospace ecosystem.

Gregg Burgess is an executive at SNC’s Aviation and Space groups, and Betsy McDonald is Senior Manager Communications at SNC.

Dream Chaser Spaceplane and Shooting Star Transport Vehicle in assembly at Louisville, CO.

COLORADO BUSINESS REVIEW 29 Leeds and Smead Collaborate on a Space Sustainability Initiative

Mark Meaney and Zack Donohew

actors alike could face insurmountable problems in using the space domain effectively. Addressing the need for space sustainability means we can prevent negative trends from becoming norms and ensure that all actors can use the domain of space in an equitable manner.

SSI and the Tragedy of the Solar Commons The Division of Social Responsibility and Sustainability (SRS) of the Leeds School of Business and the Smead Department of Aerospace Engineering Sciences of the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences have embarked on a Space and Sustainability Initiative (SSI). SSI serves as a way to bridge the two communities and accelerate collaboration with the commercial space sector. Funded by the CU Research and Innovation Seed Grant Program, the authors of this article serve as Principal Investigator (PI) and Co-Principal Investigator (Co-PI) along with Marcus Holzinger (Co-PI), Associate Professor at Smead and Associate Director of the Colorado Center for Astrodynamics Research (CCAR).The project team combines the business, entrepreneurial, and social responsibility expertise of Leeds faculty with the technical and space policy backgrounds of Smead faculty. Outer space is often referred to as Space exploration is a complex, increasingly at risk. While the domain a “global commons,” though perhaps technical, and expensive endeavor of space is vast, low-earth orbit (LEO) “solar commons” is more apropos for that traditionally has been the domain is susceptible to degradation and the scale we are talking about, due to of government. However, commercial depletion, including from space debris, the fact that its resources are not owned space sector activity is projected satellite congestion, and radiofrequency by one individual or nation, but rather to grow and, indeed, continue to interference. Furthermore, longer-term are accessible to all humankind. Various pace government space activities as ambitions in space, such as asteroid treaties include phrases that define the technology advances and the costs of mining and planetary colonization, exploration and use of outer space in launching satellites into orbit continues arguably raise even larger sustainability these terms. The United Nations Outer to decrease. As more private-sector concerns. Lack of attention to issues of Space Treaty recognizes “the common entities develop extraterrestrial ambitions, sustainable development would mean interest of all [hu]mankind in the progress the sustainability of space activities is that government and nongovernment and exploration and use of outer space 30 COLORADO BUSINESS REVIEW for peaceful purposes.” These terms to $600 billion if the space industry (LEO) soars. With these data sets, the and phrases define outer space as an continues to operate under a business- Team has used the Ostrom framework to open-access system. Nations thereby as-usual scenario that fails to address the encourage consensus among operators treat orbital space as a kind of communal collective management challenge. Instead on norms of behavior that ought to pasture. Consequently, as space is of waiting on Federal and International undergird the resolution of RoR issues. inherently international, extremely agencies for regulation, the commercial In Phase Two, the Team is working difficult to own in whole or in part, and space industry can proactively work with members of a working group in accessible to any actor who can develop together to address the issue of space conducting a values-based, commercial or purchase the means to reach low- sustainability through the application of space industry market analysis through earth orbit or the moon, predictions of the Ostrom governance framework of the application of the norms of behavior the tragedy of the solar commons are corporate collective action. derived from Phase One. The Team is self-evident. using the results of the market analysis The concept of the tragedy of the Commercial Space Industry to identify the essential features of a commons describes a social dilemma Engagement values-based, business model template that arises under special conditions. The SSI team has drawn on the for conducting the “business of space.” A In sum, the tragedy of the commons combined power of its international, values-based template is an essential part is a problem in a shared, unregulated multidisciplinary networks to assemble of developing best business practices resource system in which individual users an advisory board and working that will help build confidence and trust acting based on a rational pursuit of groups consisting of experts from the with investors, insurers, and customers their own self-interest have an incentive disparate communities of aerospace while ensuring business models are toward unconstrained consumption of engineering, the commercial space sustainable over the long term. the resource at the expense of other industry, information technology, law, In Phase Three, the SSI Team is individual users with no way to exclude and public policy. Working group working with the support of working anyone from consuming the resource. members include representatives group members to link the norms of The tragedy of the commons can from Amergint, Astroscale, AXA XL, behavior for space sustainability to the result in the degradation, depreciation, Booz Allen Hamilton, Ball Aerospace, broader corporate social responsibility depletion, and even destruction of the Celestial Insight, ComSpOC, Iridium, and sustainability movement. Space- resource. However, due to the work of LeoLabs, Lockhead Martin, NASA JPL, provided services and applications are Elinor Ostrom, a Nobel prize winner in OneWeb, Planet Labs, SES Satellites, part of the solutions to meet the targets economics, the tragedy of the commons SpaceX, and Secure World Foundation, of the UN Sustainable Development is no longer considered inevitable. among others. University engagement Goals (SDGs); however, providing space- Ostrom has presented many cases of includes the Department of Aeronautics based solutions to the SDGs requires resource users deploying free market & Astronautics at MIT, the International a stable environment in orbit. The SSI solutions by effectively self-organizing Space University, and the Department of team is making use of working group and sustainably managing a commons Aerospace Engineering and Engineering member expertise to help link the norms through the exercise of individual freedom Mechanics at UT Austin. The working of behavior for space sustainability to the and corporate collective action. groups helped to constitute fora for the achievement of the SDGs as a metric for When the Outer Space Treaty was application of the Ostrom governance monitoring and tracking the impacts of written, space exploration was strictly framework in a phase-in process. the commercial space industry on society. the province of the state, with few actors For example, in Phase One of the Phase Four will consist of dissemination. actively engaged in space exploration. project, the project team has gathered In this phase, the team will focus its Today, we are faced with the proliferation data from the U.S. Space Surveillance efforts on the development of educational of commercial entities seeking to provide Network and other sources to determine materials for undergraduate, graduate, new services in space and on the Moon. the number of operational satellites by and executive education. The intent is If the commercial space industry is to orbit in measuring the pervasiveness of to inspire students to become ethically avoid a tragedy of the solar commons, a the so-called “rules of the road” (RoR) responsible business leaders of the solution along the lines of Ostrom’s self- problem. The problem of RoR occurs commercial space industry. The Team governance framework must be applied when operational satellites occupy the will also produce white papers from to space exploration and extraction. The same orbit that can lead to the possibility the perspective of the private sector to stakes for failing to manage the solar of a conjunction or a near miss. In short, inform decision-makers on how best to commons are high. The long-run value the possibility of conjunction raises critical address such problems as space debris, of the commercial satellite industry is questions about the need of norms of satellite congestion, and radiofrequency estimated to be worth $3 trillion by 2040 behavior to govern navigation as the interference. if well-managed. That estimate drops number of objects in low-Earth orbit continued at the bottom of p. 32... COLORADO BUSINESS REVIEW 31 Powerful Partnerships ... continued from p. 2 research, education, and innovation nation. When considering where to under one roof, the center will be co- place the permanent home of U.S. mission operations for NASA satellites, located with the NCC and its Space Space Command, these factors serve as LASP is receiving global attention as I ISAC, bolstering existing industry and major selling points for making the case write this thanks to its key role in building government collaborations and serving as for Colorado, efforts in which CU has the Hope spacecraft for the United Arab fertile ground for new ones. been instrumental. While we have hope Emirates’ first space mission to study Space Command may still remain in the Mars’ atmosphere. Strength in Numbers Centennial State permanently, regardless Back here on Earth, CU has become All our campuses prepare the highly of the outcome, CU will play a pivotal role the place to be for those interested in technical workforce and conduct in its research and operations and will learning, researching, and innovating in research the aerospace sector and its continue to train and grow its workforce. other areas as well. For over a decade, satellite fields demand. Building off CU Just as I marveled at U.S. spaceflight the University of Colorado Colorado Boulder’s National Security Initiative, in as a child, I often marvel at the Springs (UCCS) has been a pioneer in spring 2020 I created the CU National university’s achievements in advancing cybersecurity education, serving as a Security Advisory Group with faculty space exploration, discovery, and security massive talent pipeline for the more than experts from all four campuses. The as CU’s president. We continue to play a 125 cybersecurity companies located group is tasked with identifying existing pivotal role in helping our state and nation in the Pikes Peak region. In 2016, strengths and collaborative opportunities answer JFK’s call to be a leader in space. UCCS was instrumental in creating the to enhance our support for current and I know that by strengthening existing National Cybersecurity Center (NCC), future national security-related projects partnerships and forging new ones, a nonprofit with a global and national and initiatives, especially in space, CU’s impact on aerospace will reach mission to “secure the world.” Among medical care, and cybersecurity. While unimagined frontiers. its programming, the NCC operates CU faculty systemwide received more the world’s only Space Information than $49 million for research from the Mark Kennedy is president of the Sharing and Analysis Center (ISAC), U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) in University of Colorado. which fosters collaboration across the FY2019, I am confident we can further global space industry to help companies expand the university’s role in federal and government agencies prepare for, national security efforts by coordinating and respond to, cyber incidents and our work and leveraging our assets and disseminates intelligence among its capabilities. members. Given our proximity to numerous UCCS’ leadership in the cybersecurity DoD installations in Colorado – and our space will soar even higher with leadership in healthcare, sustainability, the opening of its Cyber Education energy, space, and quantum computing and Research Center in early 2022. – CU is an ideal resource for our many Consolidating its world-class cyber security partners in the state and the

Space Sustainability Initiative ... continued from p. 31

Conclusion industry could face insurmountable The CBR is a quarterly publication of the Business problems in using the space domain Research Division at CU Boulder. Opinions and conclusions Instead of waiting on federal and expressed in the CBR are those of the authors and are not international agencies for regulation, the effectively. endorsed by the BRD, the Leeds School of Business faculty, commercial space industry is working or the officials of CU. together to address the issue of space Mark Meaney and Zack Donohew View our website: www.colorado.edu/business/brd sustainability. Through the application of are both Scholars-In-Residence in Richard L. Wobbekind, editor; Brian Lewandowski, assistant the Ostrom governance framework, the the Division of Social Responsibility editor and technical advisor; Jacob Dubbert, associate commercial space industry is working to and Sustainability at the University of editor; Shannon Furniss, design; Cindy DiPersio, guest editor. develop and deploy norms of behavior Colorado’s Leeds School of Business. This report is not produced at taxpayer expense. They may be reached at The University of Colorado Boulder is an equal based on common values that resolve opportunity/nondiscrimination institution. the tragedy of the solar commons. Lack [email protected] and For information/address change: of attention to issues of sustainable [email protected]. development would mean that the Business Research Division 420 UCB, University of Colorado Boulder Boulder, CO 80309-0420 • 303-492-8227 32 COLORADO BUSINESS REVIEW