This roundtable focuses on creating an economic study to demonstrate the opportunities of an initiative, like a spaceport.
Two experts on the panel share what goes into building a spaceport. Watch the recording with presenters:
Dr. Mick O'Connor is Co-founder and Managing Director of Fire Arrow, a spaceflight company that enables governments and commercial organizations to achieve safe, sustainable, responsive, and affordable Access to Space.
Paul Sloan is the Economic Development Manager who is working to bring a spaceport to the Paso Robles community in #California to attract a workforce and space companies. He has worked extensively in the areas of marketing, strategic planning, communications, branding, and business development. He is leading the City of Paso Robles through the steps of building a spaceport to bring the space industry to his community.
We discuss workforce development, community support, and attracting tenants and investments.
CHAPTERS:
00:05:53 Introduction of Dr. Mick O’Conner, Co-Founder and Managing Director of Fire Arrow
00:10:56 Fire Arrow - from ideation to orbital insertion
00:17:02 Scotland - A thriving Space Nation
00:20:01 Space in Scotland and Space Sustainability
00:26:46 Building a case for a spaceport
00:28:04 Kicking the tyres - determining economic feasibility of a spaceport
00:35:28 Welders at spaceports
00:39:19 Space needs everyone
00:40:36 Scotland spaceport
00:41:39 Cultural hurdles - rural area versus city spaceports
00:45:27 Attracting skilled workforce from other industries
00:46:46 Introduction of Paul Sloan, Economic Development Manager for the City of Paso Robles
00:48:20 City of Paso Robles
00:50:43 Cal Poly - Top engineering school (inducted into the Space Technology Hall of Fame for CubeSats co-creation with Stanford University)
00:51:48 Educational Access to space to develop the workforce K-level 20 including advanced degrees and the technician certifications (We need people who can build things and fix things!)
00:53:05 Spaceport Development Process with the tech corridor and private sector business park and tech park designated areas
00:54:07 Creating test sites for propulsion using recycled materials to start attracting customers while they develop the spaceport and go through the licensing process
00:54:34 The first tenant, Stellar Exploration, uses the test area
00:55:17 Developing financial resources and incentives with tax incentives and tax credits
00:55:36 Attracting foreign direct investment
00:55:50 To date, 23 Companies have shown interest in the spaceport
00:57:58 Earned media coverage
00:58:23 Networking
00:58:50 Upgrading the area in preparation for the spaceport designation with broadband and housing
01:00:00 Paso Robles’ Five-year Economic Development Strategic Plan featuring the spaceport and tech corridor as core initiatives
01:00:55 California Mid-State Fair featuring a space theme for 2024
01:01:51 Strong community support because it provides jobs where kids and grandkids can stay in the area after college
01:03:29 Challenges - sharing the vision and information about what it is and what it isn’t
01:04:39 Biggest Challenge - preparing the business park to accept businesses
01:06:55 Horizontal launch platform
01:08:47 Horizontal launch vehicles
01:10:03 Low hanging fruit - providing testing areas, especially attractive for for foreign companies
01:13:17 Tax incentives and tax credits
01:15:25 Runways
01:17:01 Point-to-Point
LINKS:
Global Spaceport Alliance - https://www.globalspaceportalliance.com/
Fire Arrow - https://firearrow.space/
Space Scotland - https://spacescotland.org/
City of Paso Robles - https://www.prcity.com/1158/Paso-Robles-Space-Innovation-and-Technol
GoBiz - https://business.ca.gov/about/about-go-biz/
California Mid-State Fair - https://www.midstatefair.com/
NPR All things Considered - https://www.npr.org/2022/08/04/1115758248/faced-with-drought-a-wine-region-in-central-california-looks-to-develop-a-spacep
ABOUT SPACE FOR KENTUCKY
The Space for Kentucky Roundtable is a series of meetings focused on growing the space industry. It is about networking, education, and social support for those who are reaching for the stars in Kentucky and around the world!
#spaceport #alternativefuels #aerospace #spacetransportation #spaceeconomy #spaceindustry #workforce #economicdevelopment #CalPoly #Kentucky #California #PasoRobles
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Artist: Dmitrii Paderin
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