A Vision for New York as the Next American Space Hub

Introduction

Now more than ever it is important for humanity to dream big, find sources of hope and inspiration, and learn from the past to build pathways to a more prosperous future. NASA, and the exploration of space, not only serves as an endless source of hope and inspiration, but increasingly as a vehicle for profound economic growth. A new era of expansion and transformation in space offers tremendous benefits for those who position themselves to be players in this New Space Economy.

Over the last century, the process of exploring and inhabiting our Solar System has grown more complex as the benefits for humanity have increased accordingly. The space industry will soon grow to over $1 trillion dollars in size and a new wave of technologies and research avenues promises again to profoundly change human society. By focusing on targeted investments in education and economic growth, streamlining bureaucracy and enhancing government support, and adopting a big picture vision that includes a commitment to diversity and inclusion, it is possible for a region (such as New York) to enhance its’ role in the space industry and position itself to reap the rewards of future growth.

The following is an outline for the rationale behind adopting an ambitious space vision, the roots that enable New York State to quickly ‘scale up’ its position in the wider space industry, and a potential outline for the specific steps that would make New York an increasingly influential player in the New Space Economy. This development would position New York to reap the benefits of space industry growth, offering greater opportunity and resources to its citizens, and advancing the cause of human progress.

So What?

One of the biggest questions raised when a discussion of the space industry arises is ‘Why?’ Why is this important? Why should this be a priority? Why should my tax dollars be used for space ships?

NASA conceptualizes the benefits of space exploration in 3 clusters: innovation, inspiration, and enhancing our ability to meet global challenges (3). Solar panels, heart implants, water purification, cancer therapies, and miniaturized computers and mobile technology are but a few examples of NASA spin-offs, which number in the hundreds. Positive impacts for human society include longer life spans, new medicines, greater connectivity, and rapid expansion of human knowledge. NASA anticipates near term growth will “return immediate benefits back to Earth in areas such as materials, power generation, and energy storage, recycling and waste management, advanced robotics, health and medicine, transportation, engineering, computing and software,” (3). The International Space Station contributes daily to improved quality of life on Earth in areas ranging from water purification research, vaccine efficiency, human biology experiments, and breast cancer detection and treatment technology (4). NASA maintains a full database of beneficial spin-off technologies in an easy to access online portal (7).

An often underappreciated but foundational aspect of our expansion into space is our growing array of Earth-orbiting satellites. In 2019, the UN Office of Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) estimated 5,074 satellites in orbit, serving an increasingly diverse array of capabilities (5). From 2005 to 2017, internet access around the world exploded from 16% to 48% of the global population, over 3.5 billion people, a development only made possible by our ever-expanding satellite network. This network also supports our weather and climate change monitoring programs, as well as emergency and natural disaster relief. “Telecommunications, GPS navigation, and timing technology satellites are in space. Without them, financial institutions wouldn’t be able to function. People wouldn’t be able to make banking transactions or withdraw money from ATM’s. We would lose any space-based weather forecasting and satellite-based television and Internet,” (33). Our expanding satellite network maintains our modern way of life and serves as a cornerstone industry for the New Space Economy.

NASA’s recent announcement of the development of next-generation lunar landers exemplifies the major moves underway in the space industry. NASA awarded almost $1 billion to 3 industry companies/consortiums to develop the next generation of lunar landers, unleashing a competitive development process that will spur innovation, generate secondary economic impacts, and increase our likelihood of returning to the Moon in the near future (43).

The scope and diversity of NASA’s investments have been expanding in recent years, with early investments in the Launch and Satellite sectors growing to now include the Industrials and Interplanetary sectors. Here is an extended comment from the investment firms Space Angels 2019 JPL report describing this evolution:

“…the Satellite industry was the earliest and largest recipient of public funding after Launch, beginning in 2002 (now over $20 million in funding annually). The Industrials industry has rapidly grown and accounted for 28% of public funding in 2018, consistent with NASA’s stated interest in developing on-orbit manufacturing among other capabilities. The most recent industry to show an increase in public funding is Interplanetary, which accounted for 20% in 2018,” (32).

There are a pair of specific NASA programs that have been particularly effective at leveraging public dollars into significant private sector investment in the space sector:

“(NASA) Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Programs are the most common forms of public funding for entrepreneurial space companies that are eight years and younger, accounting for 44% of all awards. The 35 unique companies (52% of the Public Awards and Contracts sample) that received SBIR/STTR awards were able to attract over $817M in private capital, or $6 of private investment for every $1 of public funding,” (32).

NASA investment has been critical in fueling industry growth so far, and that investment has begun to diversify into an ever-expanding range of industries in recent years. This growth is only projected to accelerate in the coming years.

Numerous entities, from Morgan Stanley to the US Chamber of Commerce, anticipate significant growth in the New Space Economy in the decades ahead. Estimates vary, but the collective prognosis is for the industry as a whole to surpass $1 trillion in market valuation within the next 2 decades, driven largely by projected growth in satellite capabilities to support industry and consumer demand for all manner of wireless connectivity (1). Not only will there be numerous new job opportunities generated in the coming years (over 180,000 Americans work in the space sector already), but there will also be significant new capabilities available for wireless and satellite supported transmission of data available to benefit consumers and businesses.

To be crystal clear, the COVID-19 pandemic has devastated markets and supply chains around the globe, and the space industry is not immune from those pressures. RocketLab CEO Robert Beck speaks of an 18–24 months glut, describing an environment where “If you don’t have revenue and you don’t have at least 12 to 18 months of runway, it’s a scary place to be,” (48). Venture Capital will be hesitant around the space industry as it seeks safer investments during the unfolding recession. Yet even Beck see’s hope for the industry, from a potential wave of beneficial consolidations to the potential for well-targeted investments to keep supply chains flowing. While the short term picture is murky, the last decade's investment explosion was not, and the underlying fundamentals for the industry in the medium and long term have not shifted.

The scope of private investment has grown, with Wall Street and a widening array of private industry players becoming more active throughout the sector. “Pure play” investment (focused largely or exclusively in the space sector), has been rising significantly in recent years (2). There is a much larger universe of companies with significant exposure to the space sector that are responsible for considerable amounts of growth and liquidity (2). Innovations as diverse as satellite mega-constellations, new materials manufacturing, hyper fast global transport, space mining and resource processing, and orbital power generation are all viable possibilities on the horizon that were considered fanciful just a few years ago (8).

A brief examination of the potential benefits of a more mature New Space Economy offers some tantalizing possibilities. Some estimates of the simple raw mineral wealth in the Asteroid Belt begin around $700 billion dollars (27). There are also unimaginably positive benefits to our environment from moving most of our civilizations’ heavy metal mining off of the Earth and into outer space, where there is no natural biome to damage, (and no native peoples to displace). There are plans under development in China and elsewhere exploring the construction of orbital solar power arrays, which would generate tremendous amounts of power and remove the need for massive amounts of polluting energy generation on the Earths’ surface (28). SpaceX is fast at work deploying their Starlink satellite mega-constellation, which when complete will include 40,000+ micro-satellites designed to provide cheap global wireless internet, a transformational advancement (29). There are various exotic materials that could offer untold benefits when they are able to be manufactured in orbit (30). Trillion-dollar industries, new materials, cheap global internet. These are the possibilities within our grasp as the space industry grows into the future.

Image courtesy of Deep Space Industries/ Brian Versteeg and the Smithsonian Magazine (link)

The record is clear. Space exploration has immense, widespread benefit to human society, and there is significant growth on the horizon, on the order of trillions of dollars in new investments and developments. The questions now turn to how that growth ultimately plays out, and who ultimately benefits?

The Space Industry & New York; Old Friends, but Current Status TBD

This exciting new era on the horizon promises great change, but its benefits will not be shared equally. Vast swathes of America have been transformed by the adoption of smartphones and satellite supported nationwide internet access, but only some cities and regions benefit from the jobs and investment necessary to bring that connectivity into reality. NASA’s climate observations benefit our entire species, but the jobs and infrastructure necessary to bring that into reality exist mainly in Houston and on the Space Coast in Florida. Leading space hubs are where the most dynamic changes occur, and therefore where the most significant impacts are felt. New York has the pieces in place to forge a future as a leading American space hub, but there is work to be done.

New York State is no stranger to the space industry. The Apollo 11 lunar lander was built on Long Island, and New York also hosts facilities for a number of the legacy aerospace and defense contractors, such as Harris L3 Communications, Lockheed Martin, Northrup Grumman, and Raytheon (9, 12). There have been fledgling efforts to build off this legacy and grow the ecosystem for space industry startups in the state. NASA signed a Space Act Agreement with the New York State Space Alliance in 2018 to connect start up companies with technologies originally intended for NASA (13). However, their public profile and event schedule has been light in recent years, demonstrating potential difficulty gaining traction and executing on that vision (15, 16).

Wall Street has taken a growing interest in the space sector, led by Morgan Stanley’s ‘mad scientist’ Adam Jonas, who believes the industry is “a catalyst or two away…from being an exponential growth driver,” (10). A December 2019 Morgan Stanley space summit in New York City was headlined by major players from a broad spectrum of industries, and was so in demand it sold out (11). Participants noted a number of potential catalysts in the future (especially related to human space flight), and noted a number of growing fields of employment that were going to be in high demand in future years. New York City is a global financial and cultural hub, offering untold unique opportunities for growth and development of the New Space Economy.

Legislatively, space industry priorities rarely make top billing in Albany. Assemblyman Clyde Vanel has been a loud advocate of making New York a hub in the new space industry, and his voice has been critical in moving the conversation forward in recent years (17). In the recent 2020 Legislative Session, he introduced a bill to establish a Space Task Force to study various impacts of the space industry in New York (18). However, with less than 2 dozen co-sponsors and no Senate companion, it failed to advance in a truncated Session dominated by the coronavirus response. It’s also clear that hurdles remain regarding outside lobbying and advocacy. The Mars Society, a premier civil space organization, only seems to have 1 New York chapter, in Binghamton, that was last active in 2018 (19). To advance the cause of space industry development and realize benefits for New York, a muscular civic and legislative advocacy apparatus is essential.

NASA does have an active research presence in the Empire State, in the form of the Goddard Institute for Space Studies in Manhattan’s Morningside Heights. The staff of over 120 conducts research into global trends that supports NASA’s entire portfolio (34). This work is affiliated with Columbia University’s Earth Institute, which contributes to our understanding of climate change, globalization, and the anthropomorphic impacts our civilization has on our planet (35). This highly relevant work, done in collaboration with a leading University, serves as a template for future space industry growth in the state.

New York has been a player in the space industry since the days of Apollo, but recent years have been mixed, and the future is murky. Legacy industry roots, growing interest from Wall Street, and an active NASA presence are reasons for optimism. A need for enhanced support for space industry start-ups, an Albany lobby in need of a shot in the arm, and a general lack of focus and ambition are reasons for doubt.

New York has proven throughout its history that it can tackle visionary projects and is a pioneer in expanding the spheres of equality and justice. A state legacy that began with the Erie Canal continued on through the civil rights struggles of Susan B. Anthony and Frederick Douglass and the technological success of the NYC subway and the Brooklyn Bridge. Recent history brought hard fought legislative victories for equality, transformational election reforms once thought impossible, and a full replacement of the Tappan Zee Bridge over the Hudson River (44, 45, 47). Heaven knows this development track record is not perfect (the Tappan Zee project has faced setbacks and criticism aplenty, despite its’ success). Yet unlike many regions, New York has proven the ability to rise above its past and achieve great things. The sheer dynamism and creative energy swirling day to day in New York City is unmatched in all but a few other select cities on Earth. It is time to apply that immense potential to establish a bold vision for New York as a leading American space hub in the New Space Economy.

The Path Ahead: How New York Develops into a Leading Space Hub

Space exploration has transformed our society in innumerable ways for the better over the last half century, and future expansion promises even more profound changes. New York has the potential to become a dynamic hub in this New Space Economy, facilitating new growth and reaping the benefits of this exciting new era. Yet recent history has shown challenges in gaining essential traction in Albany and fostering extensive support for industry start ups. A more focused, durable, inclusive vision is necessary to move New York in this bold new direction.

One of the best examples of a vibrant, advanced American space hub is Houston, Texas. Anchored by the Johnson Space Center, the full ecosystem of partnerships between NASA, universities, local government, and private industry has been developing since the 1960s. In 2018, NASA and its Texas operations (92% in Greater Houston) sustained over 52,000 jobs and $4.7 billion dollars (36, 37, 41). Over $30 million in direct grants was provided to Texas universities, and the flagship partnership with Rice University is the model for the industry. Space Center Houston is an international tourist destination responsible for hundreds of jobs and millions in annual visits, generating tens of millions of dollars in economic activity (38). In 2018, NASA’s SBIR/STTR programs, administered through the Johnson Space Center, directed $189 million to 163 small (<500) businesses (39). Most of the jobs supported require at least a Bachelor’s degree and have average annual salaries north of $150,000.

This sustained investment has led to the development of a robust private space sector in the Greater Houston area. Axiom, a Houston based company with deep NASA roots, recently announced plans to launch private crews to the International Space Station (40). They are partnering with industry giant SpaceX, whose south Texas Boca Chica facility is adding an entirely new dimension to the Texas space ecosystem (41). Houston, seeking to maintain its premiere position as a leading space hub, has invested more than $20 million turning a defunct airport 15 miles outside of the city into the worlds’ first urban commercial spaceport. When complete, the facility “is likely to resemble a technology campus with a runway attached. It would be an aerospace incubator where companies and academic institutions can develop products and skills; a research and development community,” (42). Optimism for the new facility is high; “maybe this is a portal for engineers and scientists and technicians and technologists to come together to invent and create new ideas that advance commercial space, that advance the industrial growth of the city of Houston.” The dynamism and economic potential of the space industry in Greater Houston serves as a tantalizing example for what could be achieved in New York, in time.

Photograph courtesy of the Houston Airport System (link)

Food for Thought: At some point in the future, there will be a commercial spaceport in the Northeast. Why shouldn’t it be in New York?

Decades of coordinated, sustained, broad-based investment by various levels of government has resulted in a sprawling space ecosystem involving multiple sectors, generating tens of thousands of good jobs and billions of dollars in economic activity in Greater Houston. The lessons from this growth include comprehensive collaboration that includes Universities and diverse industry sectors, dedicated and durable investment over decades, and a focus on facilitating private economic growth with responsible public investment and government intervention.

There is plenty New York can learn from Texas as it builds a future as a space hub. Collaboration with universities, responsible government investments, and spurring private sector growth are key takeaways for growing a dynamic space hub. New York has the foundations in place to take these lessons and apply them around the following 3 core development principles:

1. Collaboration/Durability/Reinforcement: Develop an ecosystem for the space industry in New York that draws on the strengths and resources of diverse industry sectors, academia, and all layers of government. Build mutually reinforcing structures, anchored by dedicated and comprehensive State support, that ensure progress is locked in and growth potential is maximized. Key question: What is the most efficient path to learn the necessary lessons and build the most prosperous space industry ecosystem that operates on both day to day and decades long time frames?
2. Equality/Diversity: New York has a proud history as a leader in the fights for equality, justice, and democratic enfranchisement (44, 45). The sad reality is that, like other STEM fields, the space industry has often been dominated by wealthy white men (case in point: out of the 562 people who have been to space, only 58 have been women) (26). New York has an opportunity to offer path-breaking support and avenues of success into the industry for historically underrepresented and involved groups like women and minorities. Expanding and reinforcing critical academic pathways is a key avenue of success. Key question: How can New York best foster a space ecosystem environment of equality and inclusion and create new and unique pathways of advancement for historically underrepresented groups?
3. Innovation/Agility: New York has both the institutional knowledge and physical infrastructure to become an R&D and start-up hub for the space sector. New York has both the opportunity and the ability to develop flexible, adaptable frameworks that offer unique and desirable resources to diverse sectors of the space economy. Key question: What unique industry need can New York fill in the shortest period of time in the most creative way? What new synergies and opportunities can be created as New York develops as a space hub?

These principles capture the core traits that allowed Houston to develop as a space hub and organize them around New York’s strengths and potential as a region. It is important to analyze these principles through the major spheres of development New York is primed to advance in as it develops as a space hub.

Education, Industry, and Government are the critical spheres of operation for the New York space economy. New York's world leading education system, existing partnerships with NASA, and a strong research base enable it to envision a future as a space industry academic heavyweight, offering unique capabilities and uplifting a new generation of leaders. Both legacy industry players and new start ups have a critical role to play in future growth, and harnessing their abilities and leadership is critical. The state government plays a pivotal role in offering a broad development vision, coordinating sometimes disparate segments of the space ecosystem, and ensuring growth is durable and adheres to New York's core principles of diversity and innovation.

Education

As the new space economy rapidly expands, there will increase demand for workers trained in specialized fields that will develop in a very rapid time frame. A quick example is a projected rising need for workers trained in the finance mechanisms specific to space companies, such as a ‘space mortgage broker’, which currently doesn’t exist (11). There are numerous steps New York can take to ensure its academic pipeline produces a space-capable workforce that attracts companies from around the world and encourages the brightest minds to do their work in New York. Below are some early concepts for how to structure growth in the sphere of Education.

Establish the New York Space Education Council. This consortium of leading New York colleges and universities (including SUNY & CUNY) would oversee education related aspects of New Yorks’ space economy. The primary goal of this organization is to craft a world class space-capable academic pipeline that results in highly adaptable industry specific training resources and the highest quality space workforce in the world. Using existing productive and industry leading examples like the NASA Goddard Institute at Columbia University is critical to success in this area. Specific objectives or tasks could include:

• Conduct wide ranging analysis to identify existing academic programs active in the space industry. It is critical to learn lessons on how successful programs operate, analyze how the field is evolving, and project how New York can best enhance its presence in the field of space academia.
• Oversee and coordinate the Space Research and Advancement Hubs (described below) and ensure they are serving their purpose as ‘centers of gravity’ for space industry growth.
• Oversee the implementation of the New York Diversity in Space Education Task Force (described below).
• Utilize the New York Space Data & Analysis Task Force (described below) to develop a detailed picture of the space industry in New York, including time sensitive data regarding investment, employment, economic impact, and quality of life improvements across the state.
• Conduct extensive year round public outreach throughout the region to foster interest and solicit public input on space related development issues.
• Work closely with the Public Investments in Space Industry Advancement Task Force (described below) to ensure all necessary educational resources are available to assist New York space companies in accessing public investment resources.

Establish University Space Research and Advancement Hubs designed to spur space start up growth and create a space-capable workforce. These hubs would be seeded throughout the state and would have numerous characteristics and qualities designed to spur space economy growth in New York, including:

• A specific focus or ‘theme’ to their hub (ex. Software & Programming, Law & Governance, Medicine, Agriculture, Engineering, Finance, etc…).
• Strong and active commitment to creating a diverse and inclusive environment, including with historically underserved segments of surrounding regional communities.
• Facilities, infrastructure, and incentives to facilitate space start up development.
• Unique, cutting edge academic programming in relevant fields across the space industry, organized around their central theme to encourage synergies.
• Example: At the 2019 Morgan Stanley Space Summit, it was noted that the financial mechanisms in much of the space industry are still developing, and there will be a need for greater expertise in this field in the years ahead. New York should be first in line developing this critical academic programming to fill this projected industry skills gap (13).
• Active and extensive community and national programming, including symposia, workshops, conferences, and research expeditions focused around engaging the broader community and networking with other academic institutions.
• Developing extensive relationships with regional K-12 schools, assisting their development of space-related academic programming, and boosting interest and participation in STEM more generally in young students.

Establish the New York State Diversity in Space Education Task Force to break barriers and ensure the academic pathways to the space industry are available to the full spectrum of humanity. Diversity and inclusion are critical to any successful enterprise, and significant work needs to be done reducing barriers to participation in the new space economy. This Task Force could execute its’ mission in various ways, including:

• Establish a series of scholarships, grants, and internships at various levels of education and industry to increase academic pathways to participation and involvement for historically underrepresented populations.
• Study the dynamics of underrepresented populations in the space industry, providing regular reports and outreach to highlight barriers for removal.
• Develop diverse and extensive outreach and programming in historically under-served school districts, using the University Research and Advancement Hubs to increase STEM offerings and expand academic opportunities to those students who need it the most.
• Speak loudly, clearly, and repeatedly about barriers to advancement and steps to eradicate them. Involving the broader community to ensure genuine progress is essential.

Establish the New York Space Data and Analysis Task Force. This group would gather information and knowledge regarding the scope and nuances of the space industry, in New York and more broadly, including:

• Active tracking of various space industry businesses operating in the state, to measure their economic impact and ensure they are receiving all necessary support and assistance to grow and succeed.
• Constant, wide ranging general industry research, conducted with a wide range of partners throughout the state. This will ensure New York is on the cutting edge of insight and understanding of the underlying industry trends, in order to better facilitate academic and industry planning.
• Track the participation and success of Diversity in Space Education Task Force/ Diversity in Space Economies Task Force initiatives.

There are numerous potential benefits from establishing this robust educational infrastructure to support New York’s space industry. A brief sample of those benefits includes:

• Expanding college enrollment and size. Expanded, cutting edge, in demand programming will both retain local high school graduates and attract students from around the world. This would be an extremely beneficial boost in attendance at colleges and universities statewide, which have seen enrollment slides in recent years, even before COVID (21, 22).
• Leadership in Equality & Diversity. Offering significant opportunities to women and minorities to advance in the space industry specifically, and STEM more broadly, establishes New York as a global leader in demonstrating the benefits of a diverse, inclusive space industry.
• Statewide economic growth, focusing Upstate. There have been dedicated efforts in recent years to foster economic development in Upstate New York, with varying degrees of success, with some of the brightest spots being growth surrounding Universities. Generating increased activity in the space industry, in both academic initiatives and assisted spin offs and start ups, around these Universities will lead to increasing benefits to surrounding regions in the form of more jobs, increased tax revenue, and an increase in regional GDP (23, 24, 25).

These initiatives will enhance New York’s academic credentials in the space economy, encouraging economic growth and attracting talent and investment from outside the state. New York has the opportunity to lead on expanding access and opportunities for historically underrepresented minorities, ushering in a new era of diversity and inclusion throughout the new space economy. As these initiatives take hold, accelerating growth and development will pay increasing dividends for the state.

Industry

As this new space economy begins to take hold in the years ahead, it is imperative New York remains ahead of the curve on creating a supportive ecosystem for growth. It is imperative that all the various industry segments, including the legacy players, Wall Street finance titans, and fledgling start ups, all have a seat at the table and are given all necessary resources to thrive and succeed. The following initiatives would aim to spark change and promote growth in the space industry throughout New York.

Establish the New York Space Industry Leadership Council. This group of industry representatives would provide insight and advice to state government and policy leaders as they craft an increasingly ambitious framework to foster industry growth and success. Specific actions could include:

• Recommend legislative and regulatory adjustments that would facilitate more rapid expansion of New York’s space industry.
• Facilitate various industry networking and collaborative efforts, creating beneficial new synergies and collaborations between industry, academia, and government stakeholders.
• Regular briefings and consultations with the public, academia, industry, the Legislature, and the Executive.
• Working with the New York Space Data and Analysis Task Force to issue regular reports and analysis on the health and trends of the New York space industry.

Establish the Space Finance Development Task Force. The finance industry is an outsize player in New York and one of the single most unique aspects of New York as a hub in the new space economy. Ensuring the priorities of this industry are addressed is critically important. Fostering a healthy VC environment statewide for space sector companies is essential for true economic success.

Establish the Public Investments in Space Task Force. This group will focus on facilitating and encouraging public investments in space industry companies located throughout the state, with a focus on highly successful existing NASA programs.

• Enhance the necessary support and networking mechanisms for New York companies to competitively bid on NASA and DoD space related contracts, specifically the SBIR/STTR programs that generate significant ROI.
• Identify critical infrastructure investments New York State can make that would foster space industry growth, in areas including transportation and storage capacity upgrades, renovating outdated facilities for reuse, and enhancing data and telecommunications resources.
• Work closely with the New York Space Education Council to ensure all available academic and research resources are available to New York space industry companies, enabling them to bid competitively on public investment space contracts.
• Work closely with the various governmental and political bodies to ensure the regulatory and legal environment in the State is as receptive as possible to public investment in the space sector.

Space Industry Growth & Development Program. Develop a versatile suite of incentives and support systems available to companies throughout the space industry. Potential items include:

• Space Startup Incubation Program. Tied to Research and Advancement Hubs, these would be dedicated incubation facilities with cutting edge resources made available to qualified space sector start ups, as well as easy access to fresh academic and workforce talent.
• Next Generation Internship/Apprenticeship program. A statewide program of facilitated connections between space industry companies and high school and college age interns and apprentices. This would include extensive collaboration with various diversity initiatives.
• Economic and tax incentives. Develop a suite of tax and financing mechanisms that encourage space industry companies to expand operations in New York.

Establish the Diversity in Space Economy Task Force. This group will function closely with the Diversity in Space Education Task Force, and work to reinforce New York’s efforts to reduce barriers to the new space economy, including:

• Establish a series of grants and support mechanisms for minority and women owned space industry businesses, especially start ups.
• Focus on the transition from the education pipeline to the workforce, developing a series of internships, fellowships, apprenticeships, and other structured programs to ensure successful job placement for women and minority candidates upon graduation.
• Work with the Space Data & Analysis Task Force to track relevant industry metrics and formulate reports on barriers for women and minorities in the space industry in need of removal.

It is possible to create an environment for the space industry in New York that offers numerous benefits and unique opportunities for growth, including:

• Access to top level academic and research resources.
• A dedicated educational pipeline designed to meet industry needs and constantly replenish a space-capable workforce.
• Benefit of a supportive statewide economic and regulatory framework.
• Leadership agency and the ability to influence State level decision making.
• Expanding resources and support for women and minorities to excel in the space industry.

Developing a strong, diverse economic foundation for New York’s space industry is a natural complement to growth and development in the academic sphere. The synergies created with a strong pipeline from academia to industry, and a diverse, robust support structure for a wide array of industry players, is key to the future success of New York’s space industry.

Government

The dual track vision of enhancing New York’s academic capabilities in space while laying a foundation for economic development is best realized with a strong, focused, and reinforcing effort from the New York State government and political apparatus. Regulatory roadblocks and confusion, political gamesmanship, and bureaucratic inertia and apathy can quickly flatten even the most promising of growth curves. Building structures to offset these risks from the start is imperative to the long term health of New Yorks’ space industry.

Establishment of the NYS Space Agency. This arm of the Executive branch would oversee and ensure success in the Education and Industry spheres, and serve as a ‘big picture’ overseer and backstop for all space industry related matters in New York. Keys to success would include:

• Strong oversight relationships with all Education and Industry sector groups and task forces. This will ensure resources are being efficiently utilized, connections are being made, and that needless barriers aren’t interfering with progress.
• Robust oversight of the Space Data & Analysis Task Force to ensure data is being properly and widely shared with relevant stakeholders to inform proper decision making.
• Robust oversight of the Diversity in Space Education & Economies Task Force to ensure progress on the foundational goals of expanding diversity and inclusion in the space industry.
• Serving as the central hub within State Government for functions relating to the space industry, including various forms of academic and industry regulation and oversight, point of contact functions for various stakeholders, and other essential government functions.
• Ensuring redundancy in industry wide analysis and information incorporation. Utilizing every tool and studying every example of how to encourage space industry growth is critical, and the NYS Space Agency will ensure no stone is left unturned through the various tools at its disposal.
• Serving as the representative for the state government in any space industry partnerships with neighboring states or the Federal government.

Establishment of the NY Space Industry Regulation Reform and Efficiency Council. This panel will ensure that New York’s regulatory and incentive environment for all aspects of the space industry are as streamlined and operationally efficient as possible. An optimal growth environment values clear communication, manageable and reasonable regulations, and a responsive and adaptive feedback mechanism.

Establishment of the NY Legislative Space Caucus. This bi-partisan, bicameral group of Legislators would seek to advance all necessary and relevant legislation to make New York a global space hub. It is critical to ensure the space industry does not become a partisan issue in Albany. Even in a one-party governed state, broad buy-in from various segments of the political class will ensure space issues are both promptly addressed and rarely delayed due to partisan gridlock. The Caucus would seek to bolster the New York space industry in the following ways:

• Regular bipartisan and bicameral public sessions to solicit citizen feedback and discuss updates and initiatives.
• Regular reports on necessary legislation and recommended Executive actions to benefit space industry growth.
• Loudly and forcefully advocating for space industry priorities during the annual Budget Session.
• Seeking to expand membership through educational sessions with fellow Members, explaining the benefits of a thriving New York space industry to their constituents.

Establishment of the Space Democracy Initiatives. New York has a long history of civic and social activism and recently led the nation with a series of expansive voting reforms (31). New York can ensure our democratic traditions follow us into space with a series of innovative actions, including:

• A continuing series of Town Halls and citizen round-tables that gather extensive public feedback on various issues related to our exploration and settlement of outer space. Executed in concert with the university based Research and Advancement Hubs and the Space Data & Analysis Task Force, these forums would be one of the first broad public discussions of how our species is going to settle the Solar System.
• Establishing academic programming throughout the state centered around the developing political and governance structures in orbital and lunar economies. Ensure there is a consistent focus on ensuring representation for women and minorities in whatever governance structures do evolve.
• Regular work by the NY Legislative Space Caucus building connections with other legislative bodies around the world to advance space priorities and expand the civic conversation about how we will govern ourselves as we settle the Solar System.

A cohesive, inclusive approach from the government and political operators in New York is an essential component of a successful New York space industry. Various benefits include:

• Durability and redundancy is woven into every level of the State’s efforts to support the space industry. This prevents retrenchment after inevitable failures, and serves to amplify forward momentum.
• Space industry growth can be a true bi-partisan, big tent issue for all the political and governmental players involved. A rare win-win, positive issue that every politician should instinctively run towards.
• New York would maintain its position as a world leader and historical trend setter when it comes to ensuring democratic enfranchisement and the expansion of equal rights and justice into outer space.

A cohesive, bi-partisan political and governmental approach in New York can ward off some of the most severe risks to space sector growth while ensuring the necessary redundancy and durability of institutions to lock in progress and prevent apathy and confusion from holding the state back.

The Triads

By lacing together the three key industry pillars of Education, Industry, and Government around the three core principles of durability, innovation, and diversity, New York can harness its existing assets and grow into a nationwide space economy leader and an important space hub. This growth will bring innumerable benefits to New Yorkers and advance the cause of growth and development of the space industry more broadly by bringing New York’s considerable economic heft, academic capacity, and history of social progress to the table.

A key component of this evolving space industry ecosystem is collaboration, synergy, and reinforcement. To that end, New York should hold an annual Space Industry Convention, a gathering of all the relevant stakeholders from every corner of the industry, academia, government, and the community for a series of workshops, meetings, events, and presentations. This event will serve as a catalyst for growth, creating maximum opportunities for exposure and synergy for the industry and creating momentum across the industry, reinforcing growth and preventing stagnation and underachievement. This Convention should move around the State, engaging various communities in a wide array of engaging activities.

These dual interlocking triads form a potent development matrix that has the potential to accelerate New York’s growth as a space hub and usher in an exciting new era of development and prosperity.

Conclusion

There is an exciting new era on our doorstep, a period of expansive economic growth off of the Earth, generating changes far and wide throughout human civilization. The list of transformational impacts is extensive: trillions to be made in new industries, new careers and tens of thousands of new jobs, fascinating and powerful new technologies that could result in beneficial changes to how we communicate, live, and get around.

New York has a history of activity in the space industry, and currently has the pieces necessary for the region to develop as a cornerstone space industry hub. Anchored by significant academic capacity, motivated by a history of social activism and civic enfranchisement, and reinforced by a responsive and focused state government, New York could quickly become a powerhouse player in the New Space Economy.

It’s true, this may be the most frightening and depressing hour our State has faced in decades (the latest in a long line of trials in fact). It’s true many call our national politics broken, that distrust in institutions was at an all time high before this latest cataclysm. It’s precisely in moments like this, when the future seems darkest, that we must come together and write a bold collective vision for the future that offers hope and highlights a path to increased prosperity.

Engaging in the task of making New York a space industry hub allows all New Yorkers, and indeed people throughout the entire Greater New York region, the opportunity to dream big. It’s an opportunity to envision a future where poor black and brown children are given a path to see their footprints on Mars, starting here in New York. It’s an opportunity to work towards Upstate universities serving as anchor hubs for thousands of new space industry jobs, uplifting regions that have spent decades as economic backwaters. It’s an opportunity to bring together the brightest minds to spur the next generation of technologies, increasing the odds that the new engine that takes us to Mars, or the software used at the first Lunar base, or the optics for the next generation of telescopes, are developed right here in New York.

This exciting and prosperous future is by no means guaranteed. New York is not yet Florida, or Texas, or California. Geography in this regard is a minor curse, as we will never be as far south as Florida or Texas, depriving us of being a priority heavy lift rocket launch destination (and the attendant industrial and economic activity). Instead New York will carve a leadership role in this new economy as a rising academic powerhouse, a financial hub with innovative resources for new companies, a gateway for those historically shut out to chart their future in the stars. If these opportunities are seized, there is no limit to how high New York can rise in what promises to be one of the most interesting times in human history.