Space Industry Moves Forward in Colorado

I was talking to friends last week about an investment property they are buying in Loveland.  They mentioned they were excited about the prospects for the thousands of potential new jobs which could be created in Loveland by the ACE industrial park joint venture between NASA, the Colorado Association for Manufacturing and Technology and a private real estate developer.   My first reaction was that the park's future was uncertain because the original developer, United Properties, stopped its negotiations with the City of Loveland to buy the Agilent Technologies Inc property.  However, I was excited to learn that a new developer, Cumberland & Western Resources LLC is close to buying the property and moving the project forward.


The Space economy is very important to the Front Range and has prospects for future growth even beyond the ACE park.  According to the Colorado Space Coalition the aerospace industry in Colorado employees 163,000 people and the state has the 3rd largest space economy in the U.S.

Recently Governor Hickenlooper announced that the State of Colorado is applying for a spaceport designation from the Federal Aviation Administration.   "Spaceport Colorado" is tentatively slated to be located at Front Range Airport near Watkins and east of Denver in Adams County.  The creation of a spaceport in Metro Denver would likely promote economic and real estate development in the vicinity of the facility.

Both the ACE park and Spaceport Colorado will be very interesting to watch develop over the next few years.

ACE Manufacturing and Innovation Park Likely Coming to Loveland

Media Accounts are putting the CMAT Space Park site in Loveland (previous blog post here).

• Account from the Coloradan.


• The Reporter Herald's Story


• The view from the Daily Camera here and here.

Update: Aerospace Park A Real ACE for Colorado

My instincts tell me that if the Aerospace Clean Energy (ACE) research and manufacturing park, the public private partnership between NASA, and the Colorado Association for Manufacturing and Technology "takes off" (pun intended) this would be one of the biggest economic development events ever to occur in Colorado. There will be many challenges along the way and this will be a fascinating story to watch unfold.

• The indispensable John Rebchook has an interesting update in a recent blog entry on the ACE Manufacturing and Innovation Park.

• The Denver Post also had a recent article about the locations under consideration by the site selection team.

NASA Agreement with CAMT to Promote Technology Commercialization and Clean Energy

The excerpt below from a NASA Press Release does a good job of explaining the public private partnership (a.k.a. The Space Act Agreement) created between NASA and the Colorado Association for Manufacturing and Technology (CAMT) to promote space technology commercialization, clean energy, aerospace and economic development in Colorado. The partnership, which will be housed in a newly built research park at a site in Colorado which has yet to be selected, could create up to 10,000 jobs over the next five years in the Front Range.

[NASA and Colorado officials sign Space Act Agreement creating public private partnership. Photo courtesy NASA/Bill Ingalls from www.whitehouse.gov]

"NASA's agreement with the Colorado Association for Manufacturing and
Technology (CAMT) created a Technology Acceleration Program and Regional
Innovation Cluster for Aerospace and Clean Energy. A manufacturing park focused on rapid new product development and production will be developed to assist growing Colorado businesses.

"This park will use Colorado's existing competitive strengths to boost
economic growth while creating new jobs and products for aerospace and energy
industries," Garver said. "NASA is pleased to collaborate on new technology
developments like the one being created through the Colorado Technology
Acceleration Program and Regional Innovation Cluster."

Under the agreement, small and mid-sized businesses will have direct access
to a NASA "innovation ambassador," an agency expert who can identify NASA and
partner technologies ready for commercialization. The ambassador will conduct
forums to drive partnerships among NASA and Colorado businesses and help
identify businesses that can benefit from commercialization technical
assistance.

"The new agreement with NASA is a perfect fit for Colorado because it will
enhance our leading aerospace industry and growing high-tech business and
research sectors," Ritter said. "Most importantly, this will bring high-tech
jobs to our state. Colorado is a hub for innovation and continues to attract the
best and the brightest workers. Congratulations to CAMT and NASA for making this
historic agreement."

[Image from NASA/courtesy of nasaimages.org]

The Technology Acceleration Program will allow companies to work with NASA and expedite product development from an average of five years to as little as
18 months. New products will get to market more quickly, and new high tech jobs will be created. "Aerospace and energy are the fastest growing industries in Colorado, sharing the same supply base and similar workforce needs," said Elaine Thorndike, chief executive officer of CAMT.

"Through regional innovation clusters, public and private sectors can work
together to increase business opportunities, technical assistance programs and
market penetration for aerospace and clean energy manufacturing strength."

The NASA-CAMT partnership will provide technical assistance and identify
gaps in commercialization and scouting services to help companies looking for
space-developed technologies and services. It will help companies bridge the gap
between prototype design, manufacturing and commercialization, while identifying
commercial applications for NASA technologies."

Links

• Daily Camera articles here and here.
• Colorado Association for Manufacturing Technology (CMAT).
• White House Office of Science and Technology Policy story.
• Remarks of CMAT CEO Elaine Thorndike.
• CMAT description of Technology Acceleration Program.