Arizona to become a hub for space exploration

Arizona is a hub for space exploration and innovation, ranking as the 5th largest employer in aerospace and defense manufacturing with over 1,250 supply chain contributors.

Arizona State University hosted a space summit on March 20, 2025. Speakers at the conference said Arizona trails several other states in various aspects including space research, rocket manufacturing and launch infrastructure.

But the growth of the semiconductor business here, along with the state’s increasingly technology-oriented workforce and wide-open spaces, could make Arizona a bigger player in space exploration.

Jessica Rousset, the Executive Director at ASU Interplanetary Initiative, joined “Arizona Horizon” to discuss insights from the recent ASU-hosted space summit. She highlighted how Arizona’s growing semiconductor industry, high-tech workforce, and geographic advantages position the state to become more competitive in the national space landscape. So what specific advantages does Arizona have?

According to Rousset, “We have clear skies, we have lots of land available for testing and R&D, we have a spaceport in development in Yuma as well as Sierra Vista.” Not to mention that in Mesa, Virgin Galactic is developing a spaceship.

Rousset also added that Arizona State University is also playing a large role in providing great talent that is helping grow the industry in the state.