Primes state to lead future of space and aeronautics industry and create jobs

Phoenix, AZ — Today, Governor Katie Hobbs relaunched the Arizona Space Commission, appointing seven leaders from industry, science, and education to help spearhead its efforts. These Arizonans are poised to put Arizona at the forefront of space technology, create jobs, and help grow Arizona’s workforce in critical industries.

The Arizona Space Commission has been dormant for the past decade. Last year, the Governor signed HB2254 to revive the Commission and further promote and expand space, aeronautics, and aviation industry in Arizona. The Commission will identify potential projects that would advance Arizona’s position in the industry and plan and implement aerospace-related educational opportunities in Arizona. The Arizona Commerce Authority will support the work of the Commission, which is required to develop and publish a strategic plan every two years. 

“Creating economic opportunity and advancing innovation are essential to realizing the Arizona Promise,” said Governor Katie Hobbs. “The newly launched Arizona Space Commission will solidify our state's leadership in space exploration and help grow our workforce in critical industries of the future.”

“Bolstered by world-renowned universities, a robust aerospace and defense industry, promising startups and unique natural advantages, Arizona is fully poised to be a leader in the growing space economy,” said Sandra Watson, President and CEO of the Arizona Commerce Authority. “The Arizona Space Commission will convene leaders from across our state to propel our momentum to the next level.”

In recent years, Arizona has emerged as a top state in the fast-growing space and aerospace industries, building on its long history of aerospace leadership. Arizona is number one in the nation for concentration of guided missile and space vehicle manufacturing jobs and in the top five states for aerospace and defense manufacturing employment. With the rise of commercial space flight and reshoring of critical industries, Arizona’s opportunities will only grow in the already $540 billion-a-year space economy. In just the past two years the state has seen business expansions from leading space industry companies such as BlackStar Orbital, Blue Origin, Virgin Galactic, and Northrop Grumman. 

While Arizona is on the ascent, the state will need to continue to make smart investments and forge strategic partnerships, as it has for the semiconductor and other key industries. The Arizona Space Commission will serve as a critical body for planning and coordinating a statewide strategy that bolsters Arizona’s competitiveness and maintains the state’s leadership in key industries. 

Governor’s Appointees:

Grant Anderson, President and CEO of Paragon Space Development Corporation: Grant Anderson is the President and CEO of Paragon Space Development Corporation, a company he founded in Tucson, Arizona in 1993. Through his work at Paragon and starting multiple aerospace companies, Grant is recognized as a leader in the Life Support in Extreme Environments field. He has led design work for several spacecraft in working with Lockheed Martin, Inspiration Mars Foundation NASA, SpaceX, Boeing, and Northrop Grumman. Grant was Chief Design Engineer for the International Space Station’s Solar Array Program – the largest solar arrays ever built – while at Lockheed Martin. A Tucson resident, Grant served on the Industry Advisory Board for the College of Engineering at the University of Arizona. He holds a Bachelor and Master of Science from Stanford University and is a registered Professional Engineer. He is married with 3 children.

Dr. Jim Bell, Regents Professor in the School of Earth & Space Exploration at Arizona State University: Dr. Jim Bell is a Regents Professor in the School of Earth & Space Exploration at Arizona State University, a Distinguished Visiting Scientist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and the Director of ASU's campus-wide Space Technology and Science, or "NewSpace," Initiative. He is an active astronomer and planetary scientist focusing on the geology, composition, and mineralogy of the surfaces of planets, moons, asteroids, and comets.  Jim has played key leadership roles in NASA robotic solar system exploration using the Hubble Space Telescope, Mars rovers, and flyby and orbiter missions sent to Mars, the Moon, several asteroids, and the outer solar system. He is also an author of many popular science books and was President of The Planetary Society from 2008-2020. He is a Fellow of the American Astronomical Society (AAS) and the American Geophysical Union and has received more than a dozen NASA Group Achievement Awards as well as the AAS Carl Sagan Medal for public communication in science.

Dr. Erika Hamden, Director of the University of Arizona Space Institute: Dr. Erika Hamden is a Professor of Astrophysics at the University of Arizona, and Director of the University of Arizona Space Institute. Prof. Hamden is a world expert in space sciences, including space mission development and ultraviolet technology. She earned a B.A. from Harvard College and a PhD from Columbia University. Prof. Hamden is a TED Fellow, a AAAS IF/Then Ambassador, and has won numerous awards from NASA for her work in ultraviolet astronomy. In addition to her technical work, she hosts a TV show on AZPM, holds a private pilot’s license, and communicates science on social media to over 170 thousand followers.

Shawn Linam, President and CEO of Qwaltec, Inc.: Shawn Linam is the CEO and co-founder of Qwaltec, a Tempe-based, woman-owned small business that provides mission control expertise for space systems. She has extensive experience in space systems operations and has designed and implemented training systems for numerous government and commercial space programs. She began her career in space operations at NASA where she worked as an astronaut and flight controller instructor for the Space Shuttle and the International Space Station. Shawn is also the host of the In Her Orbit podcast, an interview-style podcast showcasing and celebrating women and their achievements in the space industry.

Lisa Morris, Supply Chain Vice President for Virgin Galactic: Lisa Morris leads all aspects of supply chain for Virgin Galactic which includes leading procurement, sourcing, material planning, transportation and logistics, and support for the company’s commercial team. Most recently Lisa has focused on securing contractors to supply the major subassemblies for Virgin Galactic’s new Delta Class spaceship and for future motherships. Her work includes the company’s recently-launched spaceship manufacturing facility in Mesa, building out the East Valley as a hub for space manufacturing. Lisa joined Galactic with more than 25 years of leadership experience in supply chain, manufacturing operations, A&D repair operations, material planning, marketing, and product management. She holds a Master of Business Administration in Technology Management from University of Phoenix, and a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from University of Arizona. Lisa lives in Cave Creek, Arizona with her husband and has 2 grown children who are also Arizona residents.

Douglas Nicholls, Mayor of Yuma: Douglas J. Nicholls is the 27th Mayor of Yuma, serving his third term. He is a civil engineer, a business owner, husband, father, and is fully committed to serving the people of Yuma. Mayor Nicholls founded 4FrontED, is on the Executive Committee of the Arizona League of Cities and Towns (having recently served as President), serves on the EPA’s Local Government Advisory Council, and many state and local boards. He believes in the potential for space industry opportunities and their economic development impacts to Arizonans and has championed for private and public sector collaboration to bring future space industry projects to fruition.

Mike Vargas, STEM Educator: Mike Vargas is the Strategic Partnerships Lead for the Air and Space STEM Outreach Office at the Griffiths Institute, which represents the AFRL and the Department of the Air Force. He previously worked on the Arizona STEM Acceleration Project at Arizona State University Center for Science and the Imagination. He was an Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellow for the Department of Defense and served on multiple DOD and interagency working groups. Mike is also the civilian program manager for the Space Force's main educational outreach initiative “STEM to SPACE.” Mike was Principal Investigator of the largest STEM education development project in Arizona, with a $10 million budget. A proud Arizona native, he has a strong commitment to closing gaps in students’ access to careers in space and building a pipeline to jobs of the future in Arizona.

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