Several years ago a study commissioned by the Georgia Military Affairs Committee recommended the state reach out to companies in the space economy. They did so based on our location between Alabama and Florida, with the Marshall Space Center and the Kennedy Space Center, our country’s primary launch facility. Combined with Georgia’s strong business climate and Georgia Tech, which produces the most aerospace engineers in the country, the opportunity to attract space companies was natural.
This recommendation was made before there was any real thought of a launch facility in Georgia. With the project to create a commercial launch facility in Camden County, our ability to attract companies involved in the space economy increases exponentially.
Only about 1% of the space economy involves launch manufacturing. The remaining 99% involves all sorts of satellite and ground equipment manufacturing, satellite services, remote sensing, distribution, research and development and distribution. A recent study indicated the average space job in the country pays $92,000, so the highly educated, high-tech and highly paid jobs are exactly what Georgia hopes to attract. Space is the perfect fit.
A quick look at what Georgia offers space companies is very revealing.
Georgia Tech produces not only the most aerospace engineers in the country, but it also produces more engineers overall than any other school in the country. When combined with Georgia’s other universities, a full complement of engineering studies are available to include: computer science, electrical engineering, materials science engineering, industrial engineering, mechanical engineering, environmental engineering, bioengineering, biomedical engineering, and robotics.
Need help with research? The Georgia Tech Research Institute and the Mercer Engineering Research Center stand ready to handle projects of any size. Also, fantastic developments with robotic space suits are currently taking place at Middle Georgia State University.
The FAA recently released a listing of emerging technologies necessary for space companies, and Georgia Tech has a strong program in every single area.
Georgia has a well-developed technical college system with the capability to not only train, but to also help a workforce maintain their abilities. Customized training programs are available, and the campuses are located across the state with close proximity to companies no matter when where they are located.
Georgia Quick Start will work with the Technical College System to train a company’s workforce on the particular machines needed, develop all training materials, and provide the training at no cost to the company.
Also, bringing space jobs to Georgia will only drive more aspiring students into STEM educational opportunities and further encourage local junior high and high school students into the sciences.
Georgia has over 500 companies across both air and space facets of the industry, and those companies employ 88,000 aerospace workers.
The property around the proposed spaceport has one million workers within an hour’s drive, but is remarkably free of population in the immediate flight safety zone that enables the operations to occur safely for the uninvolved public.
Georgia has one of the nation’s best developed logistics systems with trucking companies, rail, two seaports, interstate highways and the world’s busiest airport. Moving people or product to or from any location in the world can easily be accomplished. Space is the next mode we need to conquer!
The southeast section of Georgia has ample properties that are ready for development and many with available buildings of varying sizes that can handle virtually any sized manufacturing operation.
Want to hold a conference or a business meeting? Georgia has numerous world-class conference facilities in various locations around the state, and routinely hosts conferences of all sizes.
A spaceport in Georgia can be a crown jewel to the entire state, but we must realize the larger opportunity is with the wide range of space industry companies potentially locating anywhere in Georgia. Having high paying space industry jobs in Georgia and space industry companies manufacturing in Georgia will attract a whole new tier of suppliers. Right now, almost all those Aerospace Engineers at Georgia Tech leave the state upon graduation, so why not keep that talent here. The space market is real, and Georgia has competitive advantages over other states.
Any company in the space sector that is looking to expand or relocate need look no farther than Georgia. Our resources make us the up and coming hot bed of space for the entire country.
Representative Jason Spencer represents the citizens of District 180, which includes Camden, Charlton, and Ware counties. He was elected into the House of Representatives in 2010, and currently serves as the Secretary of the Special Rules Committee. He also serves on the Game Fish & Parks, Human Relations & Aging, Science and Technology, and Juvenile Justice committees.
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