Colorado's space future taxiing for take off

Sponsored by Ambient Energy, the SMPS Colorado April 4th program featured industry leaders in space and aeronautics in Colorado. 

Moderator Crystal Peden, Business Development Manager for The CPI Group, opened the program with Colorado's leading and growing role in space and aviation across the country. Although there is a shortage of qualified workers, Colorado's high-tech employment base dovetails well into air-oriented fields.

Dave Ruppel, Air & Space Port Director for Front Range Airport / Spaceport introduced the state's only spaceport, which should be operational within a decade or two. Conveniently located just seven miles southeast of Denver International Airport, the spaceport will serve as a junction between space, highways, rail and airports. The spaceport has nearly a thousand acres to be developed within its boundaries.

Jay Lindell, Major General, USAF, and Aerospace and Defense Industry Champion with the Colorado Office of Economic and International Trade serves as Colorado's head cheerleader as Colorado develop defense and aerospace jobs statewide. While the majority of those positions are located along the front range, companies from Durango to Grand Junction are helping Colorado rank as the third-largest space and defense economy within the United States.

Debra Wilcox, Co-Founder of The 3D Printing Company, discussed the critical role vendors and suppliers will have in the development of Colorado as a nexus of defense, air and space travel in coming decades.

Over 70 professional from across Colorado attended the SMPS event. Stay tuned for more details on the May 9 program.

This event was brought to you by the Programs Committee.

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Event photography provided by The Unfound Door.