UW PhD student Yasuhiro Miyazawa connects the unit cells together to form an origami-inspired chain with applications for softer space landings . Credit : Kiyomi Taguchi / University of Washington
WASHINGTON ’ S SPACE INDUSTRY IS
OUT OF THIS WORLD
By Robin Toth — Washington State Dept . of Commerce
Washington State may be best known for commercial and defense aircraft that fly our beautiful blue skies and for the information technology companies that create new solutions for “ the cloud .” However , there are even more spectacular innovations that extend beyond Earth and into the vast frontier of space . For more than six decades and counting , Washington-based space companies have contributed significantly to this sector , which is now morphing from an institutional sector into a commercial sector .
Robin Toth Washington State Dept . of Commerce www . commerce . wa . gov
WASHINGTON STATE DEPT . OF COMMERCE
In 2021 , a Space Foundation report highlighted the space economy achieved a record $ 469 billion in global annual spending . According to a 2022 report , the space sector in Washington State alone generated an estimated $ 4.6 billion in economic activity . In fact , NASA contract awards to space companies and organizations in Washington State totaled more than $ 830 million from 2017 to 2021 . With an ecosystem featuring major players such as SpaceX , Blue Origin , and Aerojet Rocketdyne , more than 100 companies provide parts , assemblies and systems to travel into or through outer space .
Some of the biggest announcements have come from smaller companies that call Washington home . Wave Motion Launch , a startup headquartered in Everett , Washington , received a $ 1.35 million contract from the Office of Naval Research ( ONR ) in 2022 . This space and defense company is developing the jet-gun , a non-rocket launch technology which has current applications in defense and could eventually deliver cargo and supplies into space at a fraction of the current cost .
38 NORTHWEST AEROSPACE NEWS