WHAT ’ S HAPPENING IN YOUR REGION ?
NORTHWEST I-90 CORRIDOR DRIVING AEROSPACE
INNOVATION AND GROWTH
BY : STACI NELSON EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR , NORTHWEST I-90 MANUFACTURING ALLIANCE ( NIMA )
Central and Eastern Washington ,
North Idaho , and Montana have long been home to some of the top US small-to-mediumsized aerospace suppliers , but the last year has brought expanded attention to the region ’ s capabilities and potential to be a leading aerospace cluster .
ADVANCING INNOVATION
In the fall of 2023 , the Spokane-Coeur d ’ Alene region was officially designated as a Regional Technology Hub by the U . S . Department of Commerce ’ s Economic Development Administration ( EDA ). The proposed American Aerospace Materials Manufacturing Center ( AAMC ) is one of approximately 20 Tech Hubs across the country that has been invited to submit a proposal for a CHIPS Regional Innovation Hub grant of $ 50- $ 75 million .
This designation came as a result of extensive collaboration among 47 partners representing industry , academia , venture capital interests , economic development and public organizations . The Center promises to drive innovation in next generation aircraft materials and design . If successful with its Phase II application , the Tech Hub will become a magnet for additional investments and a catalyst for growing the aerospace supply chain along the I-90 Corridor .
Further west along I-90 , the city of Moses Lake continues to establish itself as a hotbed for innovation as well . In September , Stoke Space conducted a successful vertical takeoff and vertical landing ( VTVL ) test flight of its second stage reusable rocket at the company ’ s test site in the small Central Washington city . With this successful test flight , Stoke became the fastest company to go from initial seed funding to demonstrating an orbital-class vertical takeoff and vertical landing rocket , the second company in the world to fly a prototype of a fully reusable upper stage rocket , and just the third US company to develop a liquid hydrogen rocket engine .
Twelve , a California-based clean energy start-up , broke ground last year on a facility in Moses Lake that will produce what it calls “ E-Jet ” fuel using carbon
94 NORTHWEST AEROSPACE NEWS
PNAA ADVANCE / 2024