One of the main takeaways from a new industry report on the tri-state area's space-based economy shows there are a number of improvements the region can make to become more competitive in this sector nationally. But that shouldn't negate all the progress that's been made over the past few years.
This is according to Keystone Space Collaborative (KSC) Board Chair Justine Kasznica, who oversaw the commissioning of KSC's latest "Keystone Space Collaborative Space Ecosystem Industry Report" from BryceTech, an analytics and engineering firm based in Alexandria, Virginia, that also produced the 2021 version of the report.
Per the 42-page report, weaknesses for the Keystone region — Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia — include a lack of geographic ties to the national security space community beyond those established from Wright Patterson Air Force Base outside of Dayton, Ohio, and from the Pittsburgh-based hub of AFWERX, an initiative from the Air Force Research Laboratory. The Keystone region is "less visible" than other parts of the country in national space industry conversations of importance as well, the report found.
A lack of a regional space identity could threaten growth in this sector, as could a view held by some students or space professionals that the Keystone region doesn't have sufficient opportunities for career growth in this sector.
"Primarily, we need to be telling the story louder and better," Kasznica said. "I think we have a lot more work to do; our work is definitely not done. And I think that the visibility of the Keystone region, both internally and externally, needs to continue, commitments by the three states' executive and legislative offices need to think up on a comprehensive tri-state strategy, and even beyond [the] tri-state."
Despite these challenges, the report also identified several bright spots for the region.
According to the report, the region's supply chain is large and diverse, allowing for adaptability and more compatibility to serve the needs of a growing space-based economy. Strong academic institutions throughout the region also play an active role in fostering a space-based ecosystem, which already includes several well-established and prestigious companies. A close affiliation between academia and industry in this sector can also lead to the development of a well-trained workforce in the region, the report said.
"I think what we can do at the state (level) is: Start building on collaborative strategies, learning from each other, and helping to grow similar strategies in each of the three states, which would be the next critical step to taking what I'm seeing as really positive indicators here, but actually turning it into an economic development driver," Kasznica said. "I would say we're not there yet. This is a really positive indication of growth and opportunity."
A copy of the full report can be found here.
