A nonprofit group called NewSpace Chicago aims to elevate the Midwest as a location for companies looking to serve commercial and government operations in space.
David Hurst, a space tech entrepreneur and the organization’s executive director, spoke yesterday at Concordia University Wisconsin’s Strategic Space Summit in Mequon. He touted the potential for Chicago — and the Midwest overall — to become a hub for technologies and services needed for commercial and government space operations.
“When you say ‘space,’ Chicago is not the first place that comes to mind … People typically think Florida or Alabama or Texas or California,” he said, noting none of NASA’s centers are located in the Midwest. “This is a problem, and this is one of the reasons why I wanted to start NewSpace Chicago in the first place. There should be a powerful presence for space in the Midwest.”
Hurst pointed to Chicago’s role as a global financial center, transportation nexus for both federal highways and railways, and “vibrant manufacturing economy” backed by many research institutions and universities. He said the region has the third-largest science and engineering workforce in the country.
He argued these factors make the Midwest the perfect place to establish a “center of excellence for the new space economy,” which is being led by established businesses like SpaceX, Blue Origin and others.
“The intention is to reach out to entrepreneurs and professionals, investors, government workers, students and others and educate them about those amazing things that are happening only 300 miles above our heads,” Hurst said.
As part of this effort, the group has been convening meetings and informational events with a goal of building community. It’s now located at mHUB Chicago, a manufacturing innovation center and innovator for “hard tech” startups developing physical materials and technologies.
In just the past several years, at least eight space-related businesses have launched in Chicago, including Hurst’s own business called Orbital Transports, he said.
Others include: Mudd Law, a space law and policy firm; Kall-Morris, a space debris removal and repurposing company; Galactiv, a satellite servicing business; Proteus Space, a manufacturer of small satellites; and more.
The Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. has compiled a list of companies based in the state with ties to the aerospace sector.
See the WEDC list: https://inwisconsin.com/key-industries-in-wisconsin/wisconsin-aerospace-manufacturing/
See more on the Chicago group here: http://www.newspacechicago.com/
–By Alex Moe
