{"id":80407,"date":"2025-07-21T10:51:15","date_gmt":"2025-07-21T10:51:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/80407\/"},"modified":"2025-07-21T10:51:15","modified_gmt":"2025-07-21T10:51:15","slug":"utah-looking-to-become-one-of-the-nations-rocket-launchpads-deseret-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/80407\/","title":{"rendered":"Utah looking to become one of the nation&#8217;s rocket launchpads \u2013 Deseret News"},"content":{"rendered":"<ul>\n<li>Utah competed to host the Space Shuttle program more than 50 years ago.<\/li>\n<li>The state has an emerging aerospace industry with designs on creating a spaceport.<\/li>\n<li>Private industry has supplanted government in driving space-related advancements.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">More than 50 years ago, a handful of states were competing to host research and launch facilities for what would become the U.S. Space Shuttle program, and Utah was very much in the mix.<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">For a moment, at least.<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">In 1971, Utah lawmakers passed a proposal to create a \u201cSpace Port Committee.\u201d The group of business leaders, politicians, scientists and engineers was to make the state\u2019s best argument for becoming the new home for what was then the world\u2019s first reusable spacecraft that launched on a rocket but landed back on Earth like an airplane.<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">Utah would lose out to Cape Canaveral, Florida, and all 135 Space Shuttle flights would later lift off from the coastal city\u2019s Kennedy Space Center.<\/p>\n<p>The countdown starts<img decoding=\"async\" data-chromatic=\"ignore\" alt=\"\" style=\"aspect-ratio:1.16;background-color:#F3F1F0;cursor:pointer\" class=\"c-image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/FEMF4HZXANEJJAPDJGV6A226LM.JPG\"  width=\"800\" height=\"692\"\/>OxEon Energy CEO Joseph Hartvigsen gives a tour of the OxEon Energy headquarters in North Salt Lake on Tuesday, July 8, 2025. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News <\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">But now, the Beehive State is ready to take another run at hosting its own space launch facility and this time the effort is entirely homegrown. And it lifts off amid a local aerospace and defense sector that has evolved dramatically over the past five decades and now accounts for a fifth of the state\u2019s overall GDP.<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">Earlier this year, a bill, <a href=\"\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"\">SB62<\/a>, to create the Spaceport Exploration Committee drew overwhelming bipartisan support from state lawmakers and set the table for a year-long effort to assess the feasibility of a Utah-based space vehicle launch facility. <\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">The 13-member committee, co-chaired by Sen. Ann Millner, R-Ogden, and Utah Department of Transportation executive director Carlos Braceras, is tasked with establishing \u201ckey objectives that the state should pursue in establishing a spaceport\u201d and includes conducting a feasibility study, spaceport site assessment and evaluating Utah\u2019s relative advantages and disadvantages.<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">\u201cI\u2019ve been engaged in meeting the needs of our growing aerospace and defense industry for many many years in different roles,\u201d Millner said. \u201cThis is a next step in that process. Utah has competed before. And, as we looked at and had conversations with companies out there, the message is clear that space is part of our future and industry will be driving our space launches and be used for many more needs than in the past.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">In a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.deseret.com\/opinion\/2025\/01\/28\/utah-launchpad-for-future-spaceport\/#:~:text=Institutions%20like%20Utah%20State%20University&#039;s,innovate%20and%20to%20dream%20big\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"https:\/\/www.deseret.com\/opinion\/2025\/01\/28\/utah-launchpad-for-future-spaceport\/#:~:text=Institutions%20like%20Utah%20State%20University&#039;s,innovate%20and%20to%20dream%20big\">Deseret News op-ed<\/a>, Sen. Jerry Stevenson, R-Layton, who sponsored the legislation, noted the aerospace and defense industry accounts for 20% of the state\u2019s economy and employs nearly 300,000 people. He made the case for Utah\u2019s readiness to join the 10 other states that host facilities designated as \u201cspaceports\u201d by the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.faa.gov\/space\/spaceports_by_state\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"https:\/\/www.faa.gov\/space\/spaceports_by_state\">Federal Aviation Administration<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">\u201cWhy Utah? The answer is simple: Utah\u2019s aerospace ecosystem is already soaring, and we\u2019re about to take it to a whole new altitude,\u201d Stevenson wrote. \u201cOur existing aerospace infrastructure provides a solid foundation, while our geographic advantages \u2014 clear airspace, favorable weather and excellent transportation networks \u2014 make us an ideal candidate.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Launching into \u2018newspace\u2019<img decoding=\"async\" data-chromatic=\"ignore\" alt=\"\" style=\"aspect-ratio:1.50;background-color:#F3F1F0;cursor:pointer\" class=\"c-image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/2JYHWI4USJC5XNAZWUS5W76I6Y.JPG\"  width=\"800\" height=\"533\"\/>47G CEO Aaron Starks looks on during an interview at the OxEon Energy headquarters in North Salt Lake on Tuesday, July 8, 2025. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News <\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">Aaron Starks, spaceport committee member and president and CEO of Utah aerospace and defense advocacy group <a href=\"https:\/\/www.47g.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"https:\/\/www.47g.org\/\">47G<\/a>, told the Deseret News that fast-rising demand is creating exciting new opportunities in space-related operations.<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">\u201cWe know that the U.S. Defense Department and commercial enterprises are experiencing bottleneck conditions when it comes to launch services,\u201d Starks said. \u201cThere\u2019s not enough launch facilities or capacity in the United States and we think Utah is positioned really well to release some of that bottleneck and provide new, enhanced ways to develop test technology.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">While once the exclusive domain of government entities, the global space economy is now mostly driven by commercial enterprises and is a sector, sometimes referred to as \u201cnewspace\u201d that\u2019s been expanding at a breakneck rate, topping $630 billion in 2023. A 2024 report from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mckinsey.com\/industries\/aerospace-and-defense\/our-insights\/space-the-1-point-8-trillion-dollar-opportunity-for-global-economic-growth\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"https:\/\/www.mckinsey.com\/industries\/aerospace-and-defense\/our-insights\/space-the-1-point-8-trillion-dollar-opportunity-for-global-economic-growth\">McKinsey &amp; Company<\/a> projects the space economy will outstrip world GDP growth by 200% in the coming years and is on pace to reach $1.8 trillion by 2035.<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">The McKinsey report suggests that while many observers may still perceive space operations as driven by moon landing efforts or preparations for interplanetary travel, the newspace economy is one made up of more mundane and broad-based commercial activities. <\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">\u201cWhile mega rocket launches and record spaceflights are the headlines that capture the public\u2019s imagination, routine rocket launches and satellite data services are, in fact, the product of decades of behind-the-scenes innovation,\u201d wrote McKinsey senior partner Ryan Brukardt and Jeremy Jurgens, managing director of World Economic Forum. <\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">\u201cAnd they are delivering greater benefits to a more diverse set of stakeholders than ever before \u2014 including in industries as varied as food and beverage; retail, consumer goods and lifestyle; supply chain and transportation; and even climate disaster mitigation.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Rock solid space credentials<img decoding=\"async\" data-chromatic=\"ignore\" alt=\"\" style=\"aspect-ratio:1.50;background-color:#F3F1F0;cursor:pointer\" class=\"c-image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/C4WDVPBIEVCC3CHPJWQTF7ZHDY.JPG\"  width=\"800\" height=\"533\"\/>OxEon Energy CEO Joseph Hartvigsen gives a tour of the OxEon Energy headquarters in North Salt Lake on Tuesday, July 8, 2025. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News <\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">Some of the biggest names in the aerospace industry have a Utah presence including Northrop Grumman, Boeing, Lockheed Martin, L3Harris and others, and the state\u2019s connections to the business of space tracks back to the industry\u2019s advent.<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">Highlights of Utah\u2019s long history of space bona fides includes upper atmospheric research work Utah State University did 1950s, the early seeds of what would become the institution\u2019s massive Space Dynamics Lab; the state\u2019s previous competition with Florida\u2019s Kennedy Space Center to host the Space Shuttle program; and the increasing use of the Defense Department\u2019s Dugway Proving Ground in the west desert as a preferred destination for both private and public space flight operations.<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">Utah is rife with aerospace heavy hitters but Starks notes companies with names you\u2019ve probably never heard of are powering the engine of new space, in much the same way the state\u2019s 300,000-plus small businesses drive Utah\u2019s booming economy.<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">\u201cIn the state of Utah, we lead the nation in (Small Business Administration) lending per capita,\u201d Starks said. \u201cWhy is that important? Because this industry, unlike others, is being dominated by small- and mid-market companies doing innovative things that are all looking to build their headquarters and establish a presence in states that share that same thesis for growth.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Science fiction becomes science fact<img decoding=\"async\" data-chromatic=\"ignore\" alt=\"\" style=\"aspect-ratio:1.50;background-color:#F3F1F0;cursor:pointer\" class=\"c-image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/3FXKHPKQW5HPDCLURBCD4PTB6M.JPG\"  width=\"800\" height=\"533\"\/>Components of OxEon\u2019s Fischer Tropsch reactor are displayed during a tour of the OxEon Energy headquarters in North Salt Lake on Tuesday, July 8, 2025. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News <\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">OxEon Energy can count itself among those smaller companies finding success in Utah and its groundbreaking innovations are turning processes once reserved for the world of science fiction into science fact.<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">OxEon sprang to life in 2017 but its founders have been engaged for the last 30 years in researching and developing solid oxide fuel cells, with the last 15 years focused on the development and improvement of solid oxide electrolyzers. Their systems can extract critical components from the atmosphere or liquids that can be converted into fuels. OxEon\u2019s systems are being designed for a wide variety of earth-bound and even extraterrestrial deployments, as the company proved out as part of NASA\u2019s Mars Perseverance Rover mission.<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">OxEon\u2019s technology powered the MOXIE (Mars Oxygen In-Situ Resource Utilization Experiment) which traveled to the Red Planet aboard Perseverance and was able to extract and capture oxygen from the Martian atmosphere, a critical element for both life support and rocket fuel which typically combines oxygen with methane or hydrogen to power space travel.<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">For fans of science fiction author Andy Weir\u2019s \u201cThe Martian\u201d, which follows the trials of an astronaut stranded on Mars, MOXIE may sound a lot like the \u201coxygenator\u201d device from the book. Weir\u2019s oxygenator, like OxEon\u2019s technology, uses an electrolysis process to produce oxygen from Martian carbon dioxide and helps keep the protagonist Mark Watney alive.<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">In a 2023 press release, NASA celebrated MOXIE\u2019s success, describing the experiment as one that exceeded expectations and proved out critical new technology that would be required to maintain life and create fuel in the Martian environment.<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">\u201cMOXIE\u2019s impressive performance shows that it is feasible to extract oxygen from Mars\u2019 atmosphere \u2014 oxygen that could help supply breathable air or rocket propellant to future astronauts,\u201d said NASA deputy administrator Pam Melroy. \u201cDeveloping technologies that let us use resources on the moon and Mars is critical to build a long-term lunar presence, create a robust lunar economy, and allow us to support an initial human exploration campaign to Mars.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">During a Deseret News tour of OxEon\u2019s research and manufacturing facilities in North Salt Lake, the company\u2019s co-founders shared a peek at their cutting-edge technology which includes systems that can convert sea water into jet fuel and another process that makes fuel out of food waste.<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">OxEon co-founder and chief operating officer Jessica Elwell said in-situ, or on-site, fuel production capabilities will be absolutely essential for extending space travel into the deeper regions of our solar system, and beyond.<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">\u201cIt\u2019s really important to be able to produce fuel or electricity on site, because the cost of bringing the materials you need with you is prohibitive,\u201d Elwell said. \u201cAlso, the volume alone is staggering. What they would need in terms of fuel for a return mission from Mars, the volume is about the same size as a space shuttle, so it\u2019s a considerable cost savings. <\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">\u201cThe logistics themselves just get much simpler and the materials are available there. So we\u2019ve been working on developing these technologies where we can use what\u2019s there and produce what\u2019s needed for fuel and life support.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>A future of possibilities<img decoding=\"async\" data-chromatic=\"ignore\" alt=\"\" style=\"aspect-ratio:1.50;background-color:#F3F1F0;cursor:pointer\" class=\"c-image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/VRT5WD2VZRA7HDMAUMYQ537BBQ.JPG\"  width=\"800\" height=\"533\"\/>An electrical panel in the OxEon Energy headquarters in North Salt Lake on Tuesday, July 8, 2025. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News <\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">Millner, former president of Weber State University and a Utah legislator for the past decade, has been a champion of Utah-based technological developments like those coming out of OxEon throughout her career. She said exploring the feasibility of a Utah-based spaceport reflects the responsibility to nurture a fast-growing part of the state\u2019s economy.<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">She also underscored the state\u2019s readiness to find the best pathways to up the ante on its space-related commitments.<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">\u201cI think we have a really solid foundation in terms of both preparation and workforce in the aerospace and defense industry along with the research work we\u2019ve done,\u201d Millner said. \u201cThe alignment of a project like this will only accelerate those possibilities in the future.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">Millner said she\u2019s excited to begin the work of the Spaceport Exploration Committee, which is scheduled to hold its inaugural meeting July 28. She said she\u2019s looking forward to a robust process that will examine the economic realities of a spaceport project and prioritize public input on the path to a possible recommendation due by September, 2026.<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">\u201cUtah is home to a growing and thriving economy that\u2019s earned number one rankings in many areas,\u201d Millner said. \u201cThere\u2019s no reason we can\u2019t lead in the space industry as well. <\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">\u201cI love working on big picture issues that will make a difference over the coming decades and am excited to roll my sleeves up and work with this committee to create a plan that is in the best interest of the state of Utah.\u201d <\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" data-chromatic=\"ignore\" alt=\"\" style=\"aspect-ratio:1.50;background-color:#F3F1F0;cursor:pointer\" class=\"c-image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/NNI4NDZZ25HJTMA6XKBC5AFP7A.JPG\"  width=\"800\" height=\"533\"\/>Tyler Hafen inspects a component of a solid oxide electrolysis cell at the OxEon Energy headquarters in North Salt Lake on Tuesday, July 8, 2025. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News <\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\">\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Utah competed to host the Space Shuttle program more than 50 years ago. The state has an emerging&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":80408,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[24],"tags":[64,159,783,242,67,132,68,424],"class_list":{"0":"post-80407","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-space","8":"tag-business","9":"tag-science","10":"tag-space","11":"tag-tech","12":"tag-united-states","13":"tag-unitedstates","14":"tag-us","15":"tag-utah"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@us\/114890846009778974","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/80407","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=80407"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/80407\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/80408"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=80407"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=80407"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=80407"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}