PROJECT BRIEF

BACKGROUND 

The Arizona Space Commission (ASC), a public agency under the Arizona Commerce Authority (ACA), engaged Paragon to assess the state’s current space ecosystem and identify opportunities to strengthen Arizona’s position within a rapidly expanding national space economy. Despite Arizona’s current strengths in aerospace and defense (A&D), the state lacks an integrated strategic framework to coordinate industry, government, and academic actors. 

AIMS 

Although Arizona possesses strong assets in manufacturing capacity, NASA partnerships, favorable geography, and a sizable A&D workforce, its systems for coordinating statewide space activities remain fragmented. Stakeholders highlighted the absence of intuitive, actionable guidance for navigating space-related economic development, technology commercialization, and supplier integration. This gap has limited Arizona’s ability to translate its strengths into scalable, competitive growth. 

METHODOLOGY 

The team conducted an initial literature review to assess key features of the existing Arizona space landscape. Research sources included published articles, public datasets, and an internal ACA database. Stakeholder interviews from both the public and private sector were executed, providing valuable context and deep insights into previously identified challenges and goals. 

DELIVERABLES 

The team delivered a set of recommendations to strengthen Arizona’s long-term competitiveness in the national space economy. Deliverables included a comprehensive literature review assessing the state’s A&D ecosystem, alongside Policymaker Factsheet that translates Arizona’s economic strengths into actionable strategic priorities for stakeholders. These deliverables provided a framework on focus areas such as advancing public-private partnerships, strengthening supplier development, incentivizing innovation, and improving stakeholder engagement. 

IMPACT AND FUTURE WORK 

Following review by the ASC and ACA, the Policymaker Factsheet will be shared in government meetings to inform officials about the current state of Arizona’s A&D industry. Looking ahead, the team recommends that the ASC and ACA prioritize collecting robust data to inform decision making, elevate sustainability as a core focus within the A&D sector, and develop a comprehensive strategy to engage students and key stakeholders to support building a cohesive, coordinated framework for space-related investment and policy in Arizona.