Michigan is establishing a statewide network to connect aerospace manufacturers, startups, researchers and investors as part of an effort to expand the state’s role in the commercial space industry.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced the Michigan Space Innovation Hub, which will receive nearly $1.2 million through a one-year grant from the Michigan Office of Defense and Aerospace Innovation at the Michigan Economic Development Corp.
The hub will be based at Newlab Detroit within the Michigan Central innovation district and is scheduled to officially launch Oct. 28.
The initiative will connect businesses and research institutions with advanced manufacturing and testing facilities, commercialization assistance, workforce development programs and potential federal contracting opportunities.
A central objective is helping Michigan manufacturers enter or expand their participation in the space industry’s supply chain.
The hub will provide participating organizations with access to a digital resource platform, collaborative workspace, supplier development assistance and industry networking opportunities.
Its initiatives will include Sprint to Supply Space, a program intended to help manufacturers develop the capabilities and qualifications needed to supply the space industry.
The network also will organize year-round industry programming and an annual Michigan Space Summit to connect businesses with customers, investors and government agencies.
Kevin Cronin, Michigan Central’s new executive director of aerospace, will manage the hub.
The initiative will draw on an advisory network that includes former leaders and specialists associated with SpaceX, Raytheon, NASA, the Department of Defense and commercial space companies.
Other partners include the Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center and National Advanced Mobility Consortium, which will help connect the initiative with the state’s manufacturing and defense industries.
Col. John T. Gutierrez, a retired Marine and executive director of the Michigan Office of Defense and Aerospace Innovation, said the hub is a central component of the state’s broader space industry development strategy, now in its second year of implementation.
Michigan has a long history of aerospace research and manufacturing, including contributions to early U.S. space missions by the University of Michigan, General Motors, Ford and the Environmental Research Institute of Michigan.
The University of Michigan also contributed to the Apollo program, including the Apollo 15 mission, whose three astronauts were university alumni.
Today, Michigan’s aerospace industry includes more than 900 companies employing approximately 30,000 workers, according to the Aerospace Industry Association of Michigan.
The state’s new hub is intended to build on that industrial base by helping manufacturers adapt existing technologies and production capabilities for spacecraft, satellites and other space-related applications.
Michigan Central, which houses Newlab Detroit, already supports development and testing involving advanced mobility, robotics and manufacturing technologies.
The Space Innovation Hub will expand those activities into space-related research, manufacturing and commercialization.
The initiative is supported by state economic development funding, but officials did not announce specific job creation targets or additional private investment commitments.
The hub’s official launch is scheduled for Oct. 28, with industry programming and supplier development activities planned as part of its first year of operation.
Photo by from Pexels
For more of the latest from the expansive government marketplace, check Government Market News daily for new stories, insights and profiles from public sector professionals. Check out our national contracting newsletter here.
