The San Antonio Chamber of Commerce Aerospace Committee has been working to bolster the area’s private sector space industry over the last two years. When people think about the commercial space sector, most immediately think of Houston or Boca Chica, but San Antonio is not only closely tied to both cities, it is also reimagining what private industry can do in orbit and beyond. Under the leadership of last year’s Aerospace Committee Chair, Frank Garcia (CEO of Land Aero), and this year’s Chair, Scott Gray (President of Elevate Systems), the group has built a community of space-oriented companies in our region.
The Committee has close ties to NASA’s Johnson Space Center through their outreach team, specifically Walt Ugalde, a San Antonio native who wants people at Johnson to recognize the Alamo City’s contributions to the industry. In addition to NASA’s education efforts in San Antonio, key partners like the Wex Foundation, Port San Antonio and the Chamber continue to leverage the agency’s resources to assist local companies in areas as diverse as manufacturing, healthcare, and engineering. In partnership with the San Antonio Manufacturers Association, for example, the Committee has ensured NASA, Department of Defense (DoD), and private sector companies understand the robust advanced manufacturing capabilities in our area and created opportunities for business growth.
Committee member Land Aero spearheaded the creation of the San Antonio Space Network (SASN), with support from the Committee and other Chamber members. This caught the eye of several Houston-based companies seeking additional suppliers and engineering and design support. In addition to the SASN, the Committee has members that currently supply SpaceX in Boca Chica and is working on opportunities to bring both SpaceX and Blue Origin representatives to the Chamber to provide additional opportunities for members.
Chamber members are increasingly taking advantage of the federal small business innovation and research, or SBIR, grants. Several Aerospace Committee members have been successful in winning SBIR awards from DoD for space-related projects. Chamber members such as Knight Aerospace, Astroport Space Technologies, and Elevate Systems are innovating in this area through the SBIR program. Another Chamber member, SBIR Advisors, has been integral in helping San Antonio firms apply for and win SBIR awards in both space and aerospace-related projects as well as other industries like healthcare and bioscience.
Finally, this legislative session, the Chamber has been watching the creation and deliberation of HB 3447 in Austin, which relates to the creation of the Texas Aerospace Research and Space Economy Consortium, as well as the Texas Space Commission. The bill recognizes the importance of the commercial space industry to Texas and aims to help build out a more comprehensive ecosystem. The Chamber is working to lay the foundation to ensure when the commission is formed, there is San Antonio representation and recognition of the key role the Alamo City plays in the international space sector.