Council advances Spaceport and Technology Corridor initiative
The Paso Robles Spaceport.
Council directs staff to seek proposals for federal spaceport license application
– The Paso Robles City Council voted unanimously March 4 to advance the next phase of the city’s Spaceport and Technology Corridor initiative by directing staff to prepare a Request for Proposals to complete the Federal Aviation Administration Commercial Spaceport License application process.
The vote came at the conclusion of a joint session of the City Council, Planning Commission, and Airport Commission.
To evaluate the project’s readiness, the city retained aerospace infrastructure consulting firm RS&H to conduct an independent review of work completed to date on the Federal Aviation Administration Commercial Spaceport License application. The firm found the materials prepared so far provide a strong foundation for advancing the project and identified remaining steps needed to complete the application.
“Paso Robles has always been a community built on innovation, hard work, and entrepreneurial spirit,” Mayor John Hamon said. “Pursuing an FAA horizontal spaceport license positions our city to participate in one of the fastest-growing sectors of the global economy. This initiative has the potential to attract high-tech investment, create skilled career opportunities, and inspire the next generation of aerospace leaders right here in our community.”
Support for the Spaceport and Technology Corridor initiative includes Congressman Jimmy Panetta, State Senator John Laird, State Assemblymember Dawn Addis, County Supervisor Heather Moreno, California Polytechnic State University, the California Association for Local Economic Development, regional school districts, and private aerospace companies. NASA’s Ames Research Center has also expressed interest in exploring future collaboration if a spaceport license is secured. Letters of support can be found here (PDF).
The Paso Robles Spaceport and Technology Corridor project is a long-term economic development initiative intended to diversify the local economy and attract higher-paying jobs by leveraging the city’s existing airport infrastructure, available industrial land, and location within California’s aerospace sector.
The Paso Robles Municipal Airport covers about 1,300 acres and is located between Silicon Valley and Vandenberg Space Force Base and near several higher education institutions. The airport will continue supporting general aviation operations while offering development opportunities connected to the initiative.
The city is working with local kindergarten through 12th-grade schools, Cuesta College, and California Polytechnic State University to develop pathways preparing students for careers in aerospace, advanced manufacturing, and technical trades.
A remote section of the airport has been renovated into a propulsion test site where aerospace companies and engineering students from California Polytechnic State University conduct rocket and jet engine testing. The facility supports research, prototyping, and hands-on learning opportunities.
City staff expect to release the Request for Proposals soon and will return to the City Council with a recommended agreement after reviewing proposals. A recording of the March 4 joint session is available on YouTube.
