State invests $9.5 million in Space Vandenberg project
– The State of California has awarded $9.5 million to REACH and a coalition of regional partners to establish Space Vandenberg, an initiative to expand job creation, innovation and infrastructure investment on the Central Coast.
The funding will support the creation of a dedicated entity to accelerate growth at and around Vandenberg Space Force Base, now the world’s second-busiest spaceport. The grant is part of $80 million awarded to 11 projects across the state through California Jobs First, which identifies sectors positioned to drive job growth and economic resilience.
“This is a catalytic investment in the future of our region,” said Melissa James, president and CEO of REACH. “It builds on years of partnership and successes, and positions the Central Coast at the heart of California’s space strategy—one that uplifts communities, accelerates innovation, and creates real opportunity for people across our region.”
Space Vandenberg stems from the Vandenberg MOU, a coalition of state, federal, and regional partners formed in 2020. The new initiative will expand space career pathways through aerospace education and training programs in partnership with Allan Hancock College and the Santa Barbara County Education Office. It will also advance university-industry collaboration, space technology entrepreneurship, and research and development with UC Santa Barbara and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.
The initiative also aims to accelerate infrastructure development to support spaceport growth and help deploy more than $600 million in planned federal investment for the Spaceport of the Future at Vandenberg.
“This initiative offers a generational opportunity to build a more resilient, inclusive economy on the Central Coast,” James said. “With over 2,000 new regional aerospace jobs expected by 2030, and a global space economy racing toward $1.8 trillion by 2035, the timing is pivotal.”
The award builds on recent state and federal investments in the region, including funding for expanded satellite processing facilities at Vandenberg.
REACH, a regional economic action coalition serving San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara Counties, focuses on increasing economic prosperity through regional collaboration. More information is available at reachcentralcoast.org.
