Arizona Space Rising is an event where immersive experience meets strategic action to advance the state’s space industry.
STRATEGIC IMPACT
Drives state-level outcomes, focusing on growth, investment, industrial base development, and deal-making opportunities.
HIGH-PROFILE
Brings together executives, investors, industry leaders, and corporate partners shaping the future of space.
EXPERIENTIAL
An immersive experience with live talks, interactive expo, a gala, mixers, and ideation sprints.
Join us at the
ARIZONA SPACE RISING EVENT
April 29-30, 2026
Phoenix I Tempe
Space Rising is a collective working together to strengthen our nation’s space ecosystem and empower the next leaders who will carry it forward.
ARIZONA SPACE INDUSTRY
ECONOMY + WORKFORCE
62K+
AEROSPACE & DEFENSE EMPLOYEES
1.3K+
COMPANIES IN THE SUPPLY CHAIN
$29.5B
STATEWIDE ECONOMIC IMPACT
LEADERSHIP + INNOVATION
#2
GUIDED MISSLE & SPACE VEHICLE MANUFACTURING JOBS
#3
AEROSPACE MANUFACTURING ATTRACTIVENESS
$120M/YR
DIRECT NASA FUNDING
SPACE FACTS
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Arizona hosts operations from major aerospace and defense companies, including Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Honeywell Aerospace, General Dynamics Mission Systems, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon, General Electric, and Virgin Galactic. These companies contribute significantly to Arizona's robust aerospace and defense sector.
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The University of Arizona ranks among the top 10 U.S. universities for NASA-funded research expenditures. The university has a rich history in space exploration, dating back to the founding of the Lunar and Planetary Laboratory and its involvement in the Viking missions to Mars in the 1970s. In 2023, the university unveiled a new $85 million, 89,000-square-foot Applied Research Building, enhancing its research capabilities in space sciences.
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Aviation Maintenance: Arizona ranks 8th in the nation for aviation maintenance, with an economic impact of $2.4 billion and over 11,700 workers employed in the sector. Source: commerce.com
Defense Contracts: In Fiscal Year 2023, Arizona received over $17 billion in federal defense spending, ranking 8th among all states. Source: azcir.org
Optics Industry: Arizona's optics industry is valued at approximately $3 billion annually, with Southern Arizona serving as a hub for photonics research. Source: Optics.org
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Arizona State University (ASU) has been a significant contributor to Mars missions since the NASA Viking missions in the 1970s. ASU's School of Earth and Space Exploration boasts over 40 instrument facilities and laboratories, participates in more than 25 active space missions, and collaborates with over 120 space industry partners.
Source: space.asu.edu -
Arizona is home to one of the designated landing sites for Boeing's Starliner spacecraft. The Willcox Playa in Arizona is one of the potential landing locations for the Starliner, alongside sites in New Mexico and Utah.
Source: NASA
ARIZONA’S EDGE
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Planetary & Geological Sciences
Deep Space Missions
Microgravity & Space Environment Research
Observational Astronomy
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Satellite Components and Payload Systems
Spacecraft and Launch Vehicle Manufacturing
Subsystems and Precision Subcomponent Fabrication
In-Orbit Assembly and Additive Manufacturing
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Space Domain Awareness
Space Debris Monitoring and Mitigation
Remote Sensing and Sensor Development
Data Analytics and Processing
Satellite Communications
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Space Medicine, Health, and Human Performance
Space and the Humanities
Space Business, Leadership, and Economy
Space Tourism
Augmented and Virtual Reality