CONGRESS

[ S P A C E ]


THE
CONVENING
THAT VOTES
THE PRIORITIES.

Convenes cross-sector leaders across the six space missions to surface challenges, identify opportunities, and vote on priorities that shape a shared blueprint for action.

Space Congress is a feedback loop.

The method turns collective input into shared priorities, then translating those priorities into initiatives.

Our process begins and ends with the community.
Space Congress captures collective input, synthesizes what we hear, validates the priorities that emerge, and brings expert governance to the work. The result is a public policy document that returns those priorities to the community and moves the cycle forward.

Community input AI capture + synthesis Human-validated priorities Expert governance Public policy document Back to community

Every step is transparent, every vote is permanent, and every priority is traceable to the people who generated it.

Space Rising Congress Process
Space Congress process A six-stage circular process moving from community input through synthesis, validation, governance, public policy, and a regional space blueprint. 01 Community Input 02 AI Capture + Synthesis 03 Human-Validated Priorities 04 Expert Governance 05 Public Policy Document 06 Regional Space Blueprint

INAUGURAL SPACE CONGRESS I APRIL 29, 2026 I PHOENIX, ARIZONA, USA

BLUEPRINT
AGENDA
SPEAKERS
SCHOLARS
MEDIA
GALLERY

More than a convening

Space Congress was designed to activate a statewide effort to strengthen Arizona's commercial space economy. The conversations, relationships, and priorities established during Congress continue through a state specific Space Blueprint, new strategic partnerships, ongoing stakeholder engagement, and the collaborative initiatives now taking shape across the ecosystem.

Early traction in Arizona

Arizona’s first Space Congress transformed collaboration into action. Arizona Space Congress was the catalyst—not the conclusion. It brought together the people, ideas, and organizations needed to begin coordinating Arizona's commercial space ecosystem. Since Space Congress, those conversations have continued through the Arizona Space Blueprint, strategic partnerships, and collaborative initiatives that will help shape the state's long-term future.

Creating momentum

The impact of Arizona Space Congress extended well beyond the conference venue. Earned media coverage across Arizona's leading television, radio, business, and digital publications helped carry the conversation statewide, increasing awareness of Arizona's commercial space ecosystem and reinforcing the importance of cross-sector collaboration to accelerate long-term growth.


What we achieved

300+

Participants

5

Community
Activators

4

Strategic Working Sessions

1

Arizona Space
Blueprint

Black background with white text listing various Arizona cities and counties, including Phoenix, Scottsdale, Tempe, Tucson, Yuma, Maricopa, Pinal, Graham, Pima, and Pinal, with numbers in parentheses and the phrase 'Arizona's Family' at the bottom.

Black background with white text and design that reads 'OIL 95' and 'KIKZZ' with circular lines surrounding the text.
Black background with white text displaying a radio station advertisement, including the station call sign KTAR, news format, and frequency 92.3 FM.
Black and white logo with the text 'Arizona Topaz' and stylized star design
Black background with white text that reads 'Phoenix Business Coaching' and larger white text that reads 'Discover'.
Black background with large white text saying 'LOVE' at the top and 'PHOENIX' at the bottom.
Black and white logo with the words "Albert" and "Arizona" surrounding a circle with a star inside.
Logo of ABC 10 NEWS with a stylized number 10, the ABC peacock logo, and the word NEWS
Cover page of the 2026 public report titled 'Space Blueprint' for Arizona's space economy, featuring a black background, white text, a line drawing of a satellite, and the logo 'Space Rising'.

The Ranked Set of Opportunities for Arizona

Arizona's position in the space economy is being built on assets that already exist.

The state ranks first nationally in guided missile and space vehicle manufacturing employment concentration. More than $2.8 billion in aerospace and defense expansion investment has landed in Arizona over the past five years. More than 12,500 jobs have been added, and more than 60 aerospace and defense expansions have been announced.

What has been missing is a shared view of where these assets connect, where the opportunities sit, and what actions matter most over the next decade.

The Arizona Space Blueprint™ was developed through the 2026 Space Congress and informed by leaders across industry, government, academia, investment, and economic development. It brings together the data, priorities, opportunities, and market signals shaping Arizona's role in the global space economy. The Space Blueprint serves as a practical resource for understanding where Arizona stands today and where it can go next.