Senate Joint Resolution 25-010
Page 1, Line 101Concerning the designation of March 17, 2025, as "Colorado
Page 1, Line 102Aerospace Day".
Page 1, Line 1WHEREAS, Our nation and the world have significantly
Page 1, Line 2benefitted from technological and scientific advancements resulting from space exploration and aerospace activities; and
Page 1, Line 3
Page 1, Line 4WHEREAS, Colorado ranks first in the nation for aerospace employment concentration; and
Page 1, Line 5
Page 1, Line 6WHEREAS, There are over 33,000 Coloradans who are directly
Page 1, Line 7employed in aerospace, with the aerospace cluster supporting over 240,000 jobs; and
Page 1, Line 8
Page 1, Line 9WHEREAS, Colorado is home to the nation's top aerospace
Page 2, Line 1companies, including Boom Supersonic, BAE Systems, Blue Origin,
Page 2, Line 2Boeing, L3Harris, Lockheed Martin Space, Maxar Technologies,
Page 2, Line 3Northrop Grumman, Raytheon, Sierra Space, and United Launch
Page 2, Line 4Alliance, and close to 500 additional companies that support the
Page 2, Line 5aerospace sector by providing services and developing products,
Page 2, Line 6including spacecraft, launch vehicles, satellites, command and control software, sensors, and navigation operations; and
Page 2, Line 7
Page 2, Line 8WHEREAS, Colorado is a strategic location for national space and
Page 2, Line 9cyber activity, with five key military commands: North American
Page 2, Line 10Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), the United States Northern
Page 2, Line 11Command, the Joint Functional Component Command for Integrated
Page 2, Line 12Missile Defense, the United States Army Space and Missile Defense
Page 2, Line 13Command/Army Forces Strategic Command, and the permanent home of
Page 2, Line 14United States Space Command and three space-related United States Space Force bases: Buckley, Peterson, and Schriever; and
Page 2, Line 15
Page 2, Line 16WHEREAS, The United States Air Force Academy, along with
Page 2, Line 17Colorado's colleges and universities, including the University of Colorado
Page 2, Line 18Boulder, University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, Colorado School
Page 2, Line 19of Mines, Colorado State University, Metropolitan State University of
Page 2, Line 20Denver, University of Denver, Colorado Mesa University, and Fort Lewis
Page 2, Line 21College, provides access to world-class aerospace-related degrees and
Page 2, Line 22offers aerospace companies one of the country's most educated workforces; and
Page 2, Line 23
Page 2, Line 24WHEREAS, Various organizations are key to Colorado's
Page 2, Line 25prominence in aerospace, such as the American Institute of Aeronautics
Page 2, Line 26and Astronautics, the world's largest aerospace technical society; the
Page 2, Line 27Colorado Space Coalition, a group of industry stakeholders working to
Page 2, Line 28grow and promote Colorado as a center of excellence for aerospace; the
Page 2, Line 29Colorado chapter of Citizens for Space Exploration, housed within the
Page 2, Line 30Colorado Business Roundtable, whose mission is to promote better
Page 2, Line 31understanding of aerospace and its importance in our economy and daily
Page 2, Line 32lives, as well as promoting the importance of human space exploration;
Page 2, Line 33and the Colorado Space Business Roundtable, an organization that works
Page 2, Line 34to convene stakeholders from industry, government, and academia to
Page 2, Line 35advance aerospace business and workforce opportunities throughout the state; and
Page 2, Line 36
Page 2, Line 37WHEREAS, The Colorado Air and Space Port seeks to serve as
Page 2, Line 38America's hub for commercial space transportation, research, and
Page 3, Line 1development. This horizontal launch facility will have the potential to
Page 3, Line 2become the foundation for a global suborbital transportation network connecting Colorado globally; now, therefore,
Page 3, Line 3
Page 3, Line 4Be It Resolved by the Senate of the Seventy-fifth General Assembly of the State of Colorado, the House of Representatives concurring herein:
Page 3, Line 5That we, the members of the Colorado General Assembly:
Page 3, Line 6
Page 3, Line 7(1) Strongly urge and request the government of the United States
Page 3, Line 8of America to take action to preserve and enhance American leadership
Page 3, Line 9in space, spur innovation, and ensure our continued national and
Page 3, Line 10economic security by increasing funding for space exploration and activities;
Page 3, Line 11
Page 3, Line 12(2) Recognize that Colorado's aerospace industry plays a pivotal
Page 3, Line 13role in NASA's Artemis program, with numerous companies contributing
Page 3, Line 14critical technologies and expertise to enable human exploration of the
Page 3, Line 15moon and beyond. Lockheed Martin Space, headquartered in Littleton, is
Page 3, Line 16a prime contractor for the Orion spacecraft, the crew vehicle designed to
Page 3, Line 17transport astronauts to lunar orbit. United Launch Alliance, based in
Page 3, Line 18Centennial, provides the second stage, which propels the Orion spacecraft
Page 3, Line 19to the moon after launch. BAE Systems, located in Boulder, contributes
Page 3, Line 20advanced spacecraft instruments and sensors for Artemis-related
Page 3, Line 21missions. Similarly, Raytheon Technologies' Colorado operations supply
Page 3, Line 22precision navigation and control systems, ensuring the accurate trajectory and landing of lunar missions.
Page 3, Line 23
Page 3, Line 24(3) Congratulate the Colorado Department of Labor and
Page 3, Line 25Employment, in partnership with the aerospace industry and key space
Page 3, Line 26organizations, such as the Colorado Space Business Roundtable, in its
Page 3, Line 27newly established teacher externship program aimed at bridging the gap
Page 3, Line 28between K-12 education and industry needs. This initiative provides
Page 3, Line 29educators with hands-on experience that enables them to bring real-world
Page 3, Line 30applications back to their classrooms and enhance their understanding of
Page 3, Line 31the skills and knowledge required in today's workforce, particularly in
Page 3, Line 32STEM fields, and to inform curriculum development that aligns with current industry standards.
Page 3, Line 33
Page 3, Line 34(4) Hereby declare March 17, 2025, to be "Colorado Aerospace Day".
Page 3, Line 35
Page 4, Line 1Be It Further Resolved, That copies of this Joint Resolution be sent
Page 4, Line 2to President Donald Trump; Vice President JD Vance; Speaker of the
Page 4, Line 3House of Representatives Mike Johnson; House Minority Leader Hakeem
Page 4, Line 4Jeffries; Senate Majority Leader John Thune; Senate Minority Leader
Page 4, Line 5Charles E. Schumer; Senator John Hickenlooper; Senator Michael
Page 4, Line 6Bennet; Congresswoman Diana DeGette; Congressman Joe Neguse;
Page 4, Line 7Congressman Jeff Hurd; Congresswoman Lauren Boebert; Congressman
Page 4, Line 8Jeff Crank; Congressman Jason Crow; Congresswoman Brittany
Page 4, Line 9Pettersen; Congressman Gabe Evans; Janet Petro, Acting NASA
Page 4, Line 10Administrator; Chris Rocheleau, Acting Administrator, Federal Aviation
Page 4, Line 11Administration; Governor Jared Polis; Lieutenant Governor Dianne
Page 4, Line 12Primavera; Major General Laura L. Clellan, The Adjutant General of
Page 4, Line 13Colorado; General Stephen N. Whiting, Commander, U.S. Space
Page 4, Line 14Command; Colonel Heidi Dexter, Commander of Space Base Delta 2,
Page 4, Line 15Buckley Space Force Base; Dr. Heather Pringle, Chief Executive Officer,
Page 4, Line 16Space Foundation; Dr. Ronald M. Sega, Co-chair, Colorado Space
Page 4, Line 17Coalition; Debra Wilcox, Chair, Colorado Space Business Roundtable;
Page 4, Line 18Stacey DeFore, Chair, Colorado Citizens for Space Exploration; Kristi
Page 4, Line 19Farley, Chair, AIAA Rocky Mountain Section; Jeff Kloska, Director,
Page 4, Line 20Colorado Air and Space Port; and Debbie Brown, President, Colorado Business Roundtable.