By Keri Zipay, Senior Director, Business Development, Team NEO
The space industry is entering a period of extraordinary change. New missions are creating new challenges around energy, human health, technology, supply chains, and talent. And this September, many of the people working to solve those challenges will come together in Northeast Ohio.
On September 17, Team NEO will host the Ohio Space Forum for the second consecutive year, bringing leaders from NASA, the U.S. Space Force, aerospace and defense companies, universities, research institutions, and the investment community to Cleveland.
These conversations belong here: Northeast Ohio has long been home to world-class aerospace research, engineering, and manufacturing. Today, innovative technologies, growing industry activity, and renewed momentum around NASA Glenn Research Center are creating an opportunity to connect those strengths and position our region for what comes next.
A Powerful Space Ecosystem Built for What’s Next
NASA Glenn is at the center of that ecosystem. One of only 10 major NASA facilities nationwide, NASA Glenn employs more than 3,000 people and offers world-class capabilities, including wind tunnels, vacuum chambers, and drop towers. Its Neil Armstrong Test Facility in Sandusky spans 6,700 acres and houses some of the world’s most advanced space simulation environments.
Surrounding NASA Glenn is an impressive network of industry and research assets. Major aerospace employers, including TransDigm Group, Parker Hannifin, and Howmet Aerospace, have significant operations in Northeast Ohio. Case Western Reserve University is advancing hypersonic research and testing. Kent State University has a spacecraft design lab. Cleveland State University is building expertise around space law.
Across Ohio, more than 80 engineering campuses are developing talent, while 81% of the goods and services aerospace companies need are available within the state.
That combination of research, talent, infrastructure, and manufacturing capability gives Ohio—specifically, Northeast Ohio—a significant role to play as the space economy evolves.
Tackling the Industry’s Next Big Questions
The theme of this year’s Ohio Space Forum is “From research to orbit, Ohio accelerates what’s next.” The September 17 event agenda launches that idea into action, bringing together space leaders to focus on questions that will help determine the future of the space economy:
- How do we get promising modern technologies to market? Hard-tech startups face unique hurdles, from securing capital to accessing specialized equipment and production space. Leaders from defense, industry, and investment will examine how aerospace and defense can better buy, fund, and scale emerging technologies.
- How do we keep people healthy in deep space? As missions travel farther and last longer, human health and performance become increasingly important. NASA astronaut Douglas Wheelock will join experts in space health and human performance, including Kenneth A. Mayuga, M.D., director of the new Cleveland Clinic Space Health Center, to explore Ohio’s role in preparing humans for deep-space exploration.
- How do we power a sustained presence on the moon? Longer lunar missions will require reliable, resilient energy. Experts from NASA and industry will explore the technologies needed to address near-, mid-, and long-term lunar power challenges, including the rapidly developing field of space nuclear power.
- How do we build the workforce and supply chain to support it all? The Forum will examine vulnerabilities in the space supply chain and ask a particularly timely question: What will it take to build a space nuclear industrial base, and does Ohio have the talent and capabilities to lead?
These questions represent countless opportunities for Ohio researchers, entrepreneurs, manufacturers, suppliers, communities, and partners.
Building a Bigger Ohio Space Community
The Space Forum is a centerpiece of the second annual Ohio Space Week, September 14-19, bringing events and audiences together to highlight the breadth of Ohio’s space ecosystem.
Throughout the week, events will range from highly technical to family-friendly. The Glenn Space Technology Symposium will dive deep into emerging space technologies. The Evening with the Stars event will connect industry leaders and celebrate NASA Glenn Research Center accomplishments. A space-themed happy hour on the Cleveland State University campus, family-friendly Discovery Days at the Great Lakes Science Center, and the new Cleveland Space Race 5K at NASA Glenn will give students, families, and residents opportunities to engage with the people and institutions behind Ohio’s space story.
Today, there is more momentum than ever around NASA Glenn and Northeast Ohio’s space economy. We have an opportunity to build on it by connecting more companies to NASA’s research and technologies, introducing more people to the capabilities available throughout Cleveland, Akron, Canton, and the entire region, and helping businesses recognize where they could contribute to the growing space economy.
Ohio has shaped the future of flight for generations. This September, the industry is coming together in Cleveland to help shape what comes next.