Aerospace companies choose Colorado over Utah, California for expansion

A California aerospace company that develops micro-satellite systems and infrastructure is expanding its operations to Littleton and is expected to create 141 net jobs.

Astro Digital, which also considered locating in Utah, provides satellite mission and flight support for such applications as Earth observation and communications.

Thursday’s announcement is the second in 10 days about an aerospace company expanding into Colorado. The Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade, OEDIT, announced Dec. 3 that Safran Electronics & Defense, a global equipment supplier for defense and space, will open a manufacturing facility in Parker to produce electric propulsion thrusters and locate a workshop for space telemetry ground equipment.

Colorado’s aerospace industry is the country’s second-largest, behind California’s. Colorado has the highest per capita concentration of people in the aerospace industry, with 55,000 direct employees and another 184,000 employees who indirectly support the industry, according to OEDIT.

“Colorado is at the center of the space ecosystem, and companies like Astro Digital advance our leadership every day,” Gov. Jared Polis said in a statement.

The company expects to create 141 net new jobs at an average annual wage of $126,589, or 170% of the local average annual wage.

The Colorado Economic Development Commission approved up to $1.9 million in a performance-based job growth tax incentive over eight years for Astro Digital, called Project Skyhawk throughout the review process. The company is based in Santa Clara, Calif.

“The aerospace ecosystem and access to talent are major contributors in our decision to expand into Colorado,” Astro Digital CEO Chris Biddy said in a statement.

The company’s decision to locate in Jefferson County “bolsters the quality jobs we seek for our residents, while building best in class satellite technology for the world’s most critical functions,” Jansen Tidmore, Jefferson County Economic Development Corporate President and CEO, said in a statement.

The state economic development commission approved up to $371,751 in a job growth tax credit for Safran, expected to create 20 net new jobs in Colorado. The positions will include engineers, technicians, and operators.

“Colorado’s leadership in aerospace innovation continues to attract world-class companies like Safran Electronics & Defense,” said Raymond Gonzales, president of Metro Denver Economic Development Corp.’s Colorado Space Coalition.

Safran also considered Irvine, Calif., for expansion.