Governor Newsom Highlights California’s Aerospace Industry During Long Beach Visit
Photo Credit: California Governor’s Office
LONG BEACH, Calif., June 9, 2026 (CALIFORNIA NEWS TODAY) — California Governor Gavin Newsom visited Long Beach, a hub for aerospace and space technology companies, to highlight the state's role in aerospace innovation, manufacturing, and space technology development.
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During the visit, Newsom and Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson toured the headquarters of Vast, a commercial space company based in Long Beach. Founded in 2021, Vast develops commercial space stations and infrastructure designed for long-duration human habitation in low Earth orbit.
“The future happens here first in the Golden State and companies like Vast are leading the way in the commercial space industry. California’s unparalleled innovation ecosystem and skilled workforce is fueling the Golden Age of science and discovery for the next generation of explorers,” said Newsom.
California is home to approximately one-third of the nation’s space technology companies and accounts for about 40 percent of U.S. space technology patents. The state also ranks first nationally in aerospace research and development spending and space technology venture capital investment.
The Governor's Office states that California's aerospace sector benefits from a concentration of engineering talent, research institutions, manufacturing facilities, military infrastructure, and higher education programs that support workforce development.
State officials also highlighted recent investments and incentives supporting aerospace and defense companies, including projects involving satellite manufacturing, defense technology development, and aerospace component production across Southern California and the Bay Area.
California is home to three major NASA facilities: Ames Research Center in Silicon Valley, Armstrong Flight Research Center at Edwards Air Force Base, and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena.
For more information, visit www.gov.ca.gov.
Source: Office of Governor Gavin Newsom
