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Mayor Dana Ralph sees her role as a member of the new Governor’s Space Council as an “enormous” opportunity for the city of Kent, which already plays a large role in aerospace manufacturing.
Gov. Bob Ferguson announced the new 23-member council Sept. 28 to advise him about how to keep Washington competitive in the industry and identify ways the state can improve its standing as a global leader in the space economy, according to the news release.
The group includes representatives from the commercial space industry, aerospace and advanced manufacturing sectors, higher education institutions, labor, elected officials and more.
“I’m looking forward to rolling up my sleeves with Governor Ferguson, my fellow (Space) Council members, our legislators and industry leaders to do that work,” Ralph said in a Sept. 30 email to the Kent Reporter. “Washington has an incredible aerospace legacy, but I believe our greatest opportunity is still ahead of us. I want the companies that started here to be able to scale here, the companies looking for their next home to choose Washington, and the next generation of space innovation to be built right here in the Kent Valley and across our state.”
Blue Origin and Stoke Space are based in Kent. Ferguson chose Andy Lapsa, Stoke Space CEO and co-founder, and Michael Edmonds, Blue Origin Chief Commercial Officer, to be members of the council along with Ralph. Blue Origin was founded in 2000 in Kent by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. Lapsa left Blue Origin and started Stoke Space in 2019.
“The space and aerospace industry is incredibly important to Kent because it supports thousands of good-paying jobs, drives billions of dollars in economic activity and is a major part of who we are as a community,” Ralph said. “In Kent alone, aerospace manufacturing directly employs nearly 9,700 people and generates $6.2 billion in direct economic output. When you look across the broader Kent Valley, the scale is remarkable: more than 34,000 people work directly in aerospace manufacturing, and the industry supports nearly 56,000 jobs and $29.8 billion in total economic output.”
Ralph said to put that in perspective, the Kent Valley (including Tukwila, Renton, Kent and Auburn) has more aerospace manufacturing workers than the entire state of Colorado, and its $29.8 billion in total economic output exceeds major aerospace and manufacturing centers including Colorado, the Long Beach-Hawthorne-El Segundo area and the north end of Puget Sound.
“But behind those numbers are people, families and businesses,” Ralph said. “This industry creates tremendous career opportunities for our residents and supports an entire ecosystem of suppliers, manufacturers and small businesses. Kent has been part of America’s aerospace and space story for generations, and today we have an opportunity to help build what comes next.
“That is why the City is so focused on infrastructure, workforce development and creating a business environment where the companies already here can continue to grow, and where the next generation of space and advanced manufacturing companies will want to invest.”
The mayor knows about Kent’s aerospace history as well.
“Space and aerospace are part of Kent’s DNA,” she said. “More than 50 years ago, Boeing engineers in Kent helped build the Lunar Rover Vehicles that carried Apollo astronauts across the surface of the moon. Today, that legacy continues with a new generation of companies designing, engineering and manufacturing technologies that are once again changing what is possible.”
Ralph, who recently participated in Seattle Space Week, a series of events celebrating the Pacific Northwest’s aerospace and commercial space industry, said it will take more than the city’s history to keep things going strong.
“One of the messages I shared during Seattle Space Week is that we cannot simply be proud of our history,” she said. “We have to build on it. Other states and regions are competing aggressively for these companies, their investments and the great jobs they create. Washington has tremendous advantages, but we cannot assume that the companies that are here today, or the companies looking for a place to grow tomorrow, will automatically choose us.”
She sees a bright future for the space industry in Kent.
“For Kent, the opportunity is enormous,” Ralph said. “The Kent Valley is already one of the most significant aerospace and advanced manufacturing centers in the country. More than 34,000 people work directly in aerospace manufacturing in the Kent Valley, about one-third of Washington’s aerospace-manufacturing workforce. The Valley’s aerospace-manufacturing economy generates nearly $30 billion in economic output.
“Those numbers are impressive, but what matters to me is what is behind them: thousands of good jobs, hundreds of businesses and generations of expertise that are incredibly difficult to replicate. These companies provide opportunities for people in Kent and throughout South King County to build careers and support their families.”
That’s why Ralph wants to do what she can to keep the aerospace businesses that are already here and bring in new businesses.
“Our responsibility at the City is to create an environment where those companies can continue to build, grow and hire,” she said. “That means investing in the basics, roads and freight mobility, water and sewer, reliable energy, industrial land and a workforce prepared for the jobs these companies are creating. Those investments may not always make headlines, but they absolutely matter when a company is deciding where to make its next major investment.”
The mayor is confident the Governor’s Space Council can make a difference.
“It brings industry, labor, education, state and local government together to look seriously at what Washington needs to remain competitive, from workforce development and infrastructure to our supply chain and the barriers companies face as they try to grow,” she said. “I appreciate Governor Ferguson recognizing the urgency of this work and creating a forum where we can turn those conversations into recommendations for action.”
Ralph looks forward to the opportunity given to her by Ferguson.
“I am honored that Governor Ferguson asked me to serve on the new Governor’s Space Council, and I’m excited to bring the perspective of Kent and the Kent Valley to this important statewide conversation,” she said.
Ralph is excited to work with the rest of the Space Council and the state.
“We know Kent cannot do this alone,” she said. “We need strong partners at the state level to help make the infrastructure and workforce investments necessary to keep Washington companies competitive and attract the next generation of space and advanced manufacturing companies.”
