09/09/2026
AMERICA TURNS 250- CALIFORNIA STATEHOOD DAY!
California—admitted to the Union on September 9, 1850, as the 31st state—has built one of the nation’s most influential aerospace and defense economies, anchored by world-leading companies, federal research centers, military installations, and a highly skilled workforce. The state is home to major aerospace organizations including NASA Jet Propulsion LaboratoryNASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Edwards Air Force Base, Vandenberg Space Force Base, and a broad industry base supporting launch vehicles, spacecraft, satellites, propulsion, and advanced defense systems. Companies such as SpaceX, Northrop Grumman Corporation, Lockheed Martin, The, and Rocket Lab have helped make California a center of innovation across commercial space, national security, and advanced aerospace technologies. The Aerospace States Association’s California Chapter further strengthens this ecosystem by bringing together state policymakers, industry, academia, and aerospace leaders to advance policies that support California’s aerospace competitiveness, economic development, and workforce.
California’s contributions to America’s space program span virtually every era of exploration.
NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory has led some of the nation’s most iconic robotic missions, including Voyager, Galileo, Cassini, and the Mars rover missions, while Edwards has served as a critical center for flight research and reusable spacecraft development.
