Paso Robles and Cal Poly spaceport plans move forward

PASO ROBLES, Calif. – The Paso Robles City Council unanimously gave their approval alongside California Polytechnic State University to seek a spaceport license for Paso Robles city's airport.

In April of 2022, Cal Poly President Jeffrey Armstrong and Paso Robles Mayor Steve Martin together signed a letter of intent starting a partnership in seeking a spaceport license from the Federal Aviation Administration.

“It is our vision that a spaceport designation and a close working relationship with Cal Poly will help advance our efforts to diversify our local economy, provide opportunities for Roblans and keep more local talent local,” says Paso Robles Mayor Steve Martin.

Cal Poly's interest in this spaceport plan stems from their CubeSat program that has pioneered advances in very small satellite technology, but the nearest launch areas are in the Mojave desert.

Cal Poly's vice president for information technology services and chief information officer Bill Britton explains, “Innovation and education are key economic drivers for our region, and together, Cal Poly and the City of Paso Robles can accelerate career opportunities in cutting-edge industries while providing Learn by Doing experiences through the development of the spaceport and tech corridor.”

The next step in this process is for Cal Poly to submit an FAA Spaceport License application by Aug. 31, 2023.