Many of Colorado's aerospace organizations, companies and educational institutions gathered Monday at the state Capitol for Aerospace Day in an attempt to raise the visibility of Colorado's aerospace industry and send a message to Washington.

Area businesses and universities set up booths near the rotunda before and after the House and Senate passed Joint Senate Resolution 20, officially making March 25 Colorado Aerospace Day.

"We are trying not to be a secret,"said Joe Rice, director of government relations at Lockheed Martin Space Systems and a former state representative. "Even though (the Colorado legislature has) been largely supportive of aerospace, it would be great to get all 100 onboard."

The resolution, which unanimously passed both the House and the Senate, was meant to remind the legislature that aerospace adds monetary and intellectual value to the state.

Gov. John Hickenlooper has been a vocal supporter of Colorado's space economy the second largest in the nation but area industry leaders hope to heighten public awareness of its contributions to society.

In 2011, aerospace-related business contributed $8.7 billion to the state economy and employs more than 66,000 in high-paying jobs.

These statistics, the event's organizers say, need to be highlighted as the industry increasingly faces both financial challenges due to Washington's budget problems and huge opportunities stemming from technological progress.

In addition to mentioning several of Colorado's notable companies and space missions, the resolution offered subtle hints about the industry leaders' political goals.

"It is largely symbolic ... to make this Aerospace Day, but really the language in the resolution urging the U.S. federal government is the substance of today," Rice said.

The closing section of the resolution called on the Colorado's General Assembly to encourage the federal government to support space activities, specifically efforts to build up the United States' ability to send humans into space again and to ask them to fund innovative work.

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Colorado aerospace takes center stage at state capitol