US Space Command HQ in Macomb County? Here’s why that should happen – Detroit Free Press

The city of Sterling Heights with support from Macomb County and stateof Michigan is boldly raising its hand to be consideredforthe future home of the U.S. Space Command.

It isthe newest of 11 unifiedcombatantcommands in the Department of Defense and will help the military forces defend the nations interests in space. The U.S. Space Command which was newly created by President Donald Trump in2019 is part of the U.S. Air Force.

Sterling Heights, near Selfridge Air National GuardBasein Harrison Township, submitted thenomination letter June 30 (it had to come from a city versus atownship as one requirement). The application was sent to John Henderson, assistant secretary of the Air Force,and included the support and signatures of Sterling Heights Mayor Michael Taylor, Macomb County Executive Mark Hackel and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

This SLS Manlift Elevator, which does weld inspections, was built for NASA in Ascent Aerospaces facility in Macomb Township.(Photo: Ascent Aerospace)

The U.S. Space Command is temporarily housed at Peterson Air Force Base, in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The Air Forceannounced in May it was seeking a permanent home for the command and issued a lengthy list of requirements. When the site is eventually chosen(expected by next spring) it willtake six years to build and have over 1,400 employees both military and civilian.

As part of this nomination process, we have done an extensive review of the United States Space Command competition criteria,Maj. Gen. Paul Rogers, adjutant general and director of the Michigan Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, said when the application was submitted. There is no location that can offer greater value or capacity as a key component for future U.S. Space Forces.

Metro Detroit is known for putting the world on wheels.Its penchant for innovation and manufacturing is almost in its DNA. As if anyone needed confirmation, look how quickly GM, Ford, FCA and countless other companies turned to make desperately needed PPEs in the battle againstCOVID-19.Theres no place else on earth that could have duplicated that undertaking with such finesse(take that Silicon Valley!).

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Add in our regions growing imprint on the aerospace sector, sprinkle in some top-drawer universities with long histories tied to these three sectors skilled workforce, engineersand our strategic geographic location and it would seem anyone charged with making this decision would have to give this proposal serious consideration.

When the citys nomination is scored, we are confident that Sterling Heights will be a prime location for the headquarters for the United States Space Command, Taylor said when the proposal was submitted. There is a rich heritage in this region for defense assets and this is a strong foundation for this new undertaking.

Amid the pandemic and struggling economy, you can bet there will be even tougher competition than unusual from other cities with strong ties to aerospace including: Alabamas Redstone Arsenal, Californias Vandenberg Air Force Base, Colorados Peterson and Buckley Air Force bases to name a few.

Folks involved with Sterling Heights proposal arentintimidated.

This expanded search provides us the opportunity to promote our assets in automotive, aerospace and defense that are not always top of mind for space programs," said Vicky Rad,director ofMacomb County Planning & Economic Development.Because we are considerednontraditional it gives us an advantage to tell our story.Our strength is in next-generation technologies on land,in the air or up in space.

Champions say Michigan is a diamond in the rough in the space race.

Firms like Ascent Aerospace in Macomb Township are examples of the aerospace community quietly growing here. The firm has done over $100 million in tooling andautomation for the space industry including NASA, Blue Origin, Space X, ULA and others.

Aerospace is a sleeping giant living in the shadows of Michigans automotive industry, said Jeff Simek, general manager of RCOEngineering& RCO Aerospacein Roseville. The origins of our industry started during World War II when Detroit saved the world mass producing B-24 bombers among many other wartime products.No one else could make that happen.

Jeff Simek, general manager of RCO Engineering & RCO Aerospace in Roseville and board member of the Aerospace Industry Association of Michigan.(Photo: Jeff Simek)

Michigan delivered then and we can prove today how automotive, aerospace and defense convergence will move the world into space, he added.

Simek grew up on a farmin Clio and was fascinated by outer space as it was during the time Americanslanded on the moon. He spent hours watching the constellations with his telescope.

He's alsoa founding board member of the Aerospace Industry Association of Michigan (www.aiamnow.com),which was created to strengthen the states ecosystem by expanding talent, research and market access.

RCO started as a family-ownedautomotive product development partnerin 1973 butdiversified and is also in the aerospace and defense sectors.

Michigan has477 companies shipping products and services to aerospace manufacturers around the globe,according to the Aerospace Industry Association of Michigan.Those companies generate over $6.4 billion in sales revenue, employing 30,000 Michiganders.

"That doesnt include many of the companies having their hands in multiple industries including aerospace which pushes the employment numbers above 70,000, Simek said. Firms like GE Aviation, Pratt & Whitney, Williams International, Eaton and Arconicare just a few.

Michigans aerospace cluster has a stake in every part of the broader aerospace ecosystem, Simek said, adding that the University of Michigan has what is believed to be the oldest aerospace engineering program in the world and is joined by Michigan Technological University, Western Michigan University and MIAT College of Technology, all of which offer aerospace degrees.

I believe we have a real chance if we all start talking about it, he said. Its time for industry, education and government to work together and become the catalystto differentiate Michigansbrand. Its a guarantee that politics will play a role. However,the need for geographic dispersion of military assets and ease of working with private industry area couplebig factors.The downstream economic andinnovation benefits could mirror the impact NASA had on the economy in the 1960s when we went to the moon.

Under the proposal, the U.S.Space Command would be headquartered at Selfridge Air National Guard Baseand drawits talent pool from the region.The pieces arein place to make a serious run in this contest.

We may not have the big names like Lockheed Martin or Boeing in Macomb County (yet), but we do have the largest concentration of aerospace tool makers in the country, said Rad. We make the tools that make the parts that go into an airplane.We also have the engineering talent who design the next-generation aircraft and assembly.Our backbone in automotive, aerospace and defense makes us a key contender for new space programs.

Contact CarolCain: 313-222-6732 orclcain@cbs.com. She is senior producer/host of Michigan Matters, which airs 11:30 a.m. Sundays on CBS 62. See Patricia Mooradian, Ron Kagan, Christian Greer and Elliott Broom on this Sundays show).

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