COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo., April 9, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --This week, aerospace leaders from across the nation and around the world will be in Colorado Springs at the 29th National Space Symposium to discuss the future of space.

With the retirement of NASA's space shuttle program and a shrinking national budget, it would be easy to assume that the future of mankind's race to space has come to a standstill.

But in reality, private companies are forging aheadto develop programs and spacecraft that allow the future of space exploration and human spaceflight to not only stay in orbit but travel way beyond.

This collaboration is most apparent in Colorado, which ranks first in the nation for its concentration of private aerospace employees and which has seen a remarkable 19.3 percent increase in its aerospace economy over the last decade.

"Colorado is a mile closer to space and home to some of the nation's most innovative aerospace companies including United Launch Alliance (ULA), Sierra Nevada Corporation, Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company, and Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp.," said Tom Clark, CEO of the Metro Denver Economic Development Corporation. "Being in Colorado allows these companies great synergy and innovation that allows them to get a5,280-foot head start on the competition."

An Aerospace Economy Thriving on Partnerships

Since last year ULA, the preferred company to send government satellites into space, has worked with NASA to update the design of its Atlas V rocket in order to carry humans into space.

Already, the Atlas V is scheduled to launch Sierra Nevada Corporation's (SNC) Dream Chaser, an orbital space vehicle that is one of three remaining competitors in NASA's Commercial Crew Integrated Capability Program.

Just this year, SNC, which has been working closely with the University of Colorado at Boulder, announced a partnership with Lockheed Martin Space Systems to work with SNC on NASA's Certification Products Contract and to manufacture the next Dream Chaser composite structure. SNC also has several other Colorado organizations who have participated in this program.

"The Dream Chaser program is a major element of our Colorado operation and our success has been driven by the significant help we have received from our teammates," said Mark Sirangelo, head of Sierra Nevada Corporation's Space Systems. "We believe that creating innovative partnerships between industry, government, and universities is the way that future space advances will be made."

Originally posted here:

Colorado's Aerospace Industry is at the Center of Space Exploration