Senate committee OKs bill to study the odds of a Utah spaceport.
Blast Off
By Benjamin Wood @BjaminWood
A bill aiming to bring a spaceport to Utah achieved liftoff on Thursday, securing the unanimous recommendation of the Senate Transportation Committee in the proposal's first test of the 2025 session.
SB62, sponsored by Layton Republican Sen. Jerry Stevenson, would direct $1 million from a dedicated fund for industrial assistance toward the creation of a Spaceport Exploration Committee. The committee—composed of lawmakers and various appointed representatives from the aerospace and other stakeholder industries—would be charged with studying the feasibility of a spaceport and preparing recommendations for the Legislature to consider.
Stevenson suggested that Utah is uniquely positioned to take advantage of renewed demand for launching sites and space-related infrastructure. He noted the presence of Hill Air Force Base as well as private aerospace firms and defense contractors, the robust engineering programs at Utah's research universities and the geographical necessity for open land, in Utah's case the west desert and comparable areas near the eastern border.
"We’re not having to go out and reinvent the wheel," Stevenson said. "It’s here, we have the components. We just need to assemble it."
Sen. Ann Milner, R-Ogden, noted that Utah has previously worked toward the development of a spaceport, but was passed over in favor of cities located along the coasts. But technological advancements have changed the thinking around both launches and landings—SpaceX, notably, achieved the recent milestone of catching a spent rocket booster—at the same time that private competition has increased the number and variety of space-based activities.
"It’s not just NASA putting out space flights," Milner said. "It’s now become something that private industry is doing."
Stevenson described the opportunities as "tantalizing," and said Utah is positioned to do amazing things in space. But he also noted that the state faces competition from its neighbors, who are also positioning themselves for a larger role in space flight.
"We can either sit back and watch this happen before us or we can be part of it," he said.
The bill now moves to the full Senate for its consideration. Stevenson, the bill sponsor, is among the most senior members of the chamber and the Senate's top budget negotiator, giving him considerable influence and boosting SB62's chances of success.
About The Author
Benjamin Wood
Lifelong Utahn Benjamin Wood has worn the mantle of City Weekly's news editor since 2021. He studied journalism at Utah State University and previously wrote for The Salt Lake Tribune, the Deseret News and Entertainment Weekly
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