Yuma officials outline plan for small‑sat rocket site, emphasize workforce and research goals

Mayor Doug Nichols of Yuma told the Arizona House Science and Technology Committee on Feb. 11 that the city is pursuing an FAA Part 420 site operator license and other approvals to develop a small‑launch spaceport aimed at low Earth orbit commercial rockets and research. The project would accommodate small rockets and communications satellites, Nichols said, and would not be a large‑vehicle facility like those used to launch crewed flights.

The proposal centers on a site at the north end of Yuma near the Barry M. Goldwater Range and federal land to the south, Nichols said, which the city views as providing a safety corridor for southerly polar launches over the Sea of Cortez. The city has submitted a FAA pre‑application and is working through NEPA; Nichols said the NEPA work was expected to wrap up late summer or early fall. He said the city engaged a consultant and applied for an FAA site‑operator license in 2022.

Why it matters: Nichols framed the project as both a local economic development opportunity and a state and national asset. He said Yuma County, population about 215,000, has a bachelor’s attainment rate around 16.6 percent and needs high‑skill job growth. Nichols said the broader economic ecosystem — testing, research and manufacturing tied to a spaceport — could generate substantial economic activity over a full build‑out, noting an estimate of about $2,000,000,000 in economic growth at full scale that he attributed to outside studies.

Nichols emphasized the low‑cost, small‑form‑rocket model: “This is not a SpaceX port,” he told the committee. “This is not a large rocket port. This is small form rockets…thousand kilograms or less.” He said those vehicles typically arrive by truck, require basic infrastructure (restrooms, data lines, fire protection, concrete pads) and, crucially, a license to operate. Nichols added that launches would be low Earth orbit only.

Partnerships and research: Nichols said Yuma is pursuing public‑private partnerships and working with Elevate Southwest (a local nonprofit), Arizona Western College, the Greater Yuma Economic Development Corporation and other research partners. He said Elevate Southwest would serve as the NSF grant applicant for a proposal that would seek up to $160,000,000 over 10 years to fund research, workforce development and related activities; Nichols cautioned the committee that the NSF timeline had been delayed and that federal funding levels are uncertain. “If we had $80,000,000 instead of a hundred and 60,000,000, that would still — we make that work,” he said.

Military and cross‑border ties: Nichols noted two nearby military installations — Yuma Proving Ground and Marine Corps Air Station Yuma — that he said offer testing and airspace coordination advantages. He said Yuma Proving Ground staff offered to assist with tracking and testing. Nichols also described outreach to Mexican counterparts, noting Mexicali lies about 40 minutes away and that the project team had earlier favorable discussions with Mexican authorities but that conversations would need to be renewed under a new Mexican federal and state administration.

Education and workforce development: Nichols and other presenters emphasized workforce and higher‑education links. The city is pitching the project as a way to raise higher‑education attainment in a rural part of Arizona and to build lab and R&D space in Yuma. Nichols described a planned innovation hub and a proposed 60,000‑square‑foot R&D facility with wet and dry labs. He said private companies — for example, Gowen International — had expressed interest in leasing lab space adjacent to the proposed innovation hub.

Regulatory and practical notes: Nichols said state liability law changes adopted in 2019 made the regulatory environment more favorable for launches statewide. He said the FAA had expressed no reservations about the site application and that the agency is increasingly interested in inland spaceports that serve small‑launch vehicles. He also noted the market drivers: launches by very large providers can block other small launches for days at major ranges; a dedicated small‑launch facility could reduce scheduling congestion.

Committee response and next steps: Committee members asked about short‑term challenges, potential effects of federal NSF funding reductions and long‑term economic outcomes. Nichols said education partnerships and timely licensing were among the short‑term priorities. He repeatedly framed the project as “in process” and not yet a licensed spaceport. He asked for the committee’s questions and said the city was not requesting state dollars at the hearing but wanted to brief legislators on progress.

Ending: Nichols closed by saying Yuma wants the spaceport to be a statewide asset and described his recent appointment to the Arizona Space Commission. He told members the team would continue permitting, NEPA work and cross‑border outreach and would return when further actions or requests require legislative or state involvement.