NEWS

Today, Governor Josh Shapiro toured Astrobotic Technology, a state-of-the-art aerospace and robotics company in Pittsburgh, to highlight Pennsylvania’s growing innovation economy and his commitment to creating jobs and spurring innovation in our Commonwealth.

One of the first tasks of the Pittsburgh-based Keystone Space Collaborative was commissioning a market report to tally up all the tech companies and organizations from across the region — Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia — which are receiving funds from NASA or space-related grants from the Department of Defense.

Pittsburgh’s relevance in the broader national space industry is reaching new heights and the U.S. military is responding.

Nearly four decades after the collapse of the steel industry, the Pittsburgh region has emerged as a growing technology hub in the fields of robotics and life sciences.

Participants from across the space industry, including NASA administrator Bill Nelson, gathered in Pittsburgh on April 20 to attend the Keystone Space Collaborative Inaugural Conference and witness the unveiling of the Peregrine Lunar Lander at Astrobotic

Pittsburgh may soon be known for its space expertise rather than as the city of bridges. Justine Kasznica, Board Chair of the Keystone Space Collaborative believes the region’s strengths in life sciences, robotics and autonomy would complement, rather than compete, space industry clusters in other parts of the country.

As Pittsburgh becomes a hub for all things space, the Keystone Space Collaborative continues to work hard toward its initiatives to further define priorities, drive its strategic plan and make space more accessible to those who wish to share an interest in it.

The RKMF grant will be used to fund Keystone Space Collaborative operations and programs, which will include hiring a Program Director, publishing a regional space ecosystem map and industry report, convening a regional space industry council to drive strategy, and more.

The first lander headed to the Moon since the Apolllo missions is right here in Pittsburgh. Unveiled at the Keystone Space Inaugural Annual Conference, the Peregrine lander is anticipated to make its journey this fall. 

Jonathan Kersting talks with Board Chair Justine Kasznica about the 2022 Keystone Space Inaugural Annual Conference on the Babst Calland Emerging Tech Law Podcast Series.