The following is the opinion and analysis of the writers:
Suresh Garimella
Robin Rand
The United States faces a defining moment in national security. Emerging threats in space, cybersecurity and advanced technology are reshaping how we protect the nation and safeguard the systems we rely on every day, from our phones and internet to banking and GPS. Space, a place of exploration, is also a contested military domain. Loss of superiority in space is a threat to military readiness, secure communications and critical infrastructure that underpins energy, transportation and financial systems.
As international competition accelerates and risks intensify beyond Earth's atmosphere, space domain awareness — identifying and monitoring human-made objects in space and understanding their intent — has become a strategic imperative. Few regions are as well prepared to respond as southeastern Arizona, where advanced research, military capability and workforce development intersect. What happens next in space and national security will directly affect jobs, education and economic prosperity throughout our state.
Years of strategic leadership from public officials and agencies have strengthened the prominence of southeastern Arizona in space and defense. At the state level, lawmakers and Gov. Hobbs recently revived the Arizona Space Commission to help guide workforce development and long-term planning for aerospace and space industry expansion. Arizona consistently ranks among the top states in aerospace and defense manufacturing employment, with more than 1,250 supply chain contributors and over 52,000 jobs supported statewide. Those investments help translate statewide strategy into tangible opportunity for students and high-tech workers across the region.
At the University of Arizona, our legacy in space sciences spans decades of research excellence and mission leadership. We are the only public university to have led two NASA deep space missions – the Phoenix Mars Lander and the OSIRIS-REx mission, which touched down to collect a sample from asteroid Bennu 200 million miles from Earth. Our faculty have driven discoveries in planetary science and astronomy, developed satellite systems and space telescopes, and engineered instruments to monitor orbital activity from low-Earth orbit to cislunar space. U of A expertise in optical sciences, photonics, artificial intelligence, secure communications and cyber operations supports capabilities increasingly central to national defense. This work includes the nation's largest academic space domain awareness network and close collaboration with government and industry partners to translate discovery into operational capability.
The U of A’s record of partnership with the defense and national security sector also extends into cyberspace. We are among a select group of institutions nationally to hold a Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Operations designation from the National Security Agency, affirming the depth and relevance of our cybersecurity programs. Our faculty are preparing talented students to meet today’s and tomorrow’s digital threats and to support the operational missions carried out across southeastern Arizona’s defense community.
Just miles from our U of A Sierra Vista campus, Fort Huachuca continues to play a central role in the nation's defense infrastructure. It is the only place in the country where high-power, full-spectrum jamming can be conducted, a capability critical for cyber warfare testing. With its restricted airspace and long-standing intelligence mission, Fort Huachuca offers ideal conditions for expanded national security missions. We thank Congressman Juan Ciscomani for his leadership in positioning Fort Huachuca for a future U.S. Space Force mission, underscoring southern Arizona's growing role in national space and security priorities.
Southeastern Arizona has always been a region defined by service through military installations, research institutions, industry, and the communities that support them. As global dynamics evolve, the U of A, with support from the Arizona Board of Regents, is expanding its national security research. That coordination is now being further institutionalized through the U of A's Applied Research Corporation, designed to connect research, workforce development and the practical needs of federal and defense agencies. This coordinated effort allows innovation and talent to advance in step, strengthening the region’s role in U.S. national security.
From the dark skies above Fort Huachuca to the telescopes on Kitt Peak, from cyber operations centers to satellite development and testing labs, southeastern Arizona offers an ecosystem where national security, applied research and space leadership converge. This is a national moment that demands sustained strategic focus from policymakers, defense leaders and academic institutions alike. Our community is ready to rise to this challenge and help ensure Arizona remains a vital contributor to America's security and prosperity.
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