Dear Friend —

Over the past week, I've had the chance to tour some of the space industry companies that call Long Beach home. With over 7.5 million square feet of facilities dedicated to this sector, our city has become a leading national and international hub for innovation and manufacturing in this growing field.

Mayor Garcia poses for a photo with Virgin Orbit CEO Dan Hart in front of a rocket being assembled at their Long Beach factory

These industries represent the future of our economy, and the companies we visited already employ thousands of people in well-paying jobs here in Long Beach. Not only are places like Relativity Space, Rocket Lab, Virgin Orbit and SpinLaunch creating incredible opportunities for our local economy and workforce, but they're on the cutting edge of innovation in 3D printing, rockets and satellite launch systems, space information technology, scientific exploration, and other exciting work.

Mayor Garcia and staff watch SpinLaunch perform a test of their accelerator at their Long Beach headquarters in Douglas Park

We're looking forward to seeing this industry continue to grow and contribute to our community here in Long Beach. Something I heard during each of my visits is just how glad these businesses are to be in our city. From the amazing pool of local talent to the partnership opportunities with educational institutions like LBUSD, LBCC and CSULB, Long Beach is a fantastic place to do business and we're excited to continue expanding what we have to offer.

Mayor Garcia looks at a Rocket Lab Electron Rocket displayed in their Long Beach factory

For example, a few months ago, we launched our Space Beach Teacher Externship Program — a professional development program for our LBUSD K-12 educators to create streamlined, easy-to-navigate career pathways for students interested in aerospace and related industries. These kinds of connections are a huge investment in our young people, and they also ensure we're always expanding the opportunities available to residents so they can put down roots in our community.

Mayor Garcia poses for a photo with Relativity Space CEO Tim Ellis & CFO Mo Shahzad in front of a 3D printer at their Long Beach factory

The best thing about visiting these companies though has been the chance to see other people find out what we've always known — that Long Beach is the best city in the country. I could not be more proud of the work that is happening here and we're looking forward to strengthening these partnerships in the years to come.

Thank you and Go Long Beach,

Mayor Robert Garcia