Senate Joint Resolution 16-022 Summary

• Designates March 21, 2016, as "Colorado Aerospace Day" to recognize the state's aerospace industry and contributions to space exploration.

• Colorado ranks #1 nationally in private aerospace employment per capita and #2 in total private sector aerospace employment, with over 25,000 direct aerospace employees and a payroll exceeding $3.2 billion.

• Recognizes major Colorado aerospace companies (Ball Aerospace, Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, United Launch Alliance, and others) and their contributions to NASA missions including New Horizons to Pluto and MAVEN to Mars.

• Urges the federal government to increase funding for space exploration, regain U.S. capability to deliver astronauts to low Earth orbit by 2017, and pursue missions to the moon and Mars by 2035.

• Expresses appreciation for Colorado's universities, military space commands (NORAD, Air Force Space Command), and organizations like the Colorado Space Coalition that promote aerospace industry growth and public understanding of space exploration.