California Space Authority

The total economic impact of California's space enterprise (Commercial, Civil, National Security) was estimated to be in excess of $120 billion.

AB 1475, co-sponsored by state Senator John Vasconcellos and Assemblymembers Jim Cunneen, Elaine K. Alquist and Liz Figueroa created the CSTA "to foster the development of specified activities in California related to space flight."

The vision of the CSTA was that "California leads the world in space education, research, technology, manufacturing, services and transportation."

The CSTA served as the official policy advisor to the Governor and the Legislature on space-related matters, while acting as an advocate for the state on space technology issues (CA Government Code 15333.3).

Governed by a statewide board of directors, the space authority was a private nonprofit group whose headline members included Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Northrop Grumman and Raytheon.

On June 10, 2011, officials announced the CSA Board of Directors had agreed the previous Monday to begin the dissolution process, with members voting in favor of breaking up the organization.

In the past few months, the organization learned an expected $5 million in federal money wouldn't be coming through, due in large part to the economic recession.

[6] The California Space Authority, Inc., (CSA) has initiated the process of dissolving the non-profit corporation in accordance with state law and the by-laws of the organization,” the group said in an e-mail statement to supporters.