Kent Political, Aerospace Leaders on Governor’s Space Council
Published: 11:50 am, Wednesday, September 30, 2026
By: Steve Hunter (shunter@soundpublishing.com)
Two officials from Kent, alongside aerospace industry leaders, have been appointed to the newly formed Governor’s Space Council. Kent Mayor Dana Ralph, state Senator Claudia Kauffman, Stoke Space CEO Andy Lapsa, and Blue Origin Chief Commercial Officer Michael Edmonds are among 23 members selected by Governor Bob Ferguson, as announced in a release on September 28.
The council will consist of representatives from various sectors—including commercial space, aerospace, advanced manufacturing, higher education, and labor—to advise the governor on enhancing Washington’s competitiveness in the space industry and exploring the growth potential of the state’s commercial launch capabilities.
Governor Ferguson highlighted Washington’s historical significance in the space sector, stating, “The industry moves at an incredible pace… My council will help us innovate and adapt as this sector rapidly grows.” Washington has been a global leader in space technology, notable for the production of lunar rovers by Boeing employees in Kent during the Apollo missions.
With over 90 space companies, the state employs more than 13,000 workers, generating approximately $4.6 billion in economic activity and $1.6 billion in payroll annually. Notably, around two-thirds of the world’s operational satellites are manufactured in Washington, supported by its premier educational institutions that contribute to research and workforce development.
Space Council Objectives
The Governor’s Space Council aims to:
- Assess Washington’s competitiveness in the commercial space economy.
- Identify growth barriers and opportunities.
- Address workforce development and educational needs.
- Evaluate infrastructure and supply chain capacity.
- Explore opportunities for Washington-based launch capabilities.
- Provide strategic recommendations to bolster Washington’s leadership in aerospace innovation.
Space Council Members
- Andy Lapsa, Stoke Space (Kent)
- Rob Meyerson, Interlune (Seattle)
- Jeff Thornburg, Portal Space Systems (Bothell)
- Austin Link, Starfish Space (Tukwila)
- Colin Doughan, Gravitics (Marysville)
- Michael Edmonds, Blue Origin (Kent)
- Lisa Scalpone, Amazon LEO (Redmond)
- Cornelia Rosu, SpaceX (Redmond)
- Kelly Maloney, Space Northwest (Seattle)
- Dana Ralph, Mayor of Kent
- Angela Birney, Mayor of Redmond
- Claudia Kauffman, D-47th District (Kent)
- Alex Ybarra, R-13th District (Quincy)
- Brendan Wales, FUSE (Bellevue)
- Jason Chan, IAM 751 (Seattle)
- Ray Goforth, SPEEA (Tukwila)
- Bill Pike, PNNL (Seattle)
- Mehran Mesbahi, University of Washington professor
- Betsy Cantwell, Washington State University president
- Lynn Strickland, Aerospace Joint Apprenticeship Committee
- Trevor Devaney, Hi-Rel Laboratories (Spokane)
- Scott Keeney, nLIGHT (Camas)
- Philip Johnston, Starcloud (Redmond)
