In a thrilling development for both space exploration and Colorado's thriving aerospace industry, NASA has entrusted two homegrown companies with a mission that could answer humanity's most profound question: Are we alone in the universe?

Denver-based Astroscale U.S. and Westminster-based BAE Systems Space and Missions Systems are among seven companies nationwide selected to develop the Habitable Worlds Observatory, NASA's ambitious new space telescope specifically designed to search for life on planets orbiting distant stars. The $105 million research initiative represents a giant leap forward in our quest to understand our place in the cosmos.

What makes this project particularly inspiring is the innovative engineering challenges these Colorado companies are tackling. Astroscale U.S. is pioneering technology to make the telescope repairable while orbiting nearly 900,000 miles above Earth, far beyond the moon's orbit. This distance creates unique challenges, including a five-second communication delay that means repair robots must work autonomously rather than being controlled in real time.

"We will be studying the exciting technology innovations that allow highly autonomous and precise robotic on-orbit servicing," explained Tayler Overschmidt, a spokesperson for Astroscale U.S. The company's expertise in this cutting-edge field positions them perfectly to solve problems that have never been addressed before.

BAE Systems Space and Missions Systems brings its own impressive credentials to the project. The company, which acquired Ball Aerospace in 2024, designed and built the mirrors for the James Webb Space Telescope, achieving precision down to one ten-thousandth the thickness of a human hair. When Webb's first images reached Earth in 2022, even veteran engineers who had spent decades on the project gasped audibly at their breathtaking clarity and beauty.

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman captured the excitement surrounding this mission perfectly: "The Habitable Worlds Observatory is exactly the kind of bold, forward-leaning science that only NASA can undertake. Humanity is waiting for the breakthroughs this mission is capable of achieving and the questions it could help us answer about life in the universe."

The Ripple Effect:

This project's impact extends far beyond the boundaries of space exploration. Colorado's aerospace sector directly employs 55,000 people across 2,000 companies and indirectly supports an additional 184,000 jobs statewide. NASA contracts alone generate $5 billion in economic activity annually and contribute over $190 million in state tax revenue.

The selection of these Colorado companies reinforces the state's position as a global leader in aerospace innovation. Other major aerospace employers participating in the project, including Northrop Grumman, Lockheed Martin, and L3Harris Technologies, collectively employ over 15,000 Coloradans.

While the Habitable Worlds Observatory is still in the conceptual phase and won't be fully developed until after the Nancy Grace Roman telescope launches next year, the groundwork being laid now could lead to one of humanity's most significant discoveries. The combination of Colorado ingenuity, NASA's vision, and cutting-edge technology is bringing us closer than ever to answering that timeless question about our place among the stars.