9.08.2025

Lt. Gov. Josh Tenorio returned from national aerospace meetings last week with renewed emphasis on positioning Guam as a Pacific spaceport location, while the island's first advanced manufacturing facility moves closer to creating dozens of high-skilled jobs starting next year.

Tenorio, who serves as vice chair of the Aerospace States Association, moderated a panel of prominent spaceports from Alaska, Florida, Virginia and New Mexico during the organization's annual meeting in Virginia Beach. The discussions focused on commercial space operations, regulatory challenges and strategies to enhance economic impacts from the growing space economy.

"We are committed to the ongoing work to spur economic development and job creation by leveraging aerospace opportunities and building robust infrastructure," Tenorio said in a recent press release. "Through collaborative efforts like those highlighted in this panel, Guam can generate high-skilled jobs, attract investments and drive sustainable growth that benefits our communities for generations to come."

Tenorio told The Guam Daily Post significant federal permitting and private sector investment must be secured for Guam to host a spaceport but noted the island's strategic location and relatively uncontested airspace improve its viability compared to other locations.

"Our strategic location and relatively uncontested airspace improve our viability," he said when asked about realistic timelines for moving beyond discussion to actually opening a spaceport.

The lieutenant governor said a feasibility study would help evaluate what activities would be most realistic for a Guam spaceport and guide long-term opportunities with the private sector. Recent authorization for the Airport Authority to consider long-term leases makes Guam more competitive, he added.

During the trip, Tenorio also met privately with Assistant Secretary of Defense Dale Marks about military growth impacts on Guam. Marks gave assurances that Guam's civilian infrastructure needs are important and has particular interest in power production and delivery, according to Tenorio.

"He is looking forward to visiting the island shortly to fully appreciate our needs and concerns," Tenorio said. "We will have a chance to hear from him directly when he visits the island in September."

The aerospace discussions come as Guam's first advanced manufacturing facility, known as GAMMA, prepares to begin operations next year. The Guam Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Accelerator represents a $17 million Navy investment aimed at creating 85-100 direct jobs over six years, according to Tenorio.

GAMMA will employ 10 people in Guam starting in 2026, plus five college faculty members and three full-time positions at the University of Guam and Guam Community College. The project also includes development of a mechanical engineering program starting in the 2026-2027 school year for an additional 40 new enrollees annually, said Tenorio.

"The GAMMA project is a long-term investment by the U.S. Navy in Guam's future," he said. "It includes the development of a world-class mechanical engineering program on-island."

The advanced manufacturing center currently under construction in Dededo will draw from Guam students who received preparatory workforce development through the U.S. Navy's Accelerated Training in Defense Manufacturing program in Virginia.

As previously reported by The Guam Daily Post, ASTRO America selected manufacturing executive Alex Benham to lead GAMMA's establishment. The facility will use additive manufacturing to produce components on-island, eliminating wait times that could range from six weeks to four years for parts shipped from distant locations.

The manufacturing initiative aligns with other defense-related economic development on Guam. Local drone manufacturer Charlie Hermosa recently told the Post his companies are prepared to scale up operations in response to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's directive to unleash U.S. military drone dominance.

Tenorio emphasized that private sector interest drives most spaceport development, with smaller infrastructure investments by state governments. He expects existing and future interest in Guam will be influenced by the Department of Defense as a foundation for other commercial activities.

"The interest in spaceports is almost entirely driven by the private sector, with smaller investments in infrastructure by state governments," he said after hearing from leaders at NASA and major spaceports. "Private companies are responsible for technological innovation and also provide the federal government with capabilities."

Looking ahead to September's inaugural Guam Defense Forum, Tenorio said the event aims to yield a unified strategic vision bridging defense priorities with community resilience and economic opportunity.

"The Guam Defense Forum 2025 is expected to yield a unified strategic vision that bridges defense priorities with community resilience and economic opportunity," he said. "A key focus will be on translating defense investments into tangible local benefits, including job creation, workforce development and innovation through public-private partnerships."

The forum will feature Assistant Secretary Marks as a keynote speaker and focus on strengthening civil-military collaboration while enhancing emergency preparedness across government, military and community sectors.

Tenorio said Guam’s U.S. law, business predictability, military protection and infrastructure give it an edge over other Pacific sites for aerospace and defense investments.

"The supremacy of U.S. law and the predictability of doing business in a U.S. territory is a big advantage for the U.S., in addition to the protections under the U.S. flag by the military gives us a significant advantage," he said. "This combined with our developed and improving infrastructure puts us ahead of others."

Quelle: The Guam Daily Post