Central New York is the center of the state, home to its geographic center as well as iconic statewide attractions like the New York State Fair. The region is also home to a dynamic and robust space ecosystem centered around metropolitan Syracuse.
Empire Space currently tracks over 750 jobs supported by the Space and Aerospace sectors in Central New York, with a concentration in the Space & Defense subsector. Major employers include Leidos, the Saab Group, and Lockheed Martin.
The academic sphere is powered by both public and private institutions, with Syracuse University offering a wide array of space-related programs alongside SUNY campuses in Oswego and Cortland. There are also a number of K-12 schools throughout the region with active space and astronomy programs, including 2 on campus planetariums and a BOCES portable planetarium.
The MOST museum and planetarium in Syracuse hosts a newly renovated state-of-the-art planetarium, while the Syracuse Astronomical Society has been engaging the general public in stargazing and astronomy for decades. The Syracuse Rocket Club offers local residents a path into the wonders of amateur rocketry from their launch site between Syracuse and Lake Ontario.
Central New York is not only the center of New York, it's also a dynamic presence in the statewide space ecosystem with the foundation in place for future growth.
Including 40 organizations and resources throughout the Central NY Region!
Business Capital -- 3 resources
| Organization ▲ | Location | Type | Business Focus | Business Stage | Space Focus Level | Space Involvement | Assets | University | Social Media | AD | SD | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Armory Square Ventures | Syracuse | Venture Capital | Technology | Early Growth | Low | 129 (D) | 53 (R) | |||||
| Onondaga Venture Capital Fund | Syracuse | Venture Capital | Technology | Early Growth | Low | 129 (D) | 53 (R) | |||||
| Seed Capital Fund of Central New York | Syracuse | Angel Group | Technology | Early Growth | Low | 129 (D) | 53 (R) |
Business Services -- 7 resources
| Organization ▲ | Location | Type | Business Focus | Business Stage | Space Focus Level | Space Involvement | University | Social Media | AD | SD | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| StartFast Venture Accelerator | Syracuse | Startup Accelerator | Technology | Early Growth | Low | 128 (D) | 50 (D) | $1.7M in assets under management (AUM) | |||
| Partnership for Community Development | Hamilton | Economic Development | General | Growth | Moderate | Partnered with the Hamilton Airpark | Colgate University | 121 (R) | 53 (R) | New York State certified Business Incubator | |
| The Hub | Hamilton | Startup Community | General | Growth | Low | 121 (R) | 53 (R) | Affiliated with the Hamilton Partnership for Community Development | |||
| CenterState Corporation for Economic Opportunity | Syracuse | Economic Development | Technology | Growth | Low | 129 (D) | 53 (R) | ||||
| GENIUS NY | Syracuse | Startup Accelerator | Technology | Early Growth | Moderate | Focus on uncrewed systems with investments in several drone companies | 129 (D) | 53 (R) | $3M business accelerator competition | ||
| The Tech Garden | Syracuse | Startup Community | Technology | Growth | Low | 129 (D) | 53 (R) | New York State certified Business Incubator | |||
| Upstate Venture Connect | Syracuse | Startup Accelerator | General | Early Growth | Low | 129 (D) | 53 (R) |
Civic Sector -- 2 resources
| Organization ▲ | Location | Status | Members | AD | SD | Partners | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Syracuse Astronomical Society | Syracuse | Active | 110 | 127 (D) | 48 (D) | Darling Hill Observatory | 50 years of active observation, hosting regular star parties and welcoming thousands of local residents over the years. |
| Syracuse Rocket Club | Baldwinsville | Active | unknown | 129 (D) | 48 (D) |
Colleges & Universities -- 20 resources
| Institution ▲ | Location | Code | Resources | Social Media | Members | AD | SD | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Le Moyne College | Syracuse | Degree Program | Physics | unknown | 128 (D) | 48 (D) | Students conduct original work alongside a faculty mentor. | |
| Le Moyne College | Syracuse | Student Group | Physics Club | unknown | 128 (D) | 48 (D) | Chapter of the Society of Physics Students, focuses on bringing physics to the wider community. | |
| Syracuse University | Syracuse | Degree Program | Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering | unknown | 128 (D) | 48 (D) | Program includes access to the Fidelity MODUS 622i flight simulator, one of the most advanced in the world. | |
| Syracuse University | Syracuse | Degree Program | Physics | unknown | 128 (D) | 48 (D) | Combines state of the art research facilities with small group instruction. | |
| Syracuse University | Syracuse | Degree Program | Aerospace Engineering | unknown | 128 (D) | 48 (D) | Program offers numerous Study Abroad opportunities. | |
| Syracuse University | Syracuse | Degree Program | Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering (MS & PhD) | unknown | 128 (D) | 48 (D) | Four specialization tracks available, preparing students for either PhD programs or the workforce. | |
| Syracuse University | Syracuse | Degree Program | Physics (MS & PhD) | unknown | 128 (D) | 48 (D) | Diverse international department with an active alumni network. | |
| Syracuse University | Syracuse | Student Group | Society of Physics Students | 5 | 128 (D) | 48 (D) | Focused on student enrichment and career prep. | |
| Syracuse University | Syracuse | Student Group | AIAA | 5 | 128 (D) | 48 (D) | Society for undergraduate aerospace students. | |
| Syracuse University | Syracuse | Student Group | Physics Graduate Organization | unknown | 128 (D) | 48 (D) | Refounded in 2021 to increase cohension amongst graduate Physics students. | |
| Syracuse University | Syracuse | Student Group | Drone Club | 2 | 128 (D) | 48 (D) | Works to boost undergraduate interst in Unmanned Aerial Systems, affiliated with Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Department. | |
| Syracuse University | Syracuse | Student Group | ORBiT | unknown | 128 (D) | 48 (D) | The Orange Rocket Ballistics Team applies the lessons learned in lecture to construct hybrid rockets. | |
| Syracuse University | Syracuse | Student Group | SEDS | unknown | 128 (D) | 48 (D) | Local SEDS chapter. | |
| SUNY Oswego | Oswego | Degree Program | Physics | unknown | 66 (D) | 50 (D) | Students develop skills in both theoretical and experimental physics. | |
| SUNY Oswego | Oswego | Student Group | Physics Club | unknown | 66 (D) | 50 (D) | Focus on tutoring and project development. | |
| SUNY Oswego | Oswego | Civic Institution | SUNY Oswego Shineman Center | unknown | 66 (D) | 50 (D) | State of the art planetarium used for both student instruction and shows for the general public. | |
| SUNY Cortland | Cortland | Degree Program | Physics | unknown | 125 (D) | 52 (D) | Offers both Environmental Science and Geophysics tracks. | |
| SUNY Cortland | Cortland | Degree Program | Physics & Engineering (3+2) | unknown | 125 (D) | 52 (D) | Program includes access to the on campus planetarium. | |
| SUNY Cortland | Cortland | Student Group | Physics & Engineering Club | unknown | 125 (D) | 52 (D) | Extensive programming with a strong focus on community outreach and engagement. | |
| SUNY Cortland | Cortland | Civic Institution | SUNY Cortland Planetarium | unknown | 125 (D) | 52 (D) | Opened in 2014, the facility is open to both students and the public. |
K-12 Schools -- 4 resources
| School ▲ | Locality | Facilities | Notes | AD | SD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southern Cayuga High School | Aurora | Southern Cayuga Planetarium | After significant community support, a renovated facility was re-opened in 2019. | 126 (R) | 48 (D) |
| Syracuse Academy of Science | Syracuse | STEM focused college prep academy with specific Astronomy curriculum available to students. | 129 (D) | 48 (D) | |
| Fayetteville Manlius High School | Manlius | Fayetteville Manlius High School Planetarium | Coursework includes Observational Astronomy, planetarium was upgraded in 2017 with state assistance. | 127 (D) | 50 (D) |
| OCM BOCES | Liverpool | OCM BOCES Portable Planetarium | Program has been providing high level and intensive astronomy programming since 1986. | 128 (D) | 50 (D) |
NYers In Space -- 3 resources
| Astronaut ▲ | Birthplace | Missions | Time In Space | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jeanette Epps | Syracuse | Expedition 70/71 | 235 days, 3 hours, and 35 minutes | Syracuse native waited 6 years to fly aboard Boeing's ill-fated Starliner before finally flying to the International Space Station on SpaceX-8 in March of 2024. |
| Lawrence DeLucas | Syracuse | STS 50 | 13 days, 19 hours, and 30 minutes | Has published 163 research articles and and is co-author on 43 patents. |
| Steven Swanson | Syracuse | STS 117, 119 | 195 days, 20 hours, and 47 minutes | Has spent more than 195 days in space, including almost 28 hours on 5 EVA's. |
| Total time in space: 1 years, 2 months, 20 days, 19 hours, and 52 minutes | ||||
Planetariums & Observatories -- 8 resources
| Organization ▲ | Location | Telescope | jobs | AD | SD | Partners | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southern Cayuga Planetarium | Aurora | N/A | 1 | 126 (R) | 48 (D) | Southern Cayuga School District | The historic Planetarium was renovated after intense public advocacy and support, leading to a state-of-the-art facility reopening to students and the community in 2019. |
| Darling Hill Observatory | Syracuse | 16.00" | 1 | 127 (D) | 48 (D) | Syracuse Astronomical Society | 40 years of robust public viewing schedule. |
| Holden Observatory | Syracuse | 8.00" | 1 | 127 (D) | 48 (D) | Syracuse University | Built in 1887, Holden Observatory is the second-oldest building on campus. In 1991 the entire structure was physically moved 190 feet and eventually refurbished and rededicated. It currently houses an Astronomy Learning Center in addition to the telescope. |
| Milton Rosenstein Museum of Science & Tech (MOST) | Syracuse | N/A | 46 | 129 (D) | 48 (D) | Lockheed Martin | Flight & space center sponsored by Lockheed Martin, includes a flight simulator. |
| Syracuse Rocket Club | Baldwinsville | N/A | unknown | 129 (D) | 48 (D) | Syracuse Rocket Club | Amateur rocketry organization for Central NY, with a newsletter and regular sport launches. |
| Fayetteville Manlius High School Planetarium | Manlius | N/A | 1 | 127 (D) | 50 (D) | Fayetteville-Manlius Central School District | Coursework includes Observational Astronomy, planetarium was upgraded in 2017 with state assistance. |
| SUNY Oswego Shineman Center | Oswego | N/A | 1 | 130 (R) | 50 (D) | SUNY Oswego | State of the art planetarium used for both student instruction and shows for the general public. |
| SUNY Cortland Planetarium | Cortland | N/A | 1 | 125 (D) | 52 (D) | SUNY Cortland | Opened in 2014, the facility is open to both students and the public. |
Space Companies -- 10 resources
| Organization | Category | Specialization | Revenue | Employment | Social ▼ | Location | Comments | AD | SD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Knowles Capacitors | Core Space | Satellite Manufacturing | 64 | Cazenovia | Develops advanced microwave components for a wide range of applications, including satellite communications. | 121 (R) | 53 (R) | ||
| Huntington Ingalls Industries | Space & Defense | Aerospace Manufacturing | 87 | Syracuse | Brings their extensive experience in electronic warfare to protecting space-based assets. | 128 (D) | 50 (D) | ||
| Lockheed Martin | Space & Defense | Aerospace Development & Support | $516.32 million (Site Specific) |
50 | Liverpool | This facility develops and manufactures advanced radar systems for domestic and international military customers. | 128 (D) | 50 (D) | |
| Distributed Technology Group LLC | Core Space | Aerospace Support & Development | $1000 thousand (Local) |
12 | Syracuse | Provides network and data security services to NASA, including the Exploration Ground Systems program. | 129 (D) | 48 (D) | |
| Resilienx | Aerospace | Aerospace Support & Development | $5 million (Local) |
25 | Syracuse | Works in management and logistics for unmanned aerial systems, and have contracts with NASA. | 129 (D) | 48 (D) | |
| Anaren Inc/ TTM Technologies | Space & Defense | Aerospace Manufacturing | $2.28 billion (Global) |
1024 | East Syracuse | Provides a wide range of electronics manufacturing options for space and aerospace customers including NASA's Orion program. | 128 (D) | 50 (D) | |
| Honeywell | Aerospace | Aerospace Manufacturing | 10 | East Syracuse | This location specializes primarily in aircraft engines. | 128 (D) | 50 (D) | ||
| Saab Group | Space & Defense | Aerospace Development & Support | $178.3 million (Global) |
463 | East Syracuse | Branch of Saab's North American operations that specializes in military radar and air traffic control systems. | 128 (D) | 50 (D) | |
| Leidos | Space & Defense | Space Data | $18.57 billion (Global) |
246 | Syracuse | Decades of experience providing technical and mission support to NASA and the broader defense and aerospace industries. | 128 (D) | 50 (D) | |
| Arrow Electronics | Core Space | Aerospace Manufacturing | Syracuse | Manufactures an incredibly broad range of electronics parts and components. Customers include NASA's Orion program. | 128 (D) | 50 (D) |