Mohawk Valley Region

The Mohawk Valley is a region defined by the central transportation arteries that run through it: the Erie Canal and the NYS Thruway. Centered on a series of modest canal cities surrounded by college towns and rising hills, the Mohawk Valley is also home to a dynamic space academic network that serves as the backbone for the local space ecosystem.

The Mohawk Valley is home to over 1,100 space and aerospace jobs, with the largest concentration of activity surrounding the Griffiss Institute in Rome. This growing hub is attracting investment and jobs in numerous Aerospace and Space & Defense companies to the Mohawk Valley.

Colleges and universities in every corner of the region offer physics, astronomy, and even astrogeophysics degree programs. There are on-campus planetariums and observatories in the region, as well as a broad array of active student groups in a number of space related fields. The region is also home to a unique asset in the OHM Boces Mobile Planetarium, an amazing resource for bringing STEM and space to students - one Empire Space hopes to see replicated and supported throughout the state.

The Mohawk Valley has a great story to tell about how transportation has shaped its history. There is already an academic foundation in place for space to be a part of its future.

Including 32 organizations and resources throughout the Mohawk Valley Region!

Business Services | Civic Sector | Higher Education | K-12 Schools | NYers In Space | Planetariums & Observatories | Space Companies

Business Services -- 3 resources

OrganizationLocationTypeBusiness FocusBusiness StageSpace Focus LevelSpace InvolvementUniversitySocial MediaADSDNotes
Griffiss Institute Certified Business Incubator (GI)RomeStartup IncubatorCybersecurityEarly GrowthHighPartnered with the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL)Twitter   119 (D)47 (D)New York State certified Business Incubator
Innovation CollectiveUticaStartup IncubatorGeneralEarly GrowthLowCazenovia College119 (D)47 (D)Also in Cazenovia NY with Cazenovia College
thINCubatorUticaStartup IncubatorGeneralEarly GrowthLow119 (D)47 (D)New York State certified Business Incubator

Civic Sector -- 1 resource


Colleges & Universities -- 21 resources

InstitutionLocationCodeResourcesSocial MediaMembersADSDComments
Hartwick CollegeOneontaDegree ProgramPhysicsTwitter   unknown121 (R)51 (R)Recently upgraded facilities and a wide range of unique opportunities define this program.
Hartwick CollegeOneontaCivic InstitutionErnest B. Wright Observatoryunknown121 (R)51 (R)Facility contains a 16” telescope for student use.
Hartwick CollegeOneontaStudent GroupSociety of Physics Students/Sigma Pi Sigmaunknown121 (R)51 (R)Both programs are available to enrich the Physics experience of undergraduate students.
SUNY OneontaOneontaDegree ProgramPhysics & Astronomyunknown121 (R)51 (R)Program offers a dual track option for either employment or graduate studies.
SUNY OneontaOneontaStudent GroupPhysics & Astronomy Club3121 (R)51 (R)Active group focused on fostering interest and knowledge about astronomy.
SUNY OneontaOneontaStudent GroupSigma Pi Sigmaunknown121 (R)51 (R)Physics honor society.
SUNY OneontaOneontaCivic InstitutionSUNY Oneonta College ObservatoryFacebookunknown121 (R)51 (R)Home to the largest optical telescope in the state of New York.
SUNY OneontaOneontaCivic InstitutionSUNY Oneonta PlanetariumTwitter   unknown121 (R)51 (R)Upgraded in 2019, available for student, community, and private programming.
Hamilton CollegeClintonDegree ProgramPhysicsunknown117 (R)53 (R)Focus is on small class sizes and 1 on 1 support.
Hamilton CollegeClintonStudent GroupHamilton Space Society6117 (R)53 (R)Fun oriented group focused on generating interest in space.
Hamilton CollegeClintonStudent GroupSociety for Physics Students12117 (R)53 (R)Aims to excite student interest in Physics through projects and outreach.
Hamilton CollegeClintonCivic InstitutionPeters Observatoryunknown117 (R)53 (R)Recently ugraded facility for use by students.
Mohawk Valley Community CollegeUticaDegree ProgramGeospatial ITechnologyunknown119 (D)53 (R)Emphasis is on field and laboratory experience in addition to theory including topics using ArcGIS Global Positioning Systems, Remote Sensing, and database development.
Utica UniversityUticaDegree ProgramPhysicsunknown119 (D)53 (R)Program has invested over $250,000 in recent years in new equipment. Department also offers a 3+2 engineering program.
Utica UniversityUticaDegree ProgramGeoscienceunknown119 (D)53 (R)Program contains a broad range of disciplines, including Astronomy.
Colgate UniversityHamiltonDegree ProgramAstrogeophysicsunknown121 (R)53 (R)Multidisciplinary program for students interested in the evolution of the Solar System.
Colgate UniversityHamiltonDegree ProgramAstronomy-Physicsunknown121 (R)53 (R)
Colgate UniversityHamiltonDegree ProgramPhysicsunknown121 (R)53 (R)
Colgate UniversityHamiltonStudent GroupSEDSunknown121 (R)53 (R)Conduct outreach to local middle schools.
Colgate UniversityHamiltonStudent GroupStar GateFacebookunknown121 (R)53 (R)Focus on astrophotography.
Colgate UniversityHamiltonStudent GroupSociety of Physics Studentsunknown121 (R)53 (R)Focus on inspiring an interest in physics and supporting undergraduate Physics majors.

K-12 Schools -- 3 resources


NYers In Space -- 1 resource

AstronautBirthplaceMissionsTime In SpaceNotes
Robert GibsonCooperstownSTS 41-B, 61-C, 27, 47, 7136 days, 4 hours, and 15 minutesAfter retiring from NASA he became a professional air racer.

Planetariums & Observatories -- 6 resources

OrganizationLocationTelescopejobsADSDPartnersNotes
AJ Reed Science and Discovery CenterOneontaN/A1121 (R)51 (R)SUNY OneontaIncludes programming and events at the campus planetarium.
SUNY Oneonta College ObservatoryOneonta40.00"1121 (R)51 (R)SUNY OneontaHome to the largest optical telescope in the state of New York.
OHM BOCES Portable PlanetariumOneidaN/A1101 (R)53 (R)OHM BocesUtilize a portable STARLAB DOME for mobile astronomy. Currently not available due to staffing vacancy.
Peters ObservatoryHamilton11.25"1117 (R)53 (R)Hamilton CollegeRecently ugraded facility for use by students.
Barton-Brown ObservatoryWaterville16.00"1121 (R)53 (R)Waterville Public LibraryMultiple telescopes in a heated outdoor observatory on library grounds.
Foggy Bottom ObservatoryHamilton16.00"1121 (R)53 (R)Colgate UniversityOffer lectures in addition to research resources for students and staff.

Space Companies -- 16 resources

OrganizationCategorySpecializationRevenueEmploymentSocialLocationCommentsADSD
Oneida Research Services Inc. Space & Defense Testing & Development $19.8 million
(Global)
30 Whitesboro Provides high quality testing for microelectronics and other materials used in various aerospace and military sectors. Customers include NASA's Orion and SLS programs. 119 (D) 53 (R)
TECT Power Aerospace Launch, Rocketry, & Propulsion $20 million
to
$50 million

(Global)
18 Utica Local branch of national aerospace manufacturer heavy on government contracts. 119 (D) 53 (R)
Brandywine Photonics Core Space Optics & Imaging $49 thousand
(Site Specific)
1 Twitter    Utica In March 2023 Brandywine Photonics partnered with IDCA's LLC of Utica to work on their Infrared Space Camera business and leverage current ground based capabilities in space. 119 (D) 53 (R)
UTC Aerospace/Collins Aerospace Aerospace Aerospace Manufacturing $4.72 million
(Site Specific)
19 Rome Aerospace manufacturing facility, part of Raytheon/Collins Aerospace network. 119 (D) 53 (R)
Paterson Aerospace Core Space Space Debris $125 thousand
(Local)
10 Rome Focus on environmental sustainability in space, building a space economy that is sustainable and emission free. 119 (D) 53 (R)
Northrop Grumman Aerospace Aerospace Manufacturing Twitter    Rome 119 (D) 53 (R)
L3Harris Space & Defense Telecommunications & Electronics 5 Rome This facility is part of the navigation, electronics, and communications manufacturing network. 119 (D) 53 (R)
Helios Space & Defense Remote Sensing 10 Rome Expertise in advanced remote sensing systems engineering, advanced radio frequency (RF) signal processing design, single / multi-sensor high resolution EO / IR / radar imagery exploitation, and related proof-of-concept design & development 119 (D) 53 (R)
Caci Space & Defense Space Data $5 million
to
$10 million

(Global)
20 - 49 Rome Utilizes groundbreaking space technology to provide C4ISR dominance for military clients. 119 (D) 53 (R)
BAE Systems Space & Defense Space Force/Military 65 Rome The Rome facility is part of the Griffis Institute and a node in BAE's defense oriented network. 119 (D) 53 (R)
Andro Computational Solutions Space & Defense AI & Machine Learning 38 Rome Specialists in wireless communications, machine learning, and artificial intelligence, including hosting the ANDRO Marconi-Rosenblatt Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Innovation Lab. 119 (D) 53 (R)
Air Force Regional Information Directorate Services Space & Defense Space Force/Military $1.5 billion
(Site Specific)
838 Rome Primary campus for Air Force R&D into C4I and Cyber technologies. 119 (D) 53 (R)
Custom Electronics Space & Defense Aerospace Manufacturing 44 Oneonta Custom makers of high-voltage mica-paper capacitors, sub-assemblies and packages high-voltage modules for the world's leading companies in the missile-system, communication-satellite, medical-electronics, geophysical, and aerospace industries in the United States and abroad. 122 (R) 51 (R)
A Special Metals Company Div of PCC Core Space Aerospace Manufacturing $130.57 million
(Local)
550 New Hartford Manufactures a number of alloys and metals for aerospace clients, including NASA's SLS program. 122 (R) 53 (R)
Pratt & Whitney/HMI Metal Powders Aerospace Aerospace Manufacturing $19.07 million
(Global)
120 Clayville World leader in producing advanced powders used in turbine engines. 101 (R) 53 (R)
TCT Networks Core Space Telecommunications & Electronics $10 million
(Local)
35 Camden Involved in cutting edge research and development work in space communications, drone networking, and challenged network communications 117 (R) 53 (R)

We currently have zero results in this region for the following: Business Capital and MUREP Groups.