Space Workforce Incubator for Texas

The Future of Space Is in Texas: Workforce, Rockets, and Real Opportunity; In this episode of Austin Tech Connect, Thom Singer sits down with Leon Vanstone and Geoff Tudor from SWIFT (Space Workforce Incubator for Texas) for a deep dive into one of the state’s most ambitious frontiers: the space economy. With over 2,000 space and aerospace companies and more than 135,000 people already employed across the state, Texas is positioned to lead. But there’s a challenge: to keep up with demand, the space industry needs to scale its workforce dramatically... and that means going beyond rocket scientists.

Leon, an engineer turned ecosystem builder, shares his story of moving from the UK to Texas and launching the Texas Rocket Engineering Lab. Geoff brings decades of experience in space policy, including work on the Clementine mission and collaborations with NASA and commercial space firms. Together, they’re helping SWIFT build a bridge between academic talent, skilled trades, and the companies launching missions.

The conversation covers workforce development (welders, electricians, machinists, and composite techs are in high demand), student initiatives (Swift is supporting rocket programs at schools like UT Permian Basin and Texas State Technical College), and community-building (including a new series of monthly space ecosystem events hosted at Capital Factory). They also explore how Texas can overcome regulatory and funding hurdles to build a thriving, sustainable space industry across the state... not just in Austin, but in the Rio Grande Valley, Midland, and beyond.

Thom emphasizes Austin’s unique potential to position itself as a "science city," where commercial space intersects with AI, advanced manufacturing, and hard tech innovation. All three agree: if we get the workforce right, Texas can lead the next era of space exploration... not just with big ideas, but with boots on the ground and hands on the tools.