Merritt Island, Florida, will be home to a $300 million investment by the company Terran Orbital for construction of its “state-of-the-art” commercial spacecraft and constellation facility, according to an announcement made by Governor DeSantis on Monday.
A press release by the governor’s office says that company will bring valuable spacecraft manufacturing opportunities and capabilities to the state of Florida by investing in new construction and equipment.
Additionally, the project will be the largest satellite manufacturing facility in the world and is expected to create approximately 2,100 new jobs with an estimated annual average wage of $84,000 by late 2025.
“I am excited to announce that Terran Orbital will be investing $300 million in the Space Coast to build the largest satellite manufacturing facility in the world,” DeSantis said during his announcement.
“Satellite manufacturing is and will continue to be an important part of the economy in the Space Coast, and with this announcement we are upping the ante. In Florida, we are going to continue to take the lead on space by investing in infrastructure, training highly skilled workers and maintaining an economic climate that allows companies like Terran Orbital to thrive. I congratulate them on a great decision to come to Florida,” he added.
Terran Orbital is a corporation that is “the leading vertically integrated provider of end-to-end satellite solutions. Terran Orbital combines satellite design, production, launch planning, mission operations and in-orbit support to meet the needs of the most demanding military, civil and commercial customers. In addition, Terran Orbital is developing the world’s most advanced Earth Observation Constellation to provide vital capabilities in image responsiveness,” according to the release.
When construction is complete, the facility will be approximately 660,000 square feet and will enable Terran Orbital to, “manufacture the entire small satellite life cycle.” Furthermore, the Terran Orbital “campus” will have space vehicle assembly, printed circuit board assembly manufacturing, and CNC machining and additive manufacturing, to only name a few off the list provided by Monday’s release. The development will also include administrative and office space.
Terran Orbital will partner with the state’s aerospace and spaceport development authority, Space Florida, for the project’s completion. According to the release, Space Florida was created to strengthen Florida’s position as the global leader in aerospace research, investment, exploration, and commerce. With this new project between Space Florida and Terran Orbital, it starts building towards that plan.
“We are pleased to partner with Space Florida. Not only will we be able to expand our production capabilities to meet the growing demand for our products, but we will also bring valuable spacecraft manufacturing opportunities and capabilities to the State of Florida,” said Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Terran Orbital Marc Bell.
Space Florida President and CEO, Frank DiBello said in the release, “This announcement is yet another milestone in Florida’s leadership in space commerce, offering state-of-the-art development at the spaceport. We look forward to Terran Orbital’s success in the years to come and the continued activity and growth at the [Launch and Landing Facility].”
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Casey Owens is a contributing writer for The Florida Capital Star. Follow him on Twitter at @cowensreports. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Ron DeSantis” by Gage Skidmore. CC BY-SA 2.0. Background Photo “Money” by SCR3AMFR3AK. Background Photo “Terran Orbital” by Terran Orbital.
