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Kent-based Blue Origin decided choosing Texas would be the best site for a new aerospace manufacturing facility.
Blue Origin, the state of Texas and the city of Hutto each announced Oct. 8 that a new 1.3 million-square-foot-multi-facility complex would be built in the state and provide 2,000 jobs. It will serve as a central production hub for several of the company’s most ambitious satellite and communications programs.
“Texas has long understood what it takes to lead in space exploration,” said Blue Origin CEO Dave Limp in a post on the company’s website. “We’re proud to grow our footprint here in Texas, tap into the world-class talent this state has to offer, and help ensure America remains the leader in space innovation.”
Named Constellation Park, the facility will support manufacturing for TeraWave, Blue Origin’s satellite communications network delivering up to 6 terabits per second of symmetrical data anywhere on Earth – serving enterprise, data center, and government users who depend on resilient global connectivity for critical operations, according to the company. The facility will also expand production for Quartz, a global ground communications network featuring 3.7‑meter aperture antennas that enable S‑band and X‑band connectivity for low Earth orbit missions.
In addition, the campus will house manufacturing for key Blue Origin subsystems, including solar arrays, avionics, telecommunications and other satellite hardware, according to the company.
Blue Origin, which Amazon founder Jeff Bezos started in Kent in 2000, manufactures and operates rocket engines, reusable launch vehicles, lunar landers and satellite systems.
Texas roots
While the company began in Kent, it didn’t take long before it expanded to Texas, going back nearly 20 years with the establishment of Launch Site One in 2006.
Building on that legacy – and more than 550 current Texas employees – Constellation Park will add over 2,000 new manufacturing and related jobs over the next 10 years, further strengthening Texas’ aerospace industry and driving growth among local suppliers and supporting businesses, according to Blue Origin. The company has not yet released a timeline for the project.
“Texas is the launchpad to a future of possibilities,” said Gov. Greg Abbott. “Blue Origin’s sizeable expansion of their investment in Texas in support of their satellite communications network is testament to the state’s leadership in the advanced manufacturing and space industries. Texas offers innovative technology leaders the space, speed, and talent needed to rapidly scale operations.”
Washington considered?
The Kent Reporter reached out to Blue Origin for comment about whether any sites in Washington state or other states were considered, but has not heard back. The Reporter also reached out to Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson’s office for comment but has not received a response.
Ferguson announced Sept. 28 the formation of a Governor’s Space Council to help advance the aerospace industry in the state. The 23-member panel includes Kent Mayor Dana Ralph, state Sen. Claudia Kauffman, D-Kent, Kent-based Stoke Space CEO and co-founder Andy Lapsa and Blue Origin Chief Commercial Officer Michael Edmonds.
A California-based aerospace company recently picked Washington for a new facility.
San Diego-based Shield AI announced Sept. 30 it had picked Des Moines for a facility to build unmanned fighter jets.
