As it stands now, the space industry is spread out across the country, largely clustered around the NASA centers, including Johnson Space Center in Texas and Kennedy Space Center in Florida, according to John Thornton, co-founder and CEO of Pittsburgh-based aerospace company Astrobotic.
The complicated dynamics of aerospace site selection come down in the end to two basic questions.
What kinds of sites are companies looking for?
The needs of the space industry are akin to those of advanced manufacturing — and so sites that appeal to manufacturing are bound to appeal to space, Ken Biberaj, executive managing director of Savills North America, told Standard & Works.
In the future, according to Biberaj, “every company may be a space company” looking for applications for their technology in aerospace. Including semiconductor manufacturing and 3D printing. This opens up the geographic footprint for aerospace companies away from launch sites.
In his company’s advanced manufacturing site searches, Biberaj focuses on three attributes – “people, power and place.” This means an established talent ecosystem, a utility infrastructure that can handle the industry’s needs, supply chain considerations in the chosen location, zoning for industrial manufacturing — and, of course, actual availability of real estate.
Which states are best positioned to win?
“All the states are now faced with a pretty challenging dynamic,” Biberaj said. “They can either react to the RFPs that site selectors and companies put out to them, or they can try to be proactive in determining the strengths and synergies that they have that they can offer companies.”
Here’s what a few of the strongest locations look like right now:
Alabama’s Huntsville is a buzzy location given the upcoming Space Command move, and also hosts several major aerospace companies, as well as the Marshall Flight Center and U.S. Space Camp.
Pennsylvania’s aerospace footprint includes nearly 1,800 NASA employees, along with multiple contractors, and enjoys bipartisan support in state government. Thornton noted the Pittsburgh area’s manufacturing strength, capabilities, and local university talent as a plus for his company.
Texas has multiple active aerospace hubs, including Houston, headquarters of NASA, and Brownsville, home to Elon Musk’s SpaceX. Located on the southernmost tip of the state, Brownsville has been “transformed” by SpaceX’s presence, according to Gilberto Salinas, President and CEO of the Greater Brownsville Incentives Corporation.
The Aerospace Corporation calls Fairfax, Virginia, its home given its proximity to the federal government in Washington, D.C., according to Biberaj.
Utah’s 47G, made up of over 100 companies and institutions, aims to promote the state as a destination for space investment. The Utah legislature has also considered creating a $1 million spaceport exploration committee.
Colorado is still home to Lockheed Martin and several other space-adjacent federal institutions, even as Space Command HQ transitions out of the Colorado Springs.
Florida’s aerospace development agency, Space Florida, promotes the state’s long history as a space destination, particularly in Cape Canaveral, and aims to incentivize new investment in its aerospace economy.
Tulsa has leveraged philanthropic, corporate, and public investment to catalyze an advanced air mobility hub.
California’s extensive aerospace presence includes the SpaceX home base, RocketLab in Long Beach and the “Space Beach” ecosystem in Manhattan Beach and El Segundo.
On the whole, Biberaj is seeing states putting a greater emphasis on preparing sites for future manufacturing as an incentive for incoming companies. This can include getting power supplies ready, gathering local talent, interfacing with community groups and environmental remediation where necessary.
S&W’S TAKE
States are running campaigns to lead the space race. Organizations such as 47G in Utah and Space Florida show how site selection has become full-scale advocacy. Space Florida, for instance, pushed for the Secure U.S. Leadership in Space Act within the “One Big Beautiful Bill,” securing tax-exempt status for bonds that finance spaceport development.
