• Joint venture between OneWeb and Airbus sees satellite manufacturing facility open in Florida helping to revitalise Florida’s Space Coast with 250 new high-tech jobs and 3,000 indirect jobs through the supply chain
• Department for International Trade celebrates 1 year of the Space Exports Strategy
• In 2015, American companies represented nearly half of all FDI in the UK space sector—roughly £5.1bn of £12bn

EXPLORATION PARK, Fla. (UK Department of International Trade PR) — Today (July 22) UK-based OneWeb, the communications company powered by satellites, announced the opening of OneWeb Satellites, the first-ever, high-volume satellite manufacturing facility on Merritt Island, Florida, as part of a joint venture with Airbus. It comes just after the 50th anniversary of the first moon landing.

A political update from the Florida Space Development Council. Space Coast Economic Development Efforts at Risk in Election August 14, 2014 – State-level support for economic development is important, but it is only part of the story when it comes to inducing companies to relocate or expand in the state. Local governments are essential providers of financial incentives, and can be key players for the state’s outreach and marketing to […]

BREVARD COUNTY, Fla., December 16, 2013 (Space Coast EDC PR) — Working to strengthen the cohesion of Florida’s 29-member Congressional delegation and further build awareness of the challenges and opportunities in the space and defense industries, the Economic Development Commission of Florida’s Space Coast traveled to Washington, D.C., last week to meet with key congressional leaders and staff.

In separate meetings with chiefs of staff from Florida’s Republican and Democratic delegations, as well as with staff from U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio’s office and U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson’s office, the EDC team began its efforts to unify all Florida representatives and senators behind issues of statewide impact.

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Rocket Crafters concept vehicle (Credit: Rocket Crafters)

The Miami Herald reports that the jobs incentives deals that Gov. Rick Scott has crafted to lure businesses to the Space Coast have been a mixed bag. On the plus side, Brevard County’s unemployment rate, which peaked after the end of NASA’s space shuttle program, has been reduced from more than 11 percent to 7 percent.  Deals with large companies such as Boeing and Embraer promise to eventually add thousands of additional jobs in the area.

On the other hand, a $7 million incentives deal with start-up company Rocket Crafters appears to have augered in. And  even positive achievements appear to rely heavily on federal contracts, not necessarily on private sector growth, limiting the ability of the area to diversify its economy away from government spending.

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Florida Gov. Rick Scott

The Florida Space Coast, hard hit by the economic meltdown and the end of the space shuttle program, got a couple of big shots in the arm on Wednesday as officials broke ground on two technology centers.

Gov. Rick Scott was on hand for groundbreaking ceremonies for the new $24 million Embraer Engineering and Technology Center USA at Melbourne International Airport. The governor also attended the groundbreaking on $100 million Harris Technology Center in nearby Palm Bay. Both projects represent expansions of existing operations in those locations backed by the financial support of state and local governments.

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Florida Gov. Rick Scott

Cape Canaveral, FL, November 8, 2012 (Space Florida PR) –Today, the U.S. Navy, Florida Lt. Governor Jennifer Carroll, Space Florida, and the Economic Development Commission (EDC) of Florida’s Space Coast – broke ground on the new Strategic Weapons System Ashore (SWS Ashore) facility at Cape Canaveral AFS. Space Florida and the EDC anticipate 100 jobs may be created within three years as a result of the project, with average annual salaries of $90,000 and approximately 85% of the projected workforce from civilian contractors, including former Space Shuttle workers sourced locally.

Governor Rick Scott said, “Florida has a uniquely skilled workforce for aerospace research and development projects – and I’m proud to see this community will be the centerpiece of this project. I’ve made job creation my number one priority, and while our work isn’t done this is a step in the right direction.”

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Brevard County, Fla., October 4, 2012 (EDC PR) – The Economic Development Commission of Florida’s Space Coast’s powerful, information-packed brochure touting Brevard County’s competitive advantages in technology, work force, quality of life and other areas received a Silver Excellence in Economic Development Award from the International Economic Development Council.

The EDC’s 10-page brochure, “Florida’s Space Coast: America’s High Tech Titan,” competed against materials from the nation’s largest economic development organizations. The award was presented this week at the IEDC Annual Conference in Houston, Texas.

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Brevard County, Fla., Sept. 28, 2012 (EDC PR) – The Economic Development Commission of Florida’s Space Coast is pleased to announce that it has developed an economic development incentive fund designed to assist in expanding existing Brevard County high-tech and manufacturing businesses and attracting new businesses to the Space Coast.

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Vehicle Assembly Building at Kennedy Space Center

Space Coast Economy Threatened by Congress, Again

By Ronald Cobb
Chairman, Space Coast Defense Alliance
Economic Development Commission of Florida’s Space Coast

It’s time for Congress to get off the dime and take action on the federal budget. Avoiding sequestration must be a priority to avoid a congressionally induced economic calamity for the Space Coast, Central Florida, and the nation.  Last year, with the failure of  the so-called Super Committee to agree to $1.2 trillion in deficit reduction, Congress decided the only way to cut spending was to put a gun to our head, called sequestration, under the assumption the result would be so unthinkable that surely consensus would be achieved to prevent that debacle.  Yet here we are, with a finger on the trigger and Washington doing nothing to avert disaster.

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Kennedy Space Center, FL and Mojave, CA, August 23, 2012 (XCOR PR) — Today, XCOR Aerospace announced its intent to establish an East Coast U.S. operational base in Florida and as market demand dictates, establish a manufacturing and assembly center for XCOR Lynx Mark II suborbital reusable launch vehicles as well.

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