EXPLORATION PARK, Fla., and JERUSALEM, Israel, June 27, 2022 (Space Florida PR) – Space Florida, the aerospace and spaceport development authority for the State of Florida, and the Israel Innovation Authority, an independent, publicly-funded agency created to address the needs of the local and international innovation ecosystems, are pleased to announce the ninth-round winners of industrial research and development funding tied to the Space Florida-Israel Innovation Partnership Program.

In October 2013, Florida and Israel established a $2 million recurring joint fund to support research, development, and commercialization of aerospace and technology projects that benefit both Israel and Florida. For this Call for Projects, 11 qualified joint proposals were submitted by teams of for-profit companies in Florida and Israel. Five teams have been selected for this ninth round of awards.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (Space Perspective PR) — Space Perspective, the world’s leading luxury spaceflight experience company, today announced that it has selected Florida’s Space Coast Spaceport in Titusville, Florida as the location for the company’s worldwide campus and manufacturing complex.

Funding is provided through the Florida Job Growth Grant Fund, Space Florida and the Florida Department of Transportation

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (Gov. Ron DeSantis PR) – Today, Governor Ron DeSantis announced $13 million in awards to the Jacksonville Aviation Authority new infrastructure at the Cecil Airport and Spaceport. This funding will support the construction of nearly two miles of roadway and extend the corresponding utilities to provide access to underdeveloped property located on the east side of Cecil Airport and Spaceport. This project will more than double the number of jobs available at the facility, bringing the total number of jobs at the airport and spaceport to 6,251. Of the $13 million in funding, $6 million is from the Florida Job Growth Grant Fund, $4 million from the Florida Department of Transportation, and Space Florida is contributing $3 million.

EXPLORATION PARK, Fla. (Gov. Ron DeSantis PR) – Today, Governor DeSantis announced Terran Orbital’s decision to choose Merritt Island for the construction of its Commercial Spacecraft and Constellation Facility, bringing valuable spacecraft manufacturing opportunities and capabilities to the State of Florida by investing more than $300 million in new construction and equipment. This will be the largest satellite manufacturing facility in the world. The project 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,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “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.”

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (Cecil Air and Spaceport PR) — A new 126-foot air traffic control tower and mission control center officially opened for operations in a ceremony at Cecil Air and Spaceport today. The mission control center was dedicated to astronaut Dr. Norman Thagard, a graduate of Paxon High School in Jacksonville.

Florida Politics reports the Sunshine State is seeking to lure a company code named Kraken to locate its $300 million spacecraft factory to Brevard County. The project would create about 2,000 mostly high-paying jobs.

Space Florida’s board of directors gave approval Wednesday to staff to negotiate with the company to have a satellite factory located near the agency’s launch sites on Cape Canaveral.

Those negotiations could involve creative financing, lease deals, and possibly matching-fund grants from the Florida Department of Transportation.

Space Florida President Frank DiBello told the board Space Florida has competition for the factory from other states.

My best guess is that Kraken refers to Jeff Bezos’ Kuiper Systems. The company was established to develop a broadband satellite constellation composed of 3,236 satellites.

EXPLORATION PARK, Fla. (December 23, 2020) – Today, Space Florida shared the many accomplishments of Florida’s aerospace and commercial space industry in 2020. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Florida’s Cape Canaveral Spaceport kept launching rockets. In May, the world watched as American astronauts lifted off from Florida for the first time since 2011, marking a new era of human spaceflight and commercial space exploration. The aerospace industry represents a key part of the State’s strategy for post-pandemic economic recovery, and Space Florida has good reason to be enthusiastic about the future of aerospace.

“Despite the challenges that COVID-19 brought to the State, our industry and our organization, Space Florida is pleased to have had a successful year of growth within the aerospace industry here in the State of Florida, with support from Governor DeSantis as well as our Board Chair and Lieutenant Governor Nuñez,” said Space Florida President and CEO Frank DiBello. “Space Florida is working with other economic development partners to create an energized driving force in recruiting these companies to the Sunshine State. The future of this industry is very bright, representing an increasingly important segment of Florida’s economy.

• Space Florida makes a significant investment in Aerion Supersonics’ new state-of-the-art design and production campus, Aerion Park, in Melbourne, FL
• Aerion breaks ground on Aerion Park later this year, creating at least 675 advanced technology and manufacturing jobs by 2026
• Aerion adds to the growing technology corridor of cutting-edge aerospace companies in Florida

Exploration Park & Melbourne, FL (August 20, 2020) – Space Florida is pleased to announce it has finalized a multi-million-dollar investment in Aerion Supersonic to accelerate the hiring of employees and development of the company’s new state-of-the-art campus – Aerion Park – in Melbourne, Florida.

Exploration Park, Miami and Tampa, Fla. (Space Florida/Florida Venture Forum PR) – Space Florida and the Florida Venture Forum are pleased to announce Archangel Lightworks, Agriculture Intelligence, Inc., and Vital Vio as the top three winners, respectively, of the 2020 Aerospace Innovation & Tech Forum.

Aerospace and innovative tech companies from related industries were invited to apply to present in a first-ever web-based competition for the Space Florida Accelerating Innovation (AI) awards, totaling $100,000. Twenty presenters were selected from a pool of more than 100 applicants by a committee of active venture investors.

WASHINGTON, May 11, 2020 (Bill Posey/Charlie Crist PR) — As we pass the 59th Anniversary of the first American human space flight launch that saw Alan Shepard pilot the famous Freedom 7 capsule as part of the Mercury program, U.S. Representatives Bill Posey (R-Florida) and Charlie Crist (D-Florida) introduced bipartisan legislation to build on that important legacy and keep America first in space.

The American Space Commerce Act (H.R. 6783) supports American leadership in space by providing an incentive for American space firms to keep investing in America and launching from American soil.