Latest news with #SpaceFlorida
Yahoo
9 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Mystery firm's ‘Project Beep' eyes $247M investment, 1,000 jobs for Florida's Space Coast
Editor's note: This story is available as a result of a content partnership between WFTV and the Orlando Business Journal. An unidentified company is interested in making a major investment — in both dollars and jobs — on Florida's Space Coast. The company's investment, codenamed 'Project Beep,' is in the works with Space Florida, the state agency tasked with growing Florida's space industry. All told, the project entails an investment of about $247 million and should create 1,000 local jobs. Read: Loretta Swit, 'Hot Lips' Houlihan on M*A*S*H, dies at 87 '[The] project intends to establish aerospace manufacturing, R&D, warehousing and administrative facilities at Cape Canaveral Spaceport,' said Space Florida documents. Click here to read the full story on the Orlando Business Journal's website. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Project Beep, a confidential airspace firm, to lease land for $247M Merritt Island facility
Space Florida has authorized leasing 25 acres on northern Merritt Island for Project Beep, an undisclosed aerospace company that plans to build a future quarter-billion-dollar facility and create about 1,000 jobs just outside NASA's Kennedy Space Center. Little information has been publicly released about this confidential company. "It captures the increasing pace of activity around the world's busiest spaceport," Space Florida President and CEO Rob Long said during the authority's May 28 board of directors meeting. "Obviously, we welcome this growth and are excited about the bright future for the space industry here in Florida." By unanimous vote, Space Florida authorized completion of negotiations for a 30-year Project Beep lease for the last two remaining parcels of the opening phase of Exploration Park, which is managed in partnership with NASA. "Project Beep intends to set up manufacturing, research and development, laboratory, warehousing and office facilities to support aerospace operation at Cape Canaveral Spaceport," said Howard Haug, Space Florida executive vice president, treasurer and chief investment officer. "The project estimates total investment of $247 million and expects creating approximately 1,000 jobs at industry-average wages." During a post-meeting press conference, Long said Project Beep officials are still looking at building structural designs, and Space Florida will work with the mystery company on that topic during the next several months. Statewide, Space Florida reported it is pursuing 204 business opportunities. The Space Coast leads the way with 51 potential deals, followed by Central Florida with 28 opportunities and the western Panhandle with 24. The Space Florida meeting kicked off 3½ hours after SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 rocket from NASA's Kennedy Space Center into low-Earth orbit on another Starlink mission. The liftoff marked the 45th orbital rocket launch thus far this year from Florida's Space Coast. For the latest news from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and NASA's Kennedy Space Center, visit Another easy way: Click here to sign up for our weekly Space newsletter. Rick Neale is a Space Reporter at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Neale at Rneale@ Twitter/X: @RickNeale1 Space is important to us and that's why we're working to bring you top coverage of the industry and Florida launches. Journalism like this takes time and resources. Please support it with a subscription here. This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Space Florida to lease land for Project Beep aerospace firm, 1,000 jobs
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Space Florida: Project Beep mystery aerospace company wants to hire 1,000 on Merritt Island
An undisclosed aerospace company wants to invest $247 million establishing a major development near NASA's Kennedy Space Center, creating about 1,000 jobs "at industry average wages," a Space Florida memo shows. This mystery company is identified as the secretive Project Beep in Space Florida agenda materials, and only scant details have been publicly released. Project Beep would establish aerospace manufacturing, research and development, warehousing and administrative facilities on 25 acres at the multi-tenant Exploration Park on northern Merritt Island. Managed in partnership between NASA and Space Florida, Exploration Park is the home of Blue Origin's sprawling New Glenn rocket manufacturing complex. The newly expanded Airbus U.S. Space & Defense satellite factory is also here, along with the 104,000-square-foot Space Life Sciences Lab. NASA: Florida Sen. Moody: Move NASA's headquarters from Washington, D.C., to the Space Coast Project Beep would involve a 30-year land lease with Space Florida. The authority's board of directors will discuss the large-scale economic development proposal during a 1 p.m. teleconference on May 28. In scale of magnitude, Brevard County's fast-growing aerospace-aviation sector nearly doubled in employment from 2017 (7,847 workers) to 2023 (14,828 workers), Economic Development Commission of Florida' Space Coast records show. Project Beep stands to add about 1,000 employees to that sum. Space Florida board members will vote on whether to complete Project Beep negotiations and enter the Exploration Park property lease. "Project intends to organically fund construction and will be responsible for all repairs, and operations and maintenance expenses. Note all improvements made to the premises will become the property of Space Florida and leased back to the Company under the sublease," the memo said. Also on the Space Florida agenda: Project Opal, a potential $1 billion aerospace complex slated for construction near Crestview in Okaloosa County in Florida's Panhandle, the Northwest Florida Daily News reported. Project Opal is slated to evolve into a 1-million-square-foot advanced manufacturing complex during three building phases in the 2035-2036 timeframe on 135 acres at the Shoal River Ranch Gigasite, according to an Okaloosa Board of County Commissioners application score sheet. The undisclosed company will ramp up hiring starting later this year, reaching 336 workers at average wages of $69,434. "The company is a long-standing leader in the support, development and production of aerospace systems and has been at the forefront of the aviation industry for decades," the score sheet said. For the latest news from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and NASA's Kennedy Space Center, visit Another easy way: Click here to sign up for our weekly Space newsletter. Rick Neale is a Space Reporter at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Neale at Rneale@ Twitter/X: @RickNeale1 Space is important to us and that's why we're working to bring you top coverage of the industry and Florida launches. Journalism like this takes time and resources. Please support it with a subscription here. This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Mystery aerospace firm Project Beep wants to hire 1,000 on Space Coast
Yahoo
29-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Best Amazon rocket launch, ULA Atlas V photos, Instagram posts, tweets after Florida liftoff
Heart, send, post: Amazon rocket launch from Florida. At 7:01 p.m. ET Monday, April 28, 2025, United Launch Alliance's massive Atlas V rocket blasted off in a picture-perfect, "so Florida" scene − and fans online quickly reacted. "Amazon rocket launch" was trending after the Atlas V liftoff from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. And though the stunning rocket launch images and Instagram Reels shared on social media soon after (scroll down to see them), the mission marked a significant win for Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. The billionaire launched Project Kuiper, a global network of satellites, to compete with SpaceX CEO Elon Musk and Starlink satellites. The mission got kudos from familiar names, too: "Congratulations! Welcome to space. Proud to have been your Amazon driver." ~ Tory Bruno, president and CEO of United Launch Alliance, whose X feed is full of retweets and photo posts of ULA's Atlas V rocket launch 'Space Florida congratulates our partner, Amazon's Project Kuiper, on the successful launch aboard ULA's Atlas V. Amazon's presence at our launch and landing facility demonstrates the power of long-term infrastructure investments and the advantages of centralizing operations within a thriving aerospace hub. We look forward to continuing our collaboration with Project Kuiper as they scale and expand their space-based operations, further reinforcing Florida's leadership in the new era of aerospace commerce.' ~ Robert Long, president and CEO of Space Florida, the state's aerospace finance and development authority Equipped with five side-mounted rocket boosters, the reason why it could be visible far from the Space Coast of Florida, the Atlas V sent the $10 billion internet constellation's first set of 27 satellites into low-Earth orbit. Visibility from most of Florida was possible, according to ULA. USA TODAY Network's Space Team provided live coverage of the Amazon rocket launch from Cape Canaveral at Below are stunning images of the Amazon rocket launch from Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Cape Canaveral, Florida. Sangalang is a lead digital producer for USA TODAY Network. Follow her on Twitter or Instagram at @byjensangalang. Support local journalism. Consider subscribing to a Florida newspaper. This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Amazon rocket launch, Atlas V photos: Cape Canaveral, Florida, liftoff
Yahoo
14-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Sen. Ashley Moody proposes relocation of NASA headquarters
WASHINGTON, D.C. (WFLA)— Senator Ashley Moody proposed legislation to relocate NASA headquarters to Florida's Space Coast. The Consolidating Aerospace Programs Efficiency at Canaveral Act was brought to legislation proposing the relocation of NASA headquarters. NASA is expected to rebuild its headquarters in Washington, but the current building was filled at only 15 percent capacity which is an example of nonsensical government waste, a press release from Senator Ashley Moody said. 'Florida is the leader in space exploration and aerospace innovation. Establishing NASA's headquarters within the Space Coast will bridge the bureaucracy gap from the top down and bring stakeholders together. Florida is the gateway to space and this commonsense proposal would save taxpayers money, encourage collaboration with private space companies, and tap into Florida's talented workforce to spur further innovation. As stewards of taxpayer dollars, we must ensure that any new building will be filled with employees, not empty like we have been seeing in Washington the last four years. Let's pass the CAPE Canaveral Act and get NASA headquartered in Florida where it will thrive,' Senator Ashley Moody said. According to Sen. Moody, Florida is a world leader in space exploration and the ideal location for rocket launches, partnerships with space companies, and a skilled aerospace workforce that could bring collaboration to NASA. Senator Rick Scott is a cosponsor of the CAPE Canaveral Act. 'There's no better place for NASA's headquarters than Florida's Space Coast, where our nation's brightest minds innovate and help America reach for the stars. Moving to Florida will not only save Americans' tax dollars, it will enhance efficiency and streamline operations in this important industry with proximity to private-sector partners and a top-tier workforce ready to help America reach its space exploration goals. We have worked hard to make Florida the thriving aerospace hub it is today, and I look forward to the quick passage of our legislation and welcoming NASA to the best state in the nation!' Senator Rick Scott said. NASA's Kennedy Space Center, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, seaport facilities at Port Canaveral, and the headquarters of Space Florida are all located in Cape Canaveral. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
