Sponsored News: Since 1969’s first U.S. lunar landing, we have been fascinated by the mysteries of space. We are now celebrating the 5th anniversary of NASA’s launch of JUNO in 1969 and the August 19 ULA Delta IV rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.
Despite some difficulties in the U.S. Space Program, the aerospace industry is experiencing a revival thanks to private firms in FloridaIts recognition as the next high-tech utopia.
Central Florida’s High-Tech Corridor is home to many companies, including Northrup Grumman and Craig Technologies. Blue Origin, Space Florida, United Launch Alliance (ULA), Blue Origin, and Northrup Grumman are just a few of the others.
These companies are shaping the future of space travel, with a large portion of it coming from manned space flight. ULA — a partnership of Lockheed Martin, The Boeing Company — has been building a crew rocket vehicle to fly the first Operation Test Flights (OFT) in December 2017. Blue Origin is currently building a 750,000-square-foot manufacturing plant. This facility will be open in December 2017.
“Today’s Florida space industry is a far cry from what it was six years ago,”Frank DiBello is president and CEO at Space Florida, an economic development agency for the aerospace industry. “We have revitalized the industry and today, we’re not only the busiest space port, but we’re now building and landing rockets, next-generation spacecraft, in state-of-the-art facilities.”
Florida’s colleges are training new workers to take advantage of the new opportunities offered by a space program in order to feed the flood of contractors flooding the Sunshine State.
Colleges like Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, and Florida Institute of Technology produce some of the most highly-sought-after engineers in the world and the next generation of rocket scientist. Students at the University of Central Florida are among the most prominent in simulation and nanotechnology sciences as there is a growing demand in these sciences in the public and private sectors.
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is present in Florida. There are also two spaceports on Florida’s Space Coast. Florida is an aerospace manufacturing hub. It houses companies like L-3 Crestview Aerospace, Florida’s Panhandle and B/E Aerospace, Palm Beach County and HEICO, Broward County.
“Florida’s in a very unique position with a longstanding history, NASA, the various military bases, as well as some of the commercial aerospace industry that’s been here,”Radiant Power Corp President Anish Patel “We’ve got a strong foundation for technology, great universities, and good high schools that are feeding those universities.”
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