Boeing Space and Launch headquarters coming to the Space Coast
ARLINGTON, Va. (FOX 35 ORLANDO) - Boeing is moving their Space and Launch headquarters to the Space Coast, the company announced on Wednesday, which would relocate the facility from Arlington, Virginia to Titusville, Florida.
Brevard County leaders say Boeing's shuffle will bring jobs and a new level of prestige to the area.
Boeing is a powerful, long-established name on Space Coast. The company already has an office on Boeing Way; however, this announcement means the top innovators and decision makers will be inside the building.
Two big projects Boeing is working on right now for NASA include a new Space Launch System (SLS) and the Starliner crew capsule. Boeing said that is the reason management is transferring to Florida. The Titusville four-story office building will become the new headquarters for the space division.
"Looking to the future, this storied Florida space community will be the center of gravity for Boeing's space programs as we continue to build our company's leadership beyond gravity," said Boeing Defense, Space & Security President and Chief Executive Officer Leanne Caret. "The time is right for us to locate our space headquarters where so much of our space history was made over the past six decades and where so much history awaits."
The Space Coast features the Kennedy Space Center, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, and Patrick Air Force Base. Most agree that the timing of the move makes sense.
The Boeing-built X-37B uncrewed, reusable space vehicle continues to perform record-setting, long-duration missions for the U.S. Air Force. The Starliner commercial spacecraft is preparing for two flight tests later this year ahead of operational missions to the International Space Station beginning in 2020. Boeing also continues to achieve milestones toward delivery of the first two core stages of the world's most powerful rocket, NASA's SLS, for uncrewed and crewed missions to the moon's orbit leading to the first crewed lunar surface landing in 50 years, and then to Mars.
Dale Ketcham, a vice president in the organization Space Florida, said Boeing sees similar move from newcomers like Blue Origin and SpaceX and wants to compete.
"This is another positive step in the retooling and re-developing of Space Coast," Ketcham said.
The headquarters will not impact Boeing's space operations in other states.
"Boeing has been a dominant presence on the Space Coast for six decades, and this move represents a continuation of that legacy and future commitment," said Jim Chilton, senior vice president of Space and Launch. "Expanding our Boeing presence on the Space Coast brings tremendous value for our commercial and government space programs through focused leadership, strategic investment, customer proximity and additional contributions to the vitality of the region."
For more information, visit the Boeing website.
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