Boeing to Use Kennedy Space Center for Spacecraft Project

The economic activity will help offset the deep losses felt in the Cape Canaveral area after NASA closed out the space shuttle program, which caused more than 4,000 related jobs when it was shut down in 2009. Boeing is developing a capsule capable of transporting up to seven people into space.

Boeing is also in the process of developing space taxis and cargo ships to transport astronauts and supplies to the International Space Station. The company will consolidate its Commercial Crew program office, manufacturing and operations at the Kennedy Space Center. Boeing, in partnership with Space Florida, has an arrangement to use the Orbiter Processing Facility-3 to manufacture, assemble, and test the company’s Crew Space Transportation-100 spacecraft.

"We selected Florida due to the cost benefits achieved with a consolidated operation, the skilled local workforce, and proximity to our NASA customer,“ said John Mulholland, vice president and program manager of Commercial Programs for Boeing Space Exploration in a company press release. ”Pending the continued selection of Boeing for future Commercial Crew development and service contracts, and sufficient NASA funding, we project a Commercial Crew program workforce ramping up to 550 local jobs by our scheduled operational date of December 2015. The CST-100 will provide NASA with reliable, safe, and affordable transportation to the International Space Station and other destinations in Low Earth Orbit.“