海利亚·舒尔茨于2024年2月23日出版
With three new cutting-edge anchor tenant facilities and its second phase of development underway, 自2015年该市首次承诺将艾灵顿机场重塑为航空航天中心以来,休斯顿太空港经历了全面转型.
In 2018, 休斯顿市议会批准了近2000万美元的资金,用于太空港的基础设施建设, marking the beginning of a major multi-phase expansion project. Here’s a look 在太空港’s transformative journey and where we are today.
第一阶段
The first phase of Houston Spaceport’s expansion, 2019年竣工, 包括街道建设, utilities and distribution and communications facilities.
The Houston Airport System later appropriated up to $105.6 million to finance construction for three leading aerospace companies, 包括直觉机器. 这个三次获得美国宇航局合同的公司最近创造了历史,它的Nova-C着陆器奥德修斯成为美国第一个在火星上着陆的探测器.S. 自阿波罗号之后,再没有航天器登陆月球.
Intuitive Machines opened its $40 million Lunar Operations Center at the Houston Spaceport last year. 跨越12.5英亩, 新中心包括125人,000平方英尺的办公和生产空间,将专门用于公司的月球计划和月球着陆器和航天器的制造.
该中心还提供独特的技术和基础设施,包括“任务控制室”,以跟踪和管理月球任务, a propulsion test facility to assess lunar lander engine capabilities and a 3,800 square foot ‘flame range’ facility for testing protocols,直觉机器公司说.
“Houston has always been a city that reaches for the stars, and with Intuitive Machines operating at the Houston Spaceport, our city is poised to shine even brighter in the cosmos,市长西尔威斯特·特纳说. “航空航天 is more than a source of pride for our city; the innovation here is just another example of why the Houston economy is thriving. 直觉机器公司正在催生高薪工作, 培养创新, and attracting talent and investment from every corner of the world.”
直觉机器最近获得了奖项 $2.来自NASA的400万美元 与华盛顿特区合作.C.总部位于美国的芝诺电力公司(Zeno Power)为在月球夜间周期期间前往月球的宇航员创造了一种放射性同位素电力系统.
In 2022, 商业航天领导者, Axiom空间, broke ground on its 22-acre Space Flight and Assembly headquarters 在太空港. The new headquarters will be dedicated to the development of the Axiom Station, dubbed as the world’s first commercial space station.
The groundbreaking campus will also support astronaut training and feature mission control facilities, 测试实验室, 和一个高海湾生产设施, 据Axiom空间报道.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held in December 2023 to officially open the first phase of the development.
公理空间也有 授予NASA几个合同, 包括一项宇航服任务订单,以推进为国际空间站(ISS)在低地球轨道上太空行走能力而设计的阿尔忒弥斯III号月球宇航服.
新设施的重点是开发和测试该公司的NASA任务订单下一代太空服,供宇航员在国际空间站外和月球上工作时穿着, as well as Collins’ Universal Waste Management System and trash compactor, 据公司介绍.
另外, 10,000 square feet of the new facility is dedicated to Houston’s first-ever spaceflight incubator, 这使得创业公司, industry professionals and universities to collaborate to advance aerospace technology and exploration.
The three anchor companies are expected to bring as many as 1,800 jobs to the area in addition to $4 billion worth of contracted work over the next decade, 根据 Houston Spaceport Director Arturo Machuca.
第一阶段 of the spaceport also included the opening of 圣哈辛托学院’s EDGE Center in 2021, 一个154英亩的开发项目,提供航空航天培训和项目,将推动有前途的途径,在行业的职业生涯.
“在这里,休斯顿人的思想和双手将为子孙后代书写太空竞争的下一个篇章,” said Houston Airport System Director Mario Diaz in a press release. “学习如何构建未来太空探索的人才就从EDGE中心开始."
二期
Expected to break ground in the next 12 to 18 months, 第二阶段将占地300英亩,包括对基础设施的重大补充,包括沿4-22号跑道的全长滑行道, 在太空港的西北部, 根据 社区的影响. The new taxiway will allow aircraft to take off and land right next to the spaceport’s anchor companies.
其他基础设施项目包括修建一条穿过太空港中心的道路, 将交通从航天中心大道转移到航天港,并连接到3号公路和酒店空间, 餐饮及零售发展.
根据社区影响, 二期 includes the establishment of the 航空航天学院, EDGE中心的扩展, to connect higher education institutions and its students to the aerospace industry.
The 航空航天学院 will involve local colleges, 包括德州南方大学(TSU), 他最近宣布了 新的两英亩的训练设施 在太空港, 并通过帮助学生培养行业所需的关键技能,进一步加强该地区未来的劳动力.
一旦完成, TSU计划将其航空管理课程迁移到该学院,以帮助他们的毕业生无缝地转化为航空航天工业的劳动力.
Discover more about Houston’s aerospace industry and the Houston Spaceport during the Partnership’s 太空的未来 活动于11月11日星期四举行. 7.