Somewhere up in space right now, between Earth and the moon, is a lunar vehicle that was manufactured just outside Austin.
Firefly Aerospace, the private space transport company behind the vehicle, has now not only set its sights on the moon, but also an expansion of its facilities in the Austin area thanks to an $8.2 million grant from the Texas Space Commission.
"With the support of the Texas Space Commission, Firefly is expanding our spacecraft production capabilities, creating more high-skilled jobs, and strengthening our collaboration with universities to equip the next generation of aerospace innovators," Jason Kim, Firefly's chief executive officer, said in a press release.
The company plans to use the grant to expand its headquarters and spacecraft facility in Cedar Park, as well as its "rocket ranch" in Briggs, Firefly's chief operating officer, Dan Fermon, told KUT.
"[The grant] also allows us to be able to have additional ground support and test equipment at our spacecraft facilities, as well as other infrastructure that supports the manufacturing testing of those spacecraft," he said.
From a workforce perspective, Fermon said, that means the creation of 50 new jobs in fields such as engineering, quality assurance, manufacturing and spacecraft operations, bringing the company's overall headcount to about 750 employees.
He said Firefly also plans to use money from the grant to expand its STEM outreach and internship opportunities, so it can provide students hands-on experience in spacecraft development.
"We've established a terrific relationship with the University of Texas in Austin that allows their rocket engineering lab students to participate in rocket engine testing activities," he said. "What we want to do is empower the next generation, and show the world that anyone who dreams big can take part in the new age of space exploration."
The TSC, which was launched by the state last year, also recently awarded grants to four other aerospace companies, including Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin.
"Based on evaluations completed by TSC board members, it is evident that there is strong support for big ideas proposed by the Texas-based companies," Norman Garza, executive director of the TSC, said in a press release. "The demand signal from stakeholders is very high."
Firefly's lunar vehicle is expected to land on the moon sometime on March 2. Its mission is to deliver 10 science and technology instruments to the lunar surface for NASA. You can keep up with the vehicle's journey on Firefly's .
