Space Florida Drives Main Wins for the Global Aerospace Industry

EXPLORATION PARK, Fla. — January 5, 2025 — Space Florida, the state’s aerospace finance and growth authority, closed out 2025 with a 220-aerospace venture pipeline valued at $6 billion and greater than a half a billion {dollars} invested in spaceports from 2012 to 2025.  Space Florida, in shut partnership with FloridaCommerce and the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), continues to set the usual for aerospace commerce. Florida’s dominance is clear in its record-breaking 109 launches in 2025, transporting greater than 2,100 payloads totaling over 3 million kilos, main America within the world area financial system. As Florida enters the primary full week of 2026, Governor Ron DeSantis strengthened the state’s dedication to aerospace progress by his FY26 funds suggestions, which embody $17.5 million for Space Florida’s working funds and $21 million to assist strategic, substantive aerospace venture investments statewide.

“What’s happening in Florida is the power of partnership at scale,” stated Col. Rob Long (ret.), president and CEO, Space Florida. “We’ve built an ecosystem where industry can move faster, invest with confidence, and grow for the long term. That coordinated approach is why Florida’s aerospace strategy is working and why companies continue to choose to do business here. Florida’s aerospace future is accelerating faster than ever with leadership from Gov. Ron DeSantis and Chair Jeanette Nuñez.”

“Florida continues to lead because we match ambition with action. Space Florida’s achievements this year demonstrate the strength of our strategy and our valuable partnerships driving this industry forward,” stated Jeanette Nuñez, Chair, Space Florida Board of Directors.‍

“This year Florida hit triple-digit launches from the Space Coast. A milestone that reflects FDOT’s commitment and partnership with Space Florida to keeping Florida as the center of space development and exploration,” stated FDOT Secretary Jared W. Perdue, P.E. “Space launches from Florida’s coast surpass the number from anywhere in the globe, a true testament to the great leadership of our state and vision to the future.”

“Under Governor DeSantis’ leadership, Florida continues to invest in the talent, infrastructure, and financial structures necessary for aerospace innovation readiness,” stated Florida Secretary of Commerce J. Alex Kelly. “While other states are scrambling to try to catch up to Florida’s aviation and aerospace advantages, we’re grateful for the Governor’s continued support of Space Florida and state and local partners to keep Florida on the forefront of launching and landing, manufacturing, defense collaboration, and commercial innovation.”

Industry Leaders Point to Space Florida as Catalyst and Key Partner

Brian Huseman, Vice President of Public Policy and Community Engagement, Amazon: “Our Payload Processing Facility in Cape Canaveral plays a central role in Amazon Leo’s mission to help close the digital divide. Space Florida has been an incredible partner in helping make this facility a reality, and we’re excited to continue working together to deliver meaningful benefits for communities and customers around the world.”‍

Antoine Blin, Chief of Staff, AURA AERO: “We are deeply grateful for Space Florida’s support, which has made it possible to launch our first industrial operations in the United States. The grand opening of our Daytona Beach facility marks a major milestone in this partnership. We look forward to expanding our presence here as we move into the next phase: building the plant that will produce our 19-seat aircraft — designed to become the first hybrid-electric regional aircraft.”

Tim Spratto, Vice President and General Manager, BAE Systems Maritime Solutions Jacksonville: “BAE Systems’ shipyard in Jacksonville experienced a monumental 2025. With critical support from Space Florida and other key partners, BAE Systems successfully commissioned and began operating our new 25,000-ton shiplift and land-level repair facility. The shiplift significantly increases our dry dock capability including allowing simultaneous dry-docking of multiple U.S. Navy and commercial vessels. In the past few months, BAE has successfully docked six U.S. Navy and commercial vessels—a new and exciting capability for our Navy and commercial customers.”

Dave Limp, CEO, Blue Origin: “We’re fortunate to work alongside Space Florida as we scale our presence in the state and invest in infrastructure that supports New Glenn’s increasing launch cadence and advances the next era of U.S. space exploration. Further, we’re rapidly scaling our lunar program and facilities in Florida to ensure America leads the return to the Moon.”

John Mulholland, Vice President and Program Manager, CCTS and Florida Site Leader, The Boeing Company: “With Space Florida’s partnership, we’re building on a shared commitment to drive aerospace innovation and advance Boeing’s defense and space programs for years to come.”

Shannon Williams, Sr. Director, Florida Business, Leonardo Helicopter Program: “Space Florida has been an exceptional partner in bringing the Florida Support Center to life. Their commitment to strengthening Florida’s aerospace ecosystem aligns directly with Leonardo’s mission to grow our U.S. industrial footprint, support local workforce development, and deliver world-class capability to our commercial and military customers. This partnership is a testament to what can be achieved when industry and state leadership share a common vision for advancing national readiness and regional economic growth.”

Brian Baluta, Director, Government Relations, Lockheed Martin Space in Florida: “As Lockheed Martin seeks to grow pathways connecting talent with aerospace and defense careers, we have found a strong partner in Space Florida. Innovative solutions, such as the industry-driven Space Florida Academy Program, provide students across the state with training opportunities to acquire the skills employers demand. We look forward to another year of collaboration with Space Florida, highlighted by exciting missions like the Artemis II crewed launch, which will inspire the next generation of space talent.”

Chris Stott, Executive Chair, Lonestar: “There’s no better partner than Space Florida in working to build a better future.”

Kiko Dontchev, Vice President, Launch, SpaceX: “After a record-breaking year of 100+ launched from our two launch pads in Florida, 2026 promises to be equally – if not more – exciting! In addition to our new Gigabay, SpaceX will bring Starship to Florida, helping to evolve the Florida Spaceport into airport-like operations as we continue to provide greater access for humanity to go to the Moon, Mars, and beyond.”

Andrew Rush, CEO and Co-Founder, Star Catcher: “Space Florida’s partnership enabled us to rapidly iterate and demonstrate the fundamentals of our power beaming technology while expanding our footprint in Florida. They supported a key unlock for building the first power grid in space which will in turn support continued expansion of the space sector in Florida and around the world.”

2025 Space Florida Projects and Initiatives

• Amazon Leo (previously Project Kuiper) — $120 million satellite tv for pc processing facility operational on the Launch and Landing Facility; $19.5 million enlargement underway following first manufacturing launch; 130+ jobs.

• AURA AERO Manufacturing & Assembly Plant — $172.5 million 500,000-square-foot  facility in Daytona Beach; manufacturing of as much as 100 plane per yr starting in 2029; 1,030 jobs.  

• BAE Systems Ship Repair Facility — $250 million shiplift and land-level ship restore facility in Jacksonville opened in 2025, tripling dry-dock capability for navy and industrial vessels.

• Blue Origin Lunar Production Facility — $9.25 million funding supporting lunar automobile meeting for New Glenn at Cape Canaveral, accomplished in September 2025; Blue Origin now employs practically 4,000 individuals within the state.

• Boeing & Embry-Riddle Engineering Center — 65,000-square-foot facility at Embry-Riddle Research Park supporting protection and area design, R&D, prototyping, and workforce growth; 400 jobs.

• Leonardo Florida Support Center — $65 million helicopter upkeep and assist facility in Santa Rosa County serving U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard fleets; 150 jobs.

• Lonestar Data Holdings — Integration and testing accomplished for “Freedom,” the world’s first bodily lunar knowledge middle payload.

• SpaceX Gigabay & Starship Launch Operations — $1.8 billion, 815,000-square-foot Starship and Super Heavy integration facility underneath development at Cape Canaveral; completion anticipated in 2026; 600 jobs.

• Star Catcher — Successful optical power-beaming demonstrations on the Launch and Landing Facility, delivering greater than 1.1 kW to photo voltaic panels and validating scalable in-orbit energy networks.

• Williams International — $1 billion+ funding in a multi-phase aviation gasoline turbine manufacturing campus in Okaloosa County; first 250,000-square-foot part focused for late 2026; 330+ jobs.

Systemwide Strategic Initiatives

• Global Aerospace Partnerships — New worldwide collaborations superior throughout Asia, Australia, and Europe, together with an MOU with Japan-based Cross U and a transatlantic innovation hall with Switzerland’s CSA and Innovation Park Zurich.

• Launch and Landing Facility (LLF) Operations — Over 3,200 flight operations and 340 landings supported in 2025, together with human spaceflight missions, industrial testing, and nationwide safety actions.

• Space Florida–Israel Innovation Partnership — $400,000 awarded in 2025 to advance mild plane and autonomous visitors administration applied sciences; $22 million invested since program inception.

• Capital Accelerator and Venture Programs — More than $2.6 million awarded since 2011, catalyzing practically $900 million in follow-on capital and exits for Florida aerospace startups.

• Florida University Space Research Consortium — Expanded in 2025 to incorporate FIU, USF, Florida Tech, FAMU, and FSU, strengthening statewide educational collaboration in area analysis.

• Space Florida Academy Program — Active in 36 faculty districts, participating greater than 6,000 college students throughout 185 excessive faculties in space-related coursework and credentialing.

• Spaceport Bonds Tax Exemption — Secured a federal coverage change to make spaceport bonds tax exempt, strengthening investor confidence and accelerating area transportation growth. The coverage was first pushed by Sen. Tom Wright and Rep. Tyler Sirois by a Senate Memorial, and signed by Gov. DeSantis, with U.S. Sen. Ashley Moody and Rep. Neal Dunn carrying the sensible change.

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Media Contact
Alayna Curry, APR
acurry@spaceflorida.gov

About Space Florida
Space Florida is the place main aerospace corporations get all the things they should see their new concepts take off. As the state’s impartial aerospace finance and growth authority, Space Florida brings a mixture of unequalled expertise, unmatched monetary instruments, and unbeatable location to the desk by offering important enterprise financing alternatives for the aerospace trade, managing infrastructure funding within the state’s spaceport system, and facilitating analysis and growth, workforce, schooling, and funding applications.