NASA officials were joined by Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards and New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu, who toured the Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans and got a first-hand look at NASA’s new deep space vehicles being built at the facility.
NASA is building key parts of the world’s most powerful rocket, the Space Launch System (SLS), and the Orion spacecraft at Michoud, one of the largest modern manufacturing facilities in America. Edwards discussed new businesses interested in locating at the Michoud facility, where 20 companies and more than 3,000 employees currently produce everything from NASA’s newest spacecraft to wind turbines to advanced composite materials.
“NASA’s valuable and collaborative relationship with the state of Louisiana advances America’s manufacturing capabilities and helps NASA succeed in our human exploration mission,” said Todd May, director for NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, which manages Michoud. “With the support of the state of Louisiana, we’ve created a world-class manufacturing hub right here in New Orleans at the Michoud Assembly Facility.”
Advanced manufacturing technologies and a highly-qualified and productive workforce make Michoud a desirable place for growing companies. Michoud is home to the National Center for Advanced Manufacturing, a partnership between NASA, the state of Louisiana, Louisiana State University and the University of New Orleans to provide technology leadership and innovative manufacturing techniques for companies.
“Cleary our longstanding relationship with NASA is paying big dividends for Louisiana and New Orleans,” Gov. Edwards said. “Our National Center for Advanced Manufacturing, coupled with our aerospace training initiative at Nunez Community College, are positioning Michoud Assembly Facility for a new aerospace era that will drive innovation, employment and economic growth for Louisiana. We are happy to be home to NASA’s assembly operations — more than 2 million square feet under roof — in one of the world’s most advanced manufacturing facilities that is attracting new investment and jobs for our people.”
Gov. Edwards announced that Advanced Cutting Systems, a New Orleans company already located at Michoud, plans to add new jobs as it prepares custom composite materials for wind energy turbine blades. At Michoud, Boeing, headquartered in Chicago, is manufacturing the largest rocket stage ever built—the SLS core stage—and will make a new powerful exploration upper stage for future SLS missions. The company plans to add jobs to complete this work.
Many of the companies at Michoud located at the facility are here because of cooperation between NASA and the Louisiana Economic Development Fast Start Program, which is the state’s top workforce development agency. The program supports Michoud companies, such as Boeing, by providing equipment and curricula for a Center of Aerospace Manufacturing Excellence at nearby Nunez Community College.
“Michoud is even more than a rocket factory,” said Keith Hefner, NASA’s director of the Michoud facility. “Our partnership with the state of Louisiana has provided us with critical skills and support needed to fulfill NASA’s goals of building cutting edge hardware for the agency’s Space Launch System and the Orion crew spacecraft, plus expand the use of the plant to meet the needs of our government, industry and academic tenants. NASA encourages new companies and industries to take advantage of the many assets Michoud’s unique facility has to offer.”