Aerospace opens $100 million facility in Colorado Springs for military space activities

WASHINGTON — Aerospace Corp. on Sept. 7 unveiled a new facility in Colorado Springs equipped with digital engineering and simulation labs to support military space programs. 

The $100 million 90,000-square-foot Space Warfighting Center will provide work areas and digital tools for military space agencies that design satellites and train satellite operators, Aerospace executives said. During a ribbon-cutting ceremony, Colorado officials said the facility will boost the local economy and create about 250 jobs.

Aerospace CEO Steve Isakowitz said the center “leverages cutting-edge digital tools to aid our government partners as they design and support the development, training, and testing of the nation’s future space enterprise.”

A nonprofit corporation operating as a federally funded research and development center, or FFRDC, Aerospace advises government agencies on national security, civil, commercial, and international space issues. 

Jean Michael, general manager of Aerospace’s space enterprise and warfighting division, said the company decided to build the facility to meet local demand for technical design and specialized training. Colorado Springs is home to the U.S. Space Command, the U.S. Space Force Space Operations Command, and the Space Training and Readiness Command. 

The Space Warfighting Center is located next to Aerospace’s existing facility near the Colorado Springs airport.

“We designed it to assist the government in evaluating new concepts and how they best fit into the larger space enterprise,” said Michael. ‘It’s really just a continuation of our mission and charter as an FFRDC in support of the Space Force and others.”