HOUSTON, Texas — The city ceremoniously broke ground on a new Houston Spaceport project Monday with Collins Aerospace.
It's a company whose history dates back decades.
"It was a Collins radio that Neil Armstrong used to broadcast the first words “that’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind,” said Collins executive Allen Flynt.
During a press conference, the company announced it plans to occupy an eight-acre, 120,000 square-foot campus that will support spaceflight and house the city’s first spaceflight incubator.
That'll be a place for startups, colleges and universities to work in increasingly important areas like robotics.
“I think we’ll always be known as the energy capital of the world," said Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner. "But the focus now is leading in energy transition.”
Houston Spaceport, one of about 10 such facilities across the nation, is being built out in multiple phases in collaboration with private companies like Collins Aerospace. And Houston Airport System officials said news regarding another company could come as soon as this week.
"Standby," said Houston Airports aviation director Mario Diaz. "Thursday -- economic development committee -- we’ll see the next iteration, the next company that’s coming along and expanding in Houston.”
Collins Aerospace isn’t getting any tax breaks. However, we're told the company will get up to $26 million in funding from Houston Airports that will be reimbursed.