Brevard will face plenty of aerospace, aviation challengers
With its history as home to the Kennedy Space Center, satellite launches and Patrick Air Force Base, Brevard County is a natural fit for companies in the aerospace and aviation industry.
But communities throughout the United States, and the world, are attempting to lure those companies away from this region, and make sure any companies looking to expand or relocate choose their areas over the Space Coast.
And their quivers are filled with arrows similar to Brevard's — economic incentive programs, community support, powerful lawmakers and lobbyists, quality education partnerships and engineering talent.
With billions of dollars and thousands of jobs on the line in this economic competition, the stakes could hardly be higher, and some states and municipalities have proven to be relentless in their efforts to recruit space and aviation business. In short: There are no free rides and no opportunities to let the guard down and relax.
"There is no one, single competitor," said Dale Ketcham, the chief of strategic alliances for Space Florida, the state agency charged with developing the aerospace and aviation industries in Florida.
"Different states and cities bring different capabilities to the table," Ketcham said. "Many places have strong aerospace and aviation infrastructure. Even states like South Carolina and Kansas are in the running."
Below are a few communities that frequently get mentioned as Brevard's competitors in aerospace and aviation.
• Huntsville, Ala.
Population: 545,770
Why it's a competitor: Like Brevard, it has rich space ties and an abundance of engineering talent. Huntsville is home to NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center and the United States Army Aviation and Missile Command nearby at the Redstone Arsenal. Cummings Research Park is known as the second largest research park in the United States and the fourth largest in the world. University of Alabama in Huntsville is known as a center for technology and engineering research in the area.
• Brownsville, Texas
Population: 181,860
Why it's a competitor: This community just convinced SpaceX to locate a commercial launch pad there that Brevard officials wanted here. It's also home to considerable natural gas resources, which means it can offer companies a sizable break in operating costs. Like much of Texas, it has a large labor pool.
• Houston, Texas
Population: 6,484,279
Why it's a competitor: See Brownsville above and then add steroids. In addition to the political and energy resources of Texas, Houston offers an enormous population of defense workers, who are ideally suited to aerospace and aviation work because of their military training. Also it's home to both the Ellington Field Joint Reserve Base and the Johnson Space Center.
• Wallops Island, Va.
Population: 434
Why it's a competitor: In addition to a local NASA flight facility, a military community, and a highly educated workforce, this community has national political clout due to its proximity to Maryland, which is represented by Sen. Barbara Mikulski, who serves as the chairwoman of the Senate Appropriations Committee.
• Denver, Colo.
Population: 649,495
Why it's a competitor: Aerospace companies flock to this city for a variety of reasons, including its proximity to multiple military command posts and Air Force bases and the high concentration of engineering talent nearby. Colorado's flagship state university, the University of Colorado- Boulder, is renowned for its top-notch engineering department, and Colorado as a state is one of the nation's most significant entrepreneurship hubs.
In fact, in 2013, INC magazine declared the nearby city of Boulder, Colo. as the "Entrepreneurship Capital of America" due to the wide variety of business incubators and other startup infrastructure available there. "Colorado is the gold standard for entrepreneurial resources," said Daniel Pierron, a patent attorney in Melbourne who has done work for high-tech businesses throughout the United States.
• Spaceport America, N.M.
Population: No residential population
Why it's a competitor: This world-class commercial space port is reserved entirely for commercial use, which is attractive to aerospace firms seeking independence from government oversight. Tenants include Virgin Galactic, SpaceX, UP Aerospace, and Armadillo Aerospace.
Some space company executives dislike working with NASA or the military, because of the strict safety protocols and regulatory hurdles which that entails, and they have a desire to run their own shop. Spaceport America provides them with that option.
• Mojave Air and Space Port, Calif.
Population: No residential population
Why it's a competitor: This desert space launch site is a mecca for those involved in the research and development of commercial spacecraft. Mojave businesses do the bulk of the design work for Space X.
Contact Kowarski at 321-242-3640 or ikowarski@floridatoday.com.
JOIN THE DISCUSSION
From 6 to 7:30 tonight, the public is invited to attend a panel discussion at Florida Institute of Technology's Gleason Center for the Performing Arts in Melbourne to learn more. The forum, which is free, is called "Building on Magellan — Exploring the Possibilities."
Building on Magellan — Exploring the Possibilities
Time/date: Tonight, from
6 to 7:30
Location: Gleason Performing Arts Center, Florida Institute of Technology
Panel members:
• Bart LaGrone, vice president E-2/C-2 Military Aircraft Systems, Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems
• Michael Chriszt, economist with the Federal Reserve Bank, Atlanta
• Phill Krull, managing director, Embraer Executive Aircraft Inc.
• Lynda Weatherman, president and chief executive officer of the Economic Development Commission of Florida's Space Coast