Blue Origin plans satellite solar array production at $555m Texas campus

(SpaceEnergy) US aerospace company Blue Origin has confirmed plans for a $554.8m satellite manufacturing campus in Hutto, Texas, including production of spacecraft solar arrays and other satellite systems.

The company announced the 1.3m sq ft Constellation Park development on 8 October, establishing a new manufacturing centre for its satellite communications programmes.

The campus will manufacture solar arrays, avionics, telecommunications equipment and other spacecraft hardware, alongside systems supporting Blue Origin's planned TeraWave satellite network.

TeraWave is designed to provide symmetrical data transmission speeds of up to 6 terabits per second for enterprise, data centre and government customers.

The facility will also expand production for Quartz, Blue Origin's ground communications network supporting low Earth orbit satellite operations.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott's office confirmed a planned capital investment of $554.78m and an $18.17m Texas Enterprise Fund grant for the project.

Blue Origin expects the campus to create more than 2,000 manufacturing and related jobs over the next decade.

The development represents a planned expansion of the company's spacecraft power-system manufacturing capabilities, alongside broader satellite production.

Blue Origin has not disclosed the solar array production capacity, manufacturing specifications or commissioning timetable for the new facility.

The announcement confirms the company's selection of Hutto and the associated investment arrangements, following earlier proposals for a manufacturing development in the area.