A potentially huge economic development project has come to light over at SSC today. A subsidiary of a Washington, DC aerospace company is looking to bring its operations to Albuquerque. The Orion Group is looking to build at the Aviation Center of Excellence at the Albuquerque Sunport. The city has apparently been working with the company since last year to develop its plans.
A preliminary meeting and unveiling of the project was held earlier this month with neighborhood groups in southeast Albuquerque. The official plans and more details will be submitted to the city later this month and be heard by the Environmental Planning Commission in November. If all goes well, work to build the massive facilities would begin in 2021 and be complete in 2023.
https://www.cabq.gov/mayor/news/neig...y-near-sunport
Below is an early rendering of the Orion Center, which seems to indicate the company will be bringing manufacturing, R&D and office work to the city, most likely to do with satellites. It looks to cover the entirety of the ACE property, which is about 80 acres, plus an additional parcel to the west for parking.
This project would be another important feather in Albuquerque's cap with regard to aerospace and engineering. It also would further demonstrate the capabilities and readiness of the local workforce for these sorts of projects and jobs. That would bode well for the city's bid to land the U.S. Space Command.