State-of-the-art satellite assembly and integration high bays at the Palm Bay manufacturing complex.
Palm Bay, Florida, September 15, 2025
L3Harris and The Austin Co. finished a roughly $100 million, 92,000–94,000 sq ft satellite manufacturing complex in Palm Bay, Florida. The state-of-the-art facility includes three high bays with heavy overhead cranes, support spaces, enhanced security, and infrastructure upgrades to assemble, integrate and test satellite constellations supporting missile warning and defense under Project LEO and the Golden Dome effort. The site is expected to produce 50–100 satellites per year once ramped, create about 100 skilled jobs, and move finished satellites in sealed containers to nearby launch complexes, strengthening regional aerospace capacity and national defense production lines.
A new $100 million satellite manufacturing facility in Palm Bay, Florida, has been completed and is ready to support a national effort known as Project LEO, also referred to as the Golden Dome program. The complex, reported at roughly 92,000–94,000 square feet, was delivered through a partnership between the prime contractor and a design-build firm that provided planning, architecture, engineering, preconstruction, and construction management services.
The facility is configured for spacecraft assembly, integration, and test work for full satellite constellations intended to identify, track, and help defend against hypersonic and other advanced missile threats. The site includes three large high bays equipped with heavy-capacity overhead cranes, specialized support spaces, upgraded site infrastructure, and enhanced security measures to meet unique program requirements. Project materials describe the complex as a state-of-the-art operation designed to streamline production and testing for space-based missile warning and defense technologies.
The local design-build partner led project delivery, coordinating architecture and engineering with construction management and preconstruction planning to bring the plant online. Company leadership credited the project team for applying experienced personnel and processes to meet schedule and technical needs, and singled out local operations leadership and regional staff for their roles in completing the work and preparing the site for production.
The completed expansion is part of a broader corporate investment intended to increase advanced manufacturing capacity nationwide by more than 900,000 square feet of new and renovated space across multiple sites. The Palm Bay facility is expected to house assembly lines that could produce between 50 and 100 satellites per year at full rate, with a projected ramp to full production in roughly six months from the opening. Finished satellites will be transported to a nearby launch complex in sealed containers for launch integration.
The project was reported to bring approximately 100 new jobs to the area, with average salaries cited in program materials as above regional averages for advanced manufacturing roles. Local officials and program representatives participated in a ribbon-cutting event marking the facility opening and highlighting its role in regional employment, technical capability, and national defense infrastructure.
The facility will support satellites designed for missile warning and tracking, including architectures focused on hypersonic threat detection. Program materials indicate the company currently operates several missile-warning satellites on orbit and has dozens more under development, including multiple contract tranches for tracking layer satellites. Earlier prototype launches added capability and informed design for production models. Government program offices have signaled urgency for scaled production and rapid fielding of space-based defenses, while keeping some program specifics restricted.
Given the nature of the work, the site includes enhanced security measures and controlled-access support spaces. High bays are large and purpose-built for integration and environmental testing; cranes and handling equipment are sized for heavy spacecraft elements. Site upgrades completed with the building include expanded infrastructure and amenities intended to support continuous production and supply-chain activity.
The expansion in Palm Bay is part of a larger strategic posture to increase production agility for national missile defense systems and related space capabilities. Company leadership framed the investment as aligning resources across the enterprise to accelerate hardware delivery and support broader defense objectives. The investment in Florida complements other recent manufacturing upgrades at separate sites that focus on payloads and sensor technologies.
The opening ceremony included elected officials, customers, and industry leaders. Official program announcements included standard forward-looking cautionary language noting that schedules, budgets, and future production plans are subject to programmatic, fiscal, and technical risks.
The facility is for assembling, integrating, and testing satellites intended to support missile warning and defense missions, including tracking of hypersonic threats.
The facility has been reported at approximately 92,000 to 94,000 square feet and includes three large high bays.
A design-build partner provided planning, architecture, engineering, preconstruction, and construction management to deliver the project.
The complex has expansive high bays with heavy-capacity overhead cranes, enhanced security features, and upgraded site infrastructure to support continuous spacecraft production.
Project materials reported roughly 100 new jobs at the facility, with reported average salaries above local manufacturing norms.
Officials reported an expected ramp to full production in about six months from the opening event, with potential annual throughput of 50–100 satellites at capacity.
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Project name | Project LEO / Golden Dome |
| Investment | $100 million |
| Facility size | Approximately 92,000–94,000 sq ft |
| High bays | Three high bays with large-capacity overhead cranes |
| Primary use | Satellite assembly, integration, and test for missile warning/defense constellations |
| Jobs | About 100 new positions reported; average salary cited above local norms |
| Production rate | Potential capacity of 50–100 satellites per year at full ramp |
| Security | Enhanced and specialized security measures and controlled support spaces |
| Support | Upgraded site infrastructure and operational amenities for continuous production |
Photo credit: L3Harris expands its satellite integration and test facility in Palm Bay, Florida. Photo: L3Harris
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