Insider Brief:
- The Texas Space Commission awarded $47.7 million in grants to five aerospace companies—Blue Origin, Firefly Aerospace, Intuitive Machines, SpaceX, and Starlab Space.
- The grants function as reimbursements, ensuring funds are distributed only after companies meet project deliverables outlined in their agreements.
- This funding is part of a $150 million initiative under the Texas Aerospace Research & Space Economy Consortium (TARSEC), established to advance commercial, military, and civil aerospace activity in Texas.
- Texas continues to strengthen its aerospace ecosystem, with future funding rounds planned for March 2025.
PRESS RELEASE — The Texas Space Commission has approved $47.7 million in grants through the Space Exploration and Research Fund (SEARF) to five aerospace companies operating in Texas. The funding, awarded after an open meeting of the TSC board of directors, is part of the state’s broader initiative to support commercial, military, and civil aerospace activities.
The recipients include Blue Origin, Firefly Aerospace, Intuitive Machines, SpaceX, and Starlab Space. These grants are structured as reimbursements, meaning funds will be disbursed only after companies meet the project deliverables outlined in their grant agreements.
This funding is part of a larger $150 million allocation by the Texas Legislature to support aerospace research and economic development through the Texas Aerospace Research & Space Economy Consortium (TARSEC), established under House Bill 3447 in 2023.
Breakdown of Grant Recipients
Blue Origin – $7 million
Based in Van Horn, TX, Blue Origin is a private spaceflight company founded by Jeff Bezos. The company is developing New Shepard, a suborbital rocket for commercial space tourism, and New Glenn, a heavy-lift launch vehicle designed for orbital missions. Blue Origin is also contributing to NASA’s Artemis program through its Blue Moon lunar lander.
Firefly Aerospace – $8.2 million
Operating out of Cedar Park, TX, Firefly Aerospace specializes in small-to-medium launch vehicles and in-space transportation. The company’s Alpha rocket is designed to carry payloads up to 1,170 kg to low Earth orbit (LEO), making it a key player in the growing small satellite launch market. Firefly is also developing Elytra, an orbital transfer vehicle capable of in-space maneuvering, satellite deployment, and servicing.
Intuitive Machines – $10 million
Houston-based Intuitive Machines is at the forefront of lunar exploration. The company is working on Nova-C, a lunar lander contracted under NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative to deliver scientific and commercial payloads to the Moon. Nova-C is scheduled to be one of the first commercial landers to reach the lunar surface, carrying instruments for NASA and private clients.
SpaceX – $7.5 million
Headquartered in California but with significant operations in Brownsville, TX, the company’s Starbase facility in Texas is central to the development and testing of Starship, a fully reusable spacecraft designed for missions to Mars and deep space. The company’s long-term goal is to develop a system capable of high-frequency, cost-effective space travel.
Starlab Space – $15 million
Starlab Space, based in Houston, TX, is working on a commercial space station intended to replace the International Space Station (ISS). The company, a joint venture between Voyager Space and Airbus, is developing a free-flying low Earth orbit (LEO) research platform designed for scientific experiments, manufacturing, and commercial activities. As NASA plans for the ISS’s retirement, private space stations like Starlab will become critical to sustaining human presence in orbit.
Texas Strengthens Its Aerospace Ecosystem
The TSC’s latest round of funding reflects Texas’s investment in the commercial space sector. The state is already home to major spaceflight infrastructure, including SpaceX’s Starbase, NASA’s Johnson Space Center, and multiple private launch sites.
“Today’s awards will support Texas companies as we grow commercial, military, and civil aerospace activity across the state,” said Gwen Griffin, chair of the TSC board.
The Texas Space Commission will continue reviewing additional grant applications, with the next round of awards expected in March 2025. The SEARF funding is a key part of the state’s long-term vision to build a self-sustaining space economy, ensuring Texas remains central to space exploration and commercialization.
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