SIERRA VISTA, Ariz. (KGUN) — Sierra Vista is preparing for a new industry to enter its economic sector, bringing new jobs with it.
Blackstar Orbital is building a spacecraft facility at the city's municipal airport—making Sierra Vista the landing spot for satellites coming back from orbit.
The company is investing $7 million in a spacecraft manufacturing and test facility at the location. According to Sierra Vista Tourism and Economic Development Director Tony Boone, it's the perfect fit for the city.
“It's very compatible with our community, it's compatible with our work force and it's really kinda compatible with the environment we've got here,” said Boone.
CEO of Blackstar Orbital, Christopher Jannette, says this will be a landing site for its reusable satellite design.
“We don't want to trash up the orbit, just like we don't want to trash up the oceans," said Christopher Jannette, CEO BlackStar Orbital. "Instead of a traditional single-use legacy satellite, like a single use straw, after we're done operating it we fly it home and return it safely to earth.”
They will use part of the city's 12 acres of land at the airport for their building, and Sierra Vista will be one of three landing facilities in the country.
“With the space port licenses we would be one of three in the United States to do that, and clearly there's additional business and additional companies looking at bringing space planes or reusable aircraft back in,” Boone said.
Jannette says the remote location makes this the place for their satellite return site.
“We're triangulating a unique and remote location with a unique product and a specialized worked force that ties in the national mission, the intel mission and of course the aviation mission here at Sierra Vista,” said Jannette.
According to Jannette, the new Blackstar Orbital facility in Sierra Vista should be fully operational by 2026. However, locals might be able to see the company's crafts in the air before that.
Blackstar Orbital is planning to create 50 jobs, paying an average salary of more than $100,000 per position.
Although the announcement for this new business came a few weeks ago there's still a long road ahead before Blackstar Orbital is up and running in Sierra Vista. According to Boone, the city has to go through a permitting process to get the airport ready for the return flights for the satellites.
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Alexis Ramanjulu is a reporter in Cochise County for KGUN 9. She began her journalism career reporting for the Herald/Review in Sierra Vista, which she also calls home. Share your story ideas with Alexis by emailing alexis.ramanjulu@kgun9.com or by connecting on Facebook.
