Collins Aerospace Expands Operations to Houston Spaceport

The new eight-acre campus will support spaceflight, host Houston’s first space incubator  

May 19, 2021

HOUSTON, TX (MAY 19, 2021) – Collins Aerospace, a unit of Raytheon Technologies (NYSE: RTX), and Houston Airports, which manages and operates Houston Spaceport at Ellington Airport, EFD, announced plans for a new eight-acre, approximately 120,000 square-foot campus that will support spaceflight, host Houston’s first spaceflight incubator.  

“Collins Aerospace’s new campus is yet another a game-changer for Houston as we position our region as one of the country’s leading next-generation tech and aerospace hubs,” Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said. “We are leveraging Houston’s many advantages, including our dynamic workforce, to fuel the future of aerospace— a potentially trillion-dollar, 21st-century commercial space economy.” 

The new Collins Aerospace campus will continue to be part of the company’s Mission Systems business, one of six strategic business units for Collins Aerospace. The facility will also host Houston’s first-ever incubator supporting spaceflight, with a dedicated 10,000 square-foot area for start-ups and universities to collaborate on solving critical space technology challenges, including robotics, medicine and additive manufacturing. Houston continues to be a leading region for aerospace, and the Houston Spaceport will provide a great opportunity for members of the aerospace community to come together, facilitating collaboration and innovation. 

“On behalf of Collins Aerospace, I would like to thank the City of Houston, Houston Airports and Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership for creating a robust business climate and for their strong support of this important expansion of our business,” Phil Jasper, president of Collins Aerospace’s Mission Systems business unit said.  “Building on our 40 years in the Houston community, this expansion will further strengthen collaboration with our customers to support spaceflight.” 

As an anchor tenant of Houston Spaceport, Collins Aerospace will receive up to $25.6 million in financing from Houston Airports for capital improvements. The amount financed will be reimbursed by Collins Aerospace. Collins Aerospace currently has a facility in Houston, which is at capacity, that develops and produces systems for NASA’s human-manned space flight programs.  

“Collins Aerospace is a great fit at Houston Spaceport,” Houston Airports Director Mario Diaz said. “The partnership is a key element to realizing the importance of Houston Spaceport— a center for collaboration and innovation where the brightest minds in the world can lead us beyond the next frontier of space exploration.” 

“For 45 years now, the Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership, BAHEP, has worked very closely with the aerospace community in Houston to help this very important industry cluster continue to be successful,” BAHEP President Bob Mitchell said. “The work Collins Aerospace has brought to Houston for nearly 40 years has provided valuable aerospace career opportunities for Houstonians.” 

About Collins Aerospace  
Collins Aerospace, a unit of Raytheon Technologies Corp. (NYSE: RTX), is a leader in technologically advanced and intelligent solutions for the global aerospace and defense industry. Collins Aerospace has the extensive capabilities, comprehensive portfolio and broad expertise to solve customers’ toughest challenges and to meet the demands of a rapidly evolving global market. For more information, visit CollinsAerospace.com.  

About Raytheon Technologies 
Raytheon Technologies Corporation is an aerospace and defense company that provides advanced systems and services for commercial, military and government customers worldwide. With four industry-leading businesses ― Collins Aerospace, Pratt & Whitney, Raytheon Intelligence & Space and Raytheon Missiles & Defense ― the company delivers solutions that push the boundaries in avionics, cybersecurity, directed energy, electric propulsion, hypersonics, and quantum physics. The company, formed in 2020 through the combination of Raytheon Company and the United Technologies Corporation aerospace businesses, is headquartered in Waltham, Massachusetts. 

About Houston Airports 
Houston Airports is the City of Houston’s Department of Aviation. Comprised of George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH), William P. Hobby Airport (HOU) and Ellington Airport (EFD) / Houston Spaceport, Houston Airports served nearly 25 million passengers in 2020 and nearly 60 million passengers in 2019. Houston Airports forms one of North America's largest public airport systems and positions Houston as the international passenger and cargo gateway to the South-Central United States and as a primary gateway to Latin America. Houston is proud to be the only city in the Western Hemisphere with two Skytrax rated 4-star airports.  

For more information about Houston Airports, please visit www.fly2houston.com 

For more information or business inquiries about Houston Spaceport, please email Houston Spaceport Director Arturo Machuca at spaceport@houstontx.gov 

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Media Contact: 

Name: Jessica Napoli 
Phone: 704-713-7282 
Email: Jessica.napoli@collins.com 
Follow us on Twitter: @CollinsAero 

Name: Augusto Bernal 
Houston Airports | Public Information Officer 
Phone: 713-542-1490 
Email: Augusto.Bernal@houstontx.gov