SpaceX moving to the Port of Long Beach

Today Mayor Robert Garcia and Long Beach announced that SpaceX will be coming to the Port of Long Beach. This is great news for our aerospace industry and for the residents of Long Beach. With this addition, Long Beach is firmly the largest space and technology economy on the west coast, and there is still so much room to grow. SpaceX will occupy about 6.5 acres on the Port’s Pier T, which was once the site of a U.S. Navy complex.

Mayor Robert Garcia said in an email “I hope you will all join me in welcoming this exciting company to our city as they bring their launch vehicle recovery operations to our Port.
The space economy is thriving in Long Beach, with over 24 of the most innovative companies in the world committed to aerospace manufacturing, engineering and design in our city”

Collectively, Long Beach aerospace companies account for over 6,500 direct jobs within city limits. In just the past few years alone these amazing companies have made our city their home:
Virgin Orbit
To launch the small satellite revolution, Virgin Orbit is developing LauncherOne, a flexible launch service for commercial and government-built satellites. LauncherOne rockets are designed and manufactured in Long Beach and are air-launched from a dedicated 747-400 carrier aircraft capable of operating from many locations to best serve each customer’s needs.
Rocket Lab
As a global leader in launch and space systems, Rocket Lab is transforming space access. Headquartered in Long Beach, Rocket Lab provides end-to-end mission services that provide frequent and reliable access to space for civil, defense, and commercial markets. 
Relativity Space
Relativity is building humanity’s multiplanetary future. They invented a new approach to design, build, and fly their own rockets, starting with Terran 1 – the world’s first entirely 3D-printed rocket. 
SpinLaunch
Since 2014, SpinLaunch has been building a revolutionary kinetic space launch system. This responsive launch system allows for on-demand launches of small satellites in virtually any weather, at an order of magnitude at a lower cost than existing and new generation launch systems. 
Long Beach has a rich and long history supporting aerospace technologies, including with our longtime partners at Boeing. All of these companies will be surrounded by an amazing support network of partners which include Cal State Long Beach, City of Long Beach Economic Development Department, Long Beach Airport, Long Beach City College, Long Beach Unified School District and the Port of Long Beach.

The Long Beach Board of Harbor Commissioners on Monday approved a new sublease agreement with Space Explorations Technologies Corp. known widely as SpaceX to provide the company with a marine terminal for its West Coast rocket recovery operations.
 
On Saturday, May 1, the pioneering space technology company will take over part of a waterfront, wharf-equipped Long Beach facility vacated just over one year ago by Sea Launch, a commercial satellite launching company that had been based at the Port for 20 years.
 
“We’re extremely pleased to reach an agreement that will bring Space Exploration Technologies Corp. to the Port of Long Beach. This pact will benefit both parties,” said Long Beach Harbor Commission President Frank Colonna. “We welcome SpaceX to the Port family.”
 
“This is a good fit for the Port, as we offer the industry-leading facilities and services that are perfectly suited to SpaceX’s mission,” said Mario Cordero, Executive Director of the Port of Long Beach. “I would like to commend our Port team, especially our Real Estate division, for developing this agreement with SpaceX.”
 
SpaceX will occupy about 6.5 acres on the Port’s Pier T, which was once the site of a U.S. Navy complex. The Hawthorne, Calif.-based company will utilize the site’s existing wharf to dock its vessels and offload equipment.
 
As part of its goal to foster economic activity to the region, the Port has been actively looking for a new tenant since the previous occupant – Sea Launch – departed in February 2020.
 
The Port of Long Beach is one of the world’s premier seaports, a gateway for trans-Pacific trade and a trailblazer in goods movement and environmental stewardship. With 175 shipping lines connecting Long Beach to 217 seaports, the Port handles $170 billion in trade annually, supporting more than 575,000 Southern California jobs.