Lockheed Martin Corp. is planning to repurpose a former astronaut museum into a factory. The Orlando Business Journal reported July 6 that the aerospace and defense manufacturer filed plans with the state of Florida to renovate the building in Titusville, Florida, which hosted the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame until 2015, into a “light industrial/assembly/production” plant.
The 46,000-square-foot project is roughly ten miles away from Kennedy Space Center. The latest project will expand Lockheed Martin’s footprint in the area, which also includes the business’s Orlando campuses and Fleet Ballistic Missile Headquarters. According to Lockheed Martin’s website, the defense company employs about 8,000 people in Orlando and works with 300 suppliers there. Titusville, Florida is also home to Boeing Co.’s space and launch division headquarters.
While Lockheed Martin did not disclose what, specifically, it would repurpose the building for, its nearby Orlando campuses could provide a clue. The Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control plant develops and manufactures aerospace and defense systems for the U.S. Armed Forces and allies, including missile, rocket, and radar technologies. Lockheed Martin Rotary Mission Systems is the company’s “center of excellence for training,” according to the company website, and develops flight simulators and other training systems.
The building itself, currently owned by Delaware North, was home to the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame for 25 years until it was moved across the Indian River to be closer to the Kennedy Space Center visitor center, where it is today. The museum hosts astronaut memorabilia and other NASA-related exhibits.
