York Space Systems on Monday said it has completed construction of a new spacecraft manufacturing and testing facility, which will allow the company to double production capacity and build more than 1,000 satellites annually.
The Denver-based company said the new facility, which is also located in the Denver area, will give it the capacity to meet strong demand from commercial and government customers.
The new 60,000 square-foot facility, called Potomac, is expected to reach initial operating capacity in the fourth quarter and begin with the manufacturing of existing commercial satellites, Dirk Wallinger, York’s CEO, said in an email response to questions.
“Our new Potomac facility represents a significant milestone in York’s growth trajectory, driven by steadily increasing demand from new and existing customers,” Wallinger said in a statement. “This expansion ensures we continue to deliver the most capable and secure solutions on the timelines our customers demand.”
York manufactures two classes of small satellites, the S-CLASS and LX-CLASS. The company has delivered and continues to build satellites for the Space Development Agency’s Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture.
Potomac includes build and environmental test bays that feature 50-foot crane hooks and 10 trailer docks for shipping and receiving. York said the facility will also house extended supply chain and inventory management to ensure it has the capacity to meet demand.
Wallinger also said Potomac can support more than 120 employees across shifts. Commercial communication constellation satellites will be manufactured in the facility. There is some potential initially for current military contracts to use the test capabilities in Potomac, he said.