Space Companies Are Reaching Sky-high Success in Fairfax NOVA

El Gardner, Vice President of Space Operations at Fairfax County-based Aperio Global, discusses what’s ahead for the space industry with the Washington Business Journal in a video interview.

The space industry is reaching sky-high success in Fairfax County. Leading global firms and cutting-edge startups continue to expand operations in the region. Fairfax NOVA’s unique combination of assets makes it a magnet for space innovators, according to Business Facilities. More than 125 companies with space operations have a presence in Fairfax NOVA, and out of those, more than 70 have either located or expanded their operations in Fairfax over the past 36 months.

Recent arrivals include CMC Electronics, a leading global avionics manufacturer headquartered in Montreal, Canada, establishing a new office and R&D facility in Fairfax NOVA, and the Aerospace Corporation relocating its corporate headquarters to Fairfax from El Segundo, California, both in 2024. The U.S. Space Force opened a new Commercial Space Office in Chantilly in June 2023, and many space companies have followed suit. Blue Origin opened offices in Reston in 2022, while Spire Global established its new headquarters in Tysons in 2021.

Wallops Flight Facility, Wallops Island, VA, Photo credit: Shutterstock

As the space sector evolves with technologies like AI and quantum computing, Fairfax NOVA is preparing for future workforce needs. The region boasts a workforce of 3.6 million, with over 65% holding bachelor’s degrees or higher. Programs like the Virginia Space Grant Consortium, a coalition of five Virginia colleges and universities, NASA, and other institutions, are building the future talent pipeline.

“There’s a huge talent pool of experienced communications and aerospace engineers to draw from in Northern Virginia,” said Dave Bettinger, Axta’s Founder and CEO. “I decided to set up Axta Space Corporation here quite simply because of the number of space-savvy engineers, executives and salespeople in this region.”

“In Fairfax, the school systems from K-12 to higher education along with businesses and government agencies are coming together to respond to the talent needs of the future,” said Victor Hoskins, president and CEO of Fairfax County Economic Development Authority. “Together we have begun the work to invent the workforce of tomorrow.”

Black History Month Spotlight: Pioneering Physicist and Engineer George Edward Alcorn

This February, FCEDA is proud to celebrate Black History Month and highlight the rich and diverse threads of African American history.

George Edward Alcorn, noted for his aerospace and semiconductor inventions, was a pioneering African American physicist and engineer who invented the X-ray Imaging Spectrometer earning him NASA’s Inventor of the Year Award in 1984. In 2015 he was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame for his work.

Alcorn’s devices and their descendants have been used to conduct planetary mapping, search for new planets, create star charts to reveal motions of systems and examine deep space phenomena. Discussing his diverse and impactful work, Alcorn said, “If you have a good, interesting project, work is not coming to work – it’s coming to an adventure.” Alcorn, married to Dorothy Green Alcorn, lived in the Reston area of Fairfax County until his passing in 2024. Learn more about George Edward Alcorn.