Orlando, FL -- (SBWIRE) -- 08/09/2012 -- Craig Technologies, one of the top Florida machine shops, announced today the company is expanding its manufacturing capabilities by negotiating a loan for 1,600 pieces of Space Shuttle processing equipment from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center.
Through a competitive Request for Information (RFI) process, the Florida machine shop signed a non-reimbursable Space Act Agreement with NASA giving the woman-owned, service-disabled veteran-owned firm full use privileges of the equipment currently housed at the 160,000 sq. ft. NASA Shuttle Logistics Depot (NSLD) in Cape Canaveral. The depot was once part of United Space Alliance’s Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) activities during the Shuttle Program.
The intent of the agreement is to “preserve the space systems processing and manufacturing equipment for current and future mission support.” As one of the most reputable machine shops in Orlando, the company will be required to operate, maintain and store the property at one consolidated location within a 50-mile radius of Kennedy Space Center.
While the equipment is on loan, Craig Technologies will be able to use the inventory to carry out other types of manufacturing and high-precision production in partnership with other Federal Agencies, commercial businesses and institutes of higher education.
“An increase in high-tech manufacturing provides an opportunity to help support a diversified economic transformation for Brevard County and ensure that we are positioned for growth of commercial space and other mission critical programs,” Carol Craig, Founder/CEO of Craig Technologies, said. “Allowing the capability to be maintained and enhanced along with opening it to other industries ensures a long term outlook that benefits all interested parties including new and existing businesses.” She added, “When we opened our machine and tool division eighteen months ago, we saw the potential for high-tech manufacturing growth here in Brevard County. This agreement enhances and accelerates our plan and we look forward to playing a major role in the increased supply chain support for Central Florida’s commercial aerospace, energy, manufacturing and research sectors.”
The NASA KSC property supports capabilities such as flight hardware fabrication, cable fabrication, reverse engineering and production of Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) flight hardware. The property is used in the manufacturing, repair and inspection techniques necessary for space flight hardware, avionics and ground processing. The inventory of equipment is currently underutilized as a result of the transition from the Space Shuttle Program to future mission activities authorized by Congress.
Space Florida and the Economic Development Commission of Florida’s Space Coast are committed to assisting with marketing these capabilities and bringing business to the Space Coast to make use of them in alternative applications, consistent with the 2011 NASA Strategic Plan to, “ensure the availability to the Nation of NASA-owned, strategically important test capabilities.”
“The transformation of NSLD utilization from the Space Shuttle Program to a more commercial marketplace focus reflects the type of diversification that will ensure continued high-tech growth on the Space Coast,” said Frank DiBello, president of Space Florida, the State of Florida’s aerospace economic development agency. “We look forward to working with Craig Technologies to attract aerospace businesses to the area that can maximize utilization of the NSLD and this valuable equipment.”
Lynda Weatherman, president & CEO of the Economic Development Commission of Florida’s Space Coast, added, “This agreement is an excellent example of a winning public-private partnership, repurposing underutilized government-owned equipment to increase capabilities with a Space Coast manufacturer. We are confident that we’ll see further innovations from Craig Technologies as a result of this agreement and look forward to the company’s continued growth on the Space Coast.”
The agreement was negotiated directly between Craig Technologies, one of the chief machine shops in Orlando FL, and Kennedy Space Center. According to the agreement, “NASA wishes to protect this unique Agency depot capability, as the Associate Administrator of the Human Exploration Mission Directorate has identified that it will be utilized for future Mission Directorate programs, and determined Craig Technologies has the ability to maintain this capability.”
More information can be found at http://www.craigtechinc.com/SAA.htm
About Craig Technologies
Founded in 1999, Craig Technologies is a privately held, woman-owned, service-disabled veteran-owned, minority-owned, small disadvantaged business providing award-winning engineering and technical services to defense and government agencies nationwide. In 2011, Craig Technologies opened their subsidiary machine and tool division to offer design engineering, prototyping, precision manufacturing and acceptance testing. The company maintains ISO 9001/AS9100C quality certification and is headquartered in Melbourne, FL.