National Aeronautics and

Space Administration

Michoud Economic Impact

The Michoud Assembly Facility, managed by NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, is essential 

to NASA’s human space exploration mission. It is home to one of the world’s largest indoor manufacturing facilities with 

approximately 43 acres (2.2 million square feet) of climate controlled space. Michoud also has a deep water port for 

transportation and over 300 acres of green space available to develop. Michoud’s importance to Louisiana and the nation 

goes beyond NASA, however. It is a multi-tenant facility that houses multiple government agencies and private companies. 

Nationwide Impact

• Michoud supports more than 6,000 jobs nationally, yielding a total 

economic output of over $830 million

• NASA contracts a wide variety of services at Michoud for over 

$89 million, with other government agencies combining for another 

$69 million

• Generates $107 million in Federal, State, & Local tax revenues 

Louisiana/Mississippi Impact

• Supports more than 5,000 jobs in Louisiana 

and Mississippi

• $630 million in economic output

• Sources $116 million in government contracts 

in Louisiana and Mississippi.

MICHOUD

ASSEMBLY FACILITY

Building the Future of Human Space Flight at
National Aeronautics and Space Administration

George C. Marshall Space Flight Center

Huntsville, AL 35812

www.nasa.gov/marshall

www.nasa.gov

FL-2018-06-056-MSFC

G-401511

Building The Space Launch System

• Michoud has more than 55 years of history manufacturing large vehicles and components for our nation’s space program, 

from the Apollo Program to the Shuttle, to today’s Space Launch System (SLS). Michoud is the main manufacturing and 

assembly site for SLS, which will take us beyond Earth orbit to the furthest reaches of our solar system.

• Boeing is building the core stage and upper stage of the SLS. Lockheed Martin is building the Orion spacecraft, 

and has completed the Orion test article, which is expected to launch as part of Exploration Mission-1.

A Unique Multi-tenant Facility

Michoud is a multi-tenant facility with commercial and government partners that are paving the way for a more cost-effective 

way of operating government-owned facilities. Michoud has approximately 20 tenants, including the U.S. Coast Guard, 

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Textron, Ochsner and GE Renewable Energy, which added almost 600% more 

manufacturing space between March 2015 and July 2016. 

• 60% reduction in operating cost since Space Shuttle era

• Today over 18% of operating costs funded by non-NASA tenants

• Increased commercial revenue by nearly 35% since 2010

• Numerous on-site amenities and large-scale manufacturing tools available to tenants

National Center for Advanced Manufacturing (NCAM)

NCAM is a partnership between NASA, Louisiana, Louisiana State University, and the University of New Orleans, 

providing research, advanced manufacturing technology and material evaluation techniques for use in aerospace 

and commercial markets. To date, the State of Louisiana has invested more than $62 million in a suite of 

specialized friction stir welding, composite fiber placement, and non-destructive evaluation and inspection 

equipment for NASA’s use in building space hardware. In addition, NCAM equipment is employed in 

educational outreach programs and classes formulated to develop a uniquely skilled workforce.