GILBERT, AZ – Northrop Grumman Corp. begins an expansion of the satellite engineering and manufacturing operations in Arizona.

Science writer John Wilford once observed that his articles had to focus on one of these story lines to earn their way into print: "big bang, big bucks, big screwup, or big comeback - and with the Hubble Space Telescope you've got them all." He was right. Since launching into orbit almost 30 years ago, Hubble has gone from the humiliation of "techno turkey" to high-risk recovery to recognition as one of history's most prolific scientific explorers.

Sometime in 2020, the Solar Orbiter satellite will begin its several-year journey after being launched from the Cape Canav-eral Air Force Station in Florida with an Atlas V rocket.

EXPLORATION PARK, FL--OneWeb LLC, a Britain-founded company with offices in Arlington, VA, is well on the way to having its satellite manufacturing plant established here.

Manufacturers that assemble parts for 21st-century spacecraft are well aware that what they’re making is often the first of its kind.

LONG BEACH, CA—Virgin Galactic has leased a new facility here to design and manufacture its small satellite launcher, LauncherOne.

LOUISVILLE, KY—Sierra Nevada Corp. has delivered six satellites for launch this week in Florida, marking the first time a U.S.-based company has built small satellites in assembly-line fashion—a concept that is helping to change the space-industry paradigm.

EL SEGUNDO, CA—Millennium Space Systems has opened a new 70,000-square-foot headquarters and assembly plant here. The factory can produce more than 40 satellites simultaneously.