SPACE COAST, Fla. (Apr. 2, 2026) – The Economic Development Commission of Florida’s Space Coast (EDC) joined with Argotec today, an Italian space company, to officially inaugurate its first US-based satellite production facility. This state-of-the-art satellite manufacturing hub located in Melbourne is fully operational with a local workforce projected to triple in size in two years. Argotec U.S. is projected to bring a capital investment of $25 million to the Space Coast.

“Argotec is a strong indicator of the gravitational pull to the Space Coast,” said Lynda Weatherman, President and CEO. “For companies to looking to scale and compete globally in aerospace and advanced manufacturing locating to Florida’s Space Coast proves to be a strategic imperative.”

Below is the full press release from Argotec on the project.

Argotec Opens Florida Production Facility to Support Rapid, Scalable Satellite Delivery for U.S. Government and Commercial Missions

Melbourne, Fla., April 2, 2026 – Argotec today announced the official opening of its first U.S. production facility, a state-of-the-art satellite manufacturing hub located in Melbourne, Florida, near the Kennedy Space Center. The new site, which is already operational, brings Argotec’s vertically integrated, highly modular production model, proven at its SpacePark facility in Italy, to the United States to support high-priority civil, defense, commercial and scientific missions.

With a planned investment of more than $25 million, the facility is designed for high-volume, rapid-turn production, enabling the assembly and integration of up to 10 HEO satellites simultaneously and with future capacity to produce one HAWK PLUS platform per month.

Argotec’s HAWK PLUS combines stocked modules with the flexibility to integrate payloads at the final stage, tailoring the product to specific mission requirements. An innovative architecture for faster, more cost-effective and scalable access to space.

“The opening of our Florida facility marks a major step in Argotec’s growth and international expansion,” said David Avino, CEO and Founder of Argotec. “The U.S. is the world’s most dynamic and strategically important space market and expanding our presence here means being closer to the demand, speed and scale that are shaping the future of the industry. This milestone strengthens our ability to grow in a market that is defining the next generation of space innovation and reinforces Argotec’s role as an increasingly competitive player in the U.S. space ecosystem.”

The Florida facility includes modular clean rooms and parallel integration lines, allowing Argotec to accelerate delivery schedules and adapt quickly to the evolving mission requirements of U.S. defense and commercial programs.

The company expects its U.S. team to triple in size over the next two years as it expands production capacity and deepens partnerships across the U.S. space ecosystem.

Argotec’s production facility enables rapid, scalable satellite delivery for high-priority government and commercial programs, with the local Space Coast team set to triple
in size over the next two years.

Argotec U.S. is already supporting key programs, including seven HEO satellites for the IRIDE Earth-observation constellation, which will join eight already in orbit, and the MiniCOR scientific mission, scheduled for Critical Design Review this month.

“This Florida facility positions Argotec U.S. to play a strategic role in the United States space sector,” said Corbett, General Manager of Argotec U.S. “We bring a unique combination of advanced know-how, flexible production and innovation, enabling us to support high-priority defense, commercial and scientific programs. Our industrial model allows us to respond quickly to evolving mission requirements, accelerate delivery and provide reliable, scalable satellite solutions. We are proud to strengthen our collaboration with major players across the space sector while building the operational capabilities needed to serve the U.S. market at speed and at scale.”

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About Argotec

Argotec is an Italian space company, headquartered in Turin, with offices in Germany and the United States. Its main business lines are the production of highly reliable small satellites and the development of comfort solutions for astronauts and future space tourists. In 2022, it was the only company in the world to have two microsatellites operational in deep space, as part of the NASA DART and Artemis I missions.

Currently, Argotec is working on numerous projects, including the HEO constellation for Earth observation under the IRIDE program and the HENON mission, which will study solar storms and space-weather phenomena, essential for supporting strategic and critical infrastructure. The company develops advanced dual-use technologies for satellite cooperation, edge computing and data intelligence, necessary for civil and defense security and monitoring programs. In 2024, Argotec inaugurated SpacePark, a fully in-house, highly automated production facility with 17,000 square meters of green areas, further consolidating its role in innovation and technological acceleration within the new space economy.

For more information, visit argotecgroup.com.

 

Media Contact:

Cecilia De Ranieri | Cecilia.deranieri@argotecgroup.com

+39 3381249443

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About the Economic Development Commission of Florida’s Space Coast

The Economic Development Commission of Florida’s Space Coast (EDC) is dedicated to attracting new business and investment and expanding existing industry throughout the Space Coast, influencing change on government laws and regulations affecting economic development, promoting the Space Coast to encourage new investment, supporting efforts of Space Coast military installations, and relaying new programs and procedures to assist manufacturing and high-tech companies. The EDC is a private, not-for-profit coalition whose stakeholders are business leaders committed to the economic growth and stability of Florida’s Space Coast. Visit SpaceCoastEDC.org.