...Norma Grace, vice chancellor for technology and economic development at the University
of New Orleans, has been an advocate of a science- and technology-based economy for a long
time.
...Her hope for a tech-oriented New Orleans brightened dramatically when NASA chose the
Michoud Assembly Facility in eastern New Orleans as the site where the next generation of
space vehicles would be built.
...“It’s such a huge statement by NASA and its faith in this region,” said Grace, adding that the
NASA decision has planted a seed and “we can barely anticipate what might come out of it.”
...What excites Grace and others is the realization that NASA is embarking on a long-range
project that will have implications beyond returning astronauts to space. This time it comes
with the intention of establishing permanent outposts on alien worlds.
...Michoud and the associated activities at Mississippi’s John C. Stennis Space Center, 40
miles away, are likely to attract aerospace contractors and subcontractors alike. But
establishing settlements – “towns” as NASA’s director has called them – brings into the picture
businesses as yet unimagined.
...It could represent a giant leap for the Gulf Coast.
...“What we’re hoping is it’s a catalyst to much greater development,” said Russell Trahan,
dean of engineering at the University of New Orleans. “What we’re hoping is Michoud will
become a hub for any advanced manufacturing of large structures.”
The vision
...NASA’s vision for the future will involve a lot of money, not surprising considering it’s
nothing short of humanity’s colonization of other worlds. The exploration systems budget was
$3.05 billion in FY 2006, $3.4 billion in 2007.
...Michoud, for a long time the facility where the tanks have been built for the Space Shuttle,
will now have a multifaceted mission. Plans so far are to manufacture the upper stage of Ares
I, components of the Orion crew vehicle and stages of Ares V.
...“Those are monumental decisions,” said Sheila Cloud, NASA’s transition director for
Michoud. NASA wants to encourage companies that support the space program to locate in
New Orleans, in part because of the anticipated cost savings.
...The significance does not escape economic development officials.
...“I think there’s more understanding now than there might have been in years past,” said
Cloud about the implications. “They’re the kind of jobs that you want to attract to this area at
a time that is meaningful.”
...Meaningful because New Orleans and South Mississippi were pounded by Hurricane Katrina
in August 2005, and the NASA shot in the arm could be more significant in the long run than
other aid that has been given to the region.
...But it’s not charity. There are strong reasons to set up shop at Michoud. One of the facility’
s greatest assets is the presence of the National Center for Advanced Manufacturing, a
NASA/state/academia/industry partnership that dates to 1999.
...The state of Louisiana since the hurricane committed $20 million through UNO on key
pieces of equipment, including welding machines, and refurbishing the facility, said Grace.
UNO in turn plans to use the equipment for activities that go beyond the needs of NASA.
NCAM could be used by a wide range of industries, including car manufacturers.
...“That’s part of the reason that UNO is taking over the actual operation of this very high tech
equipment, so it can be offered to more end users,” said Grace.
...NCAM has already attracted a company not involved in space. Start-up yacht builder
Boldmar has leased space to develop a robotic manufacturing techniques to build yachts using
the friction stir welding and advanced fiber placement equipment at NCAM. Attracting a
shipbuilding interest has been a dream of Trahan for quite some time.
A different future
...Cloud doesn’t think it unreasonable to picture a future for New Orleans and the greater Gulf
Coast region that could mimic Huntsville. That north Alabama city leveraged the presence of
NASA and the Army missile experts to create one of the most technology-oriented economies
in the nation. An early decision to turn 3,000 acres into a research park helped transform the
city. Today, Cummings Research Park is the second largest research park in the nation and
fourth largest in the world.
...“I don’t see any reason why that can not come to some fruition,” Cloud said, but “that
doesn’t mean it will.” Much will depend on the degree of interest of the leaders of the area,
from New Orleans and Louisiana to Mississippi and the Gulf Coast.
...“I don’t see why that model (Huntsville) can’t be followed,” she said.
...The possibilities have not escaped NASA. One of the less-publicized features of NASA’s
interest in Michoud is how the additional, unused acreage around the facility could be turned
into a research park.
...“We’re making plans in that regard. We have not done a lot of talking about this,” Cloud
said. But the fact is, Michoud sits on 830 plus acres of land that’s being under utilized, and it
could form the nucleus of something significant.
...“We are looking at the feasibility of creating the core of an advanced manufacturing research
park similar to Cummings,” said Cloud. “We think that there are a number of advantages to
NASA to pursue that kind of development.”
...“NASA is working with UNO to develop the infrastructure, trying to get funding for a new
NASA administrative building with space for labs and classrooms. In addition to office space,
that would maybe encourage more corporate presence,” said Trahan. He said they are also
looking at buildings for incubator space.
...Cloud said that with the vehicles that have been added to Michoud’s work load, the location
of prime aerospace contractors on site would improve the communications between NASA
and its suppliers and shorten the delivery time.
...“It also increases opportunities for R&D collaboration with the private sector and academia,”
she said. “If we can be successful in developing this research park idea, it allows for the return
on the taxpayer investment.”
The spillover
...The Michoud activities are bound to impact South Mississippi. Michoud is 34 miles from
Stennis Space Center, 42 from Picayune and 51 from Bay St. Louis.
...“There is already a spillover that has existed for a number of years. Part of the (Michoud)
payroll goes to the people who live in Mississippi,” Cloud said. “There’s every reason to
believe the economic advantage will extend.”
...Trahan agrees about the spillover.
...“We view the corridor between Stennis Space Center and Michoud as ripe for development
of additional corporations coming in to support the prime contractors,” he said.
...“You have every reason to be excited,” Cloud said. NASA has been given a new mission
that’s being crafted every day, and one of the unknowns is what spinoff businesses will
develop.
...“We’re going to have to develop some way for human beings to live in a hostile
environment,” and issues that will have to be addressed include everything from the lack of air
to radiation and more. “It’s hard to imagine what we will need at this point.” – Tcp
January 2008
of New Orleans, has been an advocate of a science- and technology-based economy for a long
time.
...Her hope for a tech-oriented New Orleans brightened dramatically when NASA chose the
Michoud Assembly Facility in eastern New Orleans as the site where the next generation of
space vehicles would be built.
...“It’s such a huge statement by NASA and its faith in this region,” said Grace, adding that the
NASA decision has planted a seed and “we can barely anticipate what might come out of it.”
...What excites Grace and others is the realization that NASA is embarking on a long-range
project that will have implications beyond returning astronauts to space. This time it comes
with the intention of establishing permanent outposts on alien worlds.
...Michoud and the associated activities at Mississippi’s John C. Stennis Space Center, 40
miles away, are likely to attract aerospace contractors and subcontractors alike. But
establishing settlements – “towns” as NASA’s director has called them – brings into the picture
businesses as yet unimagined.
...It could represent a giant leap for the Gulf Coast.
...“What we’re hoping is it’s a catalyst to much greater development,” said Russell Trahan,
dean of engineering at the University of New Orleans. “What we’re hoping is Michoud will
become a hub for any advanced manufacturing of large structures.”
The vision
...NASA’s vision for the future will involve a lot of money, not surprising considering it’s
nothing short of humanity’s colonization of other worlds. The exploration systems budget was
$3.05 billion in FY 2006, $3.4 billion in 2007.
...Michoud, for a long time the facility where the tanks have been built for the Space Shuttle,
will now have a multifaceted mission. Plans so far are to manufacture the upper stage of Ares
I, components of the Orion crew vehicle and stages of Ares V.
...“Those are monumental decisions,” said Sheila Cloud, NASA’s transition director for
Michoud. NASA wants to encourage companies that support the space program to locate in
New Orleans, in part because of the anticipated cost savings.
...The significance does not escape economic development officials.
...“I think there’s more understanding now than there might have been in years past,” said
Cloud about the implications. “They’re the kind of jobs that you want to attract to this area at
a time that is meaningful.”
...Meaningful because New Orleans and South Mississippi were pounded by Hurricane Katrina
in August 2005, and the NASA shot in the arm could be more significant in the long run than
other aid that has been given to the region.
...But it’s not charity. There are strong reasons to set up shop at Michoud. One of the facility’
s greatest assets is the presence of the National Center for Advanced Manufacturing, a
NASA/state/academia/industry partnership that dates to 1999.
...The state of Louisiana since the hurricane committed $20 million through UNO on key
pieces of equipment, including welding machines, and refurbishing the facility, said Grace.
UNO in turn plans to use the equipment for activities that go beyond the needs of NASA.
NCAM could be used by a wide range of industries, including car manufacturers.
...“That’s part of the reason that UNO is taking over the actual operation of this very high tech
equipment, so it can be offered to more end users,” said Grace.
...NCAM has already attracted a company not involved in space. Start-up yacht builder
Boldmar has leased space to develop a robotic manufacturing techniques to build yachts using
the friction stir welding and advanced fiber placement equipment at NCAM. Attracting a
shipbuilding interest has been a dream of Trahan for quite some time.
A different future
...Cloud doesn’t think it unreasonable to picture a future for New Orleans and the greater Gulf
Coast region that could mimic Huntsville. That north Alabama city leveraged the presence of
NASA and the Army missile experts to create one of the most technology-oriented economies
in the nation. An early decision to turn 3,000 acres into a research park helped transform the
city. Today, Cummings Research Park is the second largest research park in the nation and
fourth largest in the world.
...“I don’t see any reason why that can not come to some fruition,” Cloud said, but “that
doesn’t mean it will.” Much will depend on the degree of interest of the leaders of the area,
from New Orleans and Louisiana to Mississippi and the Gulf Coast.
...“I don’t see why that model (Huntsville) can’t be followed,” she said.
...The possibilities have not escaped NASA. One of the less-publicized features of NASA’s
interest in Michoud is how the additional, unused acreage around the facility could be turned
into a research park.
...“We’re making plans in that regard. We have not done a lot of talking about this,” Cloud
said. But the fact is, Michoud sits on 830 plus acres of land that’s being under utilized, and it
could form the nucleus of something significant.
...“We are looking at the feasibility of creating the core of an advanced manufacturing research
park similar to Cummings,” said Cloud. “We think that there are a number of advantages to
NASA to pursue that kind of development.”
...“NASA is working with UNO to develop the infrastructure, trying to get funding for a new
NASA administrative building with space for labs and classrooms. In addition to office space,
that would maybe encourage more corporate presence,” said Trahan. He said they are also
looking at buildings for incubator space.
...Cloud said that with the vehicles that have been added to Michoud’s work load, the location
of prime aerospace contractors on site would improve the communications between NASA
and its suppliers and shorten the delivery time.
...“It also increases opportunities for R&D collaboration with the private sector and academia,”
she said. “If we can be successful in developing this research park idea, it allows for the return
on the taxpayer investment.”
The spillover
...The Michoud activities are bound to impact South Mississippi. Michoud is 34 miles from
Stennis Space Center, 42 from Picayune and 51 from Bay St. Louis.
...“There is already a spillover that has existed for a number of years. Part of the (Michoud)
payroll goes to the people who live in Mississippi,” Cloud said. “There’s every reason to
believe the economic advantage will extend.”
...Trahan agrees about the spillover.
...“We view the corridor between Stennis Space Center and Michoud as ripe for development
of additional corporations coming in to support the prime contractors,” he said.
...“You have every reason to be excited,” Cloud said. NASA has been given a new mission
that’s being crafted every day, and one of the unknowns is what spinoff businesses will
develop.
...“We’re going to have to develop some way for human beings to live in a hostile
environment,” and issues that will have to be addressed include everything from the lack of air
to radiation and more. “It’s hard to imagine what we will need at this point.” – Tcp
January 2008
Aerospace
Is a giant leap in the making?
Is a giant leap in the making?
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