The Aerospace Corp. relocates HQ to Chantilly

The Aerospace Corp., a nonprofit government contractor that bills itself as running the nation’s only federally funded research and development center “committed to the space enterprise,” officially relocated its headquarters from El Segundo, California, to Chantilly on Thursday.

The organization, which provides technical expertise in space-related science and engineering, has no plans for “significant relocation” of its more than 4,600 current employees, according to a news release, and the 2,800 employees currently in El Segundo will remain there.

According to an Aerospace spokesperson,  the company has more than 750 employees based in Chantilly plus 1,000 employees based in various locations in the Washington, D.C. area.

“By shifting our headquarters to the Washington, D.C., metro region, we will deepen our ties with key decision makers and stakeholders, and reaffirm our commitment to working side-by-side with our partners as they carry out our nation’s critical missions,” Steve Isakowitz, Aerospace’s president and CEO, said in a statement.

As the space industry has changed in recent years — including growth in U.S. government and commercial space investment, the establishment of the U.S. Space Force in 2019 and the reinstatement of the U.S. Space Command, which is responsible for preparing military operations in space — Aerospace’s technical support has shifted “from traditional functions to emerging needs,” according to a news release.

“Aerospace has taken a leading position navigating through this change as we accelerate our efforts to outpace the threats we face in space,” Isakowitz said.

Aerospace provides technical solutions for space mission needs and research and strategic analysis on national policy related to space, and it tests, analyzes and troubleshoots rocket and satellite systems. The organization’s customers include the U.S. Department of Defense, the intelligence community, NASA and other civil agencies.

Aerospace is investing $100 million in its engineering, research and laboratory capabilities at its main engineering and technology campus in El Segundo. The company also has major locations in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Editor’s note: An earlier version of this article listed an incorrect number of employees working for Aerospace in California. This story has been updated with the correct number.

Editor’s note: This story has been updated with information about Aerospace’s Virginia and Washington, D.C., workforce.