- Evolution Space announces the construction of the first-ever solid propulsion center at NASA Stennis Space Center.
- The company successfully closed its bridge funding round following multiple successful flight missions earlier this year.
October 11, 2023, STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss., — Evolution Space, a solid propulsion and launch provider based in Mojave, Calif., has unveiled its collaboration with NASA Stennis. The partnership entails the establishment of the first-ever solid propulsion center and solid rocket motor testing at the renowned NASA Stennis Space Center. This announcement comes shortly after the company’s successful closure of its bridge funding round, a significant achievement that followed several triumphant flight missions in April and May.
The new Evolution Space Propulsion Center, situated near the iconic NASA test stands, will utilize the former Mississippi Army Ammunition Plant facilities, which NASA acquired in 2011. The center is set to commence its operations in Q2, 2024. It will house the company’s 200-gallon propellant mixer, offer propellant storage, and function as the primary base for static fire testing using the E-3 Test Complex.
Manny Ballestero, U.S. Army Veteran and Evolution’s VP of Production and Development, expressed his enthusiasm for the collaboration, stating, “By partnering with NASA, we are able to rapidly stand up a facility which will add considerable capability to the U.S. solid rocket motor industrial base. We look forward to the future of our partnership as we continue to expand our presence at Stennis.”
The partnership also emphasizes NASA’s increasing support for the private spaceflight sector. Dr. Rick Gilbrech, Director of NASA Stennis Space Center, commented, “Evolution Space gains access to critical NASA Stennis infrastructure and expertise as it continues to build its propulsion capabilities. In turn, we continue frontline work with commercial companies as we support NASA’s commitment to increase access to space and grow our federal city. We look forward to working with Evolution Space.”
Steve Heller, Evolution’s Founder, CTO, and Chief Executive Officer, shared a personal connection to the selection of South Mississippi for the project. He reminisced about his early propulsion work in nearby Clarke County, Mississippi, saying, “Mississippi is where my rocket journey started, and now we’re back to kick things into high gear.”
