Relativity Expansion To Add Rocket Production Capacity, Jobs On Florida’s Space Coast
Terran R Growth Plan Tied To New Factory, Test Sites At Cape
Relativity Space plans to build a new Terran R factory and expand test and launch infrastructure at Cape Canaveral under a long‑term growth plan announced at the 2026 Farnborough International Air Show. The project, advanced under the code name “Project Forge,” is expected to generate substantial capital investment and thousands of new high‑paying jobs across Florida by the end of 2034, according to state officials.
“Expanding our capacity in Florida enables our ability to scale the Terran R program to support commercial, scientific, and national security missions.”
Eric Schmidt, Relativity Space
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis disclosed Relativity’s decision to expand its presence at the Cape Canaveral Spaceport during the show, positioning the state to capture additional commercial, scientific and national security launch business. Relativity already operates Terran R production and launch activities in Florida and will layer the new facility and infrastructure upgrades on top of its existing footprint at Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
Relativity Executive Chairman and CEO tied the move directly to demand for the company’s Terran R launch vehicle. “Expanding our capacity in Florida enables our ability to scale the Terran R program to support commercial, scientific, and national security missions,” Schmidt said, adding that the company is “grateful to Gov. Ron DeSantis, Space Florida, FDOT, and our partners across the state for their ongoing support to make this expansion plan a reality.”
Under an agreement with state agencies, Relativity plans to construct an additional Terran R production facility at the spaceport while also enlarging test and launch support infrastructure spread across Kennedy and Cape Canaveral. The state’s role includes potential backing from the Florida Department of Transportation’s Spaceport Improvement Program, under which Relativity will be eligible for up to 134 million dollars in investment. The Spaceport Improvement Program is the primary vehicle FDOT uses to fund upgrades that enable higher flight rates and new vehicle types at Florida’s launch sites.
Space Florida officials framed the Relativity project as a validation of the state’s long‑term strategy to build an aerospace commerce hub rather than a collection of individual launch pads. “Relativity is exactly the partner that helps advance our mission to solidify Florida as the world’s hub for aerospace commerce,” said Rob Long, president and CEO of Space Florida and a retired U.S. Space Force colonel. “This project is a win for Florida’s commercial space economy and is the direct result of how our infrastructure, strategy, and talent ecosystem makes Florida the inevitable choice. We look forward to actively helping them grow in our state.”
Space Florida Board of Directors Chair Jeanette Nuñez said the expansion is expected to extend through the broader supply chain, workforce and ground infrastructure that support launch operations. “Relativity expanding to Florida strengthens our aerospace network and deepens the supply chain, our workforce, and infrastructure,” Nuñez said. She added that Florida’s current position in the sector “exists because we created a strong and resilient ecosystem where companies can easily expand. The compounding effect of what we have built is what secures our leadership for the long term.”
The Relativity project first appeared on the agenda of the Space Florida Board of Directors at its June 2026 meeting under the internal designation “Project Forge.” That closed‑door codename process is typical for competitive site‑selection efforts in which multiple states vie for major aerospace investments before a final location is disclosed. With the Farnborough announcement, Florida officials can now publicly link the code‑named initiative to Relativity’s Terran R growth plan.
Relativity did not disclose detailed hiring or construction timelines beyond the 2034 horizon, but the reference to “thousands” of high‑paying jobs suggests multiple build‑out phases for manufacturing, test and launch operations. In addition to direct jobs on the Space Coast, state officials expect secondary gains among contractors, suppliers and service providers supporting Terran R launches, range operations and payload processing.
The company’s decision also underscores the role of coordinated state support in large‑scale launch projects. FDOT’s planned Spaceport Improvement Program investment, combined with Space Florida’s financing tools and Kennedy and Cape Canaveral’s existing range assets, aligns state transportation, economic development and spaceport authorities behind a single expansion package. For Florida, the next milestone will be the start of construction on the new factory and associated test and launch infrastructure, which will mark the tangible beginning of the “Project Forge” build‑out on the ground.