GILBERT, AZ — Northrop Grumman is expanding its space operations in Gilbert with a new 120,000-square-foot facility designed to support the company’s growing satellite programs.
The company says the new building adds office, integration and testing space at Northrop Grumman’s Gilbert campus, where the company says more than 1,000 people work across engineering, manufacturing and other operations.
Northrop Grumman says it builds and tests spacecraft in Gilbert for national security, civil and commercial missions. The company says its East Valley operations are connected, with rockets built at its Chandler operation and satellites built in Gilbert.
“In Chandler, we make rockets to launch satellites into space,” said Wes, Northrop Grumman’s vice president of launch systems. “Here in Gilbert, we make the satellites that are launched on our rockets from Chandler.”
The company also says 350 jobs connected to its Glide Phase Interceptor program are coming to Gilbert from Chandler because it has run out of space at the Chandler site.
The expansion comes as Northrop Grumman says it continues to grow its presence across Arizona. The company says it employs about 3,800 people statewide and estimates its operations have a roughly $5 billion economic impact in Arizona.
“Today’s opening represents even more work coming here to Arizona,” Wes said.
The location of the expansion is also significant to Gilbert leaders.
The Northrop Grumman campus is in northwest Gilbert, an area Mayor Scott Anderson said the town is paying particular attention to as it seeks additional investment.
“We want to see investments being made into this part of town,” Anderson said. He also said the town wants people working in the area to consider living nearby.
