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NEW ORLEANS EAST

NASA chooses Michoud for construction of heavy-lift rocket

September 29, 2011

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- NASA has chosen the Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans East to construct components of its new heavy-lift rocket, a decision that could mean the creation of thousands of jobs at the facility. NASA unveiled the design of the rocket earlier this month, claiming it will be the largest, most powerful space rocket ever built. “NASA’s selection of Michoud is big, big news for southeast Louisiana,” said Sen. David Vitter, R-La. NASA

says they will be building several components at MAF, including manufacturing core stage and upper stage, the instrument ring and integrating engines with core and upper stages.The decision may mean thousands of jobs at Michoud, which lost most of its workforce after the end of the Space Shuttle program. "I will say that the external tank at its peak employed about 2500 to 2800 people here in the facility," Steve Doering, NASA's director at Michoud, said on Sept. 14. "I don't see any reason to expect that we won't get back, if not at those numbers, somewhere close to those numbers." Michoud was behind the assembly of the Saturn V rocket from the Apollo program and the Space Shuttle's external fuel tanks. Vitter said that gave the assembly facility a unique advantage in wooing NASA to choose New Orleans. “Michoud is the only NASA facility that is currently ready to do the large manufacturing that will be required for the heavy-lift rocket," Vitter said. "I’ve been working for years with the Louisiana delegation to ensure Michoud remains well positioned for this kind of work, and with local companies in the high-tech Stennis-Michoud corridor to ensure the area remains a vital part of the space program.” Congress still has to approve the project, which carries a price tag of up to $35 billion.



Folgers, world's largest coffee roasting plant is located in New Orleans East.	New U.S Coast Guard Base Support facility is LEED Certified. Single largest investment by USCG supports 900 employees	NASA's Michoud facility is attracting cutting edge companies to the logistically-attractive industrial corridor in New Orleans East	The National Finance Center is a payroll clearing house and support center for federal organizations	A full service hospital remains priority one for safety and for the economic impact it will have on the area.	The magnificent $55M restoration of Lakefront , Airport will drive more activity to the site and surrounding FBO's	An unprecedented outreach campaign to attract large and small quality retailers. Prime newly built retail space is available.	New Orleans East has a median income about the same as Algiers or Mobile. 30% of house-holds have annual income $60K or greater.