Arlington, Texas – A startup in the field of satellite manufacturing, E-Space, has expressed its desire to establish its headquarters and manufacturing hub at Arlington Municipal Airport. This endeavor has the potential to generate more than 3,000 employment opportunities.
The Arlington City Council is scheduled to vote on April 23rd on whether to approve a master agreement between the city, the Arlington Economic Development Corporation, and E-Space Inc. This agreement would pave the way for the establishment of the company’s headquarters and manufacturing plant.
As per the staff report, Arlington Economic Development Corporation intends to provide E-Space with up to $50 million in sales tax proceeds to aid in construction. The initial phase of construction proposed by the company encompasses a 250,000-square-foot manufacturing and office building, a 40,000-square-foot hangar, aircraft parking apron, and an airport access road on the west side of the municipal airport.
E-Space, founded in 2022, is a startup in the telecommunications sector with offices in Saratoga, California, and Beverly, Massachusetts. The company’s current workforce stands at 95 employees.
E-Space envisions developing a manufacturing and office space spanning 750,000 square feet. The staff reports indicate that during the initial five years of operation, the company intends to employ at least 400 individuals, with an average annual salary of $95,000, as outlined in a performance agreement. The company projects its workforce could expand to 2,000 employees within a decade.
A third-party economic analysis suggests that over the 30-year lease agreement, E-Space has the potential to generate 3,335 direct and indirect job opportunities, translating to more than $8 billion in salaries.
As part of the master agreement, E-Space is obligated to secure a lease for its initial space in Arlington within 90 days of the agreement’s execution and demonstrate an expenditure of $2.5 million on start-up costs. Additionally, the company must engage in a planning session with the city to explore potential municipal applications of its technology.
Throughout its 30-year lease, E-Space will pay an annual rent of $2 million to the Arlington Economic Development Corporation, with a 3% increase every five years.
Greg Wyler, CEO of E-Space, has a history in satellite ventures. He founded O3b Networks in 2007 and OneWeb in 2012. Google enlisted the services of O3b Networks Ltd. to lead its $1 billion initiative to construct satellites capable of beaming internet to Earth. Silicon Valley Business Journal reported that Wyler departed from the Google Inc. team in 2014. The Orlando Business Journal reported that OneWeb filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2020, resulting in workforce reductions. However, in November 2020, Reuters reported that OneWeb had emerged from bankruptcy with $1 billion in fresh capital.
