Work is expected to begin in another month on a new Quantum Space manufacturing facility in Tulsa.
The company announced the project last month but said facility modifications won’t be underway until sometime in July with initial operational capability targeted for the first quarter of 2027.
To be located in the Spartan Building in Tulsa, the historic aerospace property is undergoing renovation planning as Quantum Space plans occupation of a move-in ready interim facility this year until the renovation of the Spartan Building is completed. Hiring for the Tulsa facility started in May 2026, with roles spanning engineering, precision manufacturing, quality inspection, and operations support. The company anticipates continued workforce growth as production scales, with the Tulsa facility serving as a long-term manufacturing platform for Ranger spacecraft serving both defense and commercial customers.
Ranger will be able to operate in a variety of environments, from low Earth orbit to Earth-moon space, according to Quantum Space. Its patented propulsion technology, modularity and in-space endurance will give it a leg up on competitors, the company says.
The announcement follows Quantum Space’s May 5 appointment of Jim Bridenstine as the company’s Chief Executive Officer. Under Bridenstine’s leadership, Quantum Space is pursuing both national security and commercial space markets, positioning the Ranger platform as a mission-adaptable solution at a moment when demand for maneuverable, long-endurance spacecraft is accelerating.
“Quantum Space is building satellites to meet the needs of the Space Force’s Theory of Competitive Endurance. Sustained maneuver for Dynamic Space Operations is a key enabler of those needs. The State of Oklahoma is aligning itself to support the U.S. Space Force by building test and operational infrastructure to achieve sustained maneuver,” said Bridenstine. “With its new and existing infrastructure, deep aerospace heritage, and skilled workforce, expanding our manufacturing to Oklahoma was an obvious choice.”
Bridenstein is a former military pilot who served as Oklahoma’s 1st district Congressman from 2013 to 2018. He served on the House Committee on Science, Space and Technology during his time in Congress before being nominated by President Trump in 2017 to be administrator of NASA. His confirmation came in April 2018 and Bridenstine served as head of NASA until January 2021, making way for a new leader in the Biden Administration.
Bridenstine played a leading role in implementing President Trump’s Space Policy Directive One and developed the planned architecture for a return to the Moon. Bridenstine later named the program the Artemis program. Bridenstine also decided that the lunar lander for the Artemis program would be developed commercially similar to the model used for NASA’s Commercial Crew Program.
The Tulsa facility will initially occupy 25,000 to 40,000 square feet and will be equipped for CNC machining, friction stir welding, assembly and fabrication, non-destructive testing, and pressure testing. These capabilities are critical to producing high-performance spacecraft structures and propulsion systems at scale, enabling faster production timelines and greater mission flexibility. The facility will serve as the company’s primary site for large propulsion tank manufacturing and precision spacecraft parts production, initially creating up to 50 high-skill jobs, with expected expansion as the production scales.
The Tulsa facility expands Quantum Space’s growing U.S. manufacturing footprint, complementing its propulsion integration and test capabilities in Hawthorne, California, and its engineering and mission development headquarters in Rockville, Maryland. Together, these facilities form a distributed manufacturing and development network designed to support the production, integration, and operation of the Ranger spacecraft fleet, expanding its U.S. manufacturing capacity to support a growing pipeline of missions and future fleet deployment.
“Quantum Space is building a platform designed for the full spectrum of space operations, from national security missions to the emerging commercial market for on-orbit services, and this facility is a critical step in scaling production of the Ranger spacecraft and strengthening a distributed U.S. manufacturing network,” said Kam Ghaffarian, Executive Chairman of Quantum Space. “Tulsa gives us the workforce, infrastructure, and aerospace heritage to build at scale, complementing our propulsion integration and testing in Hawthorne and our engineering base in Rockville, as we accelerate production to meet a broader shift in space operations where maneuverability is becoming a foundational capability across a complex, multi-orbital domain.”
Oklahoma’s deep aerospace heritage made it a natural fit for Quantum Space’s first dedicated manufacturing facility. The state is home to one of the nation’s most experienced aerospace workforces, anchored by decades of activity at Tinker Air Force Base, the FAA Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center, American Airlines’ maintenance operations, and a growing constellation of aerospace suppliers and manufacturers. The precision manufacturing, CNC machining, welding, and quality assurance disciplines that define Oklahoma’s aerospace workforce are precisely the skills Quantum Space requires.
