KBR to Build Spaceflight Food Lab at NASA’s Exploration Park, Fueling Moon and Mars Missions

KBR Inc. (NYSE: KBR), a major Houston-based engineering and construction firm, is planning a significant facility near NASA's Johnson Space Center to support the burgeoning space economy. The company has signed a letter of intent to build a 45,000-square-foot facility at ACMI Properties’ Exploration Park, a development adjacent to the space center.

This cutting-edge facility will focus on developing advanced human-centric systems, particularly in the area of tailored food, nutrition, and packaging solutions for astronauts. The aim is to meet the growing demand within the low Earth orbit (LEO) economy, where space stations and some satellites operate, and ultimately support missions to the Moon and Mars.

Mark Kavanaugh, KBR's president of defense, intel and space, highlighted the importance of this initiative: "This KBR-led capability will serve as a critical resource for NASA and its provider community by delivering safe, expertly developed food solutions tailored for human performance on spaceflight missions."

The facility aims to design, test, validate, produce, and integrate astronaut food systems into customer mission environments. Operating at NASA’s Exploration Park, in collaboration with ACMI Properties, KBR anticipates setting new benchmarks and catering to the evolving needs of LEO, Moon, and Mars providers.

Beyond human spaceflight programs, the facility also targets applications for supplying goods, services, and technologies where stringent food safety, packaging, and lifecycle management are paramount for mission success. The new lab will enable KBR to enhance its commercial space capabilities, fulfilling the increasing demand for advanced human-centric systems.

ACMI Properties specializes in building mission-critical aerospace and national security facilities, making them an ideal partner for KBR in this endeavor. The strategic location within Exploration Park underscores the commitment to innovation within the space industry.

What impact will this facility have on the future of space exploration and the well-being of astronauts? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

• Exploration Park
• KBR
• NASA