Quantum Space will manufacture the Ranger spacecraft in Tulsa — a highly maneuverable spacecraft engineered for defense and commercial missions; former NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine leads company as CEO

TULSA, Okla., May 12, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Quantum Space, a company building the next generation of advanced maneuverable spacecraft for defense and commercial space operations, today announced the establishment of a new manufacturing facility in Tulsa, Oklahoma. 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.

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 Jim Bridenstine. “With its new and existing infrastructure, deep aerospace heritage, and skilled workforce, expanding our manufacturing to Oklahoma was an obvious choice.”

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. Quantum Space will begin facility modifications in July 2026, with initial operational capability targeted for Q1 2027.

The facility will be located in the former Spartan manufacturing facility at the Tulsa International Airport, a historic aerospace property currently undergoing renovation planning. Quantum Space will occupy a move-in-ready interim facility beginning in 2026 while renovation of the Spartan Building is completed.

“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.

Hiring for the Tulsa facility is expected to begin 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.

About Quantum Space
Quantum Space builds agile spacecraft to strengthen U.S. space defense and meet the demands of modern space operations. Our mission centers on the Ranger platform: a highly maneuverable spacecraft designed to address the needs of national security and commercial operators. With patented propulsion, extended on orbit endurance, and modular flexibility, Ranger is engineered to outmaneuver legacy satellites and operate dynamically across diverse mission sets. For more information, visit www.quantumspace.us.

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SOURCE Quantum Space