The NASA has made a deal with Space Florida to occupy, use and modify Kennedy Space Center's Orbiter Processing Facility-3, the Space Shuttle Main Engine Processing Facility and Processing Control Center.

Meanwhile, Space Florida, the aerospace economic development agency of the state of Florida, has an agreement for use of the Orbiter Processing Facility-3 with the Boeing Company to manufacture and test the company's Crew Space Transportation (CST-100) spacecraft for launch to the International Space Station.

The deal which will run for 15 years and there is an option for another five, is a clear sign that NASA will continue to be an engine for growth, said Lori Garver, the agency's deputy administrator, in announcing the deal during a ceremony Oct. 31 at OPF-3.

"Together we're going to win the future right here," he said.

"This is just the first of much to come," said Sen. Bill Nelson of Florida.

"You just wait until you see what's coming here to the Kennedy Space Center in the future in the way of public/private partnerships."

Even the White House has praised the newly formed partnership.

"My administration will be pressing forward, in partnership with Space Florida and the private sector, to create jobs and make surer America continues to lead the world in exploration and discovery," President Barack Obama said in a statement.

Boeing will set up Orbiter Processing Facility-3 at the Kennedy Space Center to manufacture and assemble its CST-100 spacecraft for launches to the International Space Station under a newly signed agreement with NASA and Space Florida.

Expected to produce 550 jobs by 2015, the deal may be the first of several affecting other Kennedy facilities which are available for use with the retirement of the space shuttle fleet early this year.

The CST-100, or Crew Space Transportation, is a reusable, capsule-shaped spacecraft built to ferry seven people into Earth orbit. Boeing envisions the first missions carrying astronauts to the space station, possibly as soon as 2015.

The company also may take people to a space station designed by Bigelow Aerospace, with those launches also potentially taking place at Kennedy.

Boeing said its commercial crew program office will be based at Kennedy. "We selected Florida for the commercial crew headquarters because of its close proximity to not only our NASA customer at Kennedy Space Center, but also because of outstanding facilities and an experienced space workforce," said John Elbon, vice president and general manager of Boeing Space Exploration.

The NASA has made a deal with the Boeing Co., among other private partners, in connection with the use of its Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Under the deal, Boeing will set up Orbiter Processing Facility-3 at the Kennedy Space Center to manufacture and assemble its CST-100 spacecraft for launches to the International Space Station under a newly signed agreement with NASA and Space Florida.

The dea, which will run for 15 years and there is an option for another five, is a clear sign that NASA will continue to be an engine for growth, said Lori Garver, the agency's deputy administrator, in announcing the deal during a ceremony Oct. 31 at OPF-3.

"Together we're going to win the future right here," he said.

"This is just the first of much to come," said Sen. Bill Nelson of Florida.

"You just wait until you see what's coming here to the Kennedy Space Center in the future in the way of public/private partnerships."

Even the White House has praised the newly formed partnership. "My administration will be pressing forward, in partnership with Space Florida and the private sector, to create jobs and make surer America continues to lead the world in exploration and discovery," President Barack Obama said in a statement.

Boeing will set up Orbiter Processing Facility-3 at the Kennedy Space Center to manufacture and assemble its CST-100 spacecraft for launches to the International Space Station under a newly signed agreement with NASA and Space Florida.

Expected to produce 550 jobs by 2015, the deal may be the first of several affecting other Kennedy facilities which are available for use with the retirement of the space shuttle fleet early this year.

The CST-100, or Crew Space Transportation, is a reusable, capsule-shaped spacecraft built to ferry seven people into Earth orbit. Boeing envisions the first missions carrying astronauts to the space station, possibly as soon as 2015.

The company also may take people to a space station designed by Bigelow Aerospace, with those launches also potentially taking place at Kennedy.

Boeing said its commercial crew program office will be based at Kennedy. "We selected Florida for the commercial crew headquarters because of its close proximity to not only our NASA customer at Kennedy Space Center, but also because of outstanding facilities and an experienced space workforce," said John Elbon, vice president and general manager of Boeing Space Exploration.