Alabama is one of America's most important aerospace states, anchored by NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville — the nation's lead center for rocket propulsion — Redstone Arsenal, and a booming defense corridor employing 95,000+ workers. Boeing, Lockheed Martin, and Dynetics all operate major programs here, and Huntsville ranks among the top 5 US cities for aerospace and defense engineers per capita.
From NASA's rocket propulsion headquarters to Lockheed missile programs, Alabama hosts a world-class concentration of aerospace and defense employers in the Tennessee Valley.
NASA Marshall Space Flight Center
NASA Marshall is the nation's lead center for rocket propulsion and manages the Space Launch System — the most powerful rocket ever built. Marshall employs over 6,000 civil servants and contractors in Huntsville and has anchored the Tennessee Valley's aerospace economy since the Saturn V program of the 1960s.
Boeing Defense
Boeing operates significant missile defense and space systems programs in Huntsville, supporting NASA SLS and Department of Defense customers. Boeing is one of Huntsville's top five employers, with hundreds of systems engineers and production technicians working across its missile defense and space launch programs.
Lockheed Martin Missiles
Lockheed Martin operates a major missile and fire control program center in Huntsville, developing PAC-3 Missile Segment Enhancement and other air defense systems. Lockheed employs thousands of workers in Alabama and is consistently one of the state's largest defense contractors by headcount and contract value.
