Aerospace startup Axiom Space has announced plans to build a 14-acre, 322K SF headquarters campus at the Houston Spaceport.

Axiom will use the facility to train private astronauts and begin production of Axiom Station, the world’s first private space station that will serve as a hub for research, manufacturing and commerce in low Earth orbit.

The Houston-based firm’s HQ will be located in Phase 1 of the Spaceport build-out, which broke ground in June 2019 and reached completion in December. That phase included the construction of streets, water and wastewater infrastructure, pipelines, electric power and distribution, as well as communications facilities.

The 322K SF new building will accommodate Axiom Station modules and terminal building space to house private astronauts, operations, engineering and other requirements. The campus will have ease of access to neighboring Ellington Airport.

“Houston Spaceport represents an ideal headquarters location with its infrastructure and benefits as well as its co-location at Ellington Airport,” Axiom Space CEO Mike Suffredini said in a statement. “The opportunity to build high-bay hangars where we can assemble the Axiom Station while simultaneously training our private astronauts for missions gives us the flexibility we need as we build the future of commercial space.”

Axiom landed a major contract in January from NASA to build and attach commercial modules to the International Space Station, and it said in February that it was planning to lease 14 acres at the Houston Spaceport for its facility. The company has previously said it intends to launch the first module in the second half of 2024.

In the long run, Axiom said it intends to build and attach multiple modules to the ISS until the station is retired. At that stage, the modules will detach from the station and commence orbit as Axiom Station.

Axiom leased 31.1K SF of office space in Clear Lake in May. The office space is less than a mile from the Johnson Space Center and less than 10 miles from the Houston Spaceport.