Two Michigan Sites Cleared For Space Launches [Video]

The sites, one in the Upper Peninsula, and one in Northern Lower Michigan, could start seeing launches as early as 2025.

The Michigan Aerospace Manufactures Association (MAMA) announced this week that land located just north of Marquette in Michigan's Upper Peninsula will be developed into a rocket launch site.

Gavin Brown, CEO of MAMA, announced Marquette as a launch site Thursday. Oscoda's former Wurtsmith Air Force Base was announced earlier as another Michigan vertical launch site.

It's estimated the two locations could generate over 2000 jobs for the Michigan economy in the lead up to 2025. In the long run, Brown is hoping it creates up to 40,000 jobs.

“If you look at minimal population density, access to water, launch trajectories, things of those nature that are associated with launches, the northern part of our great state actually serves very well for this,” Brown told Marquette's TV 6 News.

“Today is only a step forward,” Brown explained, “but it is an important and vital step toward securing Michigan’s foothold in the space industry.”

Michigan will be able to meet the demand for commercial, government and defense space launches, including the demand for complete geographic broadband coverage, including 5G for electric vehicles anywhere in the United States.