NASA’s Alabama hub simulates space hazards to advance exploration
HUNTSVILLE, Alabama – Inside Building 4605 at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, there’s a portal to space and all of its extreme conditions. It’s called the High Intensity Solar Environment Test system, or HISET. NASA says the device’s chamber is the only place on earth where spacecraft systems and materials can, at the same time,…
Airbus links with Alabama universities to build new leaders
One of the ways Airbus is putting down roots in Alabama is through partnerships with local universities that aim to help shape the next generation of industry leaders. The aerospace giant has donated large airplane components to engineering departments at the University of South Alabama and Auburn University for students and faculty members to use…
Four trends lifting Alabama aerospace industry to new altitudes
One day last month, a barge floated along the Tennessee River toward NASA’s Alabama hub, the Marshall Space Flight Center. On board was a key piece of hardware for the agency’s Space Launch System, its new deep space exploration rocket. The hardware – fabricated at the United Launch Alliance rocket plant a few miles away…
GE Aviation kicks off work on unique materials factories in Alabama
HUNTSVILLE, Alabama – GE Aviation executives joined Governor Robert Bentley today to formal launch a $200 million project to build two factories in Alabama that are critical to the company’s plans to produce revolutionary ultra-lightweight parts for jet engines. Leading state and local officials also attended a groundbreaking ceremony in Huntsville for the project, which…
Report: Key indicators show Alabama bioscience industry expanding
Alabama’s bioscience industry is robust, and key indicators show the sector is growing to support new, high-paying jobs, according to a report from TEConomy Partners LLC and the Biotechnology Innovation Organization, or BIO. The “Value of Bioscience Innovation in Growing Jobs and Improving Quality of Life 2016” Report examines metrics including the number of employees…
Innovation Depot boosts biotech pipeline, entrepreneurial ecosystem
Birmingham’s Innovation Depot has played a key role in growing Alabama’s biotech industry, with standout facilities, strong ties to world-class researchers and an extensive network of contacts that help new firms make their mark in the field. The business incubator is home to a wide range of startups, but its benefits for biotech companies are…
Commerce joins Alabama team at major biotech convention
A key recruitment official from the Alabama Department of Commerce is joining a delegation of state bioscience leaders at the BIO International Convention, the biotech sector’s largest annual conference, attracting more than 15,000 high-level industry figures from around the globe. BIO 2016 begins today at San Francisco’s Moscone Center and runs through Thursday. While there,…
Innovation Fund grant speeds rollout of AIMTech treadmill
The Alabama Innovation Fund helped speed the development of a revolutionary treadmill designed to allow people with neurological or physical disorders to exercise in a safe manner. The device, called the ResistX, is the first product from the Alliance for Innovative Medical Technology (AIMTech), a partnership between two Birmingham research powerhouses – Southern Research and…
Appetite for Growth: Alabama food companies expanding operations
Companies across Alabama are investing millions of dollars in new and expanded specialty food processing operations that tap into growing national trends. From pickled okra and salsa in Pike County to dehydrated fruits and vegetables in Foley, the projects were part of a record year of economic development for the state in 2015, with overall…
Trailer gives intense look at Alabama-filmed ‘USS Indianapolis’
Moviegoers are getting their first look at a World War II epic filmed in Alabama. The first official trailer for “USS Indianapolis: Men of Courage,” starring Nicolas Cage, has been released. The film, shot at Mobile’s USS Alabama Battleship Park and in Orange Beach, tells the story of the USS Indianapolis, which was tasked with…
