Space start-up Portal Space Systems and Washington State Department of Commerce Director Joe Nguyễn announced plans for Portal’s facility and workforce expansion in Bothell.
Portal currently operates an 8,000-square-foot spacecraft development and testing facility in Bothell. It’s home to Supernova, the company's commercial next-gen spacecraft, offering long-range mission possibilities for commercial and defense customers. Portal is building a 50,000-square-foot facility just two miles from its current headquarters in Bothell.
The new site will increase manufacturing capacity and support the company’s transition from research and development to scalable production of Portal’s flagship spacecraft, Supernova, with plans to reach a production cadence of one spacecraft per month by 2027.
Jeff Thornburg, co-founder, CEO, and CTO of Portal Space Systems, said, “Washington has a long history of aerospace excellence, and we’re excited to ensure that legacy continues. The growing ecosystem of space and defense innovators here understands the stakes and share the mission. The support and welcome we’ve received from community leaders who have taken the time to understand our work has helped set us up for success. That’s what makes Bothell the right place for Portal.”
Portal is scaling up operations to support spacecraft production and plans to grow its local team over the next two years. Portal currently employs 21 employees and contractors at its Bothell location and anticipates growing to 100 employees by the end of 2027.
