Aerospace Manufacturing Facility Expansion & Renovation

Client & Context

Airbus U.S. Space & Defense develops advanced satellite, intelligence and communications technologies supporting government and national security missions — environments where precision, contamination control and operational continuity are imperative. Their Merritt Island facility is an active manufacturing site, and keeping it that way during a major expansion project was non-negotiable.

Working alongside The Haskell Company, Corvant completed both a 56,000 sq ft expansion and 30,000 sq ft renovation of the facility — adding new ISO 8 cleanrooms, environmental labs and support spaces while preserving active manufacturing operations throughout. With aggressive turnover requirements tied directly to customer contracts and production schedules, there was no margin for delay.

The Challenge

Maintaining ISO 8 cleanroom standards while renovating occupied spaces required meticulous planning. Construction activities had to be isolated from active satellite manufacturing programs without compromising environmental conditions or disrupting production schedules.

Then, midway through the project, revised owner requirements tripled the scope of the facility’s liquid and gaseous nitrogen systems. Work was already underway and the schedule hadn’t moved — but the system now had to be completely redesigned.

Our Approach

Corvant and Haskell developed an execution plan built around an accelerated six-day, ten-hour work schedule to meet the facility’s demanding completion dates. The scope was substantial, with chillers, air handling units, humidifiers, fan filter units, hydronic systems, compressed air and LN2/GN2 process piping — all requiring precise coordination within an active, security-controlled environment.

When the nitrogen system requirements tripled midway through construction, Corvant didn’t pause. Working with Haskell, the Corvant team initiated a delegated design effort, redesigning the nitrogen system from scratch while keeping installation on track. The additional scope was absorbed without extending the schedule.

The Outcome

The expansion and renovation were delivered on schedule: ISO 8 cleanrooms operational, nitrogen systems fully redesigned and commissioned, and Airbus’s active satellite manufacturing uninterrupted throughout.

The project strengthened Corvant’s partnership with Haskell and reinforced its growing track record in highly specialized aerospace facilities where precision and operational continuity define every decision.