Castelion, a defense-technology company, announced plans today, November 17, 2025 to construct a new hypersonic manufacturing campus in Sandoval County. It represents one of the largest advanced-propulsion investments in New Mexico in recent years. In its announcement, Project Ranger establishes a 1,000-acre campus dedicated to the manufacturing of solid rocket motors and the assembly of next-generation hypersonic components.
Castelion confirmed it will invest over $100 million in the facility in the first phase of development, with expectations of further capital after that as operations ramp up. According to the company, the new site will include motor production lines, static-fire testing infrastructure, and assembly areas for full rocket components.
Economic and Job Impact of Project Ranger
Local officials hailed it as a major economic win. The effort is expected to create approximately 300 high-quality permanent jobs and generate an estimated $650 million in economic output during the next ten years. Sandoval County and the City of Rio Rancho have each signed off on an economic-development package backing the project, including funding tied to improvements to the roads and infrastructure around the site.
The executives at Castelion said New Mexico was chosen because of its pool of engineering talent, proximity to regional research institutions and the state’s long history in aerospace and defense innovation. The firm underlined that Project Ranger will help build up U.S. manufacturing capacity for hypersonic propulsion systems-a capability the Pentagon has flagged as key to national security.
Safety and Environmental Concerns Surround Project Ranger in New Mexico
While the announcement was welcomed by leaders, the project has also prompted concerns from some local residents and environmental groups. Solid rocket-motor production uses materials such as ammonium perchlorate and powdered metals, raising questions about emissions, groundwater contamination, and the long-term safety of static-fire testing. Community organizations have called for additional environmental reviews and more transparent monitoring requirements.
City and county officials say they have included safety conditions in early agreements, including required memoranda outlining emergency-response roles, inspection authority, and DoD-aligned safety-distancing standards for structures on site. Hazard and plume-dispersion modeling, however, is still under review, according to local planning documents.
Construction is expected to start after final permitting and safety planning have been completed. Once the facility becomes operational, Project Ranger will be well-positioned to become one of the largest defense manufacturing employers in the region and a cornerstone for New Mexico’s growing aerospace sector.
Project Ranger is part of a broader U.S. push to strengthen and reshore domestic manufacturing across multiple sectors, including pharmaceuticals, rare-earth materials, and advanced defense technologies.
Project Ranger (New Mexico) — Quick Facts
Project: Castelion “Project Ranger” Hypersonic Manufacturing Campus
Location: Sandoval County / Rio Rancho area, New Mexico
Announcement Date: November 17, 2025
Sector: Defense manufacturing — solid rocket motors, hypersonic components
Scale & Investment
Initial investment: More than $100 million
Campus size: 1,000 acres
Economic output: estimated $650+ million over 10 years
Facilities & Capabilities
Solid rocket-motor production lines
Static-fire test stands
Assembly for all-up rocket and hypersonic components
Infrastructure for advanced propulsion manufacturing
Workforce
300 high-quality permanent jobs projected
Why New Mexico
Strong regional technical workforce
Well-established aerospace and defense ecosystem
Available land and industrial infrastructure
Supportive state and local economic-development programs
Local Incentives & Infrastructure
County and city economic-development package approved
Road and infrastructure upgrades planned to support the site
Safety & Environmental Considerations
Hazard and plume modeling under review
DoD-standard safety-distance requirements
MOUs for Emergency Response and Inspections
Emissions and protection of groundwater-an issue of community concern
