ALPENA — Communities interested in having a command and control center for a proposed spaceport located within their limits will have until Feb. 14 to submit letters of interest to the Michigan Aerospace Manufacturers Association.

The Michigan Launch Initiative, backed by Aerospace Manufacturers Association, has considered locations such as Selfridge Air National Gaurd Base in Harrison Township, Camp Grayling in Crawford County and Fort Custer in Calhoun County as possibilities for the command and control center.

The group has considered several locations in Northeast Michigan for the launch pad.

The association on Tuesday announced the start of a location search for a command and control center to manage commercial satellite operations. The command center would also provide U.S. Department of Defense support to branches like Space Force.

“As we continue to build Michigan’s international space influence with technology, manufacturing, and launch assets, providing a communications telemetry center will enhance our leadership growth in the space satellite industry,” association Executive Director Gavin Brown said in a statement. “Providing a complete ecosystem of value to the commercial and DOD space marketplace is what we are building.”

Requests for information and the requirements detailing the process will be provided to qualified applicants, according to the press release. Site submissions will be evaluated on a variety of technical, economic and physical factors.

The command and control center is one of two projects the Michigan Launch Initiative is working on. The other project is the construction of a launch pad that would launch satellites into a low Earth orbit. Locations in Alpena and Rogers City have been considered for the launch pad.

Mike Mahler, director of economic development at the Alpena Area Chamber of Commerce, said the proposed project is a “regional initiative” — one that would add quality high-tech jobs to the region. He said he would need to assess the interest from others in the area before moving forward.

Rogers City Mayor Scott McLennan said city officials “remain supportive and intrigued” by the proposed project. McLennan said he will speak with City Manager Joe Hefele when Hefele returns to work on Monday. Hefele has been out on medical leave.

McLennan said the city doesn’t own the property that would be of interest to the association.

“That property would be Carmeuse property, and so, we referred them to Carmeuse,” he said. “It’s our understanding that we cannot apply as a community. We are certainly as a community very, very open to exploring the possibility of them coming here. It’s just that there’s no city land involved. They have to work through Carmeuse.”

Crystal Nelson can be reached at 989-358-5687 or cnelson@thealpenanews.com.