Kelly Page, President, Barrios Technology
In an interview with Invest:, Kelly Page, president of Barrios Technology, said that Houston’s leadership in human spaceflight and its growing commercial space ecosystem are driving the next era of innovation in aerospace. “Houston remains the hub for human spaceflight, which is at the core of our work,” she said.
Could you share some of the most impactful recent developments and how they are positioning you for future growth?
Over the past year, we’ve focused on expanding our company beyond the traditional NASA market and into the commercial space sector. We’ve worked hard to define the services that truly set us apart by analyzing the unique needs of the commercial market. While that market hasn’t grown as quickly as we had hoped, we anticipate significant expansion starting this year and beyond. We’ve refined our specialties, particularly in systems engineering and digital architecture, and are now channeling those capabilities into supporting the commercial space industry.
What makes Houston the best place for Barrios to be headquartered?
Houston remains the hub for human spaceflight, which is at the core of our work. While other regions may be involved in human spaceflight to some extent, none have the history, culture, or infrastructure that Houston offers. This city has always been, and continues to be, the heart of human space exploration. We’re seeing this reaffirmed in the growth of commercial human spaceflight. That’s why Houston remains the best location for the work we do. I recently attended an economic update, and the numbers for Houston were impressive. Compared to the rest of the country, we’re seeing growth across multiple sectors. It reinforces why Houston remains such a strong place to do business. Aerospace is becoming a significant part of that picture. While it won’t surpass oil and gas in terms of economic scale anytime soon, it’s rapidly emerging and gaining traction.
What is the Stellar Access initiative about?
With Stellar Access, we’ve taken a different approach. Instead of spinning it off into a separate company, we’ve integrated the concept directly into our existing operations. This allows us to stay focused on our goals. Right now, we’re exploring several exciting opportunities, especially with support from the Texas Space Commission. We’re also looking at how to build a new space economy — one that includes commercial customers outside the traditional government landscape while still leveraging existing public partnerships. It’s a slightly different path, and we’re planning to formally launch it later this year.
Can you elaborate on the Texas Space Commission’s role in shaping the aerospace industry here?
The Texas Space Commission is doing something truly innovative — bringing state funding into the equation to spur the development of new technologies, innovations, and business ideas. It is also helping attract new companies to Texas, strengthening the state’s overall aerospace ecosystem. A number of grants have already been awarded, and more are on the way. Several of our partner companies are recipients of these grants, and we’re excited to continue collaborating and see what these investments produce.
How do you view the role of commercial space infrastructure in attracting new investment and talent?
We’re seeing tremendous potential from the combined efforts of the Houston Spaceport, Exploration Park next to the Johnson Space Center, and the A&M Institute of Biosciences & Technology, also nearby. Together, these form a powerful space corridor. While many of the same companies are still operating here, the region is attracting much more attention, including that of international businesses. There’s a strong desire to be in the middle of the action. Companies want to partner with U.S. firms or build new ventures here, and the Spaceport is quickly becoming the place to do it.
What important projects are you working on, and what is in the pipeline?
One major project we’re working on is with Intuitive Machines. We’re serving as systems engineering, program integration, and eventually operations partner for its Lunar Terrain Vehicle, Moon RACER, which is being developed for a potential NASA contract. It’s thrilling to be part of a team building a lunar rover right here in Houston.
Beyond that, as we prepare for the eventual retirement of the ISS in 2030, we’re looking at how to diversify our offerings and bring in new commercial customers. Our focus is expanding beyond government partnerships to build sustainable commercial ventures.
Looking at the aerospace labor market, what is your assessment, and how are you managing talent acquisition and retention?
Last year, we faced workforce challenges due to a peak in commercial demand and some delays in NASA’s contract awards. That led to a few unfortunate layoffs, though most people quickly found roles elsewhere. Right now, talent availability isn’t a major issue. The hiring surge we experienced taught us valuable lessons, and we’re now preparing for the next wave, which we expect within the next two years. There’s a strong push for training and education, including new university and community college partnerships in Houston, to ensure we’re ready when demand rises again.
Do you see any private funding entering the market?
While I’m not deeply tapped into the private funding side, we have noticed a bit of a slowdown. Much of it stems from uncertainty around business cases for Low Earth Orbit platforms, which haven’t fully materialized yet. Many venture capitalists were waiting for NASA to release its procurement strategy, as the government was expected to be the anchor tenant. Without that confirmation, the commercial side alone isn’t enough to support the platforms. However, NASA has been developing its plans, and once it releases a formal procurement document, I think we’ll see a surge in private investment again.
How is Barrios engaging with the local community?
Community involvement is one of our core values. We continue to make corporate donations and remain a proud partner of United Way, running a company-wide campaign each year. In addition, we’ve grown an employee-driven grant program. When employees volunteer their time, we match it with financial contributions to those organizations. This helps us support causes that are meaningful to our team members. We’re also deeply involved in STEM education. I serve on the board of the Clear Creek Education Foundation, which focuses on early education. We believe preparing students with a solid foundation from the beginning is essential. I’m also chairing the Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership this year and on the board for the Clear Lake Area Chamber of Commerce. A big part of our focus is supporting youth and educational institutions in our area.
What is your outlook for Barrios and the broader aerospace industry over the next five years?
Over the next five years, we’re preparing for the retirement of the ISS, shifting focus to other NASA exploration programs and expanding the commercial space economy. The challenge is to maintain our relevance and strength as the industry evolves, and we’re already laying the groundwork for that future. We’ve gone through major transitions before, like after the Shuttle program, and we came out stronger. So, while saying goodbye to the ISS is bittersweet, we’re excited about what’s next. While many of our companies are commercially driven, a significant portion still relies on federal funding. We’re all actively advocating to keep NASA’s federal funding specifically to fund the ISS at levels required to use it to its fullest potential and to see our Moon to Mars programs flourish as designed. Things are evolving daily, and while we adapt to that, we’re also building our resilience to minimize any negative impact on our companies or region.
