Linde to grow US air gases capacity for space industry

Industrial gas major Linde is set to build a new air separation unit (ASU) in Brownsville, Texas, and increase capacity at its existing ASU in Mims, Florida, to support the US space industry.

The investments are linked to two long-term agreements signed by Linde to supply liquid oxygen and nitrogen for rocket launches.

Linde’s Brownsville ASU is expected to come online in Q1 2026 and, once operational, will support both the space industry and a broader base of industrial gas customers.

The additional capacity at the Mims site is expected by early 2027. Linde has previously expanded the plant’s capacity – once in 2020 and again in 2024.

Sanjiv Lamba, CEO of Linde, noted the space industry’s rapid expansion, with missions growing in ambition and scale.

“Linde is proud to support this growing sector. As demand increases, we will continue investing alongside our customers and expanding our strong presence both in the southern US and globally,” he said.

Linde has supported space exploration for more than six decades, from supplying liquid oxygen for Apollo missions to enabling modern satellite propulsion and engine component testing.

In 2024, the company supplied gases for more than 100 rocket launches.