Shuttle Runway May See Private Spacecraft

The massive runway at the Kennedy Space Center that was the primary landing site for the Space Shuttle could again be used for privately operated space missions. The FAA has released a "Final Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact/Record of Decision" on the Shuttle Landing Facility at the Cape. The facility encompasses 4,432 acres and the 15,000 x 300 runway itself is almost 100 acres of that. It is currently designated a state licensed private use airport managed by Space Florida.

The FAA says that under the plan submitted for environmental assessment, Space Florida would build facilities to accommodate launch and recovery operations for spacecraft that take off and land like aircraft. "The EA may be used to support the issuance of launch licenses or experimental permits to prospective vehicle operators that propose to conduct launches of horizontal takeoff and horizontal landing launch vehicles from the SLF," the FAA's notice says. It's not clear if Space Florida has prospective customers for such a facility but the FAA notes that each one will require a Launch Site Operator License issued by the FAA. Below is the final landing of the shuttle era in 2011.