State Grants Will Help With Infrastructure Improvements

Cecil Spaceport at Cecil Field in Jacksonville, FL has applied for a renewal of its spaceport license for an additional five years.

As part of the license renewal application, Cecil is asking for the authority to allow the airport to remain open for non-space-related operations during spaceport operations.

The Jacksonville Business Journal reports that under the current license, the aviation side of the airport is required to closed while rocket fuel is oxidized and a spacecraft is launched. The renewal seeks to limit impacts on normal operations.

To help the airport stay open during space operations, the state of Florida, meanwhile has awarded two grants to Cecil Spaceport that will allow improvements to be made at the facility.

A $2 million grant from the state and an additional $1 million from Space Florida will be used to construct a taxiway connector from the east side of the runway to the ramp area. That will be used primarily for spacecraft to help reduce the impacts on regular aviation activities. Cecil Airport head Rusty Chandler said that the goal is integration of space activities at the airport, but with a minimal impact to other tenants.

FMI: Cecil Spaceport Master Plan