Decides To Not Select A Partner At This Time

After thorough consideration of the proposals received to develop additional commercial vertical launch capabilities at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the center has decided not to select a partner at this time.

Kennedy is transforming as a multi-user spaceport under a 20-year master plan. As part of that plan, the center released an Announcement for Proposals (AFP) June 2 to alert the public to a potential opportunity to develop commercial vertical launch capabilities at two launch sites on Kennedy Space Center.

Several major aerospace launch providers already are located at Kennedy and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. An initial market analysis, more than a year before issuing the AFP, indicated there may be a need for more.

A review of the AFP proposals and the current commercial market demand indicated the market wasn’t sufficiently mature to make the commitment NASA sought when it issued the announcement.

The two sites mentioned in the AFP are the only locations in the center’s master plan suitable for vertical launch capabilities. As a result, Kennedy will keep them for this purpose. While no decision has been made at this time to issue another AFP, as demand grows, Kennedy will look to make the sites available for commercial partnerships in the future.

(Image from file)

FMI: www.nasa.gov