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Thursday, September 22, 2016

What Should NASA/USAF Do With Its Inactive Launch Complexes At Cape Canaveral?

For those who don't know or who are interested, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station has a LOT of inactive launch complexes (as well as pads). With the rise of commercial spaceflight some of these complexes have been repurposed for commercial use:

Launch Complex 13 repurposed (and renamed) for SpaceX as a landing site.

Launch Complex 40 also being repurposed for SpaceX.

Launch Complex 36 repurposed for Blue Origin usage.

Launch Complex 20 being used by NASA's Advanced Technology Development Center.

Launch Complex 11 under interest by Blue Origin.

However there's 24 (give or take) launch complexes that aren't being used (as well as even more pads), that's a lot of useable space. Most of these complexes as well as their pads were primarily active during the 50s/60s and were deactivated during the 60s, some managed to make it to the 70s and even the 80s. Most of these complexes have had large scale demolitions (for safety reasons) while some still have useable infrastructure (mainly blockhouses) but of course they'd be in heavy need of repair due to so many years of inactivity.

So what are your thoughts on what these launch complexes should be used for? There's the classic option of leasing them to private spaceflight companies or going through expensive reactivation for government (NASA and DOD) use or utilizing the land for non spaceflight use e.g research departments, offices that can be leased to private space companies or something more outlandish/creative.

If you're interested in the launch complexes as well as their pads here's a couple of links



Submitted September 22, 2016 at 07:39AM by Boomer-Australia http://ift.tt/2cvYP8S

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