SpaceX is set to expand their facilities at both the Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. Although no official announcements have been made by either NASA or SpaceX, a draft environmental assessment has been released detailing the expansion.
The draft assessment was prepared by staff from both SpaceX and NASA and compiled by Integrated Mission Support Services. The assessment outlines the need for facilities to conduct booster and fairing refurbishing and storage for the provider’s Falcon 9 and Heavy launch vehicles.
“With launch and landing sites already operational at KSC and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS), this action would provide a location for booster and fairing processing and storage, and a launch and landing control center.”
Sixty-seven acres of KSC property has been earmarked for expansion including the construction of a booster processing hanger and a mission control center.
“SpaceX proposes to develop a site for booster and fairing processing and storage, a new launch and landing control center and a rocket garden at KSC. These facilities will support the growing Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy launch manifests at Launch Complex (LC) -39A and LC-40.”
The planned expansion is an indication that both NASA and SpaceX are confident that the Falcon 9 will be a prominent fixture of the country’s space ambitions. With the launch provider set to begin testing of their Dragon Crew capsule later this year, it is not unlikely that further development of crew-specific facilities will follow.
Feature image credit: SpaceX
