Report: Kennedy Space Center not ready for era of super heavy rockets
Stressing the system
SpaceX has told NASA it plans to launch Starship every eight days from Kennedy.
NASA's Space Launch System Rocket at LC-39B, preparing to lift off in 2022. Credit: Trevor Mahlmann
NASA’s infrastructure at Kennedy Space Center, the crown jewel of US spaceports, is aging and approaching its limit due to increased demand from private companies, including SpaceX and Blue Origin, a new report finds.
“NASA’s launch infrastructure is vital to providing the agency, other government agencies, and commercial partners access to space for their most complex and expensive missions,” states the report, published by the NASA Office of Inspector General. “Nevertheless, NASA’s launch infrastructure is dated and often does not provide the capacity to meet the growing demands of the agency and its partners.”
The report covers NASA’s launch facilities at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida and Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. However, the most noteworthy...
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