Space Force Eyes Third Heavy-Lift Port by 2030
AI-generated image · US National Wire
Pentagon leaders seek to alleviate congestion at Florida and California sites, weighing commercial leases against federal land.
The U.S. Space Force is targeting 2030 to have a third heavy-lift launch site operational, according to reporting from Ars Technica. The move aims to provide "geographic resiliency" against military attacks or natural disasters while relieving pressure on Vandenberg Space Force Base in California and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
Air Force Secretary Troy Meink first signaled the search for a third base in May, following a congressionally mandated study that highlighted the requirement for a site capable of supporting heavy and super-heavy launches. This objective aligns with a Trump administration space transportation policy released in August that supports increasing launch and reentry sites for military and commercial use.
Lt. Gen. Philip Garrant, head of Space Systems Command, described the 2030 goal as "aspirational," noting the complexities of orbital regimes, safety, and local populations. While the federal government already operates NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia and the state of Alaska owns the Pacific Spaceport Complex, these are primarily for smaller or suborbital missions.
As the Space Force projects a need for 700 annual launches by 2036, Garrant told Ars Technica that the military is considering several land-acquisition paths, including state land, new federal installations, or public-private partnerships. This includes the possibility of leasing property from commercial providers, such as the spaceport SpaceX is planning to construct in southern Louisiana.