Florida leads the world in rocket launches, and this trend is expected to continue with the addition of two new spaceports: Homestead Air Reserve Base in South Florida and Tyndall Air Force Base in the Panhandle. Governor Ron DeSantis signed a bill for these spaceports on Monday, marking a significant milestone for Florida’s aerospace industry. According to Space Florida’s president and CEO, Rob Long, this move reflects Florida’s dedication to becoming a global and interplanetary leader in aerospace commerce.
In the past decade, Space Florida has managed to increase employment in the aerospace sector by 41%. With the new spaceports, they aim to further boost this number. Long believes that the new locations will make it more convenient for rocket companies to operate in Florida.
Mark Marquette, community liaison at the American Space Museum, shares this optimism. He notes that Florida’s space industry has experienced significant growth in the past five years, with new facilities springing up all over the state. Marquette suggests that Florida’s attractive landscape is a key factor in its ambition to host more spaceports, as it aims to draw in talent from other states like California, Washington, and Texas.
Space Florida asserts that these new spaceports will only serve to strengthen Florida’s position as a global hub for aerospace commerce. Marquette agrees, suggesting that the governor likely wants to maintain Florida’s status as the top spaceport in the U.S. Furthermore, all of Florida’s space hubs are expected to collaborate to foster growth in the industry.
