US Space Force looks for a site for a third spaceport, with no decision timeline yet

The US Space Force, the branch of the American military responsible for space operations, is considering a new spaceport, or rocket launch base. A senior official, Garrant, said there is no firm plan yet for when the military might begin setting one up. The information was reported by Ars Technica.

Why a third site is wanted

Last year, 175 orbital launch attempts took place from three main sites: Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and Kennedy Space Center in Florida, and Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. Space Force officials project that the country's established spaceports will need to support 700 launches per year by 2036.

A third launch site would take some demand off Cape Canaveral and Vandenberg, where real estate is limited. It would also provide what Space Force leaders call "geographic resiliency": a natural disaster or military attack would be less likely to knock both existing sites offline.

Existing alternatives

The federal government already owns another spaceport at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia, used for suborbital rocket tests and launches of small and medium-class satellites. Small rockets can also launch from the Pacific Spaceport Complex, owned by the state of Alaska.

Options under consideration

No decision has been made on the form of the new base. Ars Technica asked whether the Space Force might lease land at a privately owned spaceport, such as the one SpaceX plans to build in southern Louisiana. Garrant said all opportunities need to be considered: a public-private partnership, a new federal installation, state land, or commercial land. Each has pros and cons, and none is being ruled out.

He stressed that a strong partnership with local and state governments will be needed. As for decision timelines, he said there are none yet.