Cape Canaveral infrastructure and support sees upgrades as launch cadence rapidy increases

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The world’s busiest spaceport continues to break yearly launch records as more commercial space launch providers aim to add to the already busy launch cadence. Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and Kennedy Space Center, together, achieved 93 launches in 2024, far exceeding the once-ambitious goal of “Drive to 48” in 2017.

Launch pads built in the 1960s are getting a new lease on life with the arrival of Relativity, Stoke Space, Firefly, ABL, Vaya Space, and Phantom Space, which are taking over facilities on historic ICBM Road. The rapid development of commercial space and its ability to support vital National Security missions bring challenges to budgets and infrastructure. Space Launch Delta 45’s “Spaceport of the Future” plan is part of a Space Force investment in resilient and ready spaceports with a budget of $1.3 billion over five years.

NSF recently sat down with U.S. Space Force Maj. Andrew Compton, Spaceport Integration Office Commander, and Andy Duce, Program Manager of Spaceport Development, to talk about Spaceport of the Future initiatives and challenges. The two heavily discussed the engineering required to launch rockets into space from the Cape, as well as the importance of less-obvious launch infrastructure, such as wastewater treatment.

The first rocket launch from the Cape occurred on July 24, 1950, from Launch Complex 3. To understand the various upgrades needed at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station (CCSFS), it is important to understand that the rugged terrain upon which it stands was transformed at a pace comparable to that of the 1960s space race.

The collection of launch pads at the Cape referred to as “Missle Row,” seen here in 1963. LC-14 is the left-most pad in the image. (Credit: NASA)

This meant that, although some areas were repurposed as programs changed, pads that were used for some of the U.S.’s earliest space programs, such as Launch Complex 14 (LC-14) and Launch Complex 16 (LC-16), were never developed beyond the implementation of a septic system and an access road. By the time upgrades could’ve been implemented at these pads, the next set of new and more supported launch pads were being built for even bigger rockets.

Thus, many of these pads sat dormant for decades and ultimately fell into disarray. However, following the boom of commercial space companies in the 2000s, these pads eventually began to be looked at by companies looking to launch their rockets from Florida. Then, one by one, the pads were leased to these companies — first to SpaceX, then to Blue Origin, Relativity, Firefly, and more.

As the Cape’s commercial presence grew, it became clear that much of the existing infrastructure at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station (CCSFS) would need to be upgraded to accommodate not only more personnel, but also new technology and vehicles — like landing rockets. One of the latest infrastructure upgrades came just months ago in March 2025, when the new NASA Causeway Bridge in Titusville opened to traffic. Space Florida secured a $90 million grant from NASA to construct the new bridge, with the Florida Department of Transportation covering the remaining project costs of $36 million.

The new NASA Causeway Bridge. (Credit: NASA/Glenn Benson)

This bridge serves as a vital link between the mainland and the Cape for personnel, supplies, commodities, and payloads. There is another bridge, NASA Causeway East, also known as the “little bridge between” KSC and CCSFS. The tricky part about this bridge is that, although it is located on KSC property, it is primarily used to transport launch vehicles, payloads, and supplies to facilities at CCSFS. For example, the bridge is used when Blue Origin moves components of its New Glenn from its manufacturing facility to Launch Complex 36 (LC-36).

When asked about the challenges the NASA Causeway East bridge brings, Andy Duce said, “This bridge was added to the list of projects in April 2025.” Officials will first meet with NASA to discuss the requirements for Department of Defense (DOD) and NASA operations, and then discuss with launch providers the requirements they may need. This will require forward thinking regarding the needs of launch vehicles in the 2030s and 2050s.

Some considerations include road width and slope to accommodate launch vehicle transporters. Waterway traffic on the Banana River will also need to be addressed, as SpaceX begins to ship Starship and Super Heavy to Florida via barge. Waterway traffic needs may dictate whether a high-level bridge will replace the current drawbridge system.

The smaller NASA Causeway East. (Credit: Julia Bergeron for NSF)

Approximately two years ago, Space Launch Delta 45 (SLD 45) brought the AF Warf, located in the industrial area of the Cape, online for launch provider use. This enabled vehicles, such as SpaceX’s Dragon crew and cargo capsules, to be offloaded for transport closer to their refurbishment facility, reducing public risk to toxic hazards like hypergolic propellants. This warf will continue to serve as an option for launch providers to bring ground service equipment (GSE) materials as well as launch hardware to the Cape.

Additional infrastructure projects currently underway include road widening and resurfacing, as well as relocating approximately 13 miles of low- and medium-voltage electrical lines from overhead to underground. Combine electrical upgrades with Miami-Dade County hurricane standards for buildings, and SLD 45 will continue to be resilient and ready for hurricane season and Florida’s extreme and rapidly changing weather conditions.

Water use and treatment are among the key topics of the Spaceport of the Future initiative, with local residents recently voicing their concerns about the aging water treatment plant at the December 2024 Brevard County Commission meeting. The Cape Canaveral AFS Regional Waste Water Treatment Facility (WWTF), located in the industrial area of SLD 45, was constructed in 1997. This facility serves both Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and Kennedy Space Center.

“The wastewater treatment [infrastructure] is the number one limiting factor to launch out here,” said Duce.

Water is sourced from the nearby Cocoa, Florida, but that is not where the limitation on launch cadence begins. In fact, water is a relatively cheap commodity. Rates listed on the Cocoa municipal page are measured at a rate per 1,000 gallons used. The rate is $3.93 per 1,000 gallons for the first 4,000 gallons used and $8.94 per 1,000 gallons used thereafter. SLD 45 once charged for water use per launch and found that, at an average of $800, it was not worth billing the launch provider.

The issue with an aging wastewater system lies in a lack of nutrients once the water is used as a deluge during launches. The plant was initially constructed as a residential water treatment facility during the peak of the Space Shuttle program and requires nutrients in the form of bacteria, carbon, nitrogen, and other essential elements. However, new solutions are needed to process the increasing amount of wastewater generated by more launch providers, processing buildings, and launches at the Cape.

To support the aging facility until 2030, General Panzenhagen signed a policy in 2024 that eliminates the acceptance of non-nutrient waste from launch providers. Every company will have to find a solution in the form of recycling, an industrial discharge permit to dispose of water on-site, or containerizing the water and shipping it off-site. The Economic Development Commission of Florida’s Space Coast awarded $750,000 in DOD funding and $82,500 in State funding to further study improvements to the aging wastewater infrastructure.

Overhead view of the Cape Canaveral WWTF. (Credit: Google Earth)

The Phase 2 Feasibility Study of the CCSFS Regional WWTF will confirm flow projections from CCSFS, identify and confirm conveyance, verify effluent water quality goals and disposal and reuse options, determine advanced wastewater treatment options, and develop a project phasing plan. Key goals aim to increase the resiliency and reduce vulnerability of the WWTFs in the service area, while also protecting the Indian River Lagoon.

With so many launch providers coming online and SLD 45 already supporting a rapidly increasing launch cadence, what is SLD 45 doing to support even more launches, transports, and day-to-day operations with minimal work stoppages? Who has priority, especially in cases of delays?

“We’re very careful now with how we allocate space because we have so many people who are asking to come here. This is Major League Baseball,” Duce explained.

While the Cape is the world’s largest and busiest spaceport, there is a limited amount of usable space for launches, landings, infrastructure, and support. SLD 45 will relocate the majority of Space Force administrative personnel from the industrial area to the south end of Cape, with the Weather Squadron receiving new facilities at Launch Complex 17 (LC-17). This will provide launch providers with the opportunity to expand their support facilities.

The Delta published a new critical policy last year that established eligible activities that would result in “critical periods.” These are periods where the range is configuring infrastructure and support for launches, often utilizing closures or work stoppages. In the past, every launch had a 12-hour critical period, which itself was reduced from a critical period of 24-36 hours per launch.

With this new waiver process, fewer launches will require a critical period. National Security, DOD, crewed, and interplanetary missions are examples of missions that will have a critical period implemented, while routine Falcon 9 launches of Starlink satellites will not require one.

When the range handles the scheduling of launches, it ensures no launch windows conflict with each other when they are initially scheduled. However, considering Florida weather delays, launch aborts, and GSE issues, conflicts occasionally arise in scheduling. In these cases, launch providers are asked to work out scheduling details based on the repairs needed, weather conditions, and payload requirements. If necessary, SLD 45 would step in to assist.

An additional way that SLD 45 encourages provider communication is through regular Spaceport Integration Cape Status Meetings. Providers are encouraged to over-communicate with SLD 45 and neighboring launch providers on topics like launch cadence, transport moves, major construction milestones, and testing. SLD 45 now requires providers to coordinate the transport of hardware and large infrastructure so that moves can be scheduled at less intrusive times of the day, thereby contributing to reduced disruption and increased safety. For example, it would not be ideal to have a major piece of equipment, accompanied by its convoy of vehicles, blocking roads during a personnel shift change.

Regarding vehicle testing at launch pads at the Cape — similar to how SpaceX tests its Starship vehicles at its launch pads in Starbase, Texas — how would testing interfere with launches, and how will SLD 45 handle such a scenario?

“The Cape is going to be seen as the place where you come to launch your rocket. When possible, the testing of those rockets is going to need to happen at other locations,” Compton explained.

KSC, with Launch Complex 39 and the Vehicle Assembly Building in view, seen in July 2025. (Credit: Julia Bergeron for NSF)

In short, SLD 45 is not planning to support testing of launch vehicles outside of pre-launch static fire tests. This would likely exclude any developmental testing similar to what SpaceX often performs with Starship.

Lastly, in consideration of residents of the Space Coast who may be increasingly disturbed by launches in the wee hours of the night, the FAA and SLD 45 will be adjusting launches with less time-sensitive orbits to less intrusive times. These less-intrusive launch times will also see reduced air and ship traffic, supporting the busy Florida airports and Port Canaveral. These launch times will also work around the active Florida weather and reduce weather scrubs.

As launch vehicles fly more frequently from the Cape, air and water closures for their launches will become smaller, resulting in fewer work stoppages and closures on and around the Cape. Additionally, SLD 45 participates in the Holiday Airspace Release Program (HARP). This allows SLD 45 to release specific portions of its restricted military airspace to civilian air traffic during periods of high travel demand, assuming no launches are scheduled.

(Lead image: Looking south down Cape Canaveral, with KSC and CCSFS’s launch pads filling the coast. Credit: Julia Bergeron for NSF)

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