Bien que SPX semble affirmer clairement que le site spatial situé près de Mexico, spaceport américa, sera le futur site d’accueil pour les vols "grasshopper", la société aurait également affirmé que ce dernier pourrait "lui aussi" devenir son « Cap Canaveral commerciale », bref....SPX met la pression un peu partout.
Il est clair que ce type de situation n'est pas propice au développement commercial du KSC, qui table toujours sur une utilisation du LC39 et du SLC40, plutôt que sur la construction du site de shilho (au nord du KSC). En effet, la NASA n'a pas accepté de donner cette zone pour y intégrer une activité spatiale, elle maintien que les futurs lancements commerciaux devront avoir lieu au KSC. Le directeur Bob Cabana a d'ailleurs écrit à la FAA, celle-ci qui serait censée sélectionner l'un des trois sites à la fin de l'été.
At a public meeting in Brownsville, residents will weigh in on a new private launch complex SpaceX has proposed building on the Gulf Coast near Mexico, which the company says could become its “commercial Cape Canaveral.” The Texas discussion comes five days after the Volusia County Council voted 6-1 to support a commercial spaceport Florida hopes to develop at the north end of Kennedy Space Center and the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, offering SpaceX an alternative to other states.
“Given the enthusiasm which Texas is showing SpaceX, it is essential that Florida show it to wants to be a player in commercial space,” said Dale Ketcham, Space Florida’s chief of strategic alliances, of the Volusia vote’s importance. While a draft environmental review of the Texas launch site is already complete and will be discussed at today’s meeting, Florida is just getting started on its own review.
NASA has not agreed to give the state the land it owns near the Brevard-Volusia county line, but says it supports efforts to attract commercial launches. “KSC is committed to working closely with the state of Florida in enabling commercial space operations from KSC,” Center Director Bob Cabana wrote to the FAA. The state will soon solicit bids from contractors to perform the environmental study, and the FAA is expected to select one by late summer, Ketcham said