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Will New Commercial Spaceports Be Opening Near You? Probably Not and Here’s Why.
There are only a few places suitable for launching rockets
The commercial space business is here and it is here to stay. With the meteoric rise of companies like SpaceX and Blue Origin, new spacecraft launches are projected to increase exponentially in the coming years. New projections have launches increasing from a few launches a month to a few launches per day in the next decade. With so much money and interest being funneled into commercial space travel it makes people wonder if spaceports are going to start popping up like airports around the country. The answer: most likely not.
The reason that Cape Canaveral in Florida is home to the US’s busiest spaceport is because it is located in the perfect spot to launch rockets from. In fact, there are few places as well suited to the art of launching things into space than Florida. The reason for that has a lot to do with the geography of Florida itself.
Safe space
When choosing where to put a new rocket launch pad there are three things that scientists desire above all else. Proximity to the equator. Good weather. A safe exit away from people in the case of malfunction. Florida offers all three.
