Spaceport Camden
Spaceport Camden | |
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Summary | |
Location | Woodbine, Georgia |
Coordinates | 30°55′39″N 81°30′53″W / 30.92750°N 81.51472°W |
Website | spaceportcamden.us |
Spaceport Camden is a spaceport in Camden County, Georgia, near the city of Woodbine. Originally considered for use by NASA in the 1960s, it began limited development as a rocket launch facility in the 2010s, with its first launch taking place in August 2017.
History
During the early 1960s, Camden County in Georgia was considered by NASA as a potential launch site for the Apollo program.[1] A site on Merritt Island, Florida was selected instead;[2] however some rocket testing for the Apollo program took place on the Georgia site.[3]
In November 2012, the Camden County Joint Development Authority voted unanimously to "explore developing an aero-spaceport facility" at an Atlantic coastal site to support both horizontal and vertical launch operations, in hopes of attracting a SpaceX launch facility.[4] SpaceX selected a location near Brownsville, Texas for its launch site.[5] However, in June 2015 the county authorized environmental studies, purchasing a former Bayer CropScience and Thiokol industrial location to pursue the development of a spaceport.[2][6] At the time, it was believed that the site, comprising 400 acres (160 ha),[7] could see launches begin by 2020.[2]
In March 2017, despite opposition from Cumberland Island residents concerned about disturbance to Cumberland Island National Seashore and the possibility of injuries and damage from launches,[3] and belief that the Federal Aviation Administration was unlikely to authorize launches due to the fact that launch trajectories would pass over inhabited areas,[8] the Georgia General Assembly approved legislation offering limited liability protection to launches from the proposed spaceport,[9] and in May Governor Nathan Deal signed the Georgia Space Flight Act, fully authorizing the development.[10] A 2017 study by Georgia Southern University determined that the spaceport could provide $22.5 million in yearly revenue to the region.[11]
In March 2018, the FAA, the US regulatory agency for spaceports, approved the "draft status" of the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the spaceport.[12]
Facilities and operations
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The planned facilities at Spaceport Camden include a vertical launch site, a landing facility, and a control center, with provision for viewing facilities.[3] Up to twelve launches and twelve landings a year would be permitted.[3] The construction of an innovation and research park at the spaceport has been proposed to attract additional technology-based industry and create jobs.[14]
In April 2017, Vector Space Systems announced that they would use the Spaceport Camden site to conduct a suborbital rocket test that summer.[15] On 2 August 2017, the first launch from Spaceport Camden, of a Vector-R rocket, successfully took place.[16]
Launch history
Launch | Date (UTC) | Vehicle | Payload | Launch pad | Result | Remarks |
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1 | 2 August 2017, 17:15 | Vector-R | Imaging and medicinal research | Harriett’s Bluff Road | Success | [17][18] |
References
- ↑ Dilsaver, Lary M. (2004). Cumberland Island National Seashore: A History of Conservation Conflict. Charlottesville, VA: University of Virginia Press. p. 63. ISBN 0-8139-2268-2. Retrieved 11 November 2017.
- 1 2 3 Chapman, Dan (30 July 2015). "Camden County sky high on spaceport plan, but others want it grounded". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Atlanta, GA. Retrieved 11 November 2017.
- 1 2 3 4 Landers, Mary (25 February 2017). "Camden spaceport promises jobs, threatens islands". Savannah Morning News. Savannah, GA. Retrieved 11 November 2017.
- ↑ Dickson, Terry (16 November 2012). "Camden County wants to open Georgia's first spaceport". The Florida Times-Union. Retrieved 11 November 2017.
- ↑ Berger, Eric (4 August 2014). "Texas, SpaceX announce spaceport deal near Brownsville". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved 11 November 2017.
- ↑ "FAA moving forward on proposed spaceport". The Brunswick News. Brunswick, GA. 9 November 2015. Retrieved 11 November 2017.
- ↑ Karkaria, Urvaksh; Dave Williams (31 July 2017). "Go for launch: Rocket receives approval for Georgia's first commercial spaceport". Atlanta Business Chronicle. Atlanta, GA. Retrieved 11 November 2017.
- ↑ "FAA provides update on status of proposed Georgia spaceport". Athens Banner-Herald. Athens, GA. 5 February 2017. Retrieved 11 November 2017.
- ↑ Williams, Dave (23 March 2017). "Spaceport Camden bill gains final passage in General Assembly". Atlanta Business Chronicle. Atlanta, GA. Retrieved 11 November 2017.
- ↑ Hoskinson, Syd (16 May 2017). "Launches From Georgia's Camden Spaceport Could Start In 2020". WJCT. Jacksonville, FL. Retrieved 11 November 2017.
- ↑ "Study: Spaceport Camden could generate more than $22M in revenue each year". WJXT. Jacksonville, FL. 24 August 2017. Retrieved 11 November 2017.
- ↑ https://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/news/2018/03/12/georgias-spaceport-dream-takes-giant-leap-toward.html
- ↑ Russell, Kendall (4 August 2017). "Vector Launches First Ever Rocket from Spaceport Camden". Satellite Today. Via Satellite. Retrieved 2017-11-30.
- ↑ "Camden County promotes innovation, research park". WJXT. Jacksonville, FL. 6 November 2017. Retrieved 11 November 2017.
- ↑ "Georgia's Space Industry Gets Ready To Blast Off". WABE. Atlanta, GA. 14 April 2017. Retrieved 11 November 2017.
- ↑ Henning, Allyson (2 August 2017). "Camden Spaceport sees 1st launch". WJXT. Jacksonville, FL. Archived from the original on 11 November 2017. Retrieved 11 November 2017.
- ↑ "Vector Successfully Launches First Ever Rocket from Spaceport Camden". PR Newswire. Cision. 3 August 2017. Retrieved 11 November 2017.
- ↑ Dickson, Terry (3 August 2017). "Small rocket flies from planned Spaceport Camden". The Florida Times-Union. Jacksonville, FL. Retrieved 11 November 2017.