NASA's Commercial Plans for Kennedy Space Center

coondoggie writes "Whether or not NASA launches two or three more shuttle missions, NASA's venerable hub of operations, the Kennedy Space Center will need a new mission. That's why NASA today said it was looking to morph the center's unique space rocket facilities into a new more commercial role after the shuttles stop flying. While its facilities would likely rise far above others, NASA could find some competition in any commercial launch venture."

Re:Makes sense ...

[bradgoodman]

Yes. It is prime for launching because among all spots in the continental United States, it is: 1. Close to the equator - good to achieve equatorial orbits 2. On the eastern seaboard. Orbits typically go from West to East. So from there, they can launch to the east, and be going over the ocean, so if anything goes wrong, well, it's over the ocean Probably also because of mild weather, year-round, too.

Re:Makes sense ...

[Megane]

It is also located along Buckminster Fuller's "Dymaxion Equator", a great circle which passes over minimal land area, primarily North America and Africa. This means minimal land area over which an "oops" can fall onto inhabited areas when a launch fails to reach orbit.