Shuttle Landing Facility (SLF)

Existing and planned aviation operations at the SLF support established NASA aircraft users (e.g., mission support aircraft and Kennedy Space Center helicopter flights) with infrequent medium and heavy cargo aircraft deliveries of payloads or equipment associated with government and commercial spaceflight missions. The primary fleet mix of aircraft is F-104 (Starfighter) jets and Airbus H135 helicopters. Other aircraft that use the SLF include unmanned aerial systems, Northrop T-38 Talon, Antonov (An-124 and An-225), Lockheed C-5 Galaxy, and various commercial types of aircraft. Commercial service and general aviation operations are prohibited uses and are not included in the near- or long-term planning for the SLF.

Proposed Launch Operations

While no launch vehicle operators currently hold licenses to operate launches from SLF, Space Florida could offer the site to two types of vehicles:

• Concept Y Launch Vehicle: The Concept Y suborbital launch vehicle takes off horizontally from the runway under rocket power and returns gliding unpowered for a horizontal landing.
• Concept Z Launch System: The Concept Z orbital and suborbital vehicle is a two-part launch system, consisting of a carrier aircraft powered by jet engines that would carry a rocket over the ocean. At that point the rocket would detach and light the rocket engines. The carrier aircraft would return to the launch site and land under jet engine power.

Reentry Operations

Space Florida's Launch and Reentry Site Operator License allows Space Florida to offer the SLF as a reentry site to commercial space vehicles operators. The operators must apply for an FAA Vehicle Operator License to conduct reentries at the SLF.