Scott Nicholas
Space Florida, the state’s aerospace economic development agency, has pledged $5 million to support SpaceX‘s project to build an access arm at the 39A launch pad of NASA‘s Kennedy Space Center, Florida Today reported Wednesday.
James Dean writes SpaceX will build the access arm at the center in an effort to help astronauts board the company’s Dragon capsule that will travel to the International Space Station in 2018.
The report said the company will invest $25 million to renovate and update 39A and expects to create 130 construction jobs through the project.
“The urgency is to get the pad up and ready so all the certification can be done on all systems that support that,” said Jim Kuzma, Space Florida chief operating officer.
The report added that state funds will also help Boeing renovate a former shuttle hangar and launch pad wherein Starliner crew capsules will be assembled and launched via United Launch Alliance-developed Atlas V rockets.
