Bringing Colorado one mile closer to space with Colorado Air and Space Port

Colorado has one of the strongest aerospace industries in the U.S. In an extension of this prowess, Adams County sought to acquire Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) designation for Front Range Airport as a space port allowing it to add FAA-licensed sub-orbital spaceflight capabilities to its current general aviation operations.  In 2015, it began the process for applying to the FAA’s Office of Commercial Space Transportation (FAA-AST) for a spaceport designation and a launch site operator’s license.  Both would provide access to space for scientific research, education, and space tourism in the short term, and point-to-point, high speed, sub-orbital transportation to other international spaceports in the future.

Sounds exciting, right?  We recognized the incredible economic development opportunity a spaceport would have not only to Adams County but to the entire state of Colorado and immediately began working with Front Range Airport and Adams County to support this endeavor.  We brought in our member organizations and local partners to gain support for the project, ensuring they understood the potential for economic impact and attraction of primary employers.  And in 2018 we reviewed the FAA’s Draft Programmatic Environmental Assessment for Front Range Airport’s site operator license and submitted a letter to the FAA in support of the application.

In August 2018, the FAA gave final approval for the Colorado Air and Space Port (CASP).  As the 11th such facility in the nation, CASP will serve as a horizontal launch facility for sub-orbital spaceflight, utilizing FAA-licensed reusable launch vehicles that would take off and land from existing airport runways.

Since CASP received its spaceport designation, we have partnered with Adams County and Front Range Airport to educate stakeholders about this important Colorado asset.  We’ve connected industry and subject matter experts, elected officials, industry and research organizations, and members of the public and private sectors to cross-pollinate ideas and catalyze new development.

CASP now stands at the forefront of the future with a foothold in the technological development of sub-orbital flight and aerospace research and development.