A coastal Georgia lawmaker has introduced legislation that he says could boost Camden County's chances of claiming a piece of the growing commercial space industry.

Space travel isn’t all that far-fetched in this corner of southeast Georgia. In 1960, NASA chose Cape Canaveral over Camden County and Wallop’s Island, Va., as the place to launch the nation’s space program. Five years later, the world’s largest rocket engine was tested here in a 150-foot-deep pit.

Spencer acknowledged that the legislation has had some initial negative reaction locally.

There’s concern, he said, from some residents that they won’t be able to sue if a space flight into their house. But that’s never happened, Spencer said.

The Federal Aviation Administration regulates the facility and each flight, he said.

“We need to do this to be more competitive,” Spencer said.

About the Author

Keep Reading

Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Juneteenth, among others, will no longer be considered fee-free days at U.S. National Parks. While the MLK National Historic Park in Atlanta doesn't charge admission, the new schedule will affect such metro Atlanta sites as Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park. (Miguel Martinez/AJC)

Credit: Miguel Martinez-Jimenez

Featured

Fans celebrate in the stands after Cape Verde defeated Eswatini in a World Cup qualifying soccer match at Estádio Nacional in Praia, Cape Verde, Monday, Oct. 13, 2025, to clinch their qualification for the 2026 World Cup. (Cristiano Barbosa/AP)

Credit: AP