Private-sector space companies like SpaceX are launching commercial satellites and resupplying the International Space Station. SpaceX, a space transport company, is evaluating Georgia, Florida and Texas as the location for a $90 million launch site.
The Federal Aviation Administration has licensed 17 spaceports in seven different states, and they all would welcome the SpaceX investment. Yet Georgia state officials do not seem to see the opportunity other states see, despite having what has been described as the “best location for a spaceport in the country” — Camden County, in the southeast part of the state.
Georgia today has less than one-half of a percent market share of an $80 billion space industry. According to the Space Foundation, the commercial space industry is growing by 7 to 12 percent a year as part of a $304 billion global space industry. The U.S. space industry employs 250,000 direct employees and 750,000 indirect employees, according to the FAA. That being the case, every additional 1 percent market share of this $80 billion industry would mean $800 million of additional revenue to Georgia each year, as well as 2,500 direct jobs and 7,500 indirect jobs.
SpaceX engineers prefer to launch from Spaceport Georgia over water rather than over the heart of the U.S. from Texas. And they do not want to wait in line behind NASA and the Air Force to launch from Florida. Georgia could win the state competition. However, Florida and Texas have submitted economic incentive packages to Space X and have aggressively pursued the company at the executive level. Georgia has not yet submitted an offer, nor is it aggressively pursuing the business.
Recently, the One Georgia board turned down a grant request to fund an environmental study required by the FAA for licensing Spaceport Georgia. The state has left Camden County on its own to raise funds, navigate the FAA licensing process and mount a marketing campaign to attract Spaceport tenants. This is not the economic development taxpayers expect.
There is still time for state officials to lead the effort. There is still time to submit a competitive incentive package offer to SpaceX. There is still time to assist Camden County. There is still time for the private sector and the university system to encourage state officials to aggressively pursue this opportunity. Spaceport Georgia will create high-paying jobs, attract suppliers to local industrial parks and serve as a shot in the arm for the entertainment and lodging industries.
SpaceX would be a catalyst for a commercial space industry in this state and create a powerful Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) program for students. I urge Gov. Nathan Deal to become the first Georgia governor to develop this industry.
Our geographic location advantages are significant and can kick-start a fast-growing industry. As a commercial space industry engineer observed, “Spaceport Georgia in Camden County can be the best spaceport in the world, or the biggest mistake Georgia has made in generations if not developed.”
Bob Scaringe is founder of the Georgia Space Working Group.
