Atlanta Forward readers weighed in on whether Georgia, Texas or Florida would be the best fit for a commercial launch complex that SpaceX, a rocket and spacecraft company, wants to build:
Ben: I'm going to have to side with Texas; it's kind of a no-brainer. Geographically speaking, they are the best state, and already having a thriving space community can only be a good thing. Yes, it's annoying that so many politicians in Texas seem to be anti-science and anti-women, but that can really be said of both Texas and Florida, and both have been crucial to our space program. As long as they can pull it off, go Texas.
SAWB: While Georgia does seem to have some key pieces to attract the spaceport and similar industries, we continually miss out to neighboring states. Our leaders need to focus on creating a pro-business environment that includes regulatory reduction and appropriate incentives. It is no surprise that states like Texas, which are not only creating the proper environment but also aggressively pursuing industries, are passing Georgia by. While Georgia has seen steady growth in the information technology field, we are missing out on manufacturing. While IT jobs are well-paying, they tend to attract out-of-state talent and offer little, if any, opportunity for entry-level employment. Manufacturers generally offer entry-level opportunities and career growth for local residents.
Centrist: Georgia's location for launches over the Atlantic Ocean match Florida's. But Florida is a NASA and military launch site that takes precedence. Georgia Tech, rural land and labor, and being the eighth state with a spaceport are certainly inducements if Georgia matches the business climate. We keep talking about two Georgias: rural and urban/suburban. This could help meld some of it.
Edward Ellegood: Texas' geographic (latitude) advantage is practically nil and is offset greatly by the very limited azimuth options available compared to Florida. Brownsville's workforce cannot match the space-ready people in Florida. There's no "waiting in line" at the Cape Canaveral Spaceport. The Shuttle is gone. The Range is updated to offer vastly more launch dates, and commercial launchers have equal schedule access. A new Florida pad would use the existing SpaceX workforce and require much less travel cost. Severe drought, cross-border crime and kidnapping, and other quality-of-life issues in Texas make Florida a more attractive location for the workforce.
Dusty: What's the matter with some of you folks? Georgia is the best place for EVERYTHING! I checked with our generous governor, and he said this is the perfect place to launch some brave liberal voters to outer space and that he would be glad to help. I checked with the Metro Atlanta Chamber, and they said you could move anything if you built it big and round and downtown. I checked with the weatherman, and he said all stars, including movie stars, shine on Georgia. I checked with farmers, and they said they had a peachy space fuel made in a still in the mountains of North Georgia that will launch anything! I checked with UGA, and they already have a football faster than light that is refueled every Saturday night for rocketship trips. And that lighthouse on Tybee Island just needs a little silicone siding, and it's a spaceship ready to go. Georgia — the perfect place for spaced-out projects. Bring 'em on!
