Author Topic: Camden County Georgia USA FAA Launch Site Operator License, referendum rejection (Read 19604 times)

RonM · « **on:** 12/21/2021 01:21 pm »

Camden County, Georgia, USA received an LSOL from the FAA on December 20, 2021.

Quote from: Spaceport Camden Press Release

WOODBINE, Ga. – December 20, 2021 – Camden County, Georgia, a rocket testing location and alternate launch site for the Apollo program, has reclaimed its aerospace heritage with the issuance of a launch site operator license (LSOL) by the Federal Aviation Administration for Spaceport Camden. Spaceport Camden is a multiuser, vertical lift, commercial launch site on the Atlantic seaboard that will support up to
12 small vehicle launches per year.

“In the 20th century Camden County was declared the ‘Gateway to Space.’ With this license, we have retained that title again in the 21st century,” said Steve Howard, Camden County Administrator and Spaceport Camden executive project lead. “This once in a generation opportunity will provide a new frontier of economic prosperity for Camden, the region and the state of Georgia. Georgia is part of the new space race, and we will become one of the leaders,” added Howard.

“It has been long time coming, but Camden County is immensely proud of this accomplishment. With this license, Spaceport Camden offers coastal Georgia over 100 miles of opportunity,” said Board of County Commissioners Chairman, Gary Blount. “We are no longer a one-dimensional economy solely reliant on the brave sailors and contractors at Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay for economic prosperity,” added Blount.

Spaceport Camden becomes the thirteenth licensed spaceport in the United States, but just the third vertical lift facility on the East Coast. Vertical lift comprises the lion’s share of commercial space activity and low latitude east coast launch sites are preferred due to the extra velocity provided by the rotation of the Earth.

Located below 31 degrees of latitude, Spaceport Camden takes advantage of free boost velocity from the earth’s rotation to maximize payload and minimize fuel necessary to reach orbit. As a result, Spaceport Camden’s location offers similar launch characteristics to Cape Canaveral, the world’s busiest spaceport.

Camden County is the ideal location to meet growing launch demand from the commercial space industry - a $447 billion industry that Bank of America predicts will grow to $3 trillion by 2047. Not only does Camden County have a highly trained military workforce that can transition upon retirement to employment into the commercial space industry, the surrounding area has transportation infrastructure such as roads and rail that can provide support to the investment community.

https://spaceportcamden.us/

[zubenelgenubi: Threads merged; thread moved to Commercial Spaceflight General section.]

rdale · « **Reply #1 on:** 03/09/2022 01:52 pm »

A Georgia county’s plan to build a rocket launch pad for sending satellites into space https://apnews.com/article/spacex-georgia-business-science-c3055985c2526fb7670e363fc64d71ad got rejected by voters Tuesday in a referendum forced by opponents who feared the project poses safety and environmental risks that outweigh any economic benefits.

https://apnews.com/article/space-launches-science-business-special-elections-referendums-f9de2d60cca21fe73248168fdee31243

Robotbeat · « **Reply #2 on:** 03/09/2022 04:42 pm »

That majorly sucked. How many people actually voted on this, tho? Was it just a vocal few?

rdale · « **Reply #3 on:** 03/09/2022 04:55 pm »

4,168 opposed to the land purchase and 1,611 in favor. That's a pretty big number

In addition - this point says a lot: "more than half of licensed U.S. spaceports have never held a licensed launch"

In any event, here's the website of the spaceport itself - https://spaceportcamden.us/

Robotbeat · « **Reply #4 on:** 03/09/2022 05:05 pm »

Quote from: rdale on 03/09/2022 04:55 pm

4,168 opposed to the land purchase and 1,611 in favor. That's a pretty big number

In addition - this point says a lot: "more than half of licensed U.S. spaceports have never held a licensed launch"

In any event, here's the website of the spaceport itself - https://spaceportcamden.us/

How many people of voting age in Camden?

How is that an environmental objection, though? No launch, no launch environmental impact.

rdale · « **Reply #5 on:** 03/09/2022 05:11 pm »

Well the environmental objection makes sense - that's a protected wildlife area underneath the launch path, plus actual resident homes...

While launching is relatively safe - I'm not sure we're at the point where it's safe to send a rocket directly over houses. I'm not sure how the county official said that it's no more dangerous than lightning. That seems... ridiculous...

Elvis in Space · « **Reply #6 on:** 03/09/2022 05:20 pm »

I know a little about the area. I suspect very strongly it was a case of "We're happy and there's no need to mess with that." You can make all the logical arguments about safety and environment you want, the locals just plain don't want it. Or anything else.

rdale · « **Reply #7 on:** 03/09/2022 05:22 pm »

Oh yeah - I'm sure it's the "we don't need anyone changing our lifestyle." This is a lowland county of 50,000 and probably is just how they want it to be! And I understand the passion for space (and tax money) of the government leaders, but suggesting that this launch site would be a big tourism draw MIGHT be stretching just a bit...

Or stretching it a LOT

Robotbeat · « **Reply #8 on:** 03/09/2022 05:28 pm »

So maybe 15% of the of-age population voted?

Hey, more for eastern Virginia!

RonM · « **Reply #9 on:** 03/09/2022 05:31 pm »

Here's what some of the locals are concerned about.

Quote

Critics, including the National Park Service, say rockets exploding soon after launch could rain fiery debris onto Little Cumberland Island, which has about 40 private homes, and neighboring Cumberland Island, a federally protected wilderness visited by about 60,000 tourists each year.

The FAA did give Spaceport Camden a license last December. If the FAA had the same concerns I doubt they would have approved the license.

https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=55434.msg2323486#msg2323486

This is very close to the Navy's sub base at Kings Bay. That's the base for the Atlantic Fleet ballistic missile submarines.

rdale · « **Reply #10 on:** 03/09/2022 05:40 pm »

Thanks for sharing Ron - I did a search for "Camden" and that didn't show up for some reason... Strange.

In any event, I see no reference to launching over homes in those links, but do see this:

"The FAA would conduct further safety, environmental, and other reviews and analyses before making a determination on any future application from a launch vehicle operator proposing to operate from Spaceport Camden"

Are you saying that since they approved the launch site (but only 100 degrees) that overflight wouldn't be an issue?

RonM · « **Reply #11 on:** 03/09/2022 05:52 pm »

Quote from: rdale on 03/09/2022 05:40 pm

Thanks for sharing Ron - I did a search for "Camden" and that didn't show up for some reason... Strange.

In any event, I see no reference to launching over homes in those links, but do see this:

"The FAA would conduct further safety, environmental, and other reviews and analyses before making a determination on any future application from a launch vehicle operator proposing to operate from Spaceport Camden"

Are you saying that since they approved the launch site (but only 100 degrees) that overflight wouldn't be an issue?

No, overflight would still need to be looked at for each launch vehicle. But it doesn't seem to be an overall deal breaker.

Robotbeat · « **Reply #12 on:** 03/09/2022 06:46 pm »

Not a deal breaker at all. But those who voted thought so.

Tomness · « **Reply #13 on:** 03/09/2022 07:06 pm »

Quote from: Robotbeat on 03/09/2022 06:46 pm

Not a deal breaker at all. But those who voted thought so.

They seen what happened in Boca Chica and said nope....

Robotbeat · « **Reply #14 on:** 03/10/2022 02:38 am »

Quote from: Tomness on 03/09/2022 07:06 pm

Quote from: Robotbeat on 03/09/2022 06:46 pm
Not a deal breaker at all. But those who voted thought so.

They seen what happened in Boca Chica and said nope....

Nah, they saw what the MEDIA reported about it.

Sam Ho · « **Reply #15 on:** 03/10/2022 03:07 pm »

Quote from: Robotbeat on 03/09/2022 05:28 pm

So maybe 15% of the of-age population voted?

Hey, more for eastern Virginia!

The election results are posted on the County website.

It was a single-issue election. 16.95% of registered voters voted. 72.12% of those voted to reject the spaceport lease.

https://www.camdencountyga.gov/DocumentCenter/View/13144/03-08-2022--Election-Summary-Report-Unofficial-and-Incomplete

Robotbeat · « **Reply #16 on:** 03/10/2022 03:12 pm »

Right. So most people didn’t care, but a small minority were able to mobilize opposition to it.

Hey, it is what it is. You’re not going to have a successful spaceport if the local population (or a large enough vocal minority) is poisoned against it, even if the court had sided with the spaceport. It’s Camden’s loss.

Robotbeat · « **Reply #17 on:** 03/10/2022 03:14 pm »

(Although I suspect it’s not necessarily the spaceport itself but the local government funding of it that is objected to.)

rdale · « **Reply #18 on:** 03/10/2022 03:32 pm »

How is it Camden’s loss? As others have noted - this is what the residents chose. In the US - we have a say in these sort of things. It sounds like their win.

Robotbeat · « **Reply #19 on:** 03/10/2022 03:37 pm »

Almost a third of those who voted disagree. As do I.

That’s fine. The good paying jobs and funding can go to areas with people who will actually appreciate it.