Florida gives $5M to SpaceX to help launch crews
CAPE CANAVERAL — SpaceX's preparations to launch astronauts from Kennedy Space Center received a $5 million boost from the state on Wednesday.
During a special meeting, Space Florida's board of directors agreed to provide the money to help SpaceX install an access arm at historic pad 39A that astronauts will use to board Dragon capsules bound for the International Space Station, possibly in 2018.
Officials said SpaceX, which must at least double the state's contribution, planned to invest $25 million in the project, creating 130 construction jobs.
SpaceX unveils Mars rocket concept
"Obviously an important project, and moving to Commercial Crew is both exciting and an important part of the future of the spaceport," said William Dymond, chairman of Space Florida's board.
The project represents the second phase of SpaceX's renovations to pad 39A, a former Saturn V and shuttle pad that the company is outfitting to support launches of Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy rockets, including astronaut flights in Dragon spacecraft being upgraded under NASA's Commercial Crew Program.
Space Florida had already contributed $5 million to the first phase of renovations, which included construction of a large hangar at the pad's base and systems to roll Falcon rockets up the pad and lift them into upright.
Officials said SpaceX had spent more than $75 million and created 90 jobs to complete that work, and was "going gangbusters" to get ready for crew launches, hence the need for a special meeting to consider the new funding before one scheduled in late November.
SpaceX: Falcon 9 exploded after helium system breach
"The urgency is to get the pad up and ready so all the certification can be done on all systems that support that," said Jim Kuzma, Space Florida's operations chief.
The state's support came nearly two months after a Falcon 9 rocket exploded during a countdown rehearsal at nearby Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.
SpaceX continues to investigate the cause of a breach in the helium system used to pressurize the upper stage's liquid oxygen tank. The company initially said it hoped to return the Falcon 9 to flight in the "November timeframe" from either Florida or California, but there is no target date yet.
Any near-term launch from Florida was expected to use pad 39A at KSC rather than pad 40, which was damaged by the explosion.
Along with SpaceX, state funding is also helping Boeing, NASA's other Commercial Crew partner, to renovate a former shuttle hangar and launch pad where Starliner crew capsules will be assembled and launched to the ISS on United Launch Alliance's Atlas V rockets.
Space Florida each year picks projects to receive money from the state Department of Transportation for upgrades of spaceport infrastructure.
Follow James Dean on Twitter: @flatoday_jdean