As space operations grow in the United States, we face a bottleneck: the limited capacity of coastal spaceports. While Cape Canaveral and Vandenberg remain effective for the nation, these launch sites are becoming congested, and their federally funded infrastructure has struggled to keep pace. Nearby communities face noise, sonic booms, environmental effects and concerns over airspace and ocean access. And although over 90% of launches at these sites are reported as commercial, it is the federal government that supports their operation.
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