Florida Airport Receives Spaceport License

Jacksonville Florida's Cecil Field Airport has been given a license by the Federal Aviation Administration to function as a spaceport.

The airport license allows only horizontal takeoffs and landings, so spacecraft leaving the airport would have to take off like a normal airplane. They could not use their rockets until they were above the Atlantic.

So far, the only flight ready space ship that would be suitable for Cecil Field is Virgin Galactic's SpaceshipTwo.

The Jacksonville Aviation Authority is also working with other potential spacecraft suppliers.

Cecil Field's runway is one of the largest in Florida.

The airport used to be a naval air base.

Todd Lindner of the JAA compared Cecil Field to New Mexico's Spaceport America, noting that unlike Spaceport America, Cecil Field already has working facilities.