Washington, D.C. – The Commercial Spaceflight Federation is pleased to announce that Cecil Field Spaceport in Jacksonville, Florida, which received its spaceport license from the Federal Aviation Administration earlier this year, has joined the Federation as an Executive Member, having received unanimous approval by the Commercial Spaceflight Federation’s Board of Directors.

Cecil Field (airport code VQQ) is located approximately 15 miles west of downtown Jacksonville, Florida, and is one of five airports run by the Jacksonville Aviation Authority. As a decommissioned naval airbase, Cecil Field has four, 200-foot wide runways, three of which measure 8,000 feet. The fourth runway is 12,500 feet in length, one of the longest in Florida. Using this infrastructure, Cecil Field is preparing to become a base for suborbital commercial human spaceflight in Florida.

Florida Governor Charlie Crist visited Cecil Field Spaceport on January 13, shortly after Cecil Field received its FAA spaceport license on January 11. During the visit, Governor Crist stated, “It’s a wonderful accomplishment to have the opportunity to get into the commercial space industry and do it right here from the First Coast.”

Bretton Alexander, President of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation, said, “We are proud to welcome Cecil Field Spaceport as our newest Executive Member. Cecil Field Spaceport is our second member headquartered in Florida, along with Space Florida at Kennedy Space Center.”

“We are honored to join the Commercial Spaceflight Federation,” said spaceport project lead Todd Lindner, the Jacksonville Aviation Authority’s Administrator of Planning. “The organization represents spaceports nationwide – as well as vehicle developers, operators, and suppliers – so Cecil Field joining was a natural fit. We are excited to work with the Commercial Spaceflight Federation and our fellow members on issues such as the newly funded STIM-Grants program for spaceports infrastructure, FAA regulations and permits, industry safety standards, public outreach and policy advocacy.”

When Cecil Field received its FAA spaceport license in January, Frank DiBello, President of Space Florida, stated, “I was thrilled to learn this week that Cecil Field was issued a Launch Site Operator’s License from the FAA. We are thrilled to have been able to work with Cecil Field representatives during this process, and look forward to continuing our relationship with them as the commercial space industry grows.”

As a member of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation, Cecil Field Spaceport has also joined the CSF Spaceports Council, a broader group of ten spaceports that have come together under the aegis of the CSF to cooperate on issues of common interest such as airspace access, legal and regulatory frameworks, infrastructure, international policy migration, liability, and voluntary common operating standards.

About the Commercial Spaceflight Federation
The mission of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation (CSF) is to promote the development of commercial human spaceflight, pursue ever higher levels of safety, and share best practices and expertise throughout the industry. The Commercial Spaceflight Federation’s member companies, which include commercial spaceflight developers, operators, spaceports, suppliers, and service providers, are creating thousands of high-tech jobs nationwide, working to preserve American leadership in aerospace through technology innovation, and inspiring young people to pursue careers in science and engineering. For more information please visit http://www.commercialspaceflight.org or contact Executive Director John Gedmark at john@commercialspaceflight.org or at 202.349.1121.

About Cecil Field Spaceport
Cecil Field Spaceport (airport code VQQ) is located approximately 15 miles west of downtown Jacksonville, Florida, and is one of five airports run by the Jacksonville Aviation Authority. As a decommissioned naval airbase, Cecil Field has four, 200-foot wide runways, three of which measure 8,000 feet. The fourth runway is 12,500 feet in length, one of the longest in Florida. Using this infrastructure, Cecil Field is preparing to become a base for suborbital commercial human spaceflight in Florida. For more information please contact Todd Lindner, project lead and Jacksonville Aviation Authority Administrator of Planning, at tlindner@jaa.aero or at 904.741.2228.

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