FSRI Grant Supports Range Technology Development at Spaceport

CAPE CANAVERAL SPACEPORT – The Florida Space Research Institute (FSRI) has awarded a grant to Analex Corp. to support planning for a Range Technology Qualification (RTQ) initiative to demonstrate new transformational launch technologies at the Cape Canaveral Spaceport. The initiative is aimed at accommodating emerging military requirements for “operationally responsive” launch capabilities that would increase efficiency at the spaceport while making Florida more competitive for both government and commercial space missions.

“Several technologies that are now available or are under development hold promise to reduce the cost and complexity of launch operations at Florida’s spaceport,” said Sam Durrance, executive director of FSRI. “We look forward to working with Analex to develop ways to test and qualify these technologies in cooperation with the Air Force and NASA.”

Analex, NASA’s contractor for expendable launch vehicle integrated services at Kennedy Space Center, will work with FSRI to develop an RTQ implementation plan that would enable technology demonstrations aboard a new class of launch vehicles.

The RTQ program is intended to support the qualification of a variety of technologies, such as the Ballistic Missile Range Safety Technology (BMRST) system developed by Honeywell, and others being developed in coordination with a Future Interagency Range and Spaceport Technology (FIRST) program led by Kennedy Space Center.

FSRI was established by Florida’s Governor and Legislature in 1999 to promote collaboration among the state’s academic institutions, industry, and federal agencies to support statewide aerospace-related technology development, research, education and training, research.