WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), and Ben Ray Luján (D-NM) introduced bipartisan legislation to support spaceports across the nation, boosting investment in the next frontier while addressing the concerning spaceport bottleneck preventing more frequent launches. The Alleviating Spaceport Traffic by Rewarding Operators (ASTRO) Act would award funding to spaceports with a proven track records of successful launches in order to help to promote America’s strategic, military, and commercial interests in space exploration while supporting local economies surrounding spaceports.

“Space has proven to be the next frontier in terms of strategic and economic growth for the U.S., and the coming years will be critical to securing our future in the space realm,” Sen. Warner said. “This legislation will help us address the urgent need to ramp up operations at successful spaceports, allowing for more frequent launches and further exploration in space.”

“As global competition in space accelerates, the United States must invest in the infrastructure that supports our commercial and national security launch capabilities,” Sen. Sullivan said. “The ASTRO Act will provide critical resources to modernize and expand our spaceports – fueling essential upgrades at facilities like the Pacific Spaceport Complex in Kodiak – to ensure we remain the world’s leader in space launch. I’m glad to work with Senator Warner and Senator Luján on this bipartisan effort to strengthen our space industry and enhance our national security.“

“American space exploration is a key component of our strategic interests and economic growth,” Sen. Luján said “As space exploration continues to grow, it is critical that our spaceports, including Spaceport America, have the resources they need to accommodate the increasing demand for space launches. That’s why I’m proud to partner with Senators Warner and Sullivan on this bipartisan effort to support our nation’s spaceports and unlock critical investments for space launches.”

America faces a severe and worsening “spaceport bottleneck” as the need for space launch facilities vastly outpaces supply, creating very high demand on a small number of facilities. The ASTRO Act would provide non-federal spaceports the resources they need to build transit infrastructure and quickly increase launch capacity and cadence. Under the ASTRO Act, spaceports would receive $250,000 for each licensed launch and $100,000 for each permitted launch up to $2.5 million annually, promoting investment in spaceports that already have a successful record.

Spaceports across the nation would be eligible for these funds, including the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport on Wallops Island, Virginia.

Full text of the ASTRO Act is available here.

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