BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. — Florida’s Space Coast celebrated a major milestone last week with its 100th launch of the year — and even bigger growth is on the horizon.
Officials say 100 to 115 launches are expected in 2026, but within a decade, the Eastern Range could support 300 to 350 launches annually.
Col. Brian Chatman, Commander of Space Launch Delta 45 and Director of the Eastern Range, says the increase is driving the largest modernization effort at Cape Canaveral in decades. “The Department of the Air Force gave us a large chunk of money, an initial investment, to invest in what we call the Spaceport of the Future,” Chatman said. “It’s the largest infrastructure upgrade we’ve done at the Cape in the last three decades.”
Upgrades currently underway aim to support larger launch capabilities, allowing more mass to reach orbit on heavy-lift vehicles — a shift that could reduce the total number of launches needed for certain missions.
Col. Chatman said that preparations are also underway for future Starship operations. “We’re working in partnership with Kennedy Space Center to build out launch complexes for Starship operations,” he said. “Early to mid-next year is when we anticipate Starship coming out here to launch, and we’ll have the range ready to support at that time.”
Even with the rapid progress, the push continues toward what range officials call “100 and beyond.” Chatman says every launch cycle provides data to help shape future capacity.
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