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  SpaceX Falcon 9 stage landing zone at SLC-40

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Author Topic:   SpaceX Falcon 9 stage landing zone at SLC-40
Robert Pearlman
Editor

Posts: 55184
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999

posted 09-03-2025 04:16 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has approved a license for SpaceX to construct and operate a Falcon 9 first-stage booster landing zone (LZ) at Space Launch Complex-40 (SLC) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
SpaceX would construct a single LZ east of SLC-40 for the landing of Falcon first-stage boosters. The LZ would be made up of a 280-foot-diameter concrete pad surrounded by a 60-foot-wide gravel apron, with a total LZ diameter of 400 feet. Rocket Road would remain paved and traversable outside of landing events.

SpaceX would construct a new nitrogen gas line from the existing metering station at SLC-40 to a fluids bay at the LZ. A 30-foot by 30-foot pedestal would be constructed adjacent to the landing pad to support post-landing vehicle processing. Crane storage is proposed along the existing SLC-40 fence line. The proposed lease boundary is approximately 10 acres.

SkyMan1958
Member

Posts: 1418
From: CA.
Registered: Jan 2011

posted 09-03-2025 06:24 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for SkyMan1958   Click Here to Email SkyMan1958     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Given that SpaceX is going to lose its current landing pads at the Cape, will this be the sole landing pad for its Falcon 9 boosters? If so, will SpaceX be able to land two boosters at the same time for Falcon Heavy missions?

Also, given the plume of a Falcon booster, a gravel apron sounds like lunacy (unless of course that is what they are currently using).

Robert Pearlman
Editor

Posts: 55184
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999

posted 09-03-2025 07:21 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
SpaceX will continue using LZ-2 at Complex 13 until the LZ at SLC-40 and another landing pad at LC-39A are completed.

The new landing zone(s) is based on the design of those already in use.

All times are CT (US)

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