News and Events

Cecil Field Looking to Become a Spaceport

Space Tourism may be the next frontier for Cecil Field. State and city officials are proposing that Cecil become a commercial spaceport, capable of sending tourists into orbit. Consultants say that a spaceport industry by 2010 could create between $6.3 million and $17.5 million worth of economic activity, including 35 to 115 jobs for the local community.

Space Tourism is the “New Frontier.” England-based Virgin Galactic, owned by entrepreneur Richard Branson, has entertained the idea of setting up a commercial spaceport at Cecil to send tourists into sub-orbit, and ultimately payloads into space. Mayor Peyton met with officials from Virgin Group Ltd. during the week of the Super Bowl to discuss the interest Virgin Galactic has in Cecil Field serving as a spaceport.

Cecil is being considered because of its 12,000 foot runway which is long enough to be used by large planes that would take off and carry space vessels into the sky. In July 2005, Sir Richard Branson teamed with Burt Rutan to form “The Spaceship Company” which will manufacture and market spaceships. Attracting and securing such aviation and aerospace industries to Cecil Field would create a whole new future for the Westside facility. It would create opportunities for our local community to obtain training and certifications in both FAA Airframe and Powerplant and Aerospace certifications.

We have an open house the second Tuesday of every month, from 5–7 p.m. For more information, contact Judith Strickland at 904.317.3800

Photographs from the March 3, 2009 Grand Opening and Tour

(Presenters L to R) FCCJ District Board of Trustees Chair Thomas “Mac” McGehee, Jr., Kent Campus President Maggie Cabral-Maly and College President Steven Wallace.	(Presenters L to R) Dr. Steven Wallace, Chair Thomas "Mac" McGehee, Jr. and Trustee James McCollum.
(L to R) Jack Stewart, Air Force Association; J.B. Renninger, Director of Aviation Center of Excellence; Gene Anderson, Air Force Association.	(L to R) J.B. Renninger; Trustee Linda Asay; Trustee Suanne Thamm; Jim Stevenson, Exec. Dir. of Military Education Institute and Government Programs; Susan Hayes and Maurie Hartshorn, FCCJ staff.
Leerie Jenkins, Chairman and CEO of Reynolds, Smith and Hills (RS&H) and John Bottaro, Senior VP of Commercial & Institutional Programs, RS&H.	John Bottaro and North Campus President Barbara Darby.
(L to R) Trustees Suanne Thamm, Gwendolyn C. “Gwen” Yates, Emily Smith and Linda Asay.	Trustee Kevin F. Delaney and Jim Stevenson.
Leerie Jenkins, Dr. Steven Wallace and FCCJ Foundation Board Member Martha Barrett.	Leerie Jenkins and Amelia Wallace.
Brigadier General Kirk Martin and wife, Vicki Martin.	(L to R) Jeff Cooley; Cleve Warren, President and CEO of Essential Capital Finance, Inc.; FCCJ Foundation Chair James Winston and Trustee Wyman Winbush.
Attendees at the Aerospace Research Center grand opening and tour.	Attendees at the Aerospace Research Center grand opening and tour.
(L to R) Cleve Warren; Tina Wirth, Educ. & Workforce Dev. Dir., Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce; Richard Mullaney, City of Jacksonville General Counsel and Leerie Jenkins.	(L to R) Dr. Maggie Cabral-Maly, South Campus President Denis Wright and FCCJ General Counsel Jeanne Miller.
Air Traffic Control Tower Lab	Radar Simulators Lab