About Us

Who is Virginia Spaceport Authority?

As the Digital Age continues to demand increased accessibility and reliability of information and data from space-based technologies, both the federal government and private industry are expected to match this demand with continued and unprecedented commercial space investments over the coming years. This will create a growing demand for multi-purpose launch facilities that can support diverse missions and customers. The Virginia Spaceport Authority (VSA) is prepared to seize this opportunity to further establish the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport (MARS) as the premier launch facility for small- and mid-class rocket systems and grow its reputation as an innovative, multi-purpose facility with capabilities to support national security missions and civil and commercial activities.

The Virginia Spaceport Authority, a political subdivision of the Commonwealth of Virginia, owns and operates the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport (MARS). This spaceport includes three launch pads, an Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) Airfield, a Payload Processing Facility (PPF), an Integration and Control Facility (ICF), an Assembly Integration and Test Facility (AIT), and the Addison Logistics Building. These facilities are located on the Eastern Shore of Virginia at Wallops Island. Virginia Spaceport Authority is a tenant organization on the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Wallops Flight Facility (WFF). Virginia Spaceport Authority reports to and is governed by its Board of Directors (the Board).

Our Purpose

The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Virginia created the Virginia Commercial Space Flight Authority in 1995 to:

Develop and enhance infrastructure that facilitates timely, efficient, safe, and low-cost access to space
Provide education and research in aerospace technologies and processes
Preserve, as a national asset, the expertise and capability for launch operations resident at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Wallops Flight Facility (WFF)
Stimulate aerospace-related economic activity in the region

To fulfill these objectives, The Virginia Spaceport Authority owns and operates the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport (MARS).

Business Incentives

As an authority of the Commonwealth of Virginia and enjoying strong support from Virginia General Assembly members, the Virginia Spaceport Authority provides economic and operational benefits to MARS customers and stakeholders. Development benefits, legislation, and trade zones established to encourage commercial space business in Virginia include the following:

"ZeroGravity, ZeroTax" that provides state income tax incentives to locate and headquarter space flight launch and training business operations in Virginia
Spaceflight Liability and Immunity Law, where the space flight entity is not liable for a participant injury, resulting from the risks of space flight activities in Virginia
Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) relief to the customer, when doing business with the Virginia Spaceport Authority
Enterprise and Foreign Trade Zones established on the Eastern Shore of Virginia

Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport (MARS)

MARS is one of only four spaceports in the U.S. licensed by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Office of Commercial Space Transportation for vertical launches to orbital trajectories and one of only three East Coast orbital launch sites with launch trajectories to achieve orbital inclinations between approximately 38° and 60°.

Our Facilities

Our Directors

2017 General Assembly Legislation for the Space Flight Authority states the Authority shall be governed by a board of directors consisting of nine members, two of whom shall be the Secretary of Transportation and the Director of the Virginia Department of Aviation or their respective designees. The remaining seven members shall be appointed by the Governor and shall have experience in at least one of the following fields: (i) the aerospace industry, (ii) the financial industry, (iii) the marketing industry, (iv) scientific and technological research and development; or (v) higher education.