The Commercial Spaceport Boom

For decades only state complexes could reach orbit. Rocket Lab opened a private orbital pad in New Zealand in 2017, SpaceX built Starbase in Texas, and China chartered a dedicated commercial spaceport in Hainan that first launched in November 2024.

Kodiak, SaxaVord, and Mojave court small launch companies, while Andoya hosted the first orbital attempt from continental Europe in 2025. Falling rocket prices and constellations of thousands of satellites multiplied launch demand, and spaceports multiplied with it.

The winners will be sites with clear range safety, good weather, and patient investors.