Here’s why America’s most historic launch pad is getting yet another facelift

Launch Complex 39A, located at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, is set to receive another significant upgrade. This iconic launch pad has a rich history, having been constructed over 60 years ago from the wetlands of Florida. It was originally utilized for the Saturn V rockets that took astronauts to the Moon, and later adapted for the Space Shuttle program. The final shuttle mission lifted off from this pad in 2011, after which NASA leased it to SpaceX. SpaceX has been using Pad 39A since 2017, enhancing it with a new Crew Access Arm the following year. This modern arm replaced the older shuttle-era version, allowing astronauts to board the Crew Dragon spacecraft, which saw its first crewed flight in 2020. Now, in anticipation of the upcoming launches of SpaceX's ambitious Starship rocket, the pad is undergoing another transformation. Construction is progressing on a new launch tower, situated about 1,000 feet east of the existing structure. This development is part of SpaceX’s plans to launch the first Starship flight from Kennedy Space Center later this year, following preliminary test flights from their Starbase facility in South Texas. As the Starship prepares for its debut, SpaceX will temporarily halt Falcon 9 launches from Pad 39A, shifting operations to nearby Pad 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. SpaceX’s Vice President of Launch, Kiko Dontchev, highlighted that this move will enable their teams to concentrate fully on Falcon Heavy launches and the ramp-up of Starship operations.