A PROPOSED METHOD FOR THE SITE SELECTION OF SPACEPORTS

Spaceport site selection often overlooks broad geographic regions, which can lead to locations that increase risks or costs. To address this issue, this research proposes a comprehensive, three-step method for identifying spaceport sites that balances safety, environmental concerns, cost, and operational needs. First, the Factor Selection System (FSS) recommends the essential location criteria (factors and constraints), such as low population density, proximity to the workforce, environmental constraints, and proximity to transportation. It divides them into “factors” (which vary in importance) and “constraints” (which must be avoided, for instance, legally protected zones). Second, the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) compares these factors, determining whether items like utility access or workforce availability carry greater weight. This pairwise comparison helps stakeholders clarify trade-offs and assign weights based on each mission’s goals. Third, Geographic Information Systems (GIS) overlay the weighted factors on large-scale maps, excluding areas flagged by constraints (e.g., restricted airspace or no-build zones). By scanning entire regions, this method can reveal new, sometimes better, alternatives that conventional, preselected approaches might miss.

Three case studies illustrate the method. The first confirms that Spaceport America in New Mexico meets the criteria, has a sparse population, suitable flight paths, and adequate safety buffers, and identifies other more suitable areas. The second compares Launch Site One (for suborbital) and the third Starbase (for orbital) in Texas, showing how varying factor weights can shift the most suitable regions for different mission profiles. Then, we apply the method in Saudi Arabia to identify potential orbital and suborbital sites across multiple parts of the country. A scenario-based sensitivity analysis then adjusts factor weights, workforce availability, infrastructure, or cost priorities by fixed increments to see how suitability scores change. Although these adjustments alter some site rankings, workforce availability, transportation infrastructure, and utility access consistently emerge as major drivers of feasibility.

This step-by-step method helps commercial firms, government agencies, and research institutions align spatial requirements with legal mandates, environmental protections, and evolving mission needs. While additional high-resolution data, such as detailed environmental or demographic layers, can refine results, the framework remains robust and adaptable for diverse applications. Looking ahead, future work can integrate reusable launch vehicles, point-to-point travel, and new launch trajectories, further improving site selection for the growing commercial space industry