Alaska may soon double its space launch capabilities as officials pursue a Poker Flat spaceport license for commercial use. On Tuesday the University of Alaska´s Geophysical Institute signed a five year collaboration deal with the Alaska Aerospace Corporation.
Though the document does not directly mention licensing state budget drafts reveal the university’s plans to obtain FAA approval. The license would transform Poker Flat Research Range from a research only site into a commercial orbital spaceport.
Poker Flat has operated since 1969, launching sounding rockets to study the upper atmosphere and aurora phenomena near Fairbanks. This new license would authorize it to support larger and potentially commercial rocket launches.
Alaska Aerospace and the university now plan to create shared industry standards and cross-train employees for both the Kodiak and Poker Flat sites. Officials believe this collaboration can deliver more efficient services to the growing aerospace sector.
Currently, 14 FAA-licensed spaceports exist in the United States, with only four states having more than one facility. Alaska could join that elite group if the Poker Flat spaceport license is approved in the coming years.
Licensing could take up to two years, though state officials have not confirmed the cost of the process. Still, documents suggest an upgraded facility might qualify for future NASA contracts.
While Kodiak has handled small commercial launches since the 1990s, Poker Flat has stayed focused on scientific research due to surrounding land constraints. Launches must avoid Fairbanks to the south and the trans-Alaska pipeline to the west.
Although high-latitude locations are better for polar orbit launches, officials are still determining what market Poker Flat might serve. California’s Vandenberg and Alaska’s Kodiak are already key players in polar orbit capabilities. With this partnership underway, Alaska continues to strengthen its position as a growing hub for American space exploration.
