Built in 1974 for space shuttles returning to Kennedy, the Space Shuttle Landing Facility (SLF) opened for flights in 1976. The concrete runway is 15,000 feet long and 300 feet wide and is capable of supporting all types and sizes of aircraft and horizontal launch and landing vehicles. In 2015, NASA signed a 30-year property agreement with Space Florida authorizing the agency to operate and manage the historic SLF, which features one of the longest runways in the world.  Private companies frequently request time on the SLF and that demand is expected to increase in the future as businesses that were commercial startups evolve into mature enterprises.  The new arrangement with Space Florida is expected to maximize the opportunities to utilize the runway creatively while maintaining its ability to serve NASA and the center.

KSC also has identified an area adjacent to Beach Road to be used for future technologies. While the SLF is expected to be able to accommodate existing horizontal launch companies, this notional future area would be suitable for advanced forms of transportation wishing to launch east over the Atlantic Ocean.  This type of activity would be clustered near similar types of operations, allowing opportunities to utilize shared resources, assets, and utilities.