NASA Programs at KSC
Through its long-term plans for developing and maintaining KSC’s core competencies, the Master Plan supports NASA Program objectives while providing non-NASA entities opportunities to utilize excess capabilities. The following NASA programs are vital to KSC’s future as a hub for launch and exploration activities.
Ground Systems Development and Operations Program (GSDO)
The Ground Systems Development and Operations Program (GSDO) is preparing KSC to process and launch the next-generation vehicles and spacecraft designed to achieve NASA’s goals for space exploration. Program personnel are developing the necessary ground systems while refurbishing and upgrading infrastructure and facilities to meet anticipated demands.  This modernization effort is flexible and accommodates a variety of government, commercial, and other customers.
The Launch Services Program (LSP) acts as a broker, matching government and commercial spacecraft with the most appropriate launch vehicle. Spacecraft destination requirements, coupled with the mass and volume of the spacecraft, determine the launch vehicle required. Once the right vehicle is selected, LSP buys that spacecraft a ride to space and works diligently to ensure mission success. LSP provides technical guidance from pre-mission planning to the post-launch phase of the spacecraft. If not for LSP, customers would be required to provide their own commercial launch license, vehicle provider, research and development, and payload processing facility, as well as airspace coordination and monitoring capability.
NASA’s Commercial Crew Program (CCP) is a government/commercial partnership formed to facilitate the development of a U.S. commercial crew space transportation capability. The CCP goal is to achieve safe, reliable and cost-effective access to and return from the International Space Station (ISS) and low-Earth orbit.
ISS Ground Processing and Research Project Office
The ISS mission is to fully utilize a permanent human outpost in space. The mission of the ISS Ground Processing and Research Project Office (ISSGP&R) is to manage all ISS KSC ground processing requirements and to promote full utilization of the ISS through fundamental biological research capabilities. The ISSGP&R manages the ISS Program and Research activities for KSC. These activities include experiment and orbital replacement unit ground processing in addition to supporting ISS research and National Lab requirements