Alaska, already home to the most northern spaceport in the United States, is taking steps to potentially establish a second FAA-licensed launch facility.
On Tuesday, the University of Alaska’s Geophysical Institute in Fairbanks forged a significant collaboration with the state-owned Alaska Aerospace Corp.
While the agreement’s specifics are highly technical, Governor Mike Dunleavy’s draft budget for the corporation reveals intentions for the university to apply for an FAA spaceport license for the Poker Flat Research Range.
This range has conducted sounding rocket launches—smaller rockets used predominantly for research—since March of 1969, with recent launches occurring as recently as this spring.
An FAA license would expand Poker Flat’s capabilities, enabling it to launch larger rockets for commercial purposes beyond its current scientific scope.
However, the process to attain this certification could take as long as two years, according to state budget documents, though the exact cost of the licensing remains uncertain.
The collaboration agreement between Alaska Aerospace Corp and the University of Alaska does not explicitly mention the spaceport license but emphasizes a joint commitment to create efficiencies in space industry services, which would be beneficial for the rocket and satellite business.
The partnership aims to develop common standards and provide cross-training opportunities for staff that will operate at both Poker Flat and the Narrow Cape spaceport located in Kodiak.
Currently, Alaska joins nine other states with FAA-licensed spaceports, making the total 14 nationally.
Interestingly, only Texas, Florida, California, and Virginia boast two or more licensed spaceports.
Poker Flat has a rich history, having served as a research facility since before the establishment of the Alaska Aerospace Corp in 1991.
Initially considered for the headquarters and primary launch site for the new corporation, Poker Flat was passed over in 1994 for the Kodiak site.
Since that decision, Poker Flat has remained focused on research launches of sounding rockets intended to study auroras, operating without an official spaceport license.
Notably, as early as 2020, Alaska Aerospace was collaborating with Poker Flat to initiate an application for a commercial spaceport license for the Fairbanks area.
With an annual budget of approximately $10.5 million, Alaska Aerospace funds its operations through federal funds and revenues generated by the corporation.
Geographic positioning affects launch strategies; launch locations nearer to the equator provide an advantage for east-west orbits, while polar sites excel for north-south polar orbits.
The Kodiak Launch Complex and California’s Vandenberg Space Force Base are strategic for polar orbit launches given their proximity to vast oceans.
Should a rocket fail, debris would fall into the ocean rather than populated areas.
Vandenberg generally accommodates large rockets from major manufacturers, including Boeing and SpaceX, while Kodiak has focused on smaller commercial launches.
What market Poker Flat will serve remains uncertain, particularly since its launches face geographical restrictions from Fairbanks to the south, the Canadian border to the east, and the trans-Alaska pipeline to the west.
State budget documents suggest potential NASA contracts could be available for an upgraded Poker Flat, although funding possibilities have been jeopardized following President Donald Trump’s proposals to significantly decrease NASA’s budget.
image source from：https://www.adn.com/business-economy/2025/06/11/university-of-alaska-seeks-to-create-the-states-second-spaceport/
