Geographies of Abandoned Spaceports

As commercial space exploration continues to develop, it is important to track the historical context of previously used spaceports. Since no consolidated source for the currently abandoned spaceports exists, this paper will examine the history and legacy of seven abandoned facilities and provide an analysis of the factors that led to their decommissioning. This paper focuses on five pioneering, government-backed spaceports in four countries: Algeria, Australia, Kenya, and Russia. In addition, the paper reviews two privately built launch sites constructed by the German company OTRAG in Zaire (Democratic Republic of the Congo) and Libya. This paper uses content analysis of archival sources, published accounts, and various repositories through three generations of spaceports from the 1940s to present day. Ultimately, these spaceports became obsolete for factors ranging from technology obsolesce, financial insolvency, and geopolitical and diplomatic pressures. To benefit future research, this paper outlines important lessons from spaceport development, specifically outlining the need for ongoing investment, flexible mission capabilities, extensible infrastructure, and strategic partnerships to ensure operational viability over the long term. With a new era of commercial space expansion, understanding the factors that led to the decline of these early spaceports provides insights for future research.