Alternate Space Ports?

Panhomo

What locations around the world (Earth specifically) could have plausibly become space ports?

Ideally not just one off pads, but at least a few launches, in use for at least a few years, with some associated permanent jobs and infrastructure.

Cape Agulhas, South Africa, southernmost point of mainland Africa. Can launch rockets over the sea across a fantastic array of inclinations. It is well connected to the rest of the country for staff and shipping supplies. The main problems are that launches would interrupt an important shipping lane, and that the largest rockets which are usually moved by sea would be difficult to bring here, the waters just offshore are hazardous. South Africa did attempt to develop a launch capability.

One of the Bajuni islands of Somalia, perhaps Koyama. A bridge can easily be made to the mainland, and it is fairly close to the port of Kismayo, but not too close, at least for small rockets. It has a great freedom of launches available to it, including due east where its nearness to the equator gives it a great advantage. Somalia has unfortunately never been wealthy enough to develop rockets IOTL, but that could change, or perhaps Somalia could cooperate with neighbors in an equivalent to the ESA, or even lease an island to a wealthier but less geographically endowed state.
 
MichaelWest

MichaelWest

Using a surviving Imperial Germany who retains its colonial possessions I chose Mtwara in modern Tanzania (German East Africa). It was the best choice for Germany, offering a near Equator position to boost launches, ocean down range, access to port facilities, decent climate, land to develop infrastructure such as electrical generation, housing, some industry, etc., and is in territory it has control of and can keep secure. And it turns the whole ground nut debacle into a success for an African colony.
 

Arkenfolm

As you mentioned, a site near Kismayo would be great. You just need it not to be anything like Somalia, yet also stable enough for wealthy nations to want to invest in expensive infrastructure there. Maybe more Italian involvement in East Africa and they pull out on decent terms with the locals. Combine it with a similar situation in Kenya plus Zanzibar becoming East African Singapore, and why not throw in a more developed Ethiopia too? Kismayo would be an important city for business and foreigners, and probably second only to Mogadishu in this Somalia. This might take a pre-1900 POD sadly.

I like Mt. Kenya too, since on the Equator, Mt. Kenya is over 3,000 meters above sea level, which is the highest point on the Equator outside of Ecuador, and the infrastructure to build a spaceport in that area would likely be cheaper than the terrain in Ecuador (although Ecuador might have better infrastructure, given that the Equator passes just north of Quito), plus westward from Ecuador from is the Amazon, which you don't want failed launches crashing in. It could be a good point for a small mass driver. At some site along Lake Victoria (almost 400 kilometers away), or maybe at the pre-existing major city of Kisumu (about 300 kilometers away), built the spaceport itself, while the mass driver rail goes up Mt. Kenya. The craft deploys a rocket engine which allows it to connect to a skyhook orbitting along the equator, which flings it into orbit. This isn't ideal for human passengers, but for cargo it would definitely work. East Africa is a natural place for space industries, given the large amount of rare-earth materials, lithium, cobalt, etc. it's key location at the Equator allowing eastward launches, and possibly the height of Mt. Kenya.

Maybe for a solar power wank, somewhere in the Northern Territory in Australia along with a secondary port in South Australia/Western Australia? A launch loop could have ample solar power in that area, plus it has several uranium mining regions (if you want nuclear power), and you could build it over land which might be easier than building it in the ocean. Although even if you didn't have a launch loop, the Northern Territory seems like a good place to launch rockets from.

Macapa in Brazil is another great site, since in addition to launching sites nearby, I could see it being a base for sea launched rockets, or maybe even air launched rockets too if the technology develops. International rocket launches would form a major part of the economy. Although other nearby ports like Belém or São Luís might take on this role instead, which would likely depend on local and regional politics.

Liberia might be interesting too, since the area near Harper in the far southeast of the country could be nice for a spaceport. A more "colonised" Liberia (either by the US or maybe another European country) could have the Harper area as a major spaceport. Independent Liberia too, if the country had ended up more developed and were surrounded by a strong community of quickly developing West African nations.
 

Kaze

Banned
US -

Texas (before the Cape in Floridia was selected Huston was on the short list of NASA's primary launch center, they got the 2nd place prize instead - tracking center), New Mexico (not Roswell, but 200 miles away from there. In a different time-line Robert Goddard starts NASA early in New Mexico), California (Edward's Air Force Base - home of the X-1 through the X-15+, if you go by this route instead of rockets, you would have space launches from aircraft)

Japan -

They have a space agency, basically sending up telecommunications satellites, a satellite to predict earthquakes, weather satellites, and the like. In a timeline where Japan wins World War Two or a military Japan helps in the Cold War - one could see manned missions launched from Japan.

China.

The Chinese space agency is already known. They have launched men into space, satellites into space, launched a version of Skylab, put rovers on the moon, and there is talk in some circles that they might put a man on the moon very soon.

India.

The Indian space agency is in its infancy at the moment - it is playing catch-up to the Chinese. They have got as far as satellites, a lunar obit, a Mars orbiter, and the like. They have yet to send up a man. But I suspect by the end of the decade, we might see an Indian man walking in space and maybe in the far future an Indian on the Moon.

Korea.

North and South Korea both have Space Capabilities. They are in their infancy at the moment, but in theory they could put up a satellite or a man. In a different timeline which butterflies away the Korean War and / or there is peace between North and South - we could in theory see a Korean moon landing.


Dinosaurs...

This is ASB. Among some UFO nuts, there is a theory that suggest that some of the Dinosaurs saw the extinction event before it happened, cobbled together a primitive space-program, sent their civilization to the far side of the moon (the Moons of Mars, or some other location) in a "Noah's ark". The dinosaurs evolved in their new location, they plan to reclaim the planet earth from the mammals (the human race) or in other cases decided to help the mammals (by messing with the mammal genetics creating the human race, building megalithic sites, and the like) in a benevolent manner.
 
MichaelWest

MichaelWest

metalinvader665 said:
Macapa in Brazil is another great site, since in addition to launching sites nearby, I could see it being a base for sea launched rockets, or maybe even air launched rockets too if the technology develops. International rocket launches would form a major part of the economy. Although other nearby ports like Belém or São Luís might take on this role instead, which would likely depend on local and regional politics.
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My second choice for a Germany without colonies and avoiding the Nazis/WW2. Relations with Brazil were good, Germany was investing there and it makes an interesting departure for a modern Germany to have its own independent space program.
 

Crowbar Six

Gan in the Indian ocean is pretty much on the equator, lots of water but a bit on the small side. The real downside would be that the airfield was considered a real challenge to land on and there is not a lot of room.
 

sdgottsch

There are several critical considerations for where the world has decide to develop launch infrastructure. The first is the proximity to the equator and the ability to take into account the west-to-east rotation of the Earth -- eastward velocity is greatest at the equator with the Earth rotating at a speed of roughly 1,040 mph. This rotational speed decreases as objects move closer to the poles, reaching zero for objects directly over one of the poles. Additionally, the most important development of space use was the GEO/GSO orbit which has transformed the communication industry of the world -- the ability to launch at the equator allows for a near zero inclination which allows for use of less fuel on orbit (weight ='s huge dollars/Euro's in the world of the space industry). If you want Earth observation missions, then the ability to launch South is absolutely important -- meteorology satellites and such have to be able to retrace the exact locations at the same time of day (has to due with having the same lighting). The second, third, and fourth issues are interchangeable in importance -- weather, safety, and ability to develop infrastructure -- remember, Cape Canaveral was not the 1st pick for the US.
 

Panhomo

Could the ESA afford two launch sites? Finnmark could be useful, better for polar launches than Guiana.
 

e of pi

unclepatrick said:
Could a base be put on any of the Aleutians Islands?
Or would the weather there prohibit regular launches?
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You mean like Kodiak Island? There's a launch site there that the US Government uses, but very infrequently given the issues of shipping stuff to it and the poor general weather conditions--note it's seen a grand total of 17 launches in almost 20 years of operation, and none in the last 4 years.
 

RanulfC

e of pi said:
You mean like Kodiak Island? There's a launch site there that the US Government uses, but very infrequently given the issues of shipping stuff to it and the poor general weather conditions--note it's seen a grand total of 17 launches in almost 20 years of operation, and none in the last 4 years.
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I can't find a public document that shows it but the 'road' between where the LVs are delivered, (on a ferry, on a truck) to the launch complex is a bit of 'legend' here since HillAFB has provided support for several launches. Apparently there are a couple of switchbacks that, thankfully, since all bogies (tire groups) of the transport trailer swivel it's actually 'easier' than previously. The driver monitoring and steering the tractor while the co-driver actively steers the mid and aft tire set around the turns. "Very non-boring" I believe one team described the drive :)

Randy
 

Arkenfolm

e of pi said:
You mean like Kodiak Island? There's a launch site there that the US Government uses, but very infrequently given the issues of shipping stuff to it and the poor general weather conditions--note it's seen a grand total of 17 launches in almost 20 years of operation, and none in the last 4 years.
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To be fair, it's probably easier to ship something to Kodiak Island than it is to ship rockets to most other places in Alaska, hence why they aren't launching rockets from the North Slope which has a better climate for rocket launches. Maybe if they had the transportation infrastructure it might make more sense? More large mines like Red Dog Mine and correspondingly large port/rail infrastructure? Railroads/a port for Prudhoe Bay oil? Rampart Dam gets built? Seems pretty challenging regardless.
 

Riain

Banned
Weipa in far north Queensland has been mooted. Its probably the sunniest place within 11 degrees of the equator with ocean to the east in the world.

Something that isn't often mentioned that is a plus for Australia is the political stability and first world economy. Australia would develop a high standard of supporting infrastructure and be able to supply things like reliable electric supply, local fuels and gasses of the required quality.
 

corditeman

UK has several sites, oddly enough...

The Harris Test Range on Uist.

The Aberporth Test Range.

RAF Spadeadam - if the Blue Streak had not been bolted down, it could have flown northeast to Bear Island.

North Norfolk - frowned on because of the Indefatigable gas rigs.
 

trurle

Banned
If the radio guidance schemes of early R-7 missiles would be less fancy, the primary Soviet spaceport will become Kapustin Yar (Znamensk) instead of Baikonur.
 
unclepatrick

unclepatrick

e of pi said:
You mean like Kodiak Island? There's a launch site there that the US Government uses, but very infrequently given the issues of shipping stuff to it and the poor general weather conditions--note it's seen a grand total of 17 launches in almost 20 years of operation, and none in the last 4 years.
Click to expand...
So it not a completely ASB idea but the weather conditions do not make it a good lunch site.
Thank you for the information.
 
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