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New Renovations At Kennedy Space Center For Evolving Space Program

Orion blasts off atop a Delta IV Heavy rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. Photo: KennedySpaceCenter.com
Photo of Orion Launch Dec. 5 2014

NASA is planning new renovations at Kennedy Space Center as the space agency prepares to send astronauts to an asteroid and Mars on its first new spacecraft in a generation.

It has selected J.P. Donovan Construction of Rockledge in Brevard County to refurbish some of the ground infrastructure that will launch astronauts into deep space.

The company was awarded a $46 million dollar contract to retool a mobile launcher, used during the shuttle program to move the shuttles to the pads before launches.

The renovations are part of a massive transformation at Kennedy as the space center transitions into a multi-user spaceport after the shuttle program ended in 2011.

NASA plans on private companies like Boeing and SpaceX to fly astronauts to the International Space Station while it focuses on its new deep space capsule, Orion.

Orion's first unmanned test flight was in December.

Subcontractors include Core Electric of Melbourne, MDI Services of Orlando and Bragg Crane and Rigging of Long Beach, Calif.

Amy Green covered the environment for WMFE until 2023. Her work included the 2020 podcast DRAINED.