A rocket’s red glare could soon light up the nation’s most unusual wildlife refuge way out in the far reaches of the Pacific Ocean, under a plan now being studied by the Air Force.
As early as this month, the Air Force expects to complete its environmental assessment of plans to build and operate two rocket landing pads at the remote Johnston Atoll. Hundreds of thousands of seabirds and migrating shorebirds inhabit the atoll or spend winters there.
The pads would accept up to 10 reentry vehicle landings per year over four consecutive years as part of the ambitious Rocket Cargo Vanguard program.
Elon Musk’s SpaceX in 2022 entered into a contract to participate in the program, which will test the potential of reusable rockets to carry big cargo loads halfway around the world in 90 minutes or so.
