Virginia Spaceport Authority previews Wallops expansion, says county-owned land needed to protect launches

Major General (Ret.) Ted Mercer, chief executive officer of the Virginia Spaceport Authority, told the Accomack County Board of Supervisors on Feb. 26 that the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility has expanded launch capability, customers and local economic impact.

Mercer said the authority is FAA-licensed for vertical lift to orbit and is one of four U.S. spaceports with that capability. “I don't own it. I just operate it for you,” Mercer said of the spaceport on state-owned property at Wallops Island. He described multiple launch pads, a new payload processing building and a UAS airfield supporting commercial and government customers.

The briefing outlined near-term operations: Firefly Alpha and Northrop Grumman’s new Antares are both slated to launch from the same pad in 2026, the authority has a Rocket Lab lease for Electron operations at Pad 0C, and construction of Pad 0D for Rocket Lab’s Neutron rocket was “on track” with work to be completed in April. Mercer said Rocket Lab is using a recently completed integration and test facility under a lease; the Commonwealth provided $15 million in MEI funding toward the building, which Mercer said cost about $20 million.

Mercer described an 18,000-square-foot payload processing facility that can perform hypergolic fueling and a UAS airfield sized at 3,000 by 75 feet that hosts multiple customers. He also announced the authority recently acquired 553 acres adjacent to existing spaceport property. “The reason we bought that is because the neutron rocket and the new Northrop Grumman Antares rockets are going to extend the hazard area out into outside of the NASA fence,” Mercer said, explaining the purchase is intended to control access and possible evacuations for launches.

On jobs and economic impact Mercer cited a study covering 2018–22 that the authority summarized as showing jobs tied to the spaceport rising from dozens to roughly 4,500 and annual industry output increasing from about $1.2 billion to $1.5 billion. He added the authority estimates a $2.90 return on investment for every state dollar spent on the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport.

Board members and local officials asked about workforce development and housing. Mercer said the authority runs internship and K–12 outreach programs, partners with 12 Virginia colleges and universities and has a memorandum of understanding with Eastern Shore Community College to help build technician pipelines. He said about 20% of interns hired by the authority remain as employees.

Mercer also discussed federal support the authority seeks. He said the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport receives a competitively awarded distribution from an annual federal Spaceport Enhancement Program routed through the U.S. Space Force and that the authority typically receives approximately $11.5 million when those funds are included in federal appropriations.

The board thanked Mercer and invited the authority to return for quarterly updates. Mercer offered to meet with county educators to expand K–12 engagement and internships.