FORT PIERCE — St. Lucie County is considering the possibility of bringing part of Florida’s booming space industry to the Treasure Coast through a conceptual rocket recovery facility at the Port of Fort Pierce.
The idea is one of several being evaluated as part of an update to the port’s master plan, which was last revised in 2020.
According to Port Director Joshua Revord, interest from the aerospace sector has increased over the past year as companies look for alternatives to Port Canaveral.
“Over the last year or so, a few of those companies have come by to take a look at the port. Space Florida has been interested and is currently doing a wharf study to look at alternative locations within the state to help augment the needs of that industry so that Canaveral doesn't have to pick between cruise and the space industry,” Revord said.
Modern rockets shed components during launch, with much of that hardware eventually ending up in the Atlantic Ocean. Those pieces must be recovered, transported and refurbished before they can be reused.
As launch activity continues to accelerate, Revord said the industry is seeking additional locations to support those operations.
“Because the cadence of the space industry is expanding quickly, they're finding themselves at a loss for staging their equipment and bringing those pieces and parts that fall into the ocean back to the port,” he said. “So, they would come here and start that process of refurbishing that unit while they wait for an optimal time to get back to Port Canaveral.”
County officials say the Port of Fort Pierce’s location and available waterfront make it a unique candidate for such a facility.
“We're one of 19 deep water ports in the state of Florida, so as they begin to look at adjacent areas and ports where they could potentially expand their operations, we were on that list because the further south you go, the less space you have,” Communications Director Erick Gill said.
For St. Lucie County, officials say the concept could also help advance long-term improvements at the port.
Revord said any rocket recovery operation would likely require additional infrastructure along the waterfront, creating opportunities for future development.
“So the draw for us is really to position ourselves for some future partnership with the state and or federal government, to help get the infrastructure we need to make the port a better position for future commerce,” he said.
The proposal remains in the conceptual stage, and county officials have not determined what a facility would look like or how it would be funded.
Gill said that nothing is definitive yet, but the county could pursue outside funding sources if aerospace-related improvements move forward.
“The company has made their own financial investments into the port, but having it under county-owned ownership gives us the opportunity to go out for state and federal grants to help facilitate whatever improvements may be needed,” Gill said. “The same would be said for any aerospace industry upgrades that may be needed. We would look for state and federal grants as well as contributions from the companies that are looking to relocate here.”
The rocket recovery facility is one of several ideas under consideration as part of the master plan update. County officials are also evaluating other potential expansions, including new boat ramps and a marina.
The county is currently seeking public input on the future of the port as it develops the updated plan.