One of the longest runways in the world is gearing up for more flights.
A partnership is forming that would allow private companies to fly and land on the seldom used Kennedy Space Center landing facility that welcomed space shuttles home from orbit for nearly 30 years.
XCOR Aerospace, a company based in California, will be using the facility to take space tourists to suborbit.
That venture won't be cheap, costing nearly $100,000 each flight, but it's just the boon the Space Coast needs.
Additionally, nearly 150 jobs will also be added to the area.
Those interested in the new flights can begin hopping on board beginning in 2015.
"After three minutes you're at Mach 3 and a half, continue up to 350,000 feet," said XCOR Aerospace COO Andrew Nelson. "You're wearing a pressure suit, a real astronaut experience."
An experienced astronaut pilot would maneuver the two-seater craft called the LYNX. The company envisions up to four flights per day.
They would use the 15,000-foot long, 300-foot wide runway, the spot where 78 orbiters returned to Earth until 2011, for takeoffs and landings.
"Imagine 30 something million visitors coming to Central Florida, the home of human spaceflight," Nelson said. "And the employee base is so good here, they know how to do things the right way."
The company would like to use former shuttle workers since they will need technicians, engineers and operational personnel to be based in Brevard County. The goal is to hire 150 people by 2018.
Space Florida, the group that lured XCOR to the area, would like to bring similar companies to the area.
"We look forward to enhancing and facilitating the new suborbital launch providers," said Jim Kuzma of Space Florida.