In years past, ships about to sail gathered in port to be fitted and take on their crew and provisions for voyages of exploration or commerce. Today's space-ports have facilities to perform many of these same functions. Of course, launch facilities include the platform from which a rocket is launched, but the most sophisticated facilities also allow state-of-the-art payload processing, including fueling and encapsulation of satellites and integrating a payload with a launch vehicle. Launch facilities can serve civil, scientific, commercial, and/or military functions.

A space shuttle slowly moves from the Vehicle Assembly Building on its crawler transporter toward its launch site at the Kennedy Space Center.

Facilities in the United States

The United States has a number of launch sites and associated facilities, located primarily on the East and West Coasts. Perhaps the best known is the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Kennedy...