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CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — Space Launch Delta 45 leaders reopened the Skid Strip at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station this week after a two-year, $50.9 million overhaul, unveiling upgrades aimed at supporting heavy military cargo aircraft that deliver satellite payloads and mission equipment. About 60 leaders attended a ribbon-cutting ceremony on April 21, officials said.
“The mission here at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station is going to continue to evolve, and it’s only through platforms like this that we’re going to be able to stay ahead of our adversaries,” Col. Christopher Bulson, Space Launch Delta 45’s deputy commander for support, said during the ceremony. “Right now, we do about a third of all global launches.”
Built in the 1950s, the 10,000-foot-long, 250-foot-wide runway earned its nickname as a landing site for Snark cruise missiles that stopped on metal skids. Decades of piecemeal fixes left the strip a patchwork. The latest project, led by Space Launch Delta 45’s Civil Engineer Squadron and the Air Force Civil Engineer Center, replaced aging sections and modernized the airfield.
Crews added new 1,000-foot concrete ends to better accommodate the C-5 Galaxy and C-17 Globemaster III, installed 366 LED light fixtures, and brought the facility up to current codes. The rebuilt surface extends 26 inches into the ground to strengthen the foundation, according to officials.
Construction required significant logistics: at peak, 80 trucks per day moved materials onto the base, with 4,520 truck trips counted over the life of the project. Work proceeded around Florida-specific challenges, including a brief pause to relocate gopher tortoises found in construction areas.
The renovation finished roughly four months ahead of schedule. Officials said justification to proceed was granted in 2018.
“The scope and scale of this project was massive and to see the Air Force take that on in support of the Space Force mission has been truly incredible,” Bulson said. “As Cape Canaveral has adjusted over the decades, it’s been about adapting to the new mission of setting launch records.”
