Background
Colorado Air and Space Port (CASP or CFO) is a public-use, general aviation airport owned and operated by Adams County and one of the 12 Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) commercial spaceports in the United States that can support horizontal launch and landing operations.
Located in northeastern Colorado, Adams County is the fifth most populous county in Colorado, with a current population of approximately 520,000. As CASP’s owner, Adams County is responsible for operating and maintaining the airport in a safe condition and leasing properties within the airport boundary. CASP is located along the Interstate 70 corridor near the town of Watkins, Colorado, 26 miles east of downtown Denver and seven miles southeast of Denver International Airport (DEN). CASP is designated as a General Aviation (GA) – Reliever Airport in the FAA’s National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems (NPIAS).
History
Originally named Front Range Airport, CASP was built in 1984 with the vision of driving the economy in eastern Adams County by supplying an increase in air cargo and general aviation business. The vision was supplemented by the addition of two 8,000-foot runways, three full precision instrument landing systems (ILS) and ramps on the east side and west side of the airport. The airport was proud to establish controlled airspace after the opening of the tallest general aviation air traffic control tower in North America in 2005.
In August 2018, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) granted a site operator license to Front Range Airport, the 11th such license granted in the United States. With this new role as Colorado's first spaceport, the airport's name was changed to Colorado Air and Space Port (CASP). Colorado Air and Space Port will serve as America’s hub for commercial space transportation, research, and development.
Located just seven miles from Denver International Airport, CASP is poised to achieve new heights of prosperity for the commercial space industries. The potential for partnerships includes more than 400 companies already operating in Colorado. These industry leaders are pioneering and supporting groundbreaking missions and research related to space and planetary science.
Always looking to expand on its 3,349 acres of land, CASP supports local and state governments with the building of a Colorado National Guard armory, as well as the Colorado Department of Transportation Aeronautical Division and Colorado State Patrol office. CASP stands at the fore front of the future, maintaining a foothold in the technological development of sub-orbital flight and aerospace research and development.
