NASA, Florida and Industry Leaders Unveil CAPEWEEK Aerospace Expo

NASA, the state of Florida, Space Florida and CAPEWEEK have announced a new annual aerospace and technology expo called CAPEWEEK, to be held on the former space shuttle landing runway at NASA's Kennedy Space Center.

Event Details

CAPEWEEK will debut March 27 through April 2, 2028, on the 15,001-foot former space shuttle landing runway at NASA's Kennedy Space Center. The event will combine a leadership forum, an industry exposition and public days featuring flight demonstrations and technology displays. CAPEWEEK is designed to grow to accommodate more than 500,000 people a year.

Leadership Statements

"America should have a place where the people building the future can come together with the public that inspires and supports them," said NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman. "There are few more fitting places than Kennedy Space Center and the runway where the Space Shuttle returned from orbit. CAPEWEEK will put extraordinary aircraft, spacecraft, technologies, and the people behind them in one place and give hundreds of thousands of visitors a front-row seat to the next era of American innovation."

"Florida launched the first space race, and Florida is going to win the next one," said Gov.-elect Byron Donalds. "We want this state to be the world headquarters of space exploration, not only for astronauts and engineers, but for welders, electricians, machinists, technicians and pilots too. Pursuing the final frontier means good-paying jobs right here in Florida, and CAPEWEEK is how we launch that mission."

"For decades, the partnership between NASA and the Department of the Air Force has inspired the world by leading America to the edge of the possible and beyond," said Secretary of the Air Force Troy Meink. "We continue carrying that spirit forward to protect and defend our nation. CAPEWEEK is poised to further unite our shared missions, celebrate our legacy of exploration, and showcase innovation - bringing together disruptors, decision-makers, and industry partners on one runway to supercharge the industrial base."

"America is the techno-aerospace republic. The world's great air shows have long brought the industry together; CAPEWEEK gives America a stage of its own to join them," said Cyrus Sigari, Founder and Mission Commander of CAPEWEEK. "Beyond just serving industry, we have designed CAPEWEEK to be where the next generation comes to see the future they were promised. A 10-year-old girl will be able to watch a flying car or a rocket cross the sky in the morning, meet the team that built it that afternoon, and go home that night believing she could build the next one."

"For decades, we watched this runway bring orbiters home. Now it’s the front door for the companies building America’s future in space," said Rob Long, president and CEO of Space Florida, the state’s aerospace finance and development authority, which operates the former space shuttle landing runway under an agreement with NASA. "CAPEWEEK will bring the world’s customers, capital, and talent here for one week a year. Our job is to make sure the deals started here get done."

Economic Impact and Scope

An initial economic impact analysis, benchmarked against the world's leading aerospace shows and major U.S. events, projects that CAPEWEEK and the year-round development it anchors will generate an estimated $5 billion in economic impact for Florida over its first decade.

CAPEWEEK will convene companies working across aerospace, defense, superintelligence, energy, autonomy, robotics and advanced mobility on land, sea, air and space, from rockets and fighter jets to autonomous ships, electric vehicles and delivery drones. Its leadership forum will bring executives, investors and government officials together to collaborate across these sectors.

The industry exposition is designed to establish an American venue for major product introductions and commercial agreements, connecting companies with customers, suppliers and investors from around the world. Public programming will give families and students opportunities to see the technology in action and meet the engineers developing it.

Why it matters

CAPEWEEK represents a public-private partnership among NASA, the state of Florida, Space Florida and CAPEWEEK to create an annual aerospace and technology expo on Florida's Space Coast. The event is designed to accommodate more than 500,000 people annually and is projected to generate an estimated $5 billion in economic impact for Florida over its first decade.

---

Sources

• spaceflorida.gov: NASA, Florida and Industry Leaders Unveil CAPEWEEK: The Great American Aerospace and Technology Expo at Kennedy Space Center
• finance.yahoo.com: Planet Labs Signs Multi-Launch Agreement With Stoke Space For Nova Rocket Missions

This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.