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Hennessy supercar with American flag on the Shuttle Landing Facility runway at Kennedy Space Center

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER

Vehicle Testing at Kennedy Space Center

Test your vehicle where spaceflight history was made — within the secure environment of Kennedy Space Center, on the legendary runway built for the Space Shuttle.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER

Test Where History Was Made

Secure spaceport environment · 15,000 ft × 300 ft runway · Built for the Space Shuttle · Controlled access

3.22

Mile Runway Length

300

Feet Wide

4

GPS-Surveyed Mile Sections

300+

MPH Test Capability

Exotic supercar on the Shuttle Landing Facility runway at Kennedy Space Center

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER

An Extraordinary Testing Location

Our facility is located within the secure environment of Kennedy Space Center, giving customers access to an extraordinary testing location unlike a conventional proving ground. Vehicle development and testing take place surrounded by active aerospace operations, historic spaceflight infrastructure, and the legacy of the Space Shuttle program.

Location
Kennedy Space Center, Florida
Adjacent To
Historic Shuttle Landing Facility
Surrounded By
Active aerospace operations
Legacy
Space Shuttle program
Secure Kennedy Space Center environment at the Shuttle Landing Facility

THE SETTING

Unlike Anywhere Else

This isn't a typical commercial runway or an isolated proving ground — it is Kennedy Space Center, a secure, controlled spaceport that has been at the center of American spaceflight for generations. Access is highly controlled: personnel entering the center for official business must be properly badged and authorized.

Access
Badged & authorized only
Provides
Privacy · security · exclusivity
Setting
Secure, controlled spaceport
Result
Impossible to duplicate

THE RUNWAY

The Historic Shuttle Runway

The Shuttle Landing Facility was built specifically for the Space Shuttle program. At 15,000 feet long and 300 feet wide, the runway stretches nearly three miles, and its enormous scale provides an exceptional environment for specialized vehicle and aerospace testing. Today, the runway and surrounding Kennedy Space Center facilities continue to support aerospace, aviation, research, and commercial technology programs.

Length
15,000 feet / ~3 miles
Width
300 feet
Built For
Space Shuttle program
Programs
Automotive · aerospace · EV · autonomous

CAPABILITIES

What Can Be Tested

TOP SPEED

How fast can vehicles go on the Shuttle Landing Facility?

The facility offers 300+ MPH test capability. There are four military-surveyed GPS mile sections — two north-to-south, two south-to-north — with IMRA (International Mile Racing Association) as the timing partner. Sessions can record 0–60 through 0–300 MPH timing for OEM comparison accuracy.

  • 300+ MPH test capability
  • 4 military GPS-surveyed mile sections (2 N–S, 2 S–N)
  • IMRA — International Mile Racing Association — timing partner
  • 0–60, 0–100, 0–150, 0–200, 0–225, 0–250 and 0–300 MPH timing

OEM VALIDATION

Can I run OEM validation testing here?

Yes. Sessions can record coast down distance, coefficient of drag with different coatings, odometer and speedometer accuracy for OEM comparison, emissions testing, and fuel economy testing, inside a secure, controlled spaceport built for the Space Shuttle.

  • Coast down distance
  • Coefficient of drag testing with different coatings
  • Odometer and speedometer accuracy for OEM comparison
  • Emissions testing and fuel economy testing
  • Engine component testing

AUTONOMOUS & EV

Can autonomous and electric vehicles be tested?

Yes. The 3.22-mile runway supports autonomous vehicle testing and avoidance testing, with full-time weather information from the on-site Air Traffic Control Tower. The facility supports automotive, aerospace, EV and autonomous programs.

  • Autonomous vehicle testing
  • Avoidance testing
  • Full-time weather from the on-site Air Traffic Control Tower
  • Automotive, aerospace, EV and autonomous programs supported

TIRES & BRAKES

Can I test tires and brakes here?

Yes. Sessions can record braking g-force, stopping distance, dynamic load and brake testing, tire safety testing, and tire grip or compound testing.

  • Braking g-force and stopping distance
  • Dynamic load and brake testing
  • Tire safety testing
  • Tire grip and compound testing

LAW ENFORCEMENT

Do you offer law-enforcement vehicle certification?

Yes. The facility performs 150 MPH law-enforcement certification testing on the Shuttle Landing Facility runway, with professional Fire Rescue and EMS on site 24/7 and NASA fire rescue at the south end of the runway.

  • 150 MPH law-enforcement certification testing
  • Fire Rescue and EMS on site 24/7
  • NASA fire rescue at the south end of the runway

DATA LOGGING

What We Measure

These are the types of things you can data log during a session. This is not an exhaustive list — these are some, but not all, of the data points that can be recorded. The information gathered is proprietary and the sole ownership of Space Coast Testing and/or the entity using the facility.

  • Acceleration g-force
  • Timed acceleration over a specified distance
  • 0–60 MPH timing for OEM comparison accuracy
  • 0–100 MPH timing for OEM comparison accuracy
  • 0–150 MPH timing for OEM comparison accuracy
  • 0–200 MPH timing for OEM comparison accuracy
  • 0–225 MPH timing for OEM comparison accuracy
  • 0–250 MPH timing for OEM comparison accuracy
  • 0–300 MPH timing for OEM comparison accuracy
  • Braking g-force
  • Stopping distance
  • Coast down distance
  • Dynamic load/brake testing
  • Tire safety testing
  • Tire grip/compound testing
  • Odometer for OEM comparison accuracy
  • Speedometer for OEM comparison accuracy
  • Engine component testing
  • Coefficient of drag testing with different coatings
  • Emissions testing
  • Fuel economy testing
  • Autonomous vehicle testing
  • Avoidance testing
  • 150 MPH law enforcement certification testing

OEM's, EPA, DOE, DOT, and Autonomous Vehicles will conduct testing for their informational purposes only. These are some but not all of the tests that will be performed on each session.

PROVENANCE

More Than a Test Facility

For automotive, aerospace, specialty, autonomous, electric, and other advanced vehicle programs, the combination of scale, controlled access, aerospace infrastructure, privacy, and history creates a testing environment that is impossible to duplicate.

Testing at Kennedy adds something that a conventional facility cannot provide: provenance.

Your vehicle was tested at Kennedy Space Center. It was evaluated in an environment created for the Space Shuttle and surrounded by the infrastructure and history of American spaceflight. The location itself becomes part of the story of the vehicle.

For companies developing breakthrough technology, that matters. The testing environment can become part of the product's identity, marketing story, investor presentation, launch event, or customer experience.

This isn't simply a place to test a vehicle. It's a place to test where the Space Shuttle landed, where aerospace history continues to be made, and where the next generation of vehicles can be put to the test.

Provenance
Tested at Kennedy Space Center
Environment
Created for the Space Shuttle
Story Value
Identity · marketing · investors
The Location
Where the Shuttle landed

Runway

Runway Specifications

Length
3.22 miles / 5.15 km
Width
300 feet / 91.44 m
Designed For
Space Shuttle + largest aircraft
Concrete Surface
15,000 feet / 4,572 m
Surface Quality
Among the flattest all-concrete runways in the world
Asphalt Runoff
1,000 feet per end / 609.6 m
Transition Edge
½ inch high
Elevation Above Sea Level
8.3 feet / 2.53 m
Elevation Change
0.25 inches / 0.635 cm
Crown
24 inches at center
Rain Grooves
¼" × ¼" every 1¼ inches
Rain Grooves Start
3,500' mark, N & S ends
GPS Mile Sections
4 military-surveyed (2 N–S, 2 S–N)
Timing Partner
IMRA (International Mile Racing Assoc.)
Runway Lights
Adjustable, visible from space
On-Site Weather
Full-time, via Air Traffic Control
Runway 15 (North End)
28°37'57.93"N / 80°42'21.83"W
Runway 33 (South End)
28°35'49.1"N / 80°40'57.66"W
Runway Center
28°36'53.66"N / 80°41'39.74"W

Terminology

Reading the Specs

Coast down
Coast down distance is one of the measurements that can be data logged during a session.
GPS-surveyed mile
One of four military-surveyed GPS mile sections on the runway — two north-to-south and two south-to-north.
IMRA
IMRA is the International Mile Racing Association, the timing partner.

Download

Runway Spec Sheet

One-page PDF: length, width, surface, crown, rain grooves, elevation, GPS mile sections, coordinates and timing partner.

Download PDF

Facilities

See the Infrastructure

FAQ

Runway Testing Questions

How long is the Kennedy Space Center shuttle runway?

The Shuttle Landing Facility runway is 3.22 miles (5.15 km) long — 15,000 feet (4,572 m) of concrete plus 1,000 feet (609.6 m) of asphalt runoff at each end. It is 300 feet (91.44 m) wide, built for the Space Shuttle and the largest aircraft.

How fast can vehicles go on the Shuttle Landing Facility?

The facility offers 300+ MPH test capability, with 0–60 through 0–300 MPH timing available for OEM comparison accuracy.

How is top speed timed on the runway?

There are four military-surveyed GPS mile sections — two north-to-south and two south-to-north — with IMRA (International Mile Racing Association) as the timing partner.

What kinds of testing sessions can I request?

The contact form offers Manufacturer Testing, Private Testing, Data Logging Session, Vehicle Shipping & Storage and Other. Send us a message and we'll get back to you within 24 hours.

Is testing confidential, and who owns the data?

Testing is held in strict confidentiality with the utmost privacy, inside a facility inaccessible to the public. The information gathered is proprietary and the sole ownership of Space Coast Testing and/or the entity using the facility.

Who can access the runway?

Access is highly controlled: personnel entering the center for official business must be properly badged and authorized. Kennedy Space Center is a secure, controlled spaceport.

Can vehicle testing sessions run at night?

Yes. Runway lights are fully adjustable to accommodate driver needs for all-night testing, with full-time weather information available from the on-site Air Traffic Control Tower.

Ready to Test?

Put Your Vehicle To the Test

Test where the Space Shuttle landed, where aerospace history continues to be made, and where the next generation of vehicles prove themselves. Let's schedule your time at Kennedy Space Center.

Contact Us