NASA to hawk space shuttle facilities

Interested in buying a 15,000-foot runway? Or maybe a launch pad? It turns out that NASA is quietly planning to lease or sell off a few of its assets at the Kennedy Space Center. A list of items for sale apparently isn't available yet, but it's said that Launch Pad 39A, a runway, and the Launch Control Center are up for sale.

If you're interested in starting your own private space program, talking with NASA about their liquidation sale might be a good start, but of course, you'll have to have a lot of money in order to get it off the ground (pun intended). Currently, entrepreneur Elon Musk is doing just that with his SpaceX program.

Apparently NASA is wanting to sell their things off quickly before any of the structures fall into a state of disrepair — ideally they want everything sold by the end of 2013, with offers expected to roll in about six months from now. So, if you're serious about your new space venture, you might be able to snag a bargain or two with some strategic offers.

The process is mostly secret, though, because NASA has agreed to let bidders declare their proposals proprietary and keep them out of the view of competitors and the general public, similar to how a silent auction works, so be prepared to come with your best offers in hand, or else Musk might beat you to the punch.

[via Orlando Sentinel]

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