Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has proposed relocating NASA’s headquarters from Washington, D.C., to Florida’s Kennedy Space Center, citing underutilization of the current facility and the strategic advantages of positioning the agency’s leadership at the nation’s busiest spaceport.
Speaking at the Kennedy Space Center on January 9, 2025, DeSantis stated, “I was talking to the director before we came out here, there is interest in moving the headquarters of NASA to Kennedy Space Center and I’m supportive of that. They have this massive building in D.C. and like nobody goes to it. So why not just shutter it and move everyone down here.” DeSantis points to Florida’s unique relationship with several Universities as another reason for NASA to move. ““We have an opportunity, of course, to bring down more federal resources. We also have an ability to fuel innovative research initiatives and allow for the development of national space policy right here in the Sunshine State” he said. “So the possibilities are significant.”
The Mary W. Jackson NASA Headquarters building, located at 300 E Street SW in Washington, D.C., encompasses approximately 606,000 square feet over nine floors. Recent analyses have highlighted significant underutilization of federal office spaces in Washington, D.C.
A report by the Public Buildings Reform Board (PBRB) indicated that, as of 2023, median occupancy rates in federal buildings were about 30% of pre-pandemic levels, with some facilities operating at as low as 2% capacity.
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) also found that 17 out of 24 major agency headquarters in the capital were less than 25% occupied during early 2023.While these reports did not specify occupancy rates for NASA’s headquarters, they indicate a broader trend of underuse in federal properties.
Rob Long, CEO of Space Florida, expressed support for the relocation, stating, “Why wouldn’t you want to move NASA’s headquarters to the busiest spaceport in the world.” He added, “It makes logical sense to me anyway to want to take the headquarters of the nation’s space agency and put it in the state that is already leading across the space industry in general, and in research and in talent. It makes a lot of sense.”
However, some experts caution against the move.Dr. Ken Kremer, a research scientist and editor of “Space Up Close,” argued that maintaining NASA’s headquarters in Washington is crucial for securing funding and political support. “Basically, all of the programs are spread across the country. You want expertise and political support from across the country. If they concentrate everything in Florida, then no one else will care,” Kremer said.
Governor DeSantis did not provide a specific timeline for the proposed relocation or detail any formal steps taken to initiate the move. The suggestion comes amid broader discussions about the utilization of federal office spaces, especially in the wake of increased telework and changing workplace dynamics.
DeSantis’s proposal may gain some traction in the incoming Trump administration. President-elect Donald Trump has named businessman and private space flight entrepreneur Jared Isaacman as the next administrator of NASA. Additionally, SpaceX owner Elon Musk has been named to the Department of Governmental Efficiency (DOGE), an advisory organization targeted towards rooting out government waste in spending.
In March 2024, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Utilizing Space Efficiently and Improving Technologies (USE IT) Act, aiming to standardize how the federal government calculates building occupation and utilization rates.The bill mandates that federal agencies report building utilization rates to Congress and develop plans to consolidate office spaces where utilization falls below 60%.
The proposed relocation of NASA’s headquarters would align with efforts to optimize federal property usage and could potentially lead to cost savings. However, it also raises questions about the implications for NASA’s operations, stakeholder engagement, and the broader space industry.
The Kennedy Space Center, located on Merritt Island, Florida, has been a central hub for NASA’s launch operations since the 1960s. Positioning the agency’s leadership at this site could enhance coordination of missions and provide proximity to key aerospace contractors and a skilled workforce. On the other hand, as pointed out by Dr. Kremer, Washington, D.C., offers strategic advantages in terms of access to policymakers, international partners, and other federal agencies.
As the federal government reassesses its real estate footprint, decisions about the location of agency headquarters will need to balance operational efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and the ability to effectively fulfill their missions.
Governor DeSantis’s proposal adds a significant dimension to this ongoing conversation, particularly within the context of the evolving aerospace landscape and Florida’s role within it.
