Senator Ashley Moody (R-FL) unveiled the CAPE Canaveral Act today, a bold bid to relocate NASA’s headquarters from a sparsely used Washington, D.C., building to Florida’s Space Coast.
Cosponsored by Senator Rick Scott (R-FL), the legislation—formally the Consolidating Aerospace Programs Efficiently at Canaveral Act—aims to slash waste, boost efficiency, and cement Florida as the heart of U.S. space exploration.
Moody blasted the current NASA HQ, filled to just 15% capacity, as a symbol of “nonsensical government waste.”
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She argued that Cape Canaveral—home to Kennedy Space Center, Space Florida, and key Space Force bases—offers unmatched launch sites, a skilled workforce, and private-sector synergy.
“Florida is the gateway to space,” Moody said. “This commonsense proposal saves taxpayers money, encourages collaboration, and taps into Florida’s talent to spur innovation.”
Scott echoed her, calling the Space Coast “the best state in the nation” for NASA’s future.
“It’s where our brightest minds innovate,” he said, touting cost savings and proximity to industry giants. Space Florida CEO Rob Long praised the move as a “logical step” to free NASA from D.C.’s “bureaucratic shackles” and fuel breakthroughs—possibly even Mars missions.
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The proposal leverages Florida’s storied aerospace legacy, from the Apollo launches to Space Force training hubs and private investments via Space Florida, founded in 2006.
“We are grateful to Senator Moody and Senator Scott for their leadership and foresight in advocating to move NASA’s headquarters to Florida. This solution takes advantage of Florida’s place as the center of America’s aerospace economy while creating a cost-effective solution that would release NASA from the bureaucratic shackles within the Beltway,” Space Florida CEO Rob Long said. “It is a logical step to fuel innovation. Moving NASA’s leadership closer to where the bulk of the mission happens every day just makes sense.”
With NASA’s D.C. rebuild looming, Moody and Scott see the shift as a no-brainer to align leadership with the action at Kennedy Space Center and beyond. The bill now heads to the Senate, where its backers hope for a swift liftoff.
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