SpaceX is rumored to have won a competition to lease High Bay 1 in NASA’s Vehicle Assembly Building at Kennedy Space Center, according to Ars Technica.

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According to Ars Technica’s sources, NASA has selected a proposal, yet agency spokeswoman Patti Bielling has not confirmed the winner to Ars Technica, stating that “the process does not conclude until the parties execute the lease, at which time NASA will announce the selection.”

Kennedy Space Center has a special notice regarding 'Special Notice – Lease of the Vehicle Assembly Building, High Bay 1'. See: https://t.co/tr43Cj6wW6 pic.twitter.com/QGSFUyUhJv
— NASA Contracts (@NASAProcurement) June 17, 2022

Last August, NASA issued an agency announcement asking for industry proposals to lease the VAB’s High Bay 1, the same building used for stacking NASA’s Space Launch System rocket. Since then, speculation has been rife as to which company would secure the rights to this iconic facility.

The Ars Technica sources claim that SpaceX intends to use High Bay 1 for the storage and integration of payloads on its ambitious Starship program, rather than for stacking operations. The usage of this facility could be temporary, as the company reportedly has plans to develop a larger facility on Roberts Road near the Florida spaceport.

This rendering depicts the future HangarX site on Roberts Road at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Image credit: SpaceX

While this information is yet to be officially confirmed, the potential partnership between SpaceX and NASA could signal a significant step forward for the Starship program.

For the time being, it appears that SpaceX will continue to manufacture Starships in South Texas and transport them to Florida for further processing.

The possibility of SpaceX’s involvement in the leasing of High Bay 1, as reported by Ars Technica, highlights the increasing role of private companies in the realm of space exploration.