Valkaria Airport
Encyclopedia
Valkaria Airport is a public-use airport
located 1 miles (1.6 km) west of the central business district
of the city of Grant-Valkaria
in Brevard County
, Florida
, United States
. The airport is publicly owned.
The airport was originally constructed by the U.S. Navy during World War II as Outlying Field Valkaria (OLF Valkaria), an auxiliary airfield to Naval Air Station Melbourne
, now Melbourne International Airport
. OLF Valkaria was closed in late 1945 and did not reopen for flight operations until 1959. During the 1950s, 60s and 70s, the site was used as a Missile Trajectory Measurement (MISTRAM
) station by the U.S. Air Force and NASA
in support of launch operations at Cape Canaveral AFS and Kennedy Space Center
.
In 1959, the United States Department of Defense
and the General Services Administration
conveyed that part of the Valkaria facility not dedicated to MISTRAM to the county government of Brevard County, Florida
for use as a public airport.
Airport
An airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...
located 1 miles (1.6 km) west of the central business district
Central business district
A central business district is the commercial and often geographic heart of a city. In North America this part of a city is commonly referred to as "downtown" or "city center"...
of the city of Grant-Valkaria
Grant-Valkaria, Florida
Grant-Valkaria is a town in Brevard County, Florida, south of Melbourne between Palm Bay and Sebastian . Grant-Valkaria was incorporated as a town on July 25, 2006 by joining the two previously unincorporated communities of Grant and Valkaria...
in Brevard County
Brevard County, Florida
Brevard County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida, along the coast of the Atlantic Ocean. As of 2007 U.S. Census Bureau estimates, the population is 536,521, making it the 10th most populous county in the state. Influenced by the presence of the John F. Kennedy Space Center, Brevard...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The airport is publicly owned.
The airport was originally constructed by the U.S. Navy during World War II as Outlying Field Valkaria (OLF Valkaria), an auxiliary airfield to Naval Air Station Melbourne
Naval Air Station Melbourne
Naval Air Station Melbourne was a United States Naval Base in Melbourne, Florida. The Navy used NAS Melbourne for gunnery training and as a base for WAVES during World War II...
, now Melbourne International Airport
Melbourne International Airport
Melbourne International Airport is a public airport located 1 1/2 miles northwest of the downtown business district of Melbourne, a city in Brevard County, Florida, United States. Located on central Florida's Space Coast, the airport is accessed via NASA Boulevard...
. OLF Valkaria was closed in late 1945 and did not reopen for flight operations until 1959. During the 1950s, 60s and 70s, the site was used as a Missile Trajectory Measurement (MISTRAM
MISTRAM
MISTRAM was a high-resolution tracking system used by the United States Air Force to provide highly detailed trajectory analysis of rocket launches....
) station by the U.S. Air Force and NASA
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
in support of launch operations at Cape Canaveral AFS and Kennedy Space Center
Kennedy Space Center
The John F. Kennedy Space Center is the NASA installation that has been the launch site for every United States human space flight since 1968. Although such flights are currently on hiatus, KSC continues to manage and operate unmanned rocket launch facilities for America's civilian space program...
.
In 1959, the United States Department of Defense
United States Department of Defense
The United States Department of Defense is the U.S...
and the General Services Administration
General Services Administration
The General Services Administration is an independent agency of the United States government, established in 1949 to help manage and support the basic functioning of federal agencies. The GSA supplies products and communications for U.S...
conveyed that part of the Valkaria facility not dedicated to MISTRAM to the county government of Brevard County, Florida
Brevard County, Florida
Brevard County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida, along the coast of the Atlantic Ocean. As of 2007 U.S. Census Bureau estimates, the population is 536,521, making it the 10th most populous county in the state. Influenced by the presence of the John F. Kennedy Space Center, Brevard...
for use as a public airport.