This aerial view over NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida reveals a new road to the Space Life Sciences Laboratory SLSL.

This aerial view over NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida reveals a new road winding its way from Space Commerce Way, in the foreground, past the construction site for the new Exploration Park, to the Space Life Sciences Laboratory SLSL. At right is Kennedy’s Industrial Area. Spanning the background is the Atlantic Ocean. In the distance, the facilities in Launch Complex 39 are, from left, the Vehicle Assembly Building, Pad 39B, Pad 39A, and Space Launch Complex-41 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.

The land was cleared for the first phase of construction following the park’s groundbreaking in June 2010. The park encompasses 60 acres just outside Kennedy’s security gates near the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. Exploration Park is designed to be a strategically located complex, adjacent to the SLSL, for servicing diverse tenants and uses that will engage in activities to support the space-related activities of NASA, other government agencies and the U.S. commercial space industry, as well as attract new aerospace work to the Space Coast. Its nine sustainable, state-of-the-art buildings will include educational, office, research and laboratory, and high-bay facilities and provide 350,000-square feet of work space. Each building is expected to qualify for the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Environmental and Energy Design LEED certification. The SLSL will be the anchor facility for the park. Photo credit: NASA/Glenn Benson