Space Florida is suing a West Palm Beach high-speed-vehicle aerodynamic testing company after a 2020 crash caused more than half a million dollars in damages to an electrical transformer at NASA's Kennedy Space Center's former shuttle landing strip, according to a lawsuit.
An unexpected bird strike triggered the crash, and the test vehicle exited the north end of the runway at low speed, Space Florida officials said in a statement. The vehicle struck the NASA-owned transformer, causing $561,595 in repair and restoration damages. No injuries were reported.
Space Florida paid those repair costs for the transformer and associated infrastructure. The authority manages KSC's Launch and Landing Facility under a 30-year agreement with NASA. The 2.8-mile runway — which ranks as one of the longest in the world — hosted 218 ground tests last year for entities including Tesla, Volva and the Florida Highway Patrol.
Maserati supercar with no driver breaks autonomous speed record at NASA's Kennedy Space Center
Johnny Bo?hmer Proving Grounds, LLC, had contracted with Space Florida to conduct straight-line vehicle testing at the LLF, and the 2020 crash occurred during the company's testing operations, per the lawsuit. Space Florida's lawsuit said the company is responsible for property damages.
According to the lawsuit, the defendant made two payments to Space Florida totaling $262,000 toward the damages, but a balance of $299,593 remains due.
Space Florida officials filed the lawsuit on Nov. 25 in Orange County Circuit Court, claiming breach of contract and negligence. The company had yet to file a legal response to the lawsuit by Thursday, Dec. 4.
Messages seeking comment for this story were left with Johnny Bo?hmer Proving Grounds. A non-jury trial date has been scheduled for May 17 at the Orange County Courthouse in Orlando.
"While an initial insurance payment was made based on an early cost estimate, the estimate was further revised with a more accurate repair cost. Despite multiple attempts to resolve the remaining amount and despite Space Florida providing the additional documentation needed, the contractor and its insurer have declined to reimburse the full cost of the damage," the Space Florida statement said.
"Space Florida takes seriously its responsibility to safeguard state and federal assets and as such all necessary repairs have been made with additional costs being covered by Space Florida. After repeated attempts to resolve this matter, Space Florida is seeking to recover the total, validated amount, to ensure taxpayer dollars are not burdened with repair costs and to maintain accountability by proper stewardship of state and federal assets," the statement said.
During NASA's space shuttle era, 78 of the 135 missions landed on the LLF, concluding with Atlantis' final touchdown on July 21, 2011.
In March, a Maserati MC20 supercar with no human driver accelerated up to 197.7 mph at the LLF, shattering the autonomous-driving speed record.
The 15,000-foot-long runway has less than 1% difference in elevation change from one end to the other, making it the flattest runway in the world — exactly following the curvature of the earth, according to Space Florida.
For the latest news from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and NASA's Kennedy Space Center, visit floridatoday.com/space. Another easy way: Click here to sign up for our weekly Space newsletter.
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