Dominican government to build commercial spaceport in Pedernales

Santo Domingo.- The Dominican Republic has announced plans to build a commercial spaceport in the province of Pedernales after reaching an agreement with U.S.-based company Launch on Demand, marking a major step toward the country’s entry into the global space economy.

President Luis Abinader revealed the project during his State of the Nation address before the National Assembly, stating that the spaceport will involve an investment exceeding US$600 million. He said the initiative aims to enable the launch of a satellite or rocket from Dominican territory before May 2028, following three years of negotiations with Launch on Demand and U.S. investment funds. The investment group is led by Burton Cantlich, a former operations director at NASA.

The spaceport project forms part of a broader government strategy to diversify the economy through high-level technological partnerships. Among recent agreements highlighted by the president are collaborations with Nvidia and Google. Nvidia will support the training of specialized personnel and the creation of a center of excellence in artificial intelligence—the first in Central America and the Caribbean—while Google plans to invest more than US$500 million in establishing Latin America’s first international digital exchange hub, including a data center and submarine cable connections to the United States.

Abinader said these initiatives position the Dominican Republic as a regional leader in advanced technology, digital connectivity, and innovation, describing the country as “Google’s gateway to the region.” He emphasized that the projects will enhance national competitiveness and attract global technology firms.

The spaceport is also expected to support the transformation of Pedernales into a tourism and logistics hub, serving as a symbol of innovation alongside infrastructure development. During the address, the president cited economic indicators showing growth of 2.1 percent in 2025, with continued expansion projected by institutions such as the World Bank and the Harvard Growth Lab. Exports reached nearly US$16 billion last year, while foreign direct investment surpassed US$5 billion.

Abinader said these strategic investments support the country’s ambition to rank among the world’s 20 most dynamic economies, according to Harvard University’s Atlas of Economic Complexity, and align with the national development roadmap RD 2036, which seeks to transform the nation into a developed economy through increased productivity, innovation, and human capital over the next generation.