Because they’re incredibly expensive? Not being snarky just throwing it out there.
Everything in space research is expensive. But the Cost of the launch pads must be near the bottom......
BRAVE AI:
NASA launch pad costs vary significantly by scale and purpose, ranging from approximately $900,000 for small-class dedicated pads to over $2.5 billion for complex mobile launchers associated with the Space Launch System (SLS).
Small-Class Launch Pad (Pad 39C): Constructed in 2015 to support small satellites, this customizable concrete slab facility cost approximately $900,000 to build.
Mobile Launcher-1 (SLS): The original launch tower for the SLS rocket cost at least $927 million, including the initial $234 million development for the canceled Ares I rocket and $693 million for redesigning it for SLS.
Mobile Launcher-2 (SLS): Currently under construction by Bechtel for Artemis IV, this project’s cost has escalated from an initial $383 million contract to projected totals exceeding $2.5 billion, with completion delayed until 2029.
Historical Context (LC-39): The original Launch Complex 39, used for Apollo and the Space Shuttle, had an estimated construction cost of $500 million (in 1960s dollars) and took three years to build.
AI-generated answer. Please verify critical facts.