[KevinDavis]

[Petronski]

Virgin Spaceport Ping!

[Army Air Corps]

The White Zone is for loading and unloading of passengers...

[martin_fierro]

New Mexico lays out its spaceport plan

"TIJERAS: You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villany."

[CedarDave]

This spaceport concept shows a runway in the New Mexico desert as well as Virgin Galactic's iris-themed logo. Most of the facilities would be underground.

[CedarDave]

Wednesday's briefing in Santa Fe provided new information about the state's financing plan. As outlined by Richardson and Homans, the key piece of the puzzle is the $100 million in capital outlays yet to be appropriated by the state Legislature.

Homans said the project would take advantage of an additional $35 million already set aside by the Legislature for upgrading transportation and runways. He said New Mexico's congressional delegation would seek federal backing as well, because the project would benefit the nation as well as the state of New Mexico.

Homans said New Mexico's financing plan also depends on revenue from a new gross-receipts tax that would have to be enacted by local governments in southern New Mexico. The local tax could generate $10 million to $12 million a year, he said. "That piece still has to be worked out, depending on what kind of support comes from southern New Mexico. ... We've got more work to do there," Homans said.

Un huh. I'd say so.

[Ben Mugged]

With the 1000 mph boost you get from launching from the equator, why would you want to spend the extra fuel to launch from New Mexico?