Posted on 06/20/2009 6:09:18 AM PDT by Young Werther
PHOENIX (Reuters) - New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson broke ground on Friday on construction of Spaceport America, the world's first facility built specifically for space-bound commercial customers and fee-paying passengers.
The $198 million project, which is being funded by the New Mexico state government, is located on a remote high-desert range near the town of Truth or Consequences.
(Excerpt) Read more at reuters.com ...
My budget suggested a multibillion dollar cash flow to a variety of business concerns. I stated that the Dallas Fort Worth Area had a history of aerospace activities and was the next logical step into space. The stares of the assembled were pathetic! Several Weeks later Branson was on hand to license the Rutan Space Plane technology! Darn!
Who would be stupid enough to fly a govt. run "spaceline" beyond the atmosphere?
New Mexico's benefit comes from providing the support services. The passengers will require hotel rooms, food service, medical services, space suits, etc. Virgin Galactic will require jet fuel, refurbishment of the rocket canisters, oxygen, etc.
Right. The NM govt will simply stand back and watch. Right.
Y’reckon Ol’ Bill’s planning to run the Rail Runner down there?
Is this spaceport supposed to attract the type of travelers that are usually believed to have visited at Roswell?
Goddard with his first liquid fueled rocket.
when von Braun arrived in the United States with his V-2 many of the Army rocket engineers were astounded by what they saw. When they asked von Braun how he developed the V-2 had answered, "I read Goddard's papers when I was a teenager and founded the German Rocket society!
von Braun was sent to El Paso to look for remote location to build and launch rockets. He would recommend Los Alamos and there he would build the launch facilities and would continue to reach for the stars.
A former mayor here in Savannah said we should do this here. It was the ONLY thing he said that made sense while he was in office.
Commercial Space Flight is coming. Better to be prepared for it.
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