Workers have begun pre-construction preparations for the rebuilding of Runway 4-22 at the Mojave Air and Space Port, General Manager Stu Witt said on Tuesday. Read more
Aerospace industry leaders say New Mexico could "lose" its spaceport unless state lawmakers provide manufacturing and supply companies some protection from litigation should an accident happen during commercial spaceflight. Read more
The group Save Our Spaceport is meeting Thursday in Albuquerque.
Richard Branson dedicates Virgin Galactic spaceport
Sir Richard Branson has dedicated the launchpad for his space tourism venture in the New Mexico desert - with his usual eye for a photo opportunity. The British billionaire abseiled down the side of the world's first built-from-scratch commercial spaceport, swigging from a bottle of champagne. New Mexico Governor Susana Martinez and astronaut Buzz Aldrin also attended. Read more
Promise filled the air Nov. 9 as dignitaries broke ground ceremonially for the 68,000-square-foot clear-span building that will house the manufacturing plant for The Spaceship Company (TSC) at Mojave Air and Space Port. Like Kitty Hawk, S.C. where man first flew or the little building on Lake Union in Seattle that gave birth to the behemoth Boeing, the Mojave desert dirt is destined to take its place as the origin of private space travel. Read more
Is Spaceport America ready to become New Mexico's newest tourist attraction? Mmm, not quite yet. But there's lots of wide open space, lots of potential and lots of hope that the spaceport will spark a domino effect of development and tourist activity. If the plans succeed, Spaceport America and its surroundings could become a multibillion-dollar centre for tourism as well as spaceflight - something akin to Florida's Space Coast with a Wild West twist. If the plans totally flop, the locale could wind up as a $198 million ghost town. Read more
The Board of Directors of the New Mexico Spaceport Authority (NMSA) has voted to establish a welcome centre for Spaceport America in downtown Truth or Consequences (T or C), New Mexico. With the support of local residents who want the centre to be located downtown, the NMSA has agreed to lease an old fire station from the T or C city government. A welcome centre is also planned for the village of Hatch, NM, which is on the southern approach to Spaceport America.
New Mexico Spaceport Authority (NMSA) officials announced a successful launch of a test flight vehicle for Lockheed Martin by UP Aerospace from Spaceport America on Saturday, October 10. The brief test flight was a non-public, unpublished event at the request of Lockheed Martin, who is testing proprietary advanced launch technologies.
"Saturday's launch successfully lifted off at 9:45 a.m. during our four-hour launch window. This is our third launch for Lockheed Martin from Spaceport America, which is proving to be an ideal location for supplying low-cost, fast-turnaround launch operations" - UP Aerospace President Jerry Larson.
Officials say Lockheed Martin successfully launched a test flight vehicle over the weekend at New Mexico's spaceport. Spaceport officials say the brief flight Saturday was not publicised in advance because Lockheed Martin is testing "proprietary advanced launch technologies."
The construction of a new runway is well under way at Spaceport America, the world's first purpose-built commercial spaceport. New Mexico Spaceport Authority officials have released new aerial photos taken on Sept. 13 of the 10,000-foot runway project, which is designed to accommodate horizontal launch space and air operations. The runway is expected to be complete by late summer 2010.
Runway construction makes progress at Spaceport America The construction of a new runway is well underway at Spaceport America, the world's first purpose-built commercial spaceport. New Mexico Spaceport Authority (NMSA) officials have released new aerial photos taken on September 13, 2009, of the 10,000-foot runway project, which is designed to accommodate horizontal launch space and air operations at the spaceport. The runway is expected to be complete by late Summer 2010.
Ground has been broken on the construction site of Spaceport America, the world's first purpose-built commercial spaceport. Those behind the project say that it will help provide a new chapter in space exploration. When finished in 18 months' time, the facility will house Virgin Galactic's space tourism business and other firms working in the commercial space arena. It will cost the New Mexico government almost $200m (£121m).