14 DAY TRIAL // Spaceport America will be the first facility in the world to be dedicated solely to commercial, suborbital spaceflight. It will be constructed in New Mexico, the United States, and its groundbreaking ceremony is scheduled to take place today, June 19th, at its designated construction site. Already, reports show, hundreds of people are gathering in the surrounding areas to witness the historic event, which brings us closer to the kind of technology portrayed in science-fiction books and movies.
The spaceport will cover an area of about 27 square miles, and will be located about 30 miles (48 kilometers) East of Truth or Consequences and 45 miles (72 kilometers) North of the city of Las Cruces. The new facility, its creators told Space, would not only be used for space tourism, but also for the deployment of light satellites, as well as for a brand new type of scientific investigations that did not require winning a small space inside the cargo bay of a shuttle, as until now.
“It's coming together. It pays tribute to the folks that have put in decades of work for this day. We can't have a spaceport that just has a one-sided mission. Because if that mission has a hiccup, then we and this investment are going to have a very bad day. The key is a diverse portfolio,” New Mexico Spaceport Authority Executive Director Steve Landeene explained.
“The groundbreaking is an enormous milestone for Virgin Galactic, which is investing over $300 million in developing the new space launch system which will operate at Spaceport America after it opens. We have a long lease at the Spaceport and this groundbreaking event clearly signals the birth of a new commercial age in space. This will be a record breaking non-stop test flight for the world's largest carbon composite aviation vehicle and put her firmly in the record books,” Virgin Galactic President Will Whitehorn told Space.