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Spaceport America Takes Off

Posted by ScuttleMonkey on from the hanging-on-a-vote dept.

SeaDour writes "Spaceport America, being built north of Las Cruces, New Mexico, is finally becoming a reality and is set to become the world's first commercial spaceport. Governor Bill Richardson recently secured 33 million dollars from the state legislature for the final design, and a proposed 0.25% sales tax increase in Dona Ana County, where the facility is to be constructed, is expected to bring an additional 6.5 million dollars per year (if approved by voters next week). Richard Branson, the head of upstart Virgin Galactic, on Monday agreed to lease the facility for 27.5 million dollars over twenty years. If all continues to go as planned, SpaceShipTwo will make its first suborbital joy ride in two to three years."

9 of 153 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Dont know when ... by Bluesman · · Score: 1, Funny

    Study your history.

    GNU/America took off years ago, and didn't work out.

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  2. One small question.. by Rob+T+Firefly · · Score: 2, Funny

    ..will there be lemon-soaked paper napkins?

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  3. Re:Commerical/Government by Darth_brooks · · Score: 3, Funny

    I am glad I don't live in that state/county but I fully expect that when a tornado or hurricane wipes it out I will have to foot the FEMA bill for it.

    Because South-Central New Mexico is such a hotbed for Hurricane & Tornado activity......

    +1 for observation
    -1 for geography & meteorology

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  4. Re:27 million over 20 years? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    Ouch! Your knee jerked right into my shin!

  5. Two thoughts on this by haaz · · Score: 2, Funny

    And my two thoughts are:

    1. This will be very good for that part of New Mexico. As a whole, the state is relatively poor.

    2. What on earth would you use a spaceport for? I don't think in terms of eighth grade pulp sci-fi these days (think Tek Jansen), so seriously, what would a spaceport be for?

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    1. Re:Two thoughts on this by elcid73 · · Score: 4, Funny

      what would a spaceport be for?

      Well obviously... where else would you put the space cantina?
    2. Re:Two thoughts on this by Zontar_Thing_From_Ve · · Score: 2, Funny

      What on earth would you use a spaceport for? I don't think in terms of eighth grade pulp sci-fi these days (think Tek Jansen), so seriously, what would a spaceport be for?

      Basically, it's so a special plane can take people up very very high off the ground just barely into what could be called "outer space" but without going into orbit or beyond. It's a way for tourists to go to "outer space" without having to have the months of training and the multi-millions of dollars required to hitch a ride with the Russians because you just barely get into what is known as "outer space". Whether such a ride would meet what most people would define as "being in outer space" is a very good question. The plane is nothing like the Space Shuttle and it certainly can't go to the International Space Station. I have no idea what the duration of such a ride would be, but I would make a guess at an hour or two at most. Maybe less.

  6. Re:Government Propping Up Companies by Volante3192 · · Score: 2, Funny

    Seriously! What have the Romans done for us?!

  7. Re:Will it have... by no_pets · · Score: 4, Funny

    Sure, unfortunately the Ferrengi will run it.

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