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Virgin Galactic Signs Historic Lease Agreement

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the coming-to-america dept.

RobGoldsmith writes "Governor Bill Richardson today announced that Virgin Galactic has signed a 20-year lease agreement with the State of New Mexico. Virgin Galactic's world headquarters will be established in New Mexico and its operations will be located at New Mexico's Spaceport America, the nation's first purpose-built commercial spaceport. The signing of the lease agreement coincides with the beginning of the test flying program for Virgin Galactic's WhiteKnightTwo launch vehicle which got underway this month in Mojave, CA. The WhiteKnightTwo will serve as the mother ship for SpaceShipTwo, the vehicle that will carry commercial astronauts into sub-orbital space from Spaceport America."

6 of 49 comments (clear)

  1. If this keeps up, we won't need NASA. by Mad-Bassist · · Score: 2, Funny

    As more and more people hop on the private space vehicle bandwagon.

    I think this makes up for Governor Schwarzenegger tempting Tesla Motors into abandoning their plans to build their first plant in Albuquerque and staying in California. After all, I can't see rocket launches happening in San Francisco!

    --
    "The only legitimate use of a computer is to play games." - Eugene Jarvis
    1. Re:If this keeps up, we won't need NASA. by KingAlanI · · Score: 2, Funny

      "Building a rocket engine is non-trivial"
      Come on, it's not brain surgery...

      --
      I listen to both RIAA and non-RIAA stuff if I like the music, tangential business/politics nonwithstanding.
  2. This month? by tcdk · · Score: 4, Funny

    Wow, somebody had a busy morning...

    --
    TC - My Photos..
  3. For the record... by cablepokerface · · Score: 2, Funny

    Richard Branson is by far my favorite actually existing Mad Scientist.

  4. Re:Reusable SSTO isn't going to develop by ChangelingJane · · Score: 5, Funny

    We prefer you say "orbitally challenged".

  5. Re:And this is "historic" how? by flaming+error · · Score: 4, Funny

    Obviously it qualifies as historic because it is "the nation's first purpose-built commercial spaceport".

    Other upcoming historic moments include "the first purpose-built commercial Twinkie served at a spaceport," "the first spilled soda on the tarmac of a purpose-built commercial New Mexico spaceport" and "the first Rabbi, Pastor, and Bishop with too few parachutes on a SpaceShip".