Workers to break ground on New Mexico spaceport

Originally posted by AceOfAces
This will cost billions...Who is paying for it?

From this link
Spaceport America

WHO PAYS FOR ALL THIS?
The $198 million Spaceport America being built in Sierra County is expected to be completed in 2010.

The company states that Virgin Galactic has "committed the resources required to ensure proper funding."

Virgin Galactic will receive a funding of $100 million from the State of New Mexico, so the State decided in 2006. In addition, the State will design and construct all necessary facilities.

And on top of that the people in Doña Ana County voted on Tuesday, April 3, 2007, on the subject of whether or not they are willing to pitch in by means of paying higher taxes. See final spaceport tax election results here.

However, in order to charge an additional tax two counties have to approve it. On Tuesday, April 22, 2008, Sierra County did exactly that. Doña Ana County followed suit on July 22, 2008. These fine people are now helping the spaceport out with a 0.25% sales tax. In other words, the spaceport gets 25 cents for each $100 purchased.

November 5, 2008 - Otero County voted against the Spaceport America tax. 52.3 percent voted against, 47.7 percent voted for the tax. This means the spaceport project will have some $2 to $6 million less to spend.

-E-

[edit on 17-6-2009 by MysterE]

reply to post by MysterE


I support most of Gov. Bills projects but if he is going to use taxpayer monies for this deal; I would prefer he fix the pot holes in the roads,
provide at least some health care and pay teachers a living wage.

I live in NM; it's beautiful, the people are very nice but in some respects it's like living in a 3rd world country.

Now... there is another space trip vendor who will offer trips for $100,000 per pop. Rocket Racing, Inc. and Armadillo Aerospace of Mesquite, Texas, are behind this competitive proposal. They say they will be ready in 2010. They too will take off from Spaceport America in New Mexico.

Two passengers at a time will launch into suborbital space about 62 miles (100 km) above earth and experience a few minutes of weightlessness before beginning their descent under the plan. The kicker? They will be enjoying a 360 degree view thanks to a bubble-like design. Check it out:

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/e91d86fc48e8.jpg[/atsimg]

Now that sounds fun!

-E-

reply to post by whaaa


I don't blame you. Many people will see this as wasteful spending, however I would gladly pay a tax for something like this (and I may since there is a proposal to build one in Texas). I think privatized space exploration is essential, but then again I'm not the one hitting all of those potholes!

You should like this part though!

Spaceport America is expected to have the potential to create up to 5,000 new jobs and up to $1 billion in new revenue in the State.

-E-

[edit on 17-6-2009 by MysterE]

Here's an interesting tidbit of info about whats going on out there..

The company UP Aerospace has already launched the remains of Astronaut L Gordon Cooper, Actor James Doohan (Scotty on Star Trek)

For those who don't know who Gordon Cooper is see below thread
Astronaut Gordon Cooper talks about ufo

-E-

Who would've thought a smelly British dude with a stupid looking beard who started his business by selling 12" vinyl records would be the first large scale entrepreneur for commercial space flights and the biggest commodity behind the worlds first commercial space port.

Well done Richard Branson... respect!

I'm not sure how you know he's smelly.. admittedly though yes his beard is absolutely ludicrous and Branson didn't make his first mill's on his own, it was all thanks to Mike Oldfield!

Originally posted by ItsallCrazy
I'm not sure how you know he's smelly..

was just going to ask that...


To All:

This was first mentioned here in Dec 2005
Virgin Galactic to Build Underground Spaceport in N.M.
www.abovetopsecret.com...

Been keeping tabs on it. Not to far to drive from Vegas to see it once they get started... ROAD TRIP

Not sure why we have all the naysayers swarming like flies to sh... errr honey. Branson can do what he wants with his money and the offshoot jobs and services this will provide will more than cover the costs in the long term.

The economy? Well what should we do... just sit down and watch it collapse? Or try to stimulate it with a new exciting project.

You think the few billion spent here would make any difference spent 'feeding the collapse'? I would rather see money spent this way than the 700 billion bailout given to bankers so they can get their raise and bonus, the billions the 'war' in Iraq is costing daily and the TRILLIONS the Pentagon can't account for annually in the defense budget.

$250.000 a ride is pricey but its better than the 20 million Russia charges to pop up to the ISS... and like with everything else, once it becomes routine prices will drop..

So errr anyone wanna donate so I can go check it out?

Beat me to it Mister E I must be getting old Now I need to update. With LRO on the way to the Moon, LLNL releasing the SHIVA NOVA project among other things it's been a busy month...




Location
SPACEPORT AMERICA
Upham, Near White Sands National Forest, New Mexico
+32° 55' 48.00", -106° 55' 54.00"






SOURCE

[edit on 21-6-2009 by zorgon]

This just put a smile on my face. Finally, the first step towards privatization of space, further non military space exploration...it's one step. And it's an important one!

The governments of the world can't keep their monopoly of space forever. Nor can they stop it. It's going to happen, one way or another, and I'm all for it. We need to get off this rock, it's the only future humanity has.

Governments and nations come and go, but the human need for expansion and exploration outlast such entities. Props to Branson and the crew. people think he's a nutter, I think he's a friggin visionary.

The Sci-Fi fan in me is going oh excellent, but after sober reflection... If they were planning to challenge govt monopoly on space & launch satalites or a commercial science platform or something similar then yeah, it'd be cool. But blasting people up there for a laugh? Haven't we got enough CO2 going into the atmosphere from unnecessary air travel & pointlessly inefficient motor vehicles? Then again, being on ATS I suddenly thought perhaps they will do that in secret & then when TSHTF the elite will escape the consequences of their greed by going up there for a while. Just until most of us have killed each other or starved!

Originally posted by Skadi_the_Evil_Elf
This just put a smile on my face. Finally, the first step towards privatization of space, further non military space exploration...it's one step. And it's an important one!

Well here is something that should make you so happy it will bring tears...

Originally posted by Overload
Somebody said until we get somebody up there that is privatized, (no guarantees even then) would be our best shot at any "real" photo's. I agree.

My money is on Robert Bigelow. He already has two Genesis modules up there for his inflatable hotel in space, he has contracted with Russia and a US defense contractor to use a spaceport in Russia, where they launched his modules from.

He has no love for NASA because they said NO to launching his modules. His term for NASA - No Access to Space for Americans

My own private space station
Robert Bigelow has his funding priorities straight: Orbiting cruise ships and paranormal research.archive.salon.com...

You can track his two Genesis station modules here. Its a live feed and updates every 60 seconds and also shows Hubble and ISS

www.thelivingmoon.com...



BIGELOW AEROSPACE
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA
Las Vegas • Houston • Washington, D.C
www.bigelowaerospace.com...

Bigelow Aerospace and ATK A major defense contractor that also built Phoenix Mars lander have contracted with the ISC Kosmotras Space and Missile Complex, Russian Federation, Province of Orenburg, Yasny which used to be a Russian ICBM site

Information cokkected here

ATK's home page
www.atk.com...

Now how sad is it that an American entrepreneur has to go to Russia to have his projects launched into space? Fortunately for us Robert has the means and the will to make it happen


OH BTW Bigelow was also involved with the MISTY stealth satellite launched from a secret DoD shuttle Mission STS36

cndyorks.gn.apc.org...

So yeah... he is my best bet... and to top it off, he is just around the corner for me... literally

Here is a view from one of the Genesis modules


Copyright Bigelow Aerospace

Launched on a Dnepr rocket (an ICBM converted for commercial use) on July 12, 2006, Genesis I began Bigelow Aerospace's journey to revolutionize space commerce. The subscale technology demonstrator, which inaugurated the ISC Kosmotras Space and Missile Complex near Yasny, Russia,


This is phase three, joining the two modules into a space station

A PRIVATE space station soon to be the first HOTEL in space (not counting the Hilton Resort on the moon of course )



Copyright Bigelow Aerospace

Originally posted by Bunken DrumHaven't we got enough CO2 going into the atmosphere from unnecessary air travel & pointlessly inefficient motor vehicles?

Ummm did you know that when the Shuttle lifts off all that 'smoke' is just steam?

Liquid Hydrogen and Oxygen when burned create water, which you can then use electrolysis to split apart into H and O again

Plants like trees and algae thrive on CO₂... without it they would die... the plants give off oxygen that we breath.. its called the CO₂ cycle

Global Warming is a lie... buy parkas, the ice age is coming






[edit on 22-6-2009 by zorgon]

reply to post by zorgon


Thanks zorgon! Alot of good info topped off with a bit of humor!

buy parkas, the ice age is coming

Classic!

-E-

Originally posted by MysterE
Classic!

Me be funny in phrasing

but me totally serious...

I have a good stock of firewood and installed a wood burning stove... lots of wool blankets I picked up from the emergency centers

Of topic but a quicky...

415,000 Year Temperature Graph

Lake Vostok is a fresh water lake under the ice at Vostok Station (Russian) in Antarctica. This lake is not frozen due to geothermal conditions, however the last time it saw daylight was 420,000 years ago..

They have been drilling down to the water... they started seeing unknown microbes in the ice as they got close, so wisely stopped. Seems they figured out that releasing ancient living microbes was a bad idea (ya think? )

The point is that the ice cores are like tree ring cores... they show the temperature by thickness and density of the ice over 415,000 years...

Here is the result



The ICE doesn't lie ... buy parkas... it's going to get chilly

How's that for 'disclosure'?








[edit on 22-6-2009 by zorgon]

reply to post by zorgon


I should be fine, I live in Texas and it has been 100 degrees or more for the last week!

-E-

SPACEPORTS

Well in the excitement over this spaceport for Virgin Galactic we are over looking the fact that there are others.. other commercial spaceports

One:

Mojave Air and Space Port
BAKERSFIELD, Calif.

Home of Scaled Composites Spaceship One

Explosion Rocks Mojave Air, Space Port
Federal Agencies Conducting Criminal Investigation
www.turnto23.com...

Scaled Composites
www.scaled.com...

FAA vs. Mojave Spaceport
Dec 22, 2007
Airport District Director Dick Rutan noted that the spaceport licensing issue is only going to grow for the FAA, with other spaceports ..
spacefellowship.com/Forum

Two:

Spaceport Oklahoma Licensed by FAA

Following the signing, the Authority, at their next meeting, is expected to sub-lease space on Spaceport Oklahoma to Space Adventures, Pioneer Rocketplanes and Space Development. These three companies have different missions but are working together to bring manufacturing, tourism and more to the Western Oklahoma location. Other companies are requesting contracts as well.

www.spaceref.com...

FAA allows commercial spaceflights out of Oklahoma Spaceport ...
en.wikinews.org...




[edit on 24-6-2009 by zorgon]

[edit on 24-6-2009 by zorgon]

Solid fuel boosters dont burn H+O tho, eh? Do we know what these new craft burn? Climate cycles? Agree totally. The trouble will come from the rate @which change occurs. Global warning may cause a much more rapid onset of iceage by destabilising ocean currents. A rapidly approaching glaciation would give insufficient time for fauna to migrate. All I'm saying is that if something is wasteful, we should do something better with the resources.