New Mexico Spaceport: Pressing Forward for 2010

[gLing]

Officials at the New Mexico Spaceport Authority (NMSA) report progress in blueprinting the design of the first “purpose built” commercial spaceport. The $198 million project is sketched out to cover an 18,000 acre footprint 45 miles north of Las Cruces and 30 miles east of Truth or Consequences, New Mexico.

That area is favored due to low population density, uncongested airspace, as well as high elevation.

According to the NMSA in a February 18 statement, a milestone has been met in that 90 percent of the site layout and design is now complete. That being the case, the first bid package for construction is to be ready within the coming months.

NMSA is working closely with DMJM Aviation, the group contracted to plan, design, and provide construction management.

Furthermore, water and power distribution, as well as internal road design is roughly 85 percent complete. The spaceport’s runway and related airfield design is 65 percent complete. All design related to the inland spaceport’s on-site infrastructure should be wrapped up by May, the NMSA reports.

LiveScience.com Blogs » Blog Archive » New Mexico Spaceport: Pressing Forward for 2010

 

[Sparkey Duck]

After a few years of a space lull, as it were, it's exciting to see that things are heading in the right direction again...

This just allows me to dream

 

[gLing]

After a few years of a space lull, as it were, it's exciting to see that things are heading in the right direction again...

This just allows me to dream

You read about the latest X-prize?
SPACE.com -- Private Race to the Moon Takes Off

 

[Sparkey Duck]

I'm rooting for Odyssey Moon from the Isle of Man They're my 'home' team.. well English...

 

[gLing]

I don't care who wins, as long as somebody does.

 

[Sparkey Duck]

Indeed. Its great, they've been talking about these things for years, and at at last they are happening I'm ever so happy...