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REAL LIFE NEWS: SPACEPORT AMERICA OPENS

by Hazed

Real life got just that bit closer to Fed last week, when Virgin Galactic formally opened its spaceport in the New Mexico desert. Buzz Aldrin, amongst other luminaries, was on hand to dedicate the facility.

The terminal/hangar facility (THF) is 120,000 square feet and it cost $209 million. It has been partially dug into the landscape to exploit the thermal mass of the soil, which shields it from the climate extremes. Ventilation is provided by capturing prevailing westerly winds. Numerous skylights fill the interior with natural light and a glass face to the building allows passengers and guests a perfect view of the runway.

The THF is large enough to accommodate two of the WhiteKnightTwo planes and five SpaceShipTwo vehicles. It will also house the astronaut preparation area, mission control, and a planned Visitor Experience for the visiting public.

The site for Spaceport America was chosen because it confers several advantages. It's 4600 feet above sea level which means the spaceships will have to gain less altitude to reach launch height. The 330 days of sunshine each year should minimize delays due to the weather, and the fact that it's sparsely populated means if a craft malfunctions it won't crash into a large number of people. It's also right next to the White Sands Missile Range, and commercial air traffic is restricted in its airspace.

At the opening ceremony, the crowd of more than 800 watched a fly-by of WhiteKnightTwo and SpaceShipTwo. You can read more about the vehicles here.

Ever the showman, Richard Branson rappelled down the front of the building, drinking champagne, while announcing, "Today is another history-making day for Virgin Galactic. We're here with a group of incredible people who are helping us lead the way in creating one of the most important new industrial sectors of the 21st century."

Source: http://www.gizmag.com/virgin-galactic-spaceport-open/20198/

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