Spaceport America, dubbed as the first spaceport in the world, looks
like a gigantic moth, its rounded wings outspread against the arid,
reddish-brown dirt of southern New Mexico. The view from east reveals a
curved, pitched glass facade, soaring steel hanger doors and a
white-on-white interior. The lofty architecture encapsulates the equally
lofty dream of this complex – to serve as the launch-pad for commercial
spaceflight and the dawn of second space age.
The $209 million project has attracted worldwide attention because of
its bold premise, stunning architecture and the fact that it is home to
the world’s first commercial passenger spaceline company, Virgin
Galactic which has signed a 20-year lease and has already launched 12
suborbital flights from the spaceport as of August 2012.
Spaceport America includes basic operational infrastructure such as an
airfield, launch pads, terminal / hangar facility, emergency response
capabilities, utilities and roadways. The site will be capable of
accommodating the activities of both vertical and horizontal takeoff
space launch vehicles, serving as the base for pre-flight and
post-flight activities, and providing a tourism experience for
interested visitors and spectators.
The complex is located in the Jornada del Muerto desert basin in New
Mexico, United States just west of the White Sands Missile Range, about
140 km north of El Paso. The low-lying form is dug into the landscape to
exploit the thermal mass, which buffers the building from the extremes
of the New Mexico climate as well as catching the westerly winds for
ventilation; and maximum use is made of daylight via skylights.
To say the site is remote doesn’t do it justice. A power substation had
to be installed, wells dug, water and sewer systems put in place. And
while the spaceport will have a restaurant, at the moment the nearest
place to grab a meal is more than 20 miles away. Although Spaceport
America officially opened in 2010, the public areas aren't slated for
completion until 2013 by which Spaceport Authority hopes to make the
place more inviting. Plans are afoot for an elaborate visitor center
complete with interactive exhibits devoted to all manner of
space-oriented activities.
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