spacetoday.net: Spaceport America runway dedicated

Posted: Sat, Oct 23, 2010, 9:34 AM ET (1334 GMT)
WK2/SS2 fly over Spaceport America terminal building (J. Foust)

Spaceport America, the new commercial spaceport being developed in New Mexico, officially dedicated its main runway on Friday with an appearance by Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo and WhiteKnightTwo. The ceremony marked the completion of the runway, a key element of the $200-million spaceport; other facilities there, including the main terminal building, are still under construction. The anchor tenant, Virgin Galactic, flew the WhiteKnightTwo aircraft, with the SpaceShipTwo suborbital vehicle attached, from Mojave, California, to the spaceport, making several flybys before landing. At the event Virgin's Sir Richard Branson said he anticipate commercial flights beginning in 9 to 18 months, while the spaceport itself is scheduled for completion next year. Branson also announced at the event that Virgin was developing plans for an orbital vehicle to propose to NASA as part of the space agency's new commercial crew development efforts.