July - 2017

Jul 16, 2017
2 min

Midland Spaceport Loses XCOR, Million$

The following is a true spaceport story. Midland, Texas’ Development Authority thought that investing in a spaceport would be a great idea. An up-and-coming space company named XCOR wanted to relocate from California. It would only take millions of Economic Development dollars and a spaceport license from the FAA. The plan would bring space tourism to their city and prosperity for all. XCOR and the politicians easily sold it to trusting citizens. Andrew Nelson was XCOR’s Chie

Jul 16, 2017
1 min

Mojave. Best Private/Public Spaceport?

The only non-Federally funded spaceport with more than a handful of employees is at Mojave(CA) Air and Space Port, located about 100 miles north of Los Angeles in the California desert. Mojave is a former military training airport that today primarily serves as an airliner refurbish/refit/repair facility. An airplane 'graveyard' is maintained there. With a permanent population of only about 4,200 in Mojave, many workers commute from 30 or more miles away. But several emergent

Jul 15, 2017
2 min

College Students Launch Rockets in New Mexico Desert

30,000 feet (5.6 miles) won the day for the University of Michigan student team. In other events, student rockets have actually reached more than 27 miles. The 'edge' of space is at 60 miles and Minimum Low Earth Orbit is at a minimum altitude of 100 miles. Spaceport America, like the Friends of Amateur Rocketry launch site in Mojave, California, are in near-desert or desert locations for safety. All student launches lack guidance systems or self-destruct safety devices. Like