Spaceport America Needs More Spaceships
Spaceport launches online shop to help pay bills, KRQE
“The launch of commercial flights to space from Spaceport America was supposed to help the economy here take off. However, after years and years of delays, the Spaceport is trying other things to make money, like starting a new online store.”
New Mexico lawmakers concerned about Spaceport America’s future, Mashable
“New Mexico, which has invested $218.5 million into the future of space tourism, is concerned about the viability of Spaceport America. Lawmakers grilled New Mexico Spaceport Authority executive director Christine Anderson [in November] about how it plans to deliver on the promise of the Spaceport, especially now since commercial flights by Virgin Galactic are postponed indefinitely following a deadly crash last month that killed one pilot.”
Spaceport officials working to come up with revenue, KRQE
“Paul Gessing, president of the conservative research group the Rio Grande Foundation, has been highly-critical of the nearly quarter billion dollar Spaceport. He told News 13 that no one knows when space tourism will become viable, but that he thinks the Spaceport likely won’t be viable for a while. “It was like building an airport before the Wright brothers had their first flight,” Gessing said. “I don’t think there’s any way to make the Spaceport successful unless we see regular, frequent space trips.”
The growth of commercial “spaceports” is a complete joke facilitated by the FAA – not that they have much choice – and naive zealots who think that the only reason we aren’t occupying the solar system is that NASA is a government agency. Space is HARD and even more unforgiving than aviation.
To it’s credit, Spaceport America has a real anchor tenant with commercial prospects, Virgin Galactic, and maybe Midland does with Xcor (fortunately, they also have an airport). As for the rest, it’s fool’s errand chasing a highly speculative industry that is at least a decade away from turning in an operational profit. The worst thing is the overzealous efforts by desperate communities in the middle of nowhere is likely to tarnish the whole commercial space tourism industry.
and naive zealots who think that the only reason we aren’t occupying the solar system is that NASA is a government agency
Well, the only reason we aren’t occupying the solar system is that NASA is a government agency.
They simply cannot do things cost-effectively in a way that sufficient funds exist, and long-term project stability allows. They can’t. Only if it is a crash program like Apollo, and no national will exists for such a thing (and maybe should not – plant the flag and done).
Space IS hard and people working from lessons learned are making it happen.
Virgin Galactic was the worst choice. Its only purpose was providing pointless 15 minute thrill rides to bored rich people, and they never understood what it really takes. It was a money hole that was spiraling into nothing. It was surviving on a torrent of cash from Qatar which could have (and quite possibly will) be turned off.
Stratolaunch Systems is a vastly better way to use similar technologies, but launching from an inland site, I don’t see that as truly viable.
XCOR has a chance, particularly if the can cost-effectively deliver microsatellites (I doubt it).
I see R&D and maybe sounding rockets as the only tenants.
SpaceX for example is using it for testing landing techniques because it has a higher allowed ceiling than their Texas site.
define a roller coaster…..
Well, at one extreme I would place the Wild Mouse at Santa’s Village and at the other extreme Virgin Galactic. (I can’t afford tickets for either)
So you add the emotional state of users of a roller coaster to it’s definition? Only “bored” people ride roller coasters?
Do you add the economic status of users of a roller coaster to it’s defintion? Only poor people/rich people ride roller coasters?
Most times I agree with your statements but I can’t on this one..
Eye glasses only used to be for the rich. Mothers would tell their daughters only go after men that have eye glasses. Telescopes were only built and or owned by rich people. Automobiles, only the rich. Refridgerators? Playthings for the rich. How about “the brick” remember that mobile phone? It cost $5,000 bucks and about six grand a month to operate… yup .. just another “toy” for the rich.
I am glad we live in a country with enough wealthy people to be early adoptors of new technology. I hope EVERY wealthy person goes on this “joyrides” just for the experience. And then they will invest even more in space.
The more people, especially wealthy early adoptors, that take these roller coaster rides and experience “The Overview Effect” the better. https://www.youtube.com/wat…
I have no problem with sub-orbital flights and I have no interest preventing it. I just see it going nowhere. I don’t condemn it to the flaming halls of hell. I just don’t think it is a viable enterprise.
I do understand that the rich early-adopters of technologies subsidize the mass availability later.
But, I would follow a different path. If I were emulating VG I would look elsewhere.
The Stratolaunch system is scaled to offer suborbital flights at its low end, yet capable of orbital flight at its high end. This has possibilities.
On the other hand, Virgin G. at its utter extreme might barely pop into vacuum. The clever tech of SS1 or SS2 has no path to greater.
XCOR Lynx has space to run experiments, will carry people, and has microsatellite capability. Maybe its got a future, maybe.
With its simple one-piece design and fast turn-around, these guys could be used anywhere, making ever cheaper mass flights. Rich thrill seekers, researchers, contest winners, then Joe and Jane Q. Public could take a flight from their nearest mini-spaceport.
I would fly a suborbit craft, but its more likely to be a Lynx or eventually an S3 SOAR across the oceans.
By the end of the decade we may see rich people flying reusable dragons to Bigelow space stations
SpaceX is planning to launch dragons in the intermediate term weekly, then daily, the 2-3 times per day.
I’ve said this before; the commercial aviation graveyard is littered with the bones of people who thought they were going to make a killing in the aviation business. As an investment opportunity its a sure fired way to go to the poor house. Space travel is difficult process in an extremely unforgiving environment. To make a living in space on anything having to do with people you’re going to have to have extraordinary tort protection probably granted by Congress. If that incident had happened on a passenger carrying Virgin Galactic flight you can stick a fork in it, because it would’ve been done. Human Space flight for the foreseeable future will be the realm of NASA or a few select companies that are dependent on government largess.
I do not think anyone other than SpaceX, Boeing, or Sierra Nevada are going to be flying anybody into real space for a LOOOOONG time.
XCOR and Virgin and maybe some others will carry people on thrill rides but that is a dead end.
In the short term it is government fare-paid taxis to ISS.
In the intermediate term SpaceX (and maybe Boeing) will make ungodly fortunes in partnership with Bigelow on a purely commercial basis.
Here’s a nice discussion of liability issues:
http://repository.law.umich…
Well, the only reason we aren’t occupying the solar system is that NASA is a government agency.They simply cannot do things cost-effectively in a way that sufficient funds exist, and long-term project stability allows. They can’t.
Sales: I think I agree with you on some level but not sure why NASA cannot handle the job of ‘occupying the solar system’?
OK, so I guess the Interstate Highway System, TVA/western water projects and the national air traffic control system are all exceptions to the narrow-minded ideological rule that the government can’t do anything long term or cost-efficiently. Put down your well read copies of Ayn Rand’s books and look at the history and economics; we are now getting to the point, as we did with air mail in the 20’s, where government can help subsidize a new transportation market – personnel transport to LEO. It is a long way to Mars; I don’t see any government competition to send people there any time soon; good luck with that private sector!
I feel like this whole suborbital tourism industry was based on people being willing to accept a lot of risk and cost based on either an ignorance of physics or an obsession over bragging rights for exceeding the arbitrary Karman line for a couple of minutes, even if the view wasn’t that much better than the view from a high altitude aircraft. I say, how about buying a couple of surplus U2 aircraft and selling rides to 70k ft out of the facility? I’d pay for that!
The question really is, what “industry” are we talking about here ? An industry of organizing a couple dreamy eyed conferences a year and blogging ?
How about all these frequent cheap suborbital research flight opportunities that were hyped at these conferences .. good old sounding rockets ?
The problem is that you don’t just buy a couple of surplus U-2’s. You also have to buy their supply chain and spare parts, spare engines. A U-2 is a performance vehicle to where you could never skimp, save, cut corners or make money.
Maybe they could use the “spaceport” property to launch hot air balloon rides. At least they would get some paying customers right away.
Estes club get togethers, i say. At least there is an established rocket supplier.
The problem with the spaceport is that it is out in the middle of nowhere with very little infrastructure.
White Sands and New Mexico haven’t been an ideal place for long range launches since 1950. That’s when the Army first launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida.
They effectively have gone down the R&D route. SpaceX is paying them to be the launch site for suborbital test flights. Those should start within a few months, but the payments aren’t nearly as much as Virgin Galactic would provide if they ever start flying customers there.
“Don’t put the cart before the horse” is applicable here I believe;
though unfortunate. Old adages survive the test of time for a reason! It
would be nice to see a well considered and planned space future.