The spaceport race

Todd, Billerica, MA — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 23:45:22 GMT

I think the spaceport will get made. I believe the suborbital space adventures planned by Virgin Galactic alone will be enough to make it succesful.

The spaceport race

steve smyth lynn ma — Fri, 26 Oct 2007 00:04:12 GMT

I wanna live in Artist's Conceptions.

The spaceport race

Chris E — Fri, 26 Oct 2007 03:32:46 GMT

WOW! Are we really getting this far... I mean a space port, right? I used to think of the idea as rather silly but there it is... Cross your fingers guys... we may get to the stars after all!

The spaceport race

Prayer — Fri, 26 Oct 2007 07:09:09 GMT

Are you kidding me? I mean the skies are not meant to be explored! It's sounds cool and fascinating, but the real skies belong to God. We are supposed to look up to the stars not try to reach them. I think we're trying to get ahead of ourselves. But who is going to listen to me anyways. Well I hope it doesn't go through, but let's see what happens.

The spaceport race

truth — Fri, 26 Oct 2007 11:45:03 GMT

Chris U wont be seeing any stars from space unless ur a millionair, so good luck buddy.....

The spaceport race

Richard Neath South Wales — Fri, 26 Oct 2007 12:14:49 GMT

cool :)

Civilian spaceflight will mean commercial and industrial development that dwarfs the efforts of nasa and other military/pure science type tax efforts. This is a foot on the accelerator.

The spaceport race

Todd, Billerica, MA — Fri, 26 Oct 2007 12:33:16 GMT

Steve,

I believe you already do.

Chris,

There is still a lot of work to be done on this spaceport, but it does look promising.

The spaceport race

Chris Grano, Fort Collins, Colorado — Fri, 26 Oct 2007 16:02:08 GMT

I find it discouraging that we no longer view space travel as a means of exploration and discovery, but of where the next profitable dollar bill is going to come from.

The spaceport race

Matt Elliott, Huntington, WV — Fri, 26 Oct 2007 16:04:42 GMT

It's about time things started to heat up. I mean, seriously. Most groups these days are so individualistic that it would be impossible for us to advance. Finally people are starting to work again. It'll be a bright future for the human race once we get off this rock.

The spaceport race

Dennis Gorman, Charlottesville, VA — Fri, 26 Oct 2007 16:05:17 GMT

Growth means more taxes, not less. It is happening here in central Virginia and it will happen in New Mexico. The rich will play, the poor will pay.

The spaceport race

Aaron S, Kansas City Mo — Fri, 26 Oct 2007 16:59:39 GMT

The real question should be. Where will it actually go? I mean going into space is cool, but unless you actually have someplace to travel to and from (i.e. a space station) it's basically a very expensive roller coaster. To make it financially sound, many other areas need to make similar pads, so it could also be a form of terrestrial travel.

Yet, I am not completely down on the project. This leap from a government run program to a private run program will expand progress in space exponentially. It is about time.

The spaceport race

chirs — Fri, 26 Oct 2007 17:41:44 GMT

its not that hard to believe, i mean 15 years ago we had computer monitors that were green or not green that were the size of a small stove. now we have inch thick screens that can display over a million colors. i think we should name the first full space plane ""The Enterprise"" Dun dun Da

The spaceport race

EasyKC — Fri, 26 Oct 2007 17:45:11 GMT

I'm ready for my jet pack or flying car too!!!

The spaceport race

mihai andrei, romania — Fri, 26 Oct 2007 18:21:22 GMT

things are spinning; this and the chinese space mission are worth following

The spaceport race

Randy, Minneapolis, Minnesota — Fri, 26 Oct 2007 18:56:30 GMT

we allready have bases on the moon and on Mars
what's the big deal?

The spaceport race

steve smyth lynn ma — Fri, 26 Oct 2007 21:54:12 GMT

Todd...I promised Alan I wouldn't get into any pissing contests here...so, you're safe...but, really, Son...what's the point?
Great things are in the works, and all you have to offer is snide insinuation...must be a Geek thing...
RE living in Artist's Conceptions...it's right next to Truth or Consequences, NM, and has been around since Popular Science of the 1950's...same pics, same stories...just refined a bit for the times...

The spaceport race

David Duncan — Fri, 26 Oct 2007 21:55:36 GMT

What's different about the new space race is that this time it's not just between a few nations and America, it's between a few nations and America AND the private enterprise of (mostly) American companies. This is an amazing time. New Mexico will become the place for starry eyed dreamers to live. www.keyhoereport.com/

The spaceport race

steve smyth — Fri, 26 Oct 2007 22:00:15 GMT

Oh, yeah...almost forgot...ol' Todd got me off the topic...every man made object in the Virgin Artist's Conception is constructed from Petro Chem waste...how does Sir Richard justify that, and the SpacePort's announced affiliation with a race track, and all its inherent CO2 emissions, with his Virgin Earth Challenge?
http://www.virginearth.com

The spaceport race

Michael Grassi Harbin, China — Sat, 27 Oct 2007 08:39:31 GMT

Earthlings are so xenophobic. Do you really believe that all of the quantum leaps in technology happened without a little help from other space faring civilizations which trade with Earth on a regular basis.Knowledge is power, power is money,Those who trade want to maintain power.The common man will never know the truth.

The spaceport race

DrW, Orbis Primus — Sun, 28 Oct 2007 11:22:13 GMT

I've got nothing against people trying to privatize space exploration, but I'm opposed to taxpayers having to foot the bill so that so-called entrepreneurs can make a profit. (And, yes, I am also opposed to taxes paying for football stadiums, since I don't go to football games and don't see why my tax dollars should be used to help overpaid athletes get even more grossly overpaid.) Besides,for the amount of money that spaceport's going to cost, I'd sure want to get more than a Virgin! The tax-payers in New Mexico who get gouged for this deal, but who won't earn a dime off it are the ones who'll get screwed--as usual. If Virgin Galactic wants to build a spaceport, then it should pay for it with its own money. Now, if we're talking business, that $200 million should just be a loan--or, better yet, an investment: Virgin Galactic should pay it back--or, fork over some shares. . .

Oh, by the way, "Prayer": your "argument" could be used against ANY effort! Gee, that field wasn't meant to be cleared and planted, just looked at, that ocean wasn't meant to be sailed across, just looked at. Go back to your cave and grovel in the dark, you dolt.

The spaceport race

Des Emery, St. Thomas, ON, Canada — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 04:40:25 GMT

Hey, Chris E. - enthusiasm is its own reward. You might get into space yet. Don't give up. Ever.

But a reminder to most of the other posters -- The Space Race of the past century was between nations, the USSR and the USA, and the competition was primarily for military reasons backed up by "pride of accomplishment." Progress was spectacular at first but then dropped down the priority list as other political programs assumed prominence.

The current efforts by so-called entrepeneurs are going to be ignored by the fickle public once there are a few minor successes or - more likely - many major disasters, and John Q. Public's attention is turned to making a living and who sings or dances better on the TV, the more important things in life.

Which tosses the ball back into the government's place to pick it up and run with it. Wait 'til you see what's next on that agenda.