Spaceport News

1
Spaceport News Presentation for the Launch
Operations and Support Working Group
FAA/AST COMSTAC Doug Graham May 23, 2006
2
Introduction

• Purpose
• Provide the Launch Operations and Support Working
  Group (LOSWG) with an overview of the latest
  news from commercial launch sites around the
  globe.
• Scope
• All commercial sites were examined but only those
  with noteworthy news since February are included.
• Organization
• Sites are organized alphabetically within three
  categories established, developing, and
  conceptual.

3
Established Launch Sites

• California - Mojave Airport
• California Senate Bill (SB) 1698 Approved
• Approved by senate committee on April 18, 2006.
• Provides 2 million to fund the California Space
  Enterprise Competitive Grant Program, established
  in 1997, to develop commercial use of space,
  space vehicle launches, space launch
  infrastructure, manufacturing, applied research,
  technology development, economic diversification,
  and business development.
• California SB 1671 Approved
• Approved by senate committee on April 19, 2006.
• Provides an 11-million loan from the California
  General Fund to the East Kern Airport District to
  construct the Mojave Spaceport Terminal.
• Temporarily shelved on May 8, 2006, may not make
  it into California state budget request.

4
Established Launch Sites

• Florida - Spaceport operated by Florida Space
  Authority
• Florida House Bill (HB) 1489 Approved
• Approved by the Florida House of Representatives
  on May 3, 2006.
• Consolidates Florida state space agencies into
  one super-agency called Space Florida, under
  the existing Enterprise Florida commercial
  development organization.
• The bill provides 43 million for industry
  retention and attraction as the shuttle program
  is phased out.

5
Developing Launch Sites

• New Mexico - Southwest Regional Spaceport (SRS)
• New Mexico HB 89 and HB 473 Signed
• Signed by Governor Bill Richardson on March 1,
  2006.
• Allocates a total of 100 million in state
  funding for the spaceport over three years
  (2006-08).
• HB 89 creates the New Mexico Spaceport Authority
  to oversee commercial space activities in New
  Mexico.
• HB 473 allows local communities to ask voters if
  they want to support the spaceport and related
  development through a new local options gross
  receipt tax.
• New Mexico HB 835 Signed
• Signed by Governor Bill Richardson on February
  24, 2006.
• Allows the State Investment Office to invest in
  New Mexico aerospace companies that receive more
  than 100 million in funding from federal
  agencies like the National Aeronautics and Space
  Administration (NASA).

6
Developing Launch Sites

• New Mexico - Southwest Regional Spaceport (cont.)
• UP Aerospace Builds Amateur Launch Facilities at
  SRS Site
• 17-meter launch rail, a custom-built rolling
  rocket enclosure, storage facilities, launch
  control center, and payload processing center.
• Aiming for first launch in July of 2006.
• SRS Request For Proposals Issued
• The State of New Mexico issued an RFP for the
  design and engineering of the SRS on April 6,
  2006.
• Pre-proposal conference for the RFP was held
  April 19, 2006.
• Final proposals were due May 9, 2006.

UP Aerospace Launch Rail
7
Developing Launch Sites

• Oklahoma - Oklahoma Spaceport
• Environmental Assessment Completed
• A public hearing regarding Oklahomas draft
  environmental assessment (EA) occurred on March
  9, 2006, in Burns Flat, Oklahoma.
• The public comment period for Oklahomas draft EA
  closed March 13, 2006.
• FAA Issues Finding of No Significant Impact
  (FONSI) for OSIDAs Launch Site Operator License
  on April 27, 2006.

Clinton-Sherman Industrial Airpark
8
Developing Launch Sites

• Texas - Gulf Coast Regional Spaceport
• Launch Pad Development
• On March 14, 2006, Brazoria County Commissioners
  approved interlocal agreements with the Gulf
  Coast Regional Spaceport Development Corp. to
  build a launch pad and roads.
• The pad will be either 20-by-20 feet or 40-by-40
  feet.
• On May 9, 2006, Brazoria County commissioners
  approved notice of intent to issue bonds for 13
  million worth of proposed projects, including
  25,000 for spaceport site development.
• The corporation proposes to develop and operate a
  commercial space launch site.

9
Developing Launch Sites

• Wisconsin Spaceport Sheboygan
• Wisconsin Act 335 Signed
• Signed by Governor Jim Doyle on April 14, 2006.
• Creates the Wisconsin Aerospace Authority (WAA).
• WAA is authorized to sell up to 100 million in
  revenue bonds, which are loans that spaceport
  backers and lawmakers say taxpayers will never
  have to cover.

10
Developing Launch Sites

• Wisconsin Spaceport Sheboygan (cont.)
• Support For The Great Lakes Aerospace Science
  Education Center
• The WAA will help move the proposed Great Lakes
  Aerospace Science Education Center, a
  15-million space and science education center at
  the Sheboygan Armory, toward a planned March 2008
  opening.

Proposed Great Lakes Aerospace Science
Education Center
11
International - Conceptual Spaceports

• Australia - Asia Pacific Space Centre (Christmas
  Island)
• Asia Pacific Space Centre (APSC) Cancelled
• The Australian government formally cancelled
  plans for the planned Christmas Island APSC in
  March 2006.
• The government had originally promised AU 100
  million (US 77.2 million) in support, but APSC
  failed to meet key conditions and milestones,
  including first launch by end of 2003.
• A spokeswoman for Australian Territories Minister
  Jim Lloyd said AU 68.6 million (US 53 million)
  allocated to the project for infrastructure would
  still be spent on transport works.
• APSC has already spent AU 17 million (US 13.1
  million) on road upgrades and port facilities,
  with further work planned for other roads and the
  runway.

12
International - Conceptual Spaceports

• Australia - Woomera Rocket Range
• Large Investment in a Woomera Spaceport Advocated
• Australian astronaut Andy Thomas met with the
  Australian Science Minister in March 2006 to
  advocate an AU 150-million (US 115.3-million)
  10-year investment in Woomera to build an
  international spaceport for launching satellites
  and space tourism.

Woomera Rocket Range
13
International Conceptual Spaceports

• Singapore - Spaceport Singapore
• Spaceport Singapore Concept Unveiled
• Space Adventures, Ltd., together with a
  Singapore-based consortium, announced on February
  20, 2006 that it plans to develop an integrated
  spaceport.
• The spaceport will offer suborbital spaceflights,
  as well as operate astronaut training facilities
  and a public education and interactive visitor
  center.

Spaceport Singapore Concept
14
International Conceptual Spaceports

• Singapore - Spaceport Singapore (cont.)
• The minimum estimated cost of Spaceport Singapore
  is US 115 million.
• The consortium supporting Spaceport Singapore is
  a combination of commercial, research,
  entertainment and tourist interests.
• The project is being funded by Space Adventures
  in partnership with His Highness Sheikh Saud Bin
  Saqr Al Qasimi of Ras Al-Khaimah, United Arab
  Emirates (UAE). Other sponsors include Occitane
  Pte, Batey Pte Ltd., Lyon Capital Inc., DP
  Architects, and ST Medical. Additionally, KPMG in
  Singapore has begun to raise the final funds
  needed.

15
International Conceptual Spaceports

• Sweden - Kiruna Spaceport
• Kiruna Spaceport to be built at the European
  Space Range (ESRANGE)
• On April 9, 2006, Virgin Galactic announced that
  its European space center will be built at Kiruna
  in the far north of Sweden.
• The space center will be on the site of the
  ESRANGE, which has an existing runway that Virgin
  believes will be big enough for its operations.
• It is projected that Kiruna will begin commercial
  flights in 2008 with trips through the Aurora
  Borealis beginning in 2011.
• Kiruna Spaceport Consortium in Development
• As of May 4, 2006 the Swedish Space Corporation,
  Swedens civil aviation administration (LFV), and
  the Ice Hotel are now putting together a Kiruna
  Spaceport consortium to develop space tourism.
• The first space tourist flights from Kiruna are
  expected to take off in 2010 or 2011.

16
International Conceptual Spaceports

• United Arab Emirates - UAE Spaceport
• UAE Spaceport Concept Unveiled
• On February 17, 2006, Space Adventures, Ltd.
  announced plans to develop a commercial spaceport
  in Ras Al-Khaimah in the UAE, less than an hour
  from the capital, Dubai.
• His Highness Sheikh Saud Bin Saqr Al Qasimi of
  Ras Al-Khaimah, along with the UAE Department of
  Civilian Aviation, has granted clearance to
  operate suborbital spaceflights in their air
  space.

UAE Spaceport Concept
17
International - Conceptual Spaceports

• United Arab Emirates - Ras Al-Khaimah Spaceport
  (cont.)
• The cost of the UAE global spaceport development
  project is estimated at a minimum of US 265
  million.
• The project will be funded by various parties,
  along with shared investments by Space Adventures
  and the government of Ras Al-Khaimah. The UAE
  spaceport currently has commitments of US 30
  million.
• Gulf Region Interested in Commercial Space
  Tourism
• Announced March 27, 2006.
• Space Adventures receives thousands of inquires
  from individuals in the Gulf region who are
  interested in commercial space tourism.
• Forty-year-old entrepreneur Adnan Al Maimani will
  be the first UAE national to launch from the
  future UAE commercial spaceport.

18
Image Credits

• California State Seal NetState.com.
  (http//www.netstate.com/states/symb/seals/images/
  seal_cal.gif) accessed 15 May 2006.
• Florida State Seal NetState.com.
  (http//www.netstate.com/states/symb/seals/fl_seal
  .htm) accessed 15 May 2006.
• New Mexico State Seal NewMexico.org.
  (http//www.newmexico.org/index2.php) accessed 15
  May 2006.
• UP Aerospace Launch Rail David, Leonard. New
  Mexico Spaceport Open For Business SPACE.com,
  19 April 2006 (http//www.space.com/news/060419_nm
  _spaceport.html) accessed 5 May 2006.
• Clinton-Sherman Industrial Airpark Environmental
  Assessment for the proposed Oklahoma Spaceport
  (http//www.okspaceporteis.com/index.html)
  accessed 15 May 2006.
• Wisconsin State Seal Wikipedia.
  (http//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/e/e0/Wis
  consinstateseal.jpg) accessed 15 May 2006.
• LaRose, Eric. Spaceport plan at final hurdles
  Sheboygan-press.com, 6 March 2006
  (http//www.sheboygan-press.com/apps/pbcs.dll/arti
  cle?AID/20060306/SHE0101/603060376/1062),
  accessed 5 May 2006.
• Australian National Flag Biojva.com
  (http//www.biojva.com/files/Australian20flag.jpg
  ) accessed 15 May 2006.
• Woomera Rocket Range Woomera.com
  (http//www.woomera.com.au/range/attributes.htm)
  accessed 15 May 2006.
• HyShot Launch The University of Queensland.
  (http//www.uq.edu.au/hypersonics/?page19501)
  accessed 15 May 2006.
• Spaceport Singapore Concept Exploringtheglobe.com
  (http//www.exploringtheglobe.com/?p164)
  accessed 16 May 2006.
• UAE Spaceport Concept Malik, Tariq. Suborbital
  Rocketship Fleet to Carry Tourists Spaceward in
  Style SPACE.com, 22 February 2006
  (http//www.space.com/businesstechnology/060222_te
  chwed_spaceadventures.html) accessed 5 May 2006.