Spaceport America

 

above: Virgin Galactic’s Terminal/Hanger.

 

Move over Buck Rogers, here we come! Flying into space used to be reserved for sci-fi novels and a few astronauts but very soon it will become a reality for people like you and me…… almost.

 

 

The Hippygeek grew up in Houston near NASA and has always had a fascination for spaceflight. So, he couldn’t very well pass through New Mexico without stopping in to see the new Spaceport being built. Expected to be operational in the next 1-2 years, the Spaceport is the first of it’s kind in the world and will take commercial flights into sub-orbit (62 miles) for those with a wallet fat enough to buy a ticket.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Spaceport is located near and shares airspace with the White Sands Missile Range in the southern part of the State. The location, in the middle of nowhere, was chosen because of it’s low population density (no risk to the local population), it’s clear skies (less scrubbed flights), it’s high elevation (less fuel needed to get into space) and restricted airspace to infinity (no traffic jams with regular air traffic).

 

above: Beyond the taxi way, there is a lot of nothin’.

 

The preview tour requires a reservation, 48 hours notice and a back round check. We camped at Elephant Butte State Park near Truth or Consequences (T or C) so that we could meet our tour guide at a special pick up location in T or C. The town itself is a little funky with hot spring spas, galleries and shops but could also use a little boost from the development of the Spaceport.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

above: We had “pizza night” at the Happy Belly Deli before we hit the El Cortez Theatre (1930’s) for a showing of the “Lorax.”

 

 

The Park is located next to the Elephant Butte Reservoir which is a dammed up section of the Rio Grande River and the largest lake in the state. It is named after an island in the middle of the lake which, if you squint and turn your head sideways a little, it kinda looks like an elephant. We managed to get a large, sweet spot on a bluff overlooking the lake with a fire ring and adobe shelter.

 

 

 

left: The Elephant Butte Dam built in 1906.

 

 

 

 

right: Do you see the elephant in the rock?

 

 

 

The drive from T or C to the Spaceport takes about 45 minutes. So, our tour guide, Mark, entertained us with the history of the area from the Ancient Puebloans to the Spanish occupation to one of the current ranch owners, Ted Turner. Who, evidently, owns 1.2 million acres in the state. One of the most interesting stories is how the town of Hot Springs came to be known as Truth or Consequences. In 1950, Ralph Edwards of the radio  show Truth or Consequences, was offering to come to any town that would officially change their name to the name of the show. Amongst others, the town of Hot Springs applied and was chosen. The rest is, as they say, history.

 

 

 

left and below: Our “sweet spot” over looking the lake.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

right: Sunrise over the lake.

 

 

 

The bumpy ride out to the Spaceport took us past the Dam which was built in 1906 and along the El Camino Real (old trading route to Mexico). When we finally pulled up, my first thought was “that’s IT!” Meaning, in all of the open space surrounding us, all I saw were two apparently tiny buildings which didn’t overwhelm me.

 

above: That’s IT!

 

We pulled up to the back side of the Virgin Galactic Terminal which slopes into the earth making it hard to appreciate its size. We also drove around the property to a giant water tank, fuel storage area, operations center, on to the runway and finally to the front of Virgin’s Terminal all of which were dwarfed by the wide open spaces.

above: The back side of Virgin Galactic’s Terminal.

The site is still under construction so we were required to wear hardhats and florescent yellow vests making us look like a swarm of bees. We peeked into the space age looking operations center with it’s giant eye facing the runway and covered in ceramic tile. The contractors are predicted to be finished within the next month so that the state can finish the interior.

left: The operations center.

Mark drove us to the end of the 10,000 ft. (soon to be 12,000 ft.) runway and let us get out so that we could appreciate the gigantic slab of concrete. Up to this point, it has only been used a few times including the landing of the White Knight (Burt Rutan’s 2004 X Prize winner and the vehicle that is going to be used to take people up for their joy rides) for the dedication of Virgin Galactic’s building.

 

 

 

 

 

left: We got out at the end of the runway and watched fighter jets from White Sands Missile Range do maneuvers.

 

 

The most impressive part of the complex so far is the Virgin Galactic Terminal/Hanger that will eventually house 2 White Knights and 5 space ships. It has a futuristic design, massive hanger doors and the whole front is made of glass reflecting the desert and it’s far off horizon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

left: The massive hanger doors.

 

 

 

 

So, if you’re feeling a little Buck Rogerish, you too can get in line behind 500+ others who have already signed up, to see for themselves, the curve of the earth. The only catch is the $200,000 ticket. The future is now.

 

Ready for take-off?

 

Yuri Gagarin climbed into his Vostok spacecraft on April 12, 1961 to be the first man in space. On the launchpad in Kazakhstan, he shouted:

Poyekhali! – “Let’s go!”