Foster + Partners Break Ground on Virgin Galactic Spaceport

3 thoughts on “Foster + Partners Break Ground on Virgin Galactic Spaceport”

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  Anonymous November 17, 2010 at 8:04 pm

  I think this is one of the few times imo when privatization is a really good idea. Whether we think it’s necessary or not, we need to continue to develop new forms of space travel and technology to facilitate it. What the ppl whose only argument is “we have too many problems down here to be worrying about this,” they fail to understand the two most important implications of aeronautical research. The first is for national defense… it’s bad enough that nasa has to rely on Russia to ferry them to the ISS. If we keep going at this rate, our disadvantage will only grow as they continue to develop new technologies in their space program while we pump the brakes on ours. Is air and space superiority something you really want the Russians to have? It doesn’t seem like a good idea for any one country to have, let alone one whom we have a sketchy history with. The second is that with aeronautical research comes a flood of new technologies, most of which are very applicable to us down on earth. For example, if it wasn’t for nasa, we wouldn’t have the chips that we use for non-invasive biopsies, solar energy, and a whole litany of other things (http://www.thespaceplace.com/nasa/spinoffs.html#Top has a good number of inventions that most of us don’t know came from our space program). And if you’re one of those ppl that are so skeptical (or cynical imo) that you still don’t think that any of the things on this list warrant a larger investment in a privatized space industry, just remember that while you sleep at night, you most likely have nasa to thank for that, too. If you use any type of home security system, chances are they use infrared and laser technology that came out of nasa’s research (just look at the adt home security infrared camera page. They even admit that the technology came from nasa!)

• Foster + Partners Unveil World’s First Commercial Spaceport | Inhabitat – Green Design Will Save the World October 25, 2010 at 3:16 pm

  [...] its way to hosting the world’s first commercial passenger spaceport as Foster + Partners’ Spaceport America was dedicated this weekend. A partnership between the state of New Mexico and Virgin Galactic, the [...]

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  Niwich June 24, 2009 at 12:19 pm

  "Spaceport America isn’t too far away from famed Roswell, NM, known for the recovery of a UFO." You say it as if you know it is true.