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Science South Australia, Victoria possible hosts to Virgin Galactic space venture
Science South Australia, Victoria possible hosts to Virgin Galactic space venture | South Australia, Victoria possible hosts to Virgin Galactic space venture |
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| by William Atkins | |
| Tuesday, 15 April 2008 | |
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It is reported that Branson is considering two “ideal” sites in Australia—Victoria and South Australia—for spaceports for his Virgin Galactic space tourism venture. Victoria, an Australian state located in the southeastern corner of the country is the second smallest but most densely populated and second most populated state of Australia. [corrected per reader] South Australia, located in the southern central part of the country, is the third largest of the six states of Australia and has approximately ten percent of the total population of the country. Chief executive for the South Australian Tourism Commission Andrew McEvoy commented about the space tourists with Virgin Galactic, "So what we'd imagine is they'd come to places like South Australia and spent a great time at our fantastic lodges. I think it would be a small high niche opportunity for tourism in South Australia." [ABC Austalia: “South Australia wants space tourists"] Virgin Galactic's astronaut sales chief Carolyn Wincer talked about the Australian sites: “We do have plans to launch from venues worldwide and Australia is in our long-term plans. South Australia and Victoria would be good places to launch from." [News.com.au: “Australia on shortlist for space base”] "Victoria would be ideal.” Wincer added Victoria “is also great because Melbourne is so well connected, which is very important.” To be considered for a possible spaceport for Branson’s space venture, the area needs clear and unobstructed airspace, suitable infrastructure, a consistent and accommodating climate, and an established no-fly-zone. Virgin Galactic (whose slogan is “Space is Virgin territory”) is the venture created by Richard Branson to build the world's first commercial spaceport. Branson is building the first sportport in the U.S. state of New Mexico. Suborbital voyages to the edge of outer space are expected to begin in late 2009 or early 2010 from his New Mexico spaceport called Spaceport America. The three-hour trips aboard Branson’s spaceship SpaceShipTwo, which will be carried into the air by White Knight Two, will attain an altitude of just over 62 miles (100 kilometers), which will allow its six passengers to experience weightlessness for about 6.5 minutes. Weightlessness is expensive, however. Read on. |
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