US Co. Plans $265 Spaceport in United Arab Emirates

[kpete]

February 17, 2006

U.S. Company Plans $265M Spaceport in UAE

ASSOCIATED PRESS

U.S. Company Plans $265M Spaceport in UAE LOS ANGELES (AP) -

A day after Space Adventures announced it was in a venture to develop rocket ships for suborbital flights, the company said Friday it plans to build a $265 million spaceport in the United Arab Emirates.

The commercial spaceport would be based in Ras Al-Khaimah near the southern end of the Persian Gulf, and the UAE government has made an initial investment of $30 million, the Arlington, Va.-based company said in a statement.

The spaceport announcement comes on the heels of Space Adventures' new partnership with an investment firm founded by major sponsors of the Ansari X Prize to develop rocket ships for suborbital flights.

The agreement between Space Adventures and the Texas-based venture capital firm Prodea would help finance suborbital vehicles being designed and built by the Russian aerospace firm Myasishchev Design Bureau.

http://www.lasvegassun.com/sunbin/stories/tech/2006/feb/17/021700109.html

[FormerDittoHead]

1. Go USA! We're Number ONE!

:sarcasm:

[NVMojo]

2. from their press release:

The company, which organized orbital flights for all of the world's private space explorers, also announces that His Highness Sheikh Saud Bin Saqr Al Qasimi of Ras Al-Khaimah, along with the UAE Department of Civilian Aviation, have granted clearance to operate suborbital spaceflights in their air space.

The UAE spaceport, planned to be located less than an hour drive from Dubai, already has commitments for $30 million (USD).

"I am proud to announce Ras Al-Khaimah as the site where suborbital commercial space travel will begin and flourish. Space Adventures is the pioneer of space tourism, which is why we signed an agreement with them nearly a year ago and began this project. After we initiate operations here, we look forward to expanding operations outside of the United Arab Emirates. In this regard, I would also like to announce that we have committed an additional $30 million (USD) of funding for global spaceport development. We are most excited about spearheading this multi-billion dollar industry," said His Highness Sheikh Saud Bin Saqr Al Qasimi, the Crown Prince of Ras Al-Khaimah, United Arab Emirates.

"Because of Ras Al-Khaimah’s unique airport and spaceport support facilities, His Highness' commitment to space tourism, and the close proximity to Dubai, one of the world's leading luxury tourist destinations, makes it a choice location for spaceflight operations," said Mr. Anderson. "As a global leader of tourism, the United Arab Emirates is an ideal location for a spaceport. Suborbital flights will offer millions of people the opportunity to experience the greatest adventure available, space travel. We are honored to partner with His Highness Sheikh Saud."

The suborbital space transportation system has been designed by Myasishchev Design Bureau, a leading Russian aerospace organization which has developed a wide-array of high performance aircraft and space systems. Explorer, as it has been named, will have the capacity to transport up to five people to space and is designed to optimize the customer experience of space travel, while maintaining the highest degree of safety.

more...
http://www.spaceadventures.com/media/releases/2006-02/347

[BlueEyedSon]

3. So they own our ports and we will own theirs?