News Archive / Tagged: Spaceport America

• Virgin Galactic’s VSS Unity completes first commercial spaceflight

  Derek RichardsonJune 29th, 2023

  Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo has flown with paying passengers for the first time on its inaugural commercial suborbital spaceflight.

• Richard Branson rides Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo into space

  Theresa CrossJuly 11th, 2021

  Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo suborbital spacecraft took its first full crew, which included the company's billionaire founder Richard Branson, on a brief foray into space.

• Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo reaches space from New Mexico

  Theresa CrossMay 24th, 2021

  On May 22, Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo completed its third crewed test flight from Spaceport America in New Mexico. The first-ever spaceflight from New Mexico for the company also represents the third state to date launching humans to space.

• OPINION: In spaceflight testing, what defines a failure?

  Cullen DesforgesFebruary 27th, 2021

  Recently, several companies have made great strides in the realm of advanced spaceflight testing, despite public perception some would label a failure.

• Returning astronauts safely: Starliner test provides crucial re-entry data

  Tomasz NowakowskiApril 3rd, 2017

  Boeing is currently in the midst of parachute drop tests for its CST-100 Starliner spacecraft, which are being carried out to ensure future astronauts a safe return from space. The latest test, conducted on Feb. 22 at Spaceport America in New Mexico, provided a wealth of data essential for the safety of crews during re-entry into the atmosphere.

• For Sale: Spaceport America?

  Jason RhianFebruary 22nd, 2015

  In 2011, at the upward arc of the NewSpace movement’s trajectory, much fanfare was made about New Mexico’s new spaceport, which would see private citizens travel into space on a regular basis. Dubbed “Spaceport America” it was touted as opening up the space frontier for average citizens; however, to date, no one has traveled to […]

• SpaceX could launch rocket from Spaceport America in December

  Jim SharkeyOctober 19th, 2013

  Gwynne Shotwell, president and Chief Operating Officer of SpaceX, announced on Wednesday that SpaceX’s  reusable Grasshopper rocket could begin test flights from Spaceport America in Las Cruces, N.M. in late December. Shotwell was in Las Cruces for the annual International Symposium for Personal and Commercial Spaceflight. SpaceX has made a three-year agreement to lease land and facilities at […]