Virgin Galactic revealed what its spaceport at its new New Mexico home looks like — and it’s a beautiful vision of the airport lounge’s cosmic successor.
The company moved to the Spaceport America facility in May, which it calls “the world’s first purpose built commercial spaceport.” It’s purpose, according to the company, is to “provide a fitting welcome to those newly-graduated astronauts returning from space with a new appreciation and understanding of our home planet.”
“Completion of this interior work means the spaceport facility is now operationally functional and able to support Virgin Galactic’s flight requirements,” reads a press release.
But something is still missing: a boarding ticket to space. While the space company has been working hard to get its space tourism operations up and running, furnishing its flashy new spaceport is a much easier hurdle to clear.
In February, Virgin Galactic’s supersonic space plane, the VSS Unity, took off on its fifth test flight, soaring to a new record altitude of 51.4 miles — and close to commercial weight with two pilots and a third crew member.
“Although we passed a major milestone in December, we still have a way to go in testing the many factors that can affect a flight,” read a statement at the time.
