GOV. BILL RICHARDS was in attendance. "After all of the hard work to get this project off the ground, it is gratifying to see SPACEPORT AMERICA finally become a reality."
SIR RICHARD BRANSON'S space tourism company known as VIRGIN GALACTIC will be based at this location. VIRGIN GALACTIC will offer suborbital space flights costing 200,000 a ride. VIRGIN GALACTIC'S PRESIDENT WILL WHITEHORN said that the company has taken in 300 advanced bookings. First planned spaceflights will began hopefully in two years". Reuters.com, "New Mexico breaks ground on commercial spaceport." by Tim Gaynor, June 19, 2009. ( http://www.reuters.com/article/scienceNews/idUSTRE55I5NK20090619).
