Marks The Start Of Operations From The Facility, Company Says

The first launch of a World View Enterprises stratospheric balloon from Spaceport Tucson took place Sunday, marking the beginning of operations from the facility.

The launchpad is adjacent to the balloon company's manufacturing operation. "This milestone launch signals the operational opening of the global hub for commerce and science in the stratosphere," said World View founder and CEO Jane Poynter in a news release. “Spaceport Tucson, the first-ever, purpose-built stratospheric launch facility in the world, is now open for business."

World View Enterprises said that the FAA had recently granted a certificate of authorization allowing World View to conduct launches from Spaceport Tuscon, according to a report from tucson.com.

Prior test flights have been launched from rural areas, and included a multi-day test flight that carried a chicken sandwich as part of a promotion with KFC. The pad at the spaceport is 700 feet in diameter, or the size of about six football fields, according to the report.

The company plans to offer flights of commercial payloads, and eventually tourist flights that will carry paying passengers to the edge of space under the balloon.

(Image from file)

FMI: Original Report