Virgin Galactic Cleared For Flight From Spaceport America | Aero-News Network
Aero-News Network
RSS icon RSS feed
podcast icon MP3 podcast
Subscribe Aero-News e-mail Newsletter Subscribe

Airborne Unlimited -- Most Recent Daily Episodes

Episode Date

Airborne-Monday

Airborne-Tuesday

Airborne-Wednesday Airborne-Thursday

Airborne-Friday

Airborne On YouTube

Airborne-Unlimited-06.10.24

Airborne-NextGen-06.11.24

Airborne-Unlimited-06.12.24 Airborne-FltTraining-06.13.24

Airborne-Unlimited-06.14.24

Sat, May 31, 2014

Virgin Galactic Cleared For Flight From Spaceport America

Key Agreement Signed With The FAA

A key agreement has been reached between the FAA, Virgin Galactic, and Spaceport America that will allow commercial flights of SpaceShipTwo. The historic agreement sets out the parameters for how routine space missions launched from Spaceport America will be integrated into the National Airspace System. Specifically, the agreement spells out how the FAA’s Albuquerque Air Route Traffic Control Center and the New Mexico Spaceport Authority will work with Virgin Galactic to smoothly and safely provide clear airspace for SpaceShipTwo.

“Our team is working hard to begin routine and affordable space launches from Spaceport America and this agreement brings us another step closer to that goal,” said Virgin Galactic CEO George Whitesides. “We are grateful to the FAA and New Mexico for their partnership to achieve this milestone.”

The agreement provides procedures for the safe integration of commercial, licensed space launch operations into the National Airspace System from Spaceport America. The New Mexico Spaceport Authority also has an agreement in place with the US Army’s White Sands Missile Range to support space launch activities within WSMR airspace.

In addition, Virgin Galactic now has agreements in place with Edwards Air Force Base and the FAA’s Joshua Control Facility to cover spaceflights in California. As a whole, these agreements provide coverage for the company’s airspace needs through the remainder of the test flight program in California and into commercial service in New Mexico.

Last year, Virgin Galactic began paying rent on a 20-year lease to conduct space missions from the 110,000 square foot “Gateway to Space” building at Spaceport America, which was recently awarded Gold Status under the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification process. NMSA already holds a Launch Site Operator License issued by the Associate Administrator for Commercial Space Transportation (FAA/AST).

(Images from file)

FMI: www.faa.gov, www.virgingalactic.com

Advertisement

More News

ANNouncement: Now Accepting Applications For Oshkosh 2024 Stringers!!!

An Amazing Experience Awaits The Chosen Few... Oshkosh, to us, seems the perfect place to get started on watching aviation recover the past couple of years... and so ANN is putting>[...]

Aero-News: Quote of the Day (06.13.24)

“NBAA has a tremendous responsibility to the business aviation industry, and we are constantly collaborating with them. Our flight departments, professionals and aircraft own>[...]

ANN's Daily Aero-Term (06.13.24): Dead Reckoning

Dead Reckoning Dead reckoning, as applied to flying, is the navigation of an airplane solely by means of computations based on airspeed, course, heading, wind direction, and speed,>[...]

ANN's Daily Aero-Linx (06.13.24)

Aero Linx: Vertical Aviation Safety Team (VAST) We are a public–private initiative to enhance worldwide flight operations safety in all segments of the vertical flight indust>[...]

ANN FAQ: How Do I Become A News Spy?

We're Everywhere... Thanks To You! Even with the vast resources and incredibly far-reaching scope of the Aero-News Network, every now and then a story that should be reported on sl>[...]

blog comments powered by Disqus



Advertisement

Advertisement

Podcasts

Advertisement

© 2007 - 2024 Web Development & Design by Pauli Systems, LC