New Mexico Spaceport Gets State Go-ahead

News
By published
New Mexico Spaceport Gets State Go-ahead
Conceptual artwork depicts cross-section of proposed New Mexico spaceport. Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic has struck a 20-year lease on the futuristic spaceport to handle the firm’s suborbital spaceliner operations. Artwork: Courtesy Virgin Galactic (Image credit: Virgin Galactic)

Join our Space Forums to keep talking space on the latest missions, night sky and more! And if you have a news tip, correction or comment, let us know at: community@space.com.

Leonard David
Leonard David
Space Insider Columnist

Leonard David is an award-winning space journalist who has been reporting on space activities for more than 50 years. Currently writing as Space.com's Space Insider Columnist among his other projects, Leonard has authored numerous books on space exploration, Mars missions and more, with his latest being "Moon Rush: The New Space Race" published in 2019 by National Geographic. He also wrote "Mars: Our Future on the Red Planet" released in 2016 by National Geographic. Leonard  has served as a correspondent for SpaceNews, Scientific American and Aerospace America for the AIAA. He has received many awards, including the first Ordway Award for Sustained Excellence in Spaceflight History in 2015 at the AAS Wernher von Braun Memorial Symposium. You can find out Leonard's latest project at his website and on Twitter.

More about spaceflight

See photos snapped in space by Europe's 1st private reentry capsule

Pine Barrens ablaze as seen from orbit | Space photo of the day for April 28, 2025

Cyclones on Jupiter and a moon with flowing magma: NASA Juno probe's latest discoveries are awesome
See more latest
Most Popular
An image of Jupiter.
Cyclones on Jupiter and a moon with flowing magma: NASA Juno probe's latest discoveries are awesome
The location of the stars of Ophion (the yellow dots) as seen in the sky. Ophion appears to cover a wide area of sky because it is relatively close to us.
A thousand stars are fleeing home in a hurry, and scientists don't know why
an artificial color map of a galaxy reveals the background scatter of ultraviolet light
New Horizons' new map of the galaxy | Space photo of the day for April 30, 2025
people in helmets and bright orange jackets sit in an inflatable boat in the ocean next to a cone-shaped white capsule floating in the water
NASA has used the US military for astronaut rescue for decades. So why ask private companies for help now?
Multiple blue disks against a dark background.
These are the sharpest images yet of planets being born around distant stars
Three Lego sets stand in front of an orange planet background with the space.com deals logo in the top-left corner
These ARE the Lego Star Wars deals you're looking for
Sci-fi space commandos look out over a lunar city
You really need to check out 'Moonrise', Netflix's awesome new sci-fi anime from the director of 'Attack on Titan'
Bode's galaxy hangs in space among a sea of stars, featuring a bright central core and sweeping spiral arms.
Amateur astrophotographer captures gorgeous view of Bode's galaxy from Death Valley
a silhouette of a spacesuit with the word "BUZZ" against a red backdrop
John Lithgow to launch into life of Apollo 11 astronaut in new podcast 'BUZZ'
Night sky map
How to see a celestial 'gazelle' cross the night sky close to the Big Dipper this week