A patch of New Mexico desert where space dreams begin for Musk, Branson

In three years of operation, Spaceport America has hosted 28 vertical launches to suborbital space. Boeing is planning a landing test here for its new crew carrier which NASA wants to ferry astronauts to the space station. Authorities at the spaceport have worked with the U.S. Army’s White Sands Missile Range to the east for access to airspace not used by commercial airlines. The spaceport has diversified its income, renting itself out as a backdrop for several car commercials and the upcoming Gary Oldman film, “The Space Between Us.”

But Spaceport America continues to run on a deficit. Gutman said it costs about $5 million a year to operate the facility, and revenue will cover 75 percent of that this year. Revenue should rise to 90 percent of expenses next year, and the spaceport hopes to be cash flow positive by 2018. That’s even without any launches by Virgin Galactic or SpaceX.

 

Full story: http://www.cnbc.com/2016/08/29/a-patch-of-new-mexico-desert-where-space-dreams-begin-for-musk-branson.html