February 1st - February 8th

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Continued skepticism around economic benefits of land-based spaceports

But I think Weber is far too optimistic about the success of any spaceport, including the Melness operation — Orbex is already at least two years behind schedule for its first launch. And even with his cautious caveats, I think he’s far too optimistic that the Melness spaceport will make a substantial positive economic impact on the lives of nearby residents.

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City funds efforts to get a spaceport in Yuma County

Local leaders are hoping Yuma’s next frontier could be outer space. The city hopes to build the spaceport just east of San Luis on a plot of land it owns, which is near the border, and right next to the Arizona State Prison complex. The spaceport itself would be a concrete slab, with aerospace companies bringing their own launching equipment.

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Spain’s new ‘spaceport’ could create 2,800 new jobs

Teruel airport in Spain looks set for major expansion, as the designated host of a number of major aerospace projects. At a recent conference, it was announced that PDL Space plans to operate satellite micro launchers from the little-known airport, located some 300km east of the capital Madrid. Another company, Sceye, plans to install stratospheric spacecraft at the airport, which, since coming into commission ten years ago, has been used primarily as a maintenance centre for large aircraft.

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Cape Canaveral reactivates dockside facilities for sea-based space activity

The Hangar AF Wharf at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station (CCSFS), Fla., dating back to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Shuttle Program, was used as a government resource to recover and repurpose exhausted rocket boosters. In 2011, when the program retired, the compound sat without a direct purpose to spaceport operations. This dormant space has recently become an asset to Space Launch Delta 45 thanks to the newly established Spaceport Integration Office (SIO).

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Houston spaceport adds new tenants, replacing plans for 2023 development

The Houston Spaceport plans to take its offerings to the next level in 2023, including adding new tenants and releasing plans for a consumer-focused Phase 2 of development. The Houston Spaceport is a site for the launching and landing of suborbital, reusable launch vehicles as well as office spaces located on the southeast side of Ellington Airport. The spaceport is anchored by three major tenants.

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NEW Weekly Jargonbusters: A Quick Guide for Spaceport Related Lingo!

Term: escape tower (noun):

A rocket-powered framework designed to separate spacecraft modules from their booster rockets in case of accident. Escape towers are mounted atop the spacecraft and jettisoned after launch.

Term: inertial guidance (noun):

An on-board system for launch vehicles and spacecraft where gyroscopes, accelerometers and other devices satisfy guidance requirements.

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