Originally Virgin Galactic flights were supposed to start in 2012. But a series of setbacks, including the loss of one of its test rockets and a pilot over the Mojave Desert last year, have now pushed the first flights toward the end of 2016 at the earliest.
That hasn’t dampened would-be space travelers’ excitement. More than 700 people have put down deposits on tickets that go for $250,000 a pop. That’s good news for T or C, as the town is locally known. The spaceport could be a huge economic boon for the city of about 6,300, which sits just 30 miles southeast of the now-completed $209 million taxpayer-funded site. Until now, T or C’s main attraction has been hot springs.
But the spaceport is also a big gamble. In anticipation of the site, there has been some limited outside investment: CNN founder Ted Turner bought a resort in the middle of town. Other than that, investors are playing a game of wait and see, according to city leaders.
For its part, Virgin Galactic is at work on another spaceship. Once completed, flight-testing will resume and, if all goes according to plan, the spaceline will eventually take well-heeled passengers into suborbital space for 15 minutes. With each flight, the state will make a fee -- a long-awaited return on its investment.