SPACE PORT ONE
FAA takes major step toward Mojave spaceport approval
Landmark application
BY BILL DEAVER
MOJAVE - Qualifying Mojave Airport as the nation's first non-federal Spaceport took another step forward last week, East Kern Airport District General Manager Stuart Witt said last week.
Jay Garvin, manager of the Federal Aviation Administration's licensing and safety division informed Witt that the agency has completed its initial review of the application and determined that it is complete.
"We... anticipate making a licensing determination within 180 days, or by July 5," Garvin told Witt
First received
"Your application represents the first sufficiently complete launch site operator license application for their launch and landing of Reusable Launch Vehicles," Garvin said. "I would like to congratulate you on your application."
Garvin's letter follows one received last week from Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta informing EKAD that planned space flight operations by Scaled Composites can proceed without waiting for approval of the district's space launch license.
"This is a major milestone," Witt said. The district
Space efforts
Scaled's SpaceShipOne is expected to return to the air soon in Scaled's efforts to reach 100 kilometers using rocket power. The space plane is released from the WhiteKnight aircraft and, as demonstrated on its last flight, fires a rocket engine which will propel it into space. The craft then glides back to a landing at Mojave Airport.
Although the space plane experienced a rough landing on its first rocket-powered flight, its tough composite construction enabled it to survive without major problems, according to Scaled. During the flight the ship became the latest aircraft to exceed the sound barrier.
Scaled is also working on other space-related projects, including the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) RASCAL. XCOR Aerospace is working on its own and DARPA projects at the airport and several other tenants are developing space projects.
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