FAA Approves Measure that will Allow Spaceplanes to Land at Las Vegas Spaceport
The Federal Aviation Administration has approved an amendment to the airport application for Las Vegas Executive Airport, also known as the Las Vegas Spaceport, that includes a 1,000-foot runway extension.
By extending the planned runway from 4,000 to 5,001 feet, the spaceport should be able to accommodate spaceplanes that are in development by several companies.
Boeing and Virgin Galactic are among the companies working on spaceplanes.
Instead of vertical rocket launches, spaceplanes would have the ability to take off and land horizontally to achieve orbit.
Robert Lauer, CEO of the spaceport project, said a decision was reached to extend the runway for the airstrip 31 miles west of Las Vegas in Clark County near Pahrump, and his company submitted amendments to the FAA and the county.
In a release, Lauer said amendments were submitted about three months ago and now that approvals have been made, the company can complete a drainage study for the property and receive a grading permit to begin work on the runway.
Lauer envisions a three-phase project with the runway, taxiways and other infrastructure slated first, hangars and a fixed-base-operator terminal in Phase 2 and spaceport licensing, a hotel and an academy scheduled last. The company also is vying to be publicly traded on the Nasdaq exchange.
Earlier this month, Lauer indicated he hopes to initiate helicopter service between the airport and Las Vegas with an Uber-style air taxi ride-hailing service called UpWin.
UpWin would create a network of strategically located landing sites across Las Vegas, making air travel accessible for short trips. With flights averaging just three minutes, the service aims to transport thousands of people daily — day and night — at a price point comparable to Uber, as low as $30 to $40 for a single trip.
Contact Richard N. Velotta at [email protected] or 702-477-3893. Follow @RickVelotta on X.
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