Spaceport America's runway rivals El Paso airport's longest

Jan. 25, 2013

Jan. 21--UPHAM -- The roaring and rumbling of dirt-laden trucks at Spaceport America on a recent day overpowered even the noise from a rushing cold winter wind that swept across taxpayer-owned facility.

Earth-hauling equipment and a dirt sweeper zoomed past the terminal-hangar, turning the runway into a mini highway, as they headed for their destination: the southern end of the 10,000-foot, take-off and landing facility. They left a wake of dust.

The length of the Spaceport America runway, post-extension, will be on par with the El Paso International Airport's longest runway.

In all, 200 feet of concrete is being added to the southern end of Spaceport America's runway, while another 800 feet are being added to the north end, spaceport executive director Christine Anderson said. That will take the total length to 12,000 feet of concrete, the preferred material in the aviation industry.

The project is part of an $8.5 million runway extension contract OK'd last fall by spaceport officials. It's one of the first projects to be built in Spaceport America's second phase of construction. The seven-month construction project is expected to wind down by June 15, Anderson said. Overall, she said, it's going well.

"They're a little slow now because of the cold weather," she said, during a media tour Thursday. "That's not conducive to laying concrete, but they were going ahead of schedule prior to that, so I think it will be a wash."

The project is stirred controversy

in 2012 when spaceport authority board members opted to pull funding from other budgets, including proposed visitors' centers, to pay for it. Spaceport officials have contended the move won't hurt the quality of the centers because of a revised plan that calls for a private developer paying the upfront cost to build them. The state would later lease back the properties.

In comparison

The longest of the three runways at the El Paso International Airport is 12,010 feet, said Antonio Marmolejo, administrative analyst airport operations. Most of it is constructed out of asphalt, though part is concrete, he said.

"Having concrete has a lot of benefits," he said. "It requires less maintenance and has a longer life. One reason for asphalt is because it can be put in place a lot faster."

At one time, asphalt was considerably cheaper than building a concrete runway, Marmolejo said. But, with the rising cost of asphalt, concrete is increasingly economical in comparison, he said.

What are the largest aircraft the El Paso airport can land?

"We do have a Boeing 767, but that's primarily used by cargo carries," Marmolejo said. "We can handle a 747, and on occasion we have, but it's not a regular event here."

Spaceport America, of course, won't be competing with airports for customer traffic. Rather, it's seeking suborbital-bound passengers and payloads. In that arena, "having a 12,000-foot runway is a good thing," Anderson said.

"It makes us more competitive," she said.

As part of Phase 2, the spaceport OK'd a nearly $500,000 contract with AMEC Environment and Infrastructure Inc. of Albuquerque to do quality assurance testing of the runway extension.

Virgin Galactic

New Mexico spaceport officials have said the runway extension was sought by Virgin Galactic, the major spaceport tenant, for safety reasons. The company's model to haul tourists to suborbital space uses two vehicles. A large plane, which takes off from a runway, will haul a spaceship high into the atmosphere, where the spacecraft will rocket away.

The spaceship is planned to land as a glider, back at Spaceport America.

Because of frequent hot weather and a relatively high elevation, the air density is impacted, meaning aircraft must travel at higher speeds to "achieve the same amount of lift, compared to sea level," according to the company.

"The extensions will increase the capability of the airfield by allowing operations to be carried out, regardless of the air temperature, throughout the year and will also allow for a greater range of aircraft to use the runway, according to the statement.

The extension will "improve our margin of safety in the event of an aborted take-off or heavy-weight landing," said Virgin Galactic in a statement. The first space tourism flights might start later this year at Spaceport America, located just north of Dona Ana County.

Bills introduced

Though construction is full steam ahead on the runway extension, spaceport supporters have said the future of the $209 million state-owned facility remains uncertain. They contend its future hinges upon legislation introduced in the state legislative session that started last week in Santa Fe.

Two bills -- one in the House and one in the Senate -- are seeking to expand to spaceflight parts suppliers a legal protection already granted to Virgin Galactic. The proposed change would prevent lawsuits by passengers or their families against manufacturers in the case of a crash. Backers say the measure is needed to attract more tenants to the spaceport.

Critics, however, argue it could undermine consumer safety in the long run.

Virgin Galactic has said it will rethink its plans in New Mexico, if the legislation fails.

The proposals are House Bill 49 and Senate Bill 63.

Diana Alba Soular can be reached at (575) 541-5443; follow her on Twitter @AlbaSoular

At a glance

Spaceport America's runway, pre-extension: 10,000 feet (All concrete)

Spaceport America's runway, post-extension: 12,000 feet (All concrete)

El Paso International Airport's longest runway: 12,010 feet (1,000 feet is concrete; remainder is asphalt)

El Paso International Airport's second-longest runway: 9,025 feet (1,100 feet is concrete; remainder is asphalt)

El Paso International Airport's general aviation runway: 5,493 feet (All asphalt)

Source: Spaceport America and El Paso International Airport

On the Web

To track proposed legislation to expand legal protections for spaceflight parts suppliers in the New Mexico Legislature:

Visit http://www.nmlegis.gov/

Search by bill for "Space Flight Informed Consent Liability"

Or search for House Bill 49 or Senate Bill 63

Copyright 2013 - Las Cruces Sun-News, N.M.