21st November 2018 By Graham Smith The attempt to win more central and local government support for the development of a spaceport at Newquay is about to take a significant…
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EXCLUSIVE: “I’m in” says Branson, as Virgin puts cash on the table for Newquay Spaceport
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Today’s Guardian has an update on the spaceport scene in the US. https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2018/nov/22/houston-we-have-a-spaceport-can-the-city-stay-ahead-in-space-travel
I can see the case for Branson wanting a complementary site in Europe. I haven’t seen any evidence that he’s paying Cornwall off against other sites over here. Providing the Council doesn’t over commit, the upsides on this venture are now looking promising.
Yes, I am completely in favour of anything that advances the present and future well-being of Cornwall. I have read your link, thank you. Here is another one in the Washington Post which is particularly interesting in the quest for space travel and specifically relevant to the Virgin adventure. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/business/wp/2018/11/19/feature/virgin-galactic-space-tourism/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.e5f11913fd74
My concerns are voiced in your second paragraph and I am nervous of the eagerness of Cornwall Council to spend our money on this and other speculative adventures. Your sentiment “providing the Council doesn’t over commit” is shared by me. Goonhilly, being privately invested and revitalised by Peter Hargreaves to the tune of £24,000,000 is an example of what Cornwall requires.
So ..we will have the possibility of space flight from Newquay…but still no possibility of a proper bus service to/from the airport …..ooo.. look a talking rabbit going down a hole.
https://gizmodo.com/the-troubled-future-of-the-worlds-first-commercial-spac-1687292444
That is a very interesting link. Here is another more recent one from March 2018 and still not a bean from the Branson organisation first mooted for this particular site in 2010. Why does Branson want another site?
https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2018/03/new-mexicos-sad-bet-on-space-exploration/554243/
It’s ironical that this completely deserted space hanger is situated 20 miles from a town named Truth or Consequences in New Mexico!
Yes..it is bizarre …I’m not sure why our. council is so keen on the space hangar while the real job possibilities from renewable energy seem not to have the same support. For a party supposedly pro business , I never cease to be amazed at the level of economic illiteracy amongst the Tories.
Specifically, how much cash (none so far apparently) is Richard Branson going to inject into this proposed £10,000,000 project in Cornwall and how much additional cash will be required from tax-payers to bring it to fruition? If this project fails, according to Geoff Brown “… and that if for some reason the Richard Branson project didn’t happen, we would still have that asset and could use it for something else.” What, precisely?
This is encouraging. If this does ultimately come off, the combination of this Spaceport and a revitalised Goonhilly will put Cornwall firmly on the space/satellite map.