LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — The Las Vegas Spaceport could add satellite launch services to its list of offerings when it opens.
Company officials said they've entered into a strategic agreement with O-G Launch to introduce advanced small and medium satellite launch services. According to a press release, they would use a Boeing 757 aircraft to carry recyclable rockets and payloads up to 40,000 feet before launching them into space. That's if they get approval from the Federal Aviation Administration.
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"Las Vegas Spaceport is on a mission to make space exploration accessible to all. Our collaboration with O-G Launch aligns perfectly with our vision of driving advancements in space travel and technology," said Robert Lauer, Director of Las Vegas Spaceport. "The fusion of O-G Launch's expertise and the Las Vegas Spaceport's state-of-the-art facility will propel us into a new era of space exploration."
However, that facility still hasn't been built yet. In June, plans were unveiled for a facility that would be located on 240 acres in western Clark County that's about a 15 minutes away from Pahrump.
"In three to five years, we expect to have rockets launching from here, literally," Lauer previously told Channel 13.
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Some of the services that Lauer said the facility will offer include a space pilot school, STEAM Academy, training programs, hanger space, a private space fleet, helicopter tours, a hotel, and a passenger terminal.
As preparations move ahead, the Spaceport is hiring staff to bring the facility to life. Former NASA astronaut Jose M. Hernandez was hired as a Senior Advisor. In 2004, he was a flight engineer on the space shuttle Discovery.
In his role, Lauer said Hernandez will "guide the organization toward its vision of space exploration and technological advancement." Spaceport officials add Hernandez will also help with the Las Vegas Spaceport STEAM Academy, which is set to launch later this year.
The academy will give students the chance to enter a two-year program focusing on aerospace engineering. Applications will open soon. You can learn more about the STEAM Academy here.
