The date of the first launch from the Southwest Regional Spaceport has been delayed again, and reset, again.
UP Aerospace postponed its Aug. 14 launch late last week, only about a week after the date was announced. It was the third time the launch, which was originally set for March, has been delayed.
The company said it was awaiting the arrival of a delayed part for its rocket.
On Saturday Eric Knight, UP Aerospace’s CEO, told the Las Cruces Sun-News the launch has been rescheduled for September. Because
The Connecticut-based company plans to launch the rocket 70 miles into suborbital space. Data from the flight is necessary so the state can apply for an FAA license.
UP Aerospace now says it plans two launches in September, one in October and another later this year.
The company originally planned as many as six launches this year.
There’s a delicate balancing act here: Everything has to be perfect. A failed launch could be catastrophic for the future of the spaceport and the company. At the same time, other states are building spaceports. The time to act is now.
When the state pledged more than $100 million for the project, the legislature and public were promised that big things would happen this year. The time for a launch has arrived. The time for a written commitment from Virgin Galactic, in the form of a 20-year lease, is now.
There are many spaceport doubters who are starting to say, “I told you so.”
Let’s hope the September launch isn’t delayed again.
Update, 9 a.m. Officials are announcing that they are changing the spaceport’s name to Spaceport