The first public meeting for a six-month feasibility study to identify suitable sites for a spaceport in West Texas was held Thursday evening, as about two dozen people attended the event, hosted in San Angelo by the Concho Valley Council of Governments and consultants with RS&H, an architectural and engineering firm.
The Texas Space Commission funds the feasibility study to determine whether the 14-county Council of Governments area would work for spaceports. At the meeting, officials sought public comments about what they believe would be the area’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and external risks to developing a spaceport.
Attendees learned what a spaceport is and its various uses, including engine testing, aviation operations, horizontal and vertical launching and landing, and orbital reentry operations.
The spaceport concept aims to be profitable, creating new jobs and numerous opportunities for related businesses and educational purposes.
The study’s results will inform leaders and the public about opportunities and challenges in space-related development.
A second public meeting to get public input is set for April at an undetermined location in the Concho Valley area.
For more information about the study, visit the Concho Valley Council of Governments website at:
https://www.cvcog.org/regional-space-initiative/
