Space Adventures Scouting Potential Locations For Sub-Orbital Spaceport
Various global locations considered

March 16, 2004
Space Adventures, the world's leading space tourism company, is currently exploring several locations around the world for construction of a space tourism spaceport. Current sites being considered are located in Australia, The Bahamas, Florida, Japan, Malaysia, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Singapore and Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. Operations at the spaceport will include sub-orbital flights, a space flight training center and other activities.

"This is an ideal economic scenario for local communities. The building and then operation of a Space Adventures' spaceport will undoubtedly bring tens of millions of dollars in the short-term and hundreds of millions in the long-term to the local economy through the increase of jobs and of tourists to the area and the required ancillary support," said Tim Franta, space business consultant and former director of business development, Florida Space Authority. "It will be a win-win for both Space Adventures and the selected region."

"Securing the location of a spaceport will be a progressive step for Space Adventures in its evolution from a space experiences provider to an actual space flight academy," said Eric Anderson, president and CEO of Space Adventures. "We are aggressively seeking a location and enthusiastically look forward to the launch of the first Space Adventures' sub-orbital flight from our spaceport in the coming years."

The next generation spacecraft vehicles that will be used for the sub-orbital flights are now being tested. Space Adventures is the marketing and experience operations partner for several of the leading space vehicle manufacturing companies and has already taken over 100 seat reservations for explorers from around the world.

Space Adventures' sub-orbital program will consist of a detailed four-day flight preparation and training experience. The highly focused and inspiring pre-flight agenda will familiarize each passenger with the flight program, critical vehicle systems, flight operations, zero gravity conditions, in-flight accelerations, and space flight safety procedures. On launch day, flight specialists will assist the passengers in suiting up and guiding each through the final checklist. Each flight will be directed by both a skilled-pilot and a precise computer controlled system. As each vehicle reaches their maximum altitude, the rocket engines will shutdown and the passengers will experience up to five minutes of continuous weightlessness, all the while gazing at the vast blackness of space set against the blue horizon of the Earth below.

*******

Hopefully they would choose Singapore!! :nocrook:

Check this out! :D

Latest News | Updated April 5, 8.52 pm (Singapore time)

S'pore may be launch pad for space tourists

By Natalie Soh

HERE'S news that could give tourism in Singapore a real lift: Space Adventures, a company that plans to send people into sub-orbital flight, thinks the Republic has the right stuff to act as its launch pad.

An independent feasibility study has confirmed that Singapore has most of the infrastructure in place: Runways are long enough and the skies are not too crowded - so the special craft to send people above the Earth's atmosphere can take off, said Mr Rob Volmer, vice-president of communications for Space Adventures, which is based in the United States.

When contacted, the Singapore Tourism Board said it was still in discussions with Space Adventures.

Although the infrastructure is in place, more has to be done before Singapore can be used to launch tourists into space. For one, a training facility for space travellers will have to be built. Staff will also be needed to maintain the special aircraft.

The good news is that about 2,500 jobs will be created, said Mr Volmer. The biggest boon will be for the tourism industry: The flights will attract individuals willing and able to spend US$98,000 (S$165,000) for a four-day experience.

Seeing what the pioneer space tourists are paying now, S$165,000 is very very cheap.

Seeing what the pioneer space tourists are paying now, S$165,000 is very very cheap.
Er..jus curious...what is the "market rates" now ah? :D

The going rate right now is about US$20,000,000. I would consider S$165,000 a relative bargain. :) I think the 20 mil is for an 8 day visit to the ISS.

Gregory Olsen to be the third civilian space tourist:
http://www.cnn.com/2004/TECH/space/03/29/space.tourist.ap/

That is an awesome prospect! Does Sg have what it takes or will we be too small for this.

This would be fascinating if all 3 existing terminals (including Terminal 3 under construction) cater to normal planes and a spaceport in forms of new Terminal buildings maybe Terminal 4 and 5, cater to new generation of planes that can fly higher than any planes or going to International Space Station or future space stations above Earth.

Good thing is that Singapore already reclaimed a huge piece of lands off Changi. It is so massive - enough to build a small spaceport. It will be neat if we have Star Wars style transport ships that can lift off like helicopter and hurl across sky to space.

Here are Artist's Impression of new generation of aircraft that goes into space.

http://www.spaceadventures.com/dyn/photos/97_large.jpg

http://www.spaceadventures.com/dyn/photos/89_large.jpg

http://www.spaceadventures.com/dyn/photos/90_large.jpg

Currently, Space Adventures has few existing Russian made fighter planes like MIG 25 that can fly higher enough to allow you to see the curves of Earth. There are also rockets belonging to Russia Space Agency that handles flights of crews to International Space Station.

Sub-orbital flights are to be expected to materialise by 2006/2007.

The going rate right now is about US$20,000,000. I would consider S$165,000 a relative bargain. :) I think the 20 mil is for an 8 day visit to the ISS.

Gregory Olsen to be the third civilian space tourist:
http://www.cnn.com/2004/TECH/space/03/29/space.tourist.ap/

S$165,000 is for a 15-min suborbital flight.
If you want the real stuff, you'd have to pay $20 mil to get to the ISS.
But I heard there will be a tourist-only station out there soon.
http://www.members.cox.net/tranquility5/Images/mini_station.jpg
This will be cheaper since MirCorp will fly tourists abroad the Russian "Cliper" spacecraft to the Mini-Station 1 and then the scientists will continue to the ISS, so the cost will be cut at least in half :yes:
And btw, you can get suborbital flights for some lousy $20,000 right now on an oldie MiG-25 from anywhere in the world :D

Oh, and like I mentioned before - SPACEPORTS ARE UGLY!! :D :D :D
http://www.energia.ru/energia/iss/iss08/progress-m1-11/im/photo_01-27-05.jpg

Suborbital flights will most likely be done on this thing:
http://www.spaceadventures.com/dyn/photos/325_large.jpg

http://www.spaceadventures.com/dyn/photos/351_large.jpg
Testing will begin later this year.

OoOoooH! Can't wait! I hope Singapore gets chosen. But what about noise pollution and limited land issues?

I can't imagine what it will be like if Singapore really gets chosen. Maybe SIA will open some 'budget spaceline' for those who want to go to space 'without the frills'... They'd have to start a 'space pilot's union' also... And the KrisSpace video-on-demand channels would offer such programmes as "Lost In Space" and "Star Trek". For meals, pretty girls dressed in pressure-suits serve Laksa-in-a-tube and martian water... Ah.....

i dont understand why people would pay 200000 for 15 minutes in space... 200000 might be ok for a week's stay on the moon... but not 15 minutes of sub orbital flight.. that's...so ridiculous

i dont understand why people would pay 200000 for 15 minutes in space... 200000 might be ok for a week's stay on the moon... but not 15 minutes of sub orbital flight.. that's...so ridiculous

Like what mentioned before, its considered very very cheap(like a chip off the iceberg) compared to what people are paying now for a ride. If you can afford it, I'm sure it would be a trip worth remembering for a life time. That itself cannot be price tagged if you ask me.

for 20 million you go to the iss for a few days... that's fine... but... 15 minutes of sub orbital flight? i dont really see anything exciting about it.. anyway i remember reading / watching something about development of hypersonic 'aircraft' that skip along the atmostphere? is that sub orbital flight? that shouldnt take too long to become reality ok maybe 20 30 years i dont know... but it would become the norm..

Hm...first they reclaimed that land to expand the airport. Then they wanted to fit an Asian Aerospace exhibition space there. Then they built an airbase there. Now we are giong to fit a spaceport in as well?

What a happening piece of reclaimed land! :D

BTW, I wonder if you guys realise we are able to host that thing because our airport isnt that crowded...haha!

Hm...first they reclaimed that land to expand the airport. Then they wanted to fit an Asian Aerospace exhibition space there. Then they built an airbase there. Now we are giong to fit a spaceport in as well?

What a happening piece of reclaimed land! :D

BTW, I wonder if you guys realise we are able to host that thing because our airport isnt that crowded...haha!

"That thing"?

"That thing"?
Then what am I supposed to call it? :D

what does 'that thing' refer to lah?

Tourist Space Port Lar...

Duh.....:D

But from the text, it seems like it is just using the existing runways?

Btw, how will it be launched? Launching pad or runway? I would think its the former.

This is very exciting!!
But for that kind of money, I would rather stay at the Burj Al Arab.:D

Oh ya, if we have this space thing, we would surely get complaints from neighbouring countries, which is also one of the reasons why SIA terminated its Concorde service.

Btw, how will it be launched? Launching pad or runway? I would think its the former.
From the looks of the article and on the news on tv, shd be the runway. :D

Maybe the launch pad would be offshore ,like a oil rig or smoething!:D

aiyoh... it's runway lar... read the news properly...

as confirmed that Singapore has most of the infrastructure in place: Runways are long enough

aiyoh... it's runway lar... read the news properly...
Hehe.....so as I say..it helps that Changi isnt too busy in the first place! :D

You'll still the runways for landings. I would think that sending anything into orbit would still require a launch pad.........

not really luanching into orbit... sub orbit... i thought they were using fighter planes or something at one stage...

Hmm if we can use a launching pad, how come the NTU rocket was launched in India? Or am I missing something altogether?

Hmm if we can use a launching pad, how come the NTU rocket was launched in India? Or am I missing something altogether?

Because we don't have any launching pad yet?

I don't care if Singapore will have a spaceport, I'll move there anyway!

Because we don't have any launching pad yet?

Err yah but seems so strange they may as well construct a launching pad here doesnt seem as big as a spaceport :borg:

hrmmm launching pad or space port... i'm sure it wont turn out ugly... at worst it'll be bland and boring but not eyesore like most buildings in singapore... it IS a tourist attraction after all... and a very very very very high value one...

Sentosa Sky Tower is ugly

hrmmm launching pad or space port... i'm sure it wont turn out ugly... at worst it'll be bland and boring but not eyesore like most buildings in singapore... it IS a tourist attraction after all... and a very very very very high value one...
This is also a tourist attraction \/
http://www.energia.ru/energia/iss/iss08/progress-m1-11/im/photo_01-27-05.jpg

So is Chernobyl \/
http://www.anawa.org.au/power/chernobyl.jpg

Some tourist attractions aint pretty :D

oh but there are differences! sentosa skytower is temporary and low value..

the launching pad in russia has ugly environs... singapore does not (or i dont know of) have an environment like that.. it's ok to match ugly with ugly, but ... morally illegal to match a pretty environment with ugliness (ok hdb should go to jail).. um my little A$0.02 .

besides the singapore govt have always placed a hell lot of emphasis on aesthetic beauty no?

LOL, I'm just joking :D
I'm sure it will look sweet if built in Singapore :yes:
See, that's why Russia is not on the list - it would scare all the tourists! :D

it may end up being built in dubai or somewhere else instead...

yeah..dubai seems to be breathing down singapore's neck lately

Well, oil won't last forever.... scary....

that's why they're doing all that they're doing now...

Yep.... Better than Singapore, i guess. we have people and...... people.... hehe. And we're short of babies!!!

Wahaha....everyone seems to be hopping for their oil to run out or what? :D

huh? is it?

In a sense lah...imagine the gulf region without oil.....

Singapore benefits a lot from Middle East oil too. As Asia's largest oil refining centre, their oil comes here to be reprocessed and sold on to other markets.

Wishing for their oil to run out? Of course not! The economic implications on Singapore and the world will be staggering!

Wishing for their oil to run out? Of course not! The economic implications on Singapore and the world will be staggering!
Not really....we would all be using cleaner fuels by then. Bye bye to dirty air. We are no longer held hostage by the middle eastern crisis everytime they feel like bombing their own oil wells. Bye bye to fluctuating prices. We would all have better control over our energy sources. Bye bye global dependence. We wont need to transport crude oil all over the world in rusty tankers anymore. Bye bye oil-coated bird at the beach..........:D

Don't be too sure.... Alternative fuel sources have been around for ages, but they make up only a tiny proportion of power used. Governments seem reluctant to commit greater to research while oil sources are still available. Not forgetting most alternative energy sources are difficult to harness efficiently...

Of course, i guess significant steps will be made lah. After all, we already have hydrogen-fueled cars on the streets.

With respect to environmental damage, alternative energy sources do contribute as well. Dams(including tidal ones) disrupt the natural flow of water ways and hydrogen-fuelled cars do emit harmful substances, albeit in much lower quantities...

Because....got cheap cheap oil...no incentive to use other more expensive sources. When the oil runs low, only then will everything else seem to be more attractive....:D

By then it may be a little to late...

By then it may be a little to late...
But thats how demand and supply works. :D

This is very exciting!!
But for that kind of money, I would rather stay at the Burj Al Arab.:D

Oh ya, if we have this space thing, we would surely get complaints from neighbouring countries, which is also one of the reasons why SIA terminated its Concorde service.

You won't get complains if there's no breach of airspace. Furthermore that isn't the main reason for the termination of the Concorde services........it attributes more to poor passenger load than the airspace issue. :)


Furthermore the Sg-London flight not only passes thru neighbouring airspace (which is of course not much concern since it is not on supersonic when passing thru neighbouring airspace but the bulk of complains comes from the countries with land mass which the concorde flew over. ;)

You won't get complains if there's no breach of airspace. Furthermore that isn't the main reason for the termination of the Concorde services........it attributes more to poor passenger load than the airspace issue. :)


Furthermore the Sg-London flight not only passes thru neighbouring airspace (which is of course not much concern since it is not on supersonic when passing thru neighbouring airspace but the bulk of complains comes from the countries with land mass which the concorde flew over. ;)
To be precise...it wasent airspace per say....but sound pollution. :D Even then, it was the main reason for the first termination of the service. The passenger loads issue only cropped up when the service was relaunched....by what reason its anyone's guess? :D

If the space transport is launched vertically, then I suppose it doesnt have much problems except during the landing phase. Anyhow, lets just hope it flies so fast that the sonic boom dosent even have time to react...hahaah!

To be precise...it wasent airspace per say....but sound pollution. :D Even then, it was the main reason for the first termination of the service. The passenger loads issue only cropped up when the service was relaunched....by what reason its anyone's guess? :D

If the space transport is launched vertically, then I suppose it doesnt have much problems except during the landing phase. Anyhow, lets just hope it flies so fast that the sonic boom dosent even have time to react...hahaah!


Well......it is still related to airspace issue as Malaysia doesn't permit any super-sonic aircraft to fly supersonic within its airspace be it above land mass or at sea. I still remember the sonic boom I heard when 2 Aussie F-18 flew over KL enroute to Butterworth Military Airport back in 1993........not everyone would enjoy if it is being done regularly. The govt din ban F-18s (heck......the RMAF have a number of those) but limit their flight to sub-sonic which The Concorde can't afford to do so since it is a passenger aircraft. Leaving Malaysian airspace would take appox an hour on sub-sonic. ;)

Well......it is still related to airspace issue as Malaysia doesn't permit any super-sonic aircraft to fly supersonic within its airspace be it above land mass or at sea. I still remember the sonic boom I heard when 2 Aussie F-18 flew over KL enroute to Butterworth Military Airport back in 1993........not everyone would enjoy if it is being done regularly. The govt din ban F-18s (heck......the RMAF have a number of those) but limit their flight to sub-sonic which The Concorde can't afford to do so since it is a passenger aircraft. Leaving Malaysian airspace would take appox an hour on sub-sonic. ;)
I propose that everything fly south from now on! :D

To be precise...it wasent airspace per say....but sound pollution. :D Even then, it was the main reason for the first termination of the service. The passenger loads issue only cropped up when the service was relaunched....by what reason its anyone's guess? :D

If the space transport is launched vertically, then I suppose it doesnt have much problems except during the landing phase. Anyhow, lets just hope it flies so fast that the sonic boom dosent even have time to react...hahaah!


Well......it is still related to airspace issue as Malaysia doesn't permit any super-sonic aircraft to fly supersonic within its airspace be it above land mass or at sea. I still remember the sonic boom I heard when 2 Aussie F-18 flew over KL enroute to Butterworth Military Airport back in 1993........not everyone would enjoy if it is being done regularly. The govt din ban F-18s (heck......the RMAF have a number of those) but limit their flight to sub-sonic which The Concorde can't afford to do so since it is a passenger aircraft. Leaving Malaysian airspace would take appox an hour on sub-sonic. ;)

The New Paper - 11 Jun 2004

S'pore a launch pad?

US space travel firm in talks with Singapore Tourism Board to explore possibility
By Tan Mae Lynn

WOULD you pay US$100,000 ($170,000) for a four-day holiday?

Well, it's not just any getaway.

It's a holiday out of this world - literally.

For the rich and adventurous, US$98,000 can buy a holiday to space.

It is a four-day package, but the actual sub-orbital flight to space lasts about 90 minutes. Most of the first three days will be spent preparing for the flight.

The launch to space will only happen in the afternoon of day four.

Space Adventures, the American company offering the sub-orbital tours, is currently sourcing for a suitable launch pad for its tours, and Singapore could well be it.

The company is in talks with Singapore Tourism Board (STB) to explore the possibility of setting up a launch pad here. Director of communications for Space Adventures, Ms Stacey Tearne, told The New Paper that discussions with STB are going 'very well' and a decision can be expected by the end of the year.

Other contenders for the launch pad site include the Bahamas, the United Arab Emirates, Australia and several states in the US.

The sub-orbital flights will reach an altitude of 100km, just above the atmosphere where tourists can experience up to five minutes of weightlessness.

Ms Tearne said: 'They would also be able to see the curvature of Earth on one side and the blackness of space on the other.'

She said if the discussions with STB work out, it will take another two to three years for the launch pad and training centre facilities to be ready.

Last month, it was reported that at least three Singaporeans were interested to join the waiting list for the flights.

Ms Tearne noted that while there have been some Singaporeans who've expressed interest, none have been serious enough to put down the required US$4,000 deposit.

Space tourists need to be in good health before they are allowed to participate in the flights. At the start of training, health screenings will be conducted.

No other special skills are required, but the pre-flight training programme will include sessions on zero gravity and its effects, flight characteristics, and safety procedures.

Now, the question is: If Singapore becomes a launch pad, are Singaporeans adventurous enough to take flight?

In March last year, a man won a Citibank contest, with the prize of a flight to the edge of space on a Russian fighter jet.

He opted to exchange his top prize for US$10,000 worth of unit trusts instead.

Most of the frequent travellers we asked said that rather than splurging on space travel, they would spend the same amount of money on a luxurious holiday in the US or Europe.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WOULD YOU GO?

SINGAPOREAN Amos Tan, 31, a trader, said he wouldn't go even if he could afford it.

Why?

'I'm not that adventurous,' he said.

However, there is still a glimmer of an adventurous spirit in Singaporeans, albeit with a touch of caution.

Independent financial trader Vincent Lam, 37, said: 'It's something new, if I had the money, I would go for it.'

'But I'd probably wait till it's proven reliable... until there have been a few successful flights.'

Ms Melissa Yeo, 30, initially said she would rather spend the money on other things.

But if she had US$100,000 ($170,000) that she could spare easily, she would definitely give it a go.

The advertising account executive said: 'I would try it just one time. It's a once-in-a-lifetime thing.'


Copyright © 2004 Singapore Press Holdings Ltd. All rights reserved.

Goodness gracious...they are REALLY serious about this?

Goodness gracious...they are REALLY serious about this?

Seems so......but that $170000 price tag is staggering!!!!!!!!!:eek2:

they can't be making the decision on where the alunch pad should be based on domestic market size... singapore would be out of the contest then... size of domestic market shouldn't play too big a part in such trips because even the longest flight to singapore couldnt add more than say... 3000 in economy class.... maybe 20000 in first class... which is still peanuts compared to 170000 usd...

They will have to bank on a far larger catchment area in terms of visitorship here then. Hopefully it might help to spur the tourism sector?

i think the catchment area would be very much international. i think.. i dont think its going to bother the holiday-er too much if he's got to take 2 more days off for his USD170000 holiday... i wonder where in singapore the space port would be built though? changi airport?

Yeah the report did say Changi Airport...

um ok :p

It would be good if they put the launch pad offshore, like on a modified oil rig.

so expensive!

Here are some photos of a spacecraft that they could launch from a runway... it is called Space Ship 1 and is being developed by Burt Rutan and Scaled Composites. It is carried into the air by another plane but then it takes off with its own rocket engine to reach space. It can carry 3 people and will probably win the X-prize later this year. These are from xprize.org and scaled.com


http://www.xprize.org/images/scaled_17_teams.jpg

http://www.xprize.org/images/gallery/scaled_wkss1_lg.jpg

http://www.xprize.org/images/gallery/scaled_28_lg.jpg

http://www.scaled.com/projects/tierone/New_Index/photos/images/800/316_first_burn_800.jpg

http://www.scaled.com/projects/tierone/New_Index/photos/images/800/cap_car_sunrise_800.jpg

http://www.scaled.com/projects/tierone/New_Index/photos/images/800/pete_flt_800.jpg

from the straits times

Branded entertainment's 'the new way to go'

By Chew Xiang


JUST think: your favourite television show is actually a really subtle TV commercial. And your weekend blockbuster movie started out as an idea in the marketing department of a big multinational company.


This is not the world of Minority Report, or even of the X-Files, but simply the latest twist in the battle for consumer attention, according to Singapore-based ad agency Octtane.


Enter the realm of 'branded entertainment'. This involves 'the creation of an entertainment experience from the ground up, based squarely on the values and philosophies of the client's brand', Octtane's senior vice-president, Ms Lesley Campbell, told The Straits Times in an interview. It is the first agency in the Asia-Pacific region set up specifically to offer branded entertainment.


Ms Campbell explained that branded entertainment evolved from product placement, in which companies pay to have their products featured in movies or on TV shows.


'Instead of placing a commercial message adjacent to a piece of entertainment, the movie or TV series is conceived specifically as a vehicle for the branded message,' she said.


Branded entertainment is a win-win situation for everyone, she added. Broadcasters and producers get better programming, without added cost; advertisers get a strong branding campaign that entertains, rather than interrupts, consumers; and consumers, jaded by a saturation of advertising, welcome the creative soft-sell, she said, listing out the advantages.


The concept has already taken the United States and Europe by storm. BMW first made waves in 2001 with a series of six short films released on the Internet, helmed by top directors such as Lee Ang, Guy Ritchie and Wong Kar Wai.


All the films featured various swanky new BMW cars. They proved so popular that other big-name brands such as Ford, Pepsi and Nike have jumped on the bandwagon.


At the moment, Octtane is working with 'a top global celebrity chef' and a leading Australian wine brand to produce a cooking-cum-travel show that aims to change eating and drinking habits of affluent consumers in China. Viewers will learn how to match wines with particular cuisines, and how to cook meals that will complement specific types of wine.


Viewers should rest assured that crass commercialism will not take over their favourite programming, said Octtane chief executive Nick Marrett. 'In our experience, clients have a huge amount of respect for entertainment value,' he said, and affirmed that artistic integrity would not be compromised.


He also pointed out that branded entertainment is not media-specific, and is not restricted to TV shows.


Together with partner Space Adventures, Octtane has been working for months with the Singapore Tourism Board and several private investors to set up a commercial space port in Singapore to launch tourists into space.


does this confirm anything?!

In orbit for profit

Space tourism is set to be the next big thing, with entrepreneurs drawing up plans for rocket flights and outposts

LONDON - A new space race has begun and this time it has nothing to do with planting flags on the moon - it is all about money.

The announcement last month by entrepreneur Sir Richard Branson that he was investing US$100 million (S$168 million) in a new company has put a more serious face on space tourism.

Virgin Galactic - dubbed 'the world's first commercial space tourism operator' - will have a fleet of five spacecraft based on aircraft designer Burt Rutan's Space- ShipOne.

It aims to make astronauts of 3,000 people over five years after a maiden flight in 2007.

The US Congress is taking the prospect of space tourism so seriously that it has approved new regulations for the industry, including required disclosure to passengers of possible health risks.

The US Federal Aviation Administration has a Commercial Space Transportation Office geared up to license private spacecraft.

Mr Rutan, head of California-based Scaled Composites and SpaceShipOne developer, has said his earlier fears that bureaucracy might delay space tourism had been allayed.

The X-Prize Cup, an annual competition to see which private rocket can go the fastest and highest, takes off next year in another sign that the industry is developing.

At least three other companies besides the Virgin/ Scaled Composites alliance are expected to build viable private passenger rockets over the next few years - XCor and Armadillo of the United States and daVinci of Canada.

Last week, the designers of SpaceShipOne won the US$10 million Ansari X prize for building the first private space vehicle to reach an altitude of 100km twice within two weeks.

'SpaceShipOne may enjoy a lead for some time but they are by no means going to have a monopoly on space flight,' said Mr John Hanks of the Space Frontier Foundation, which promotes the human habitation of space.

So-called spaceports are already vying to become the hub of choice - the Mojave spaceport in California is SpaceShipOne's base but the X-Prize Cup will operate from the South-west Regional Spaceport in New Mexico.

Although Virgin will start flying from Mojave, it hopes to move on first to Florida and then to unspecified locations in Britain, Singapore and Australia.

Passengers on the first sub-orbital flights will experience just five minutes of weightlessness at an altitude of about 130km - half as far into the blue as the International Space Station.

Even so, Mr Rutan promises it will be a magnificent experience with an inky sky and views of Earth stretching to a horizon 1,200km away.

These are the space-age equivalent of aviation's barnstorming days in the early 20th century.

The big technological leap will occur when commercial companies achieve orbital flight.

From there, it would be a relatively small step to building space hotels.

Sir Richard dreams of a Virgin lunar base.

The technology could also revolutionise transport on earth, making it possible to fly from Paris to New York, for instance, in less than an hour.

Mr Robert Bigelow, billionaire head of Bigelow Aerospace and founder of the Budget Suites hotel chain, has proposed a new prize of US$50 million for the first private team to achieve orbital flight.

He is looking for a way to launch his lightweight inflatable space 'habitats', which he is counting on to create the first civilian space outposts.

But many obstacles still need to be overcome in space tourism: Manufacturers have to meet governmental safety requirements, the environmental impact is unclear and pre-flight training requirements could be a turn-off for some aspiring astronauts. -- Financial Times




Does this confirm anything?!
:banana:

Well given that SIA owns 49% of Virgin Atlantic, I hope this means something!

Well given that SIA owns 49% of Virgin Atlantic, I hope this means something!
I don't think SIA could do anything about this, unless they intend to spend billions to build the spaceport?!

nah I wasnt using that as a concrete proof of anything, but just making the connection between SIA and Virgin and wondering if that would amount to something (probably no fiscal sense...)

but hey the article did specify Singapore!

Now what?

So where's the space port? :D

Blown up at launch ? ^^

S'pore picked as launch pad for space trips

16 Feb 06

SINGAPORE has been chosen as the site of an integrated port which will offer space flights as well as astronaut training.

United States-based Space Adventures, the company behind the voyages of the world's first three space tourists, disclosed this to The Straits Times last night.

Singapore was chosen ahead of contenders such as several US states, Australia, Japan, Malaysia and Dubai, after a year-long selection process. More details are expected on Monday.

When ready, the space port will be used to stage commercial sub-orbital flights - whereby the space vehicle exits the Earth's atmosphere at about 100km above ground but does not reach the speeds needed to sustain a continuous orbit of Earth.

The result: About five minutes of weightlessness, a view of the curvature of the Earth and the darkness of space, before descent.

Passengers can expect to pay about US$102,000 (S$166,000) for the thrill. The company will train travellers at the astronaut training centre here.

Space Adventures was set up by a US astronaut in 1998.

The company was behind the voyages of the world's first three space tourists: American Dennis Tito in 2001, South African Mark Shuttleworth in 2002, and Mr Greg Olsen, another American, in October.

They paid US$20 million each for a one-week stay on the International Space Station.

:eek2:

Wow.....thats impressive...:okay:

Its amazing!

I thought the idea was thrown into the bin....

I'm wondering where they would site it

Its amazing why they are attracted to SG, since Malaysia has more land to offer for whatever they need to build and Dubai has all the world's biggest anything and I bet they would have fought hard for this...

Anyways can this spaceport be viable since not many ppl can afford it??? Will it actually help the economy and improve singapore's reputation overseas???

I launch pad is best suited at the equator, and with nothing to the east of the pad.

Earth rotates east. The rotation would push the spacecraft out of space, using less fuel to get to space. The rotation is also greatest at the equator.

oh finally something BIG .....have the government accpeted the proposal? lets hope they do or this will be more disasterous then not accpeting F1..... as for launch pad maybe be changi ...... Air-hub wanna-be :D:D

Got a feeling that this very expensive tourist offering might also be catered to the large numbers of rich and growing-rich in Asia, and Singapore is very well-connected to those regions for example perhaps.

Wonder what more info will reveal on the specifications, timeframe etc etc

Its amazing why they are attracted to SG, since Malaysia has more land to offer for whatever they need to build and Dubai has all the world's biggest anything and I bet they would have fought hard for this...

Anyways can this spaceport be viable since not many ppl can afford it??? Will it actually help the economy and improve singapore's reputation overseas???

I guess it'll help to bring those super rich tourist to Singapore......(and the limelight in media also)......:yes:

I launch pad is best suited at the equator, and with nothing to the east of the pad.

Earth rotates east. The rotation would push the spacecraft out of space, using less fuel to get to space. The rotation is also greatest at the equator.

VERY INTERSTING! THANKS!!!

Still thinking about the viability of such a project and whether its good for singapore's economy and reputation...or will it be a flop??? (I am sure some people here are just dying to see it flop and complain abt SG).

AN INTERNATIONAL THREAD IS A MUST! WHEN MORE NEWS is available...

Imagine this......the tourist alight at Changi Airport for a transit to space....:eek:

Imagine this......the tourist alight at Changi Airport for a transit to space....:eek:

:lol:

thats a Uniquely Singaporean idea! :lol:

ok...its cheesy but it just might become true

^ Cheesy ah?? Scarly become the advertisement tagline.....:lol::jk:

^^ Cool! haha

Wow, if this gets build we're really gonna get some Gattaca feel, down here ^ ^

i'd really love a gattaca feel(!), but somehow i really can't imagine anything like that in singapore....

i know its supposed to be for the super rich, but somehow i keep imagining fat american tourists in hawaiian shirts haha.

ok, i shall insert some gattaca pics.

i can't imagine any property developer here ever commissioning something as brutalist as this
http://isu.rockus.net/Gattaca_Pomona03.jpg


imagine seeing this from changi airport, although i think the spacecraft is more likely to look like a small plane?
http://www.vfxhq.com/1997/stills/gattaca/gattaca1.jpg



the marin county civic center - the spaceport in gattaca

http://www.cr.nps.gov/nr/publications/bulletins/nhl/nhlp28-2.jpg


*swoon*
http://www.danheller.com/images/California/Marin/CivicCenter/BW/interior-0004-big.jpg



http://arch.ced.berkeley.edu/kap/1997_images/mcc3.jpg

I launch pad is best suited at the equator, and with nothing to the east of the pad.

Earth rotates east. The rotation would push the spacecraft out of space, using less fuel to get to space. The rotation is also greatest at the equator.


We have huge reclaimed land off Changi available. So probably Terminal 4 (being studied/planned) may probably include spaceport. It is not a launch pad where u set off rocket.

I bet that they are using transport plane with special spaceship on the back of the transport.

So the transport takes to the sky like any normal planes taking off runway. When it reaches the certain height in sky, so the spaceship will be released from the transport and roars past with its own rocket engines.

This is for suborbital flight

http://www.spaceadventures.com/dyn/photos/351_large.jpg
See the 'special' plane on the back of the transport.

http://www.spaceadventures.com/dyn/photos/97_large.jpg
This is the concept of the jet.


My guess is that Space Adventures is drawn to the large land off Changi - where u have empty land where they can build one....

imagine seeing this from changi airport, although i think the spacecraft is more likely to look like a small plane?
http://www.vfxhq.com/1997/stills/gattaca/gattaca1.jpg

Well this is the one image of Gattaca I was thinking about ;-)
Too bad it's not gonna look like that ^ ^

And by the way, hi Heirloom, long time no see around here, how's everything going ?

Wonder is it approved yet...

My guess is that Space Adventures is drawn to the large land off Changi - where u have empty land where they can build one....

But aren't they building an airbase there???

@pengui

i visit the forum very very often, i just post a lot less now :)

But aren't they building an airbase there???

Changi East Air base is in operational already with third runway on this site. New Changi exhibition is also undergoing construction. Terminal 4 is already on drawing board. Second 80 m control tower is being planned.

:)

Singapore to have comprehensive spaceport by 2009
By Ng Bao Ying, Channel NewsAsia



An integrated spaceport offering flights into space will be ready in Singapore by 2009.

Among other exciting programmes, the spaceport will bring those who can afford it, on trips to space.

For those without a spare hundred thousand US dollars for a space flight, much cheaper simulated space walks, tours and astronaut-for-a-day programmes will be available.

The spaceport, to be built in Changi, will be both an educational facility and tourist attraction.

Other countries had expressed interest in having the spaceport but Space Adventures chose Singapore.

Space Adventures' president and CEO, Eric Anderson, said: "Singapore is actually an ideal location for a spaceport. The region itself being on the Equator is geographically convenient and as a country, Singapore, having been such a hub for shipping and air travel and for being a port, lends itself as a natural place for a space port."

Singapore Tourism Board's director for cluster development, Chang Chee Pey, said: "Over the last three years, STB has been actively facilitating the project, liaising with the various agencies involved. From a tourism receipts perspective, it's a good thing to have. Also, another thing is branding - how spaceport Singapore will elevate Singapore to be one of the front runners in space travel tourism."

According to independent research, the spaceport will generate three billion dollars in business, and create an additional 5,000 jobs over 10 years.

The venture - which will cost at least 191 million dollars - is funded by the private sector, including some local companies, and the crown prince of Ras Al-Khaimah in the United Arab Emirates.

Space Adventures also recently announced plans to build a spaceport in the UAE and the US. - CNA/ir

Ahhhh so the governments has AGREED!!! now thats GREAT NEWS!!!! :D:D:D

OH WOWOWOWOWOWOWOW

AHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!

:dance:

A dream come truth.
B O B - Best of the Best

Space Adventures Announces An Integrated Spaceport Offering Suborbital Spaceflights, Astronaut Training and Interactive Visitor Center

February 20, 2006

Space Adventures, Ltd., together with a Singapore-based consortium, announced today that it plans to develop an integrated spaceport in Singapore that will offer suborbital spaceflights, as well as operate astronaut training facilities and a public education and interactive visitor center.

"Singapore is one of the best-connected countries in the world. It is home to one of the world's busiest air and sea ports. Singapore, with its superior geographical and economic infrastructure, is primed to be the hub of a new, revolutionary form of travel – in space," said Eric Anderson, president and CEO of Space Adventures, the only company to have sent private citizens to space.

The focal point of the proposed Spaceport Singapore will be suborbital spaceflights. As each suborbital vehicle reaches its maximum altitude of 100 kilometers, passengers will experience up to five minutes of continuous weightlessness, all the while gazing at the blackness of space set against the horizon of Earth.

"Countries around the world are only just realizing the enormous commercial possibilities of space tourism. The market potential for suborbital spaceflights alone is estimated at $1 billion (USD) annually. We are excited at the prospect of launching an integrated facility here in Singapore that will give the world a whole new perspective to space tourism," said Mr. Anderson.

The Singapore Tourism Board has been involved with this project for the past three years, facilitating technical discussions with other agencies required for this project and bridging negotiations over possible land sites.

Lim Neo Chian, deputy chairman and chief executive of the Singapore Tourism Board, said, "Space Adventures and the consortium have given Singapore a big vote of confidence as a choice tourism investment location. Pending the finalization of funds that are expected in the near future, we are optimistic that Spaceport Singapore will quickly become a reality."

He added, "With the proposed Spaceport Singapore, we now stand at the threshold of an unprecedented opportunity to launch into space practically from our own backyard. In addition, the Spaceport's integrated training, educational and entertainment facilities will open up many exciting experiences for both locals and tourists."

Spaceport Singapore, in addition to providing suborbital spaceflights, will offer a wide range of space and high-altitude experiences for those who wish to experience various aspects of astronaut training. These include parabolic flights that will allow passengers to experience the thrill of weightlessness, G-force training in a centrifuge, and simulated space walks in a neutral buoyancy tank. Visitors can fly in a variety of jet aircraft, enjoy the exhilarating flight simulators and interactive exhibit experiences, or simply learn about the history and technology of space travel.

"This world-class center will provide a mix of commercial, educational and tourist attractions, giving everyone a reason to visit. We identified Singapore as an ideal location for a spaceport as it has the right combination of foresight, entrepreneurialism and technological sophistication to support a project such as this," said Michael Lyon, managing director of the Spaceport Singapore project. "We have met with the relevant agencies, including the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore, to begin the process of obtaining the necessary approvals. We are happy that they have been very supportive and have given their commitment to work closely with the consortium to introduce jet fighter, zero-gravity and suborbital spaceflights to the public."

The suborbital space transportation system has been designed by Myasishchev Design Bureau, a leading Russian aerospace organization which has developed a wide-array of high performance aircraft and space systems. Explorer, as it has been named, will have the capacity to transport up to five people to space and is designed to optimize the customer experience of space travel, while maintaining the highest degree of safety. The system consists of a flight-operational carrier aircraft, the M-55X, and a rocket spacecraft.

"Explorer design plans have been perfected over the years and it will be a truly remarkable system. Last week, we announced our fully-funded vehicle development joint venture with Prodea, a private investment firm founded by the Ansari family. Now, the manufacturing process can be completed to build a fleet of these vehicles in the near future," said Mr. Anderson. "We will not disclose the development schedule until it is finalized, but we, at Space Adventures, along with Prodea, have the utmost confidence that through our global vehicle and spaceport development projects, we will enable operations of the world's first commercial suborbital flights.”

The estimated cost of Spaceport Singapore is minimum $115 million (USD) and will be partially funded by the private sector, Singapore sources, together with Space Adventures' global spaceport development partner, His Highness Sheikh Saud Bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Crown Prince of Ras Al-Khaimah in the United Arab Emirates. KPMG Corporate Finance in Singapore has also begun to raise the final funds needed.

"The commercial possibilities of space tourism are enormous. We are tremendously excited about working with Singapore on this innovative project that will bring space tourism to the public," said Nick Marrett, founder of Octtane and member of the consortium. "Singapore will continue its tradition of leading the world as a global transport hub for the 21st century with shipping, aviation and now, space travel."

The consortium supporting Spaceport Singapore is a combination of commercial, research, entertainment and tourist interests. Along with Space Adventures, is Octtane Pte, Batey Pte Ltd., Lyon Capital Inc., DP Architects, ST Medical and KPMG Corporate Finance who are all involved with this project. For more information on Spaceport Singapore, please visit http://www.spaceportsingapore.com.

Space Adventures, the only company to have successfully launched private explorers to space, is headquartered in Arlington, Va. with offices in Cape Canaveral, Fla., Moscow and Tokyo. It offers a variety of programs such as the availability today for orbital spaceflight missions to the International Space Station, commercial missions around the moon, Zero-Gravity and MiG flights, cosmonaut training, spaceflight qualification programs and reservations on future suborbital spacecrafts. The company's advisory board comprises Apollo 11 moonwalker Buzz Aldrin, shuttle astronauts Kathy Thornton, Robert (Hoot) Gibson, Charles Walker, Norm Thagard, Sam Durrance, Byron Lichtenberg, Pierre Thuot and Skylab astronaut Owen Garriott.

http://www.spaceportsingapore.com/ (http://http://www.spaceportsingapore.com/)

It seems so surrealistic :eek2:

http://www.spaceportsingapore.com/img/homecontent.gif

Fantastic news.....:okay:

I feel like I'm lives near space.....:lol:

Space Adventures, Ltd., together with a Singapore-based consortium, announced today that it plans to develop an integrated spaceport in Singapore that will offer suborbital spaceflights, as well as operate astronaut training facilities and a public education and interactive visitor center.



Exciting! :happy:

woah!:eek2: is that for real;) Beautiful!

Oh man I really want to know where at Changi Airport it will be located, like beside Terminal 3 or something for accessibility/integration would be great, especially for that SUPERB DESIGN (FOR A INITIAL DESIGN ITS GREAT!).

Singapore Changi Airport & Spaceport. Cool.

that could increase number of people making a stopover in Singapore. :)

If Singapore can't attract like 15-20 million visitors by like the coming decade you've got to be kidding me...There are just too many things in line!

The two IRs, Flyer, Sail, BFC..... :dizzy:

If Singapore can't attract like 15-20 million visitors by like the coming decade you've got to be kidding me...There are just too many things in line!

Too many?? Keep it coming.....it's never enough.....:D

The two IRs, Flyer, Sail, BFC..... :dizzy:

and the sentosa rejuvenation too!

can imagine 10 years later when i stand at the esplanade roof terrace and look out towards the bay... totally different... haha whenever i visit esplanade library i will make it a point to go to the roof terrace and take a photo of the now empty plot of marina bay land. i will always place my camera on that same spot on the ledge of the terrace. probably 10 years later, i can post the pics showing the changes here, given that this forum still exist haha

This is so crazy! :lol: :eek: :lol:

Good on STB!!!

omg omg omg look at the entrance for the spaceport :O ITS TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE omg

Just a few years ago i wouldnt even have believed that such a development would exist in Singapore, ever

that could increase number of people making a stopover in Singapore. :)

quite so, and also probably bring in the high-end visitors that will spend a lot on the other attractions and services...the spin-off effect is great

quite so, and also probably bring in the high-end visitors that will spend a lot on the other attractions and services...the spin-off effect is great

They could allow those who stopover at Changi to make a visit to the spaceport.....:yes:

The two IRs, Flyer, Sail, BFC.....

not forgetting plans for T4 and the new Changi Exhibition Centre and land reclaimation for more container port facilities @ Pasir panjang :)

They could allow those who stopover at Changi to make a visit to the spaceport.....:yes:

It is really brilliant idea to expand Changi Airport by reclaiming more lands. Singapore always plan, plan, plan, PLAN in advance! This results in beautiful Singapore skyline, excellent rail network, intergrated transport hub combining bus, LRT, MRT lines, advanced port (Singapore was already ahead of Southeast asian nations in building biggest container ports).

Now we are gonna super faster Internet broadband connection nationwide which our PM announced.

Our lists of projects never end. I was happy that what I wrote about having spaceport at Changi and the types of planes used - I dunno I was so right!

I understood why Changi MRT station is positioned in an angle so that it will continue to link to Changi East (Terminal 4, Spaceport, naval base). Smart planning, I must say.

URA is masterpiece! It does good job coordinating with National Parks, HDB, etc. Funny, we complain and complain about Govt...

URA is masterpiece! It does good job coordinating with National Parks, HDB, etc. Funny, we complain and complain about Govt...

If you had the "privilege" to experience the heartache dealing with them on a daily basis, you'll know why people complain.

seems now that after Planning Marina Bay area, Government Planning the Changi area ! :D

btw I want to go there once it is finish :D

So I suppose, if they are going to launch their spaceship from a plane, they can actually use the regular Changi airport runways ?
In this case they would just add up another building as their terminal, right ?

So I suppose, if they are going to launch their spaceship from a plane, they can actually use the regular Changi airport runways ?
In this case they would just add up another building as their terminal, right ?

My Guess: this spaceport will be built near to RSAF Changi AirBase

Changi calling - get ready for space tourism

21 Feb 06

Spaceport will let you go sub-orbital at US$100,000 a pop

(SINGAPORE) Space tourism has landed in Singapore. US-based company Space Adventures and a Singapore-based consortium yesterday announced a plan to build a spaceport near Changi Airport where anyone can experience the delights of weightlessness, space sickness or the tastelessness of meals squeezed out of a tube.

http://business-times.asia1.com.sg/mnt/media/image/launched/2006-02-21/BT_3567053_20_02_2006.jpg

Spaceport Singapore - which will cost at least US$115 million to build over four years - will be the first commercial venture of its kind, featuring astronaut training and aero-medical facilities now found only at some airports and military installations.

The building will also have a cafeteria offering astronaut food, a space exhibition and a visitor centre spread over 17,000 sq m of floor area on a 1.8-hectare site - the size of almost three football fields.

The flagship attraction will be US$100,000-a-seat sub-orbital space flights that will shoot passengers out of Earth's atmosphere to an altitude of 100km so they can enjoy about five minutes of weightlessness. An entire flight will take about 90 minutes.

The sub-orbital flights will be aboard a five-seater Russian spacecraft known as Explorer, which - with its snub nose, wide-diameter fuselage and small fins - resembles the classic US Space Shuttle.

Those who cannot afford a ticket can experience weightlessness without jettisoning their life savings. Around US$10,000 will buy a parabolic flight, which produces the experience of weightlessness in an aircraft without going into space. And for considerably less, simulated spacewalks will be available in a so-called neutral buoyancy tank - without leaving the ground.

Other key attractions, aimed at drawing crowds, are a four-day space camp for children and, for adults, a full-day astronaut experience that will include a spin in a centrifuge to simulate a high-gravity environment, astronaut meals and a stint in a hypobaric (low-pressure) chamber to simulate performing repairs on damaged spacecraft in orbit.

Space Adventures said yesterday the spaceport is expected to generate about $3 billion in economic benefits over 10 years. It hopes to attract more than half-a-million visitors a year from the region within two-and-a-half years of opening.

The spaceport is part of an ambitious, US$265 million project by the US company to develop commercial spaceports worldwide. Last Friday, Space Adventures announced plans to develop one at the Ras Al-Khaimah International Airport in the United Arab Emirates.

But while the UAE spaceport will be mainly a launchpad for sub-orbital space flights, the spaceport here promises to be much more. The money will come from a global fund of US$265 million, as well as institutional and private investors.

'Singapore is one of the best-connected countries in the world. It is home to one of the world's busiest air and sea ports. Singapore is primed to be the hub of a new, revolutionary form of travel - in space,' says Space Adventures president and chief executive Eric Anderson. Space Adventures, founded by former US astronauts in 1997, was the first company to fly paying tourists into space.

It has put three space tourists into orbit so far, most recently American Greg Olsen, who paid US$20 million for a 10-day voyage to the International Space Station.

http://www.spaceportsingapore.com/img/homecontent.gif

It looks a bit like a section of Charles de Gaulle airport terminal F.

Tariq Malik
Staff Writer
SPACE.com
Tue Jun 13, 9:00 AM ET



SINGAPORE -- An effort to build a suborbital spaceport destination to cater to space-hungry tourists and families is pushing forward in Singapore, where aviation authorities are developing a homegrown set of regulations for commercial spaceflight.

The Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CCAS) is laying the groundwork here for the rules to govern flights out of Spaceport Singapore, a planned $115 million (SGD $191 million) project to offer suborbital spaceflights and a host of other experiences to adventure-seeking tourists.


"Commercial passenger suborbital spaceflight is very new to Singapore and for [the] CAAS," said Constanze Chia, assistant manager of corporate communications for Singapore's aviation authority, in a statement. "We are in the initial stage of formulating the appropriate set of regulations."


Slated to open in 2009, Spaceport Singapore is the brainchild of a consortium of investors and the Virginia-based adventure tourism firm Space Adventures, which announced the project - alongside plans for a United Arab Emirates spaceport and a fleet of suborbital Explorer spacecraft- earlier this year.


"We want to have different experiences available in as many different places as possible," said Eric Anderson, president and CEO for Space Adventures, in a telephone interview. "We're really hoping to just get out there and give people the opportunity to experience space."


Space Adventures also offers rides aboard Russian MiG jet aircraft, a modified jet that simulates weightlessness during parabolic flights, and $20 million trips to the International Space Station (ISS). The firm has also announced plans for $100 million trips around the Moon.


Japanese entrepreneur Daisuke Enomoto is set to ride a Russian Soyuz spacecraft to the ISS in September as the fourth tourist to the orbital laboratory. While orbital spaceflight has been the realm of astronauts and millionaires, Spaceport Singapore hopes to make access to suborbital space a more affordable experience.


A one-stop space destination


While the UAE spaceport would host suborbital flights, the Singapore base near Changi International Airport is expected to offer a wider range of services including:

A five-day astronaut training regime for suborbital spaceflights aboard an Explorer vehicle.
Flight simulators for jet and suborbital vehicles, as well as parachute and ejection seat trainers.
A neutral buoyancy tank to allow customers a taste of spacewalk training.
Aircraft flights to simulate weightlessness or the extreme speed of a high-performance jet.
An interactive center where visitors can watch others undertake astronaut training activities, experience flight simulators and rides, sample Earthbound and astronaut food in a restaurant, or visit the ever-present gift shop.
A Space Adventures Camp for children.

"It's a lot like a pyramid to cater to all ages and all price ranges," said Nick Marrett, founder of the Singapore-based firm Octtane and a spaceport consortium member, in an interview.


Michael Lyon, project manager for Spaceport Singapore, told SPACE.com that he hopes to include a virtual observatory in the visitor's center where users could tap into remote telescopes for live views of the night sky.


"Spaceport Singapore is not just about taking people to space," Lyon said, adding that basing a spaceport at Singapore's Changi airport allows spaceflights to launch over water, rather than land, reducing the risk for people on the ground. "It's much more dynamic and interactive."


Space Adventures and consortium members have been working with Singapore authorities - ranging from aviation and defense personnel to the Singapore Tourism Board - to develop Spaceport Singapore and received tentative approval for the project last year, despite lacking all of the funding required to push forward, consortium members said.


"We expect to raise the necessary funds by the end of the year," Marrett said.


Marrett said that once the initial $115 million has been raised, construction of Spaceport Singapore could begin about six months later.


A new kind of port city


Singapore tourism officials are hopeful that the planned spaceport will be both and economic and image boon for a nation-state that drew a record 8.94 million visitors in 2005.


"We see Spaceport Singapore as having the potential to become an iconic attraction that would a appeal to a range of audiences," said Chang Chee Pey, director of cluster development, sightseeing and cruise for the Singapore Tourism Board, told SPACE.com in an e-mail interview. "We believe Spaceport Singapore will also enhance Singapore's international reputation for cutting edge technology and innovation."

More than 500,000 annual visitors are expected at the planned spaceport during its first 30 months of operation, and the project itself could generate up to 5,000 direct or indirect jobs and about $2.3 billion (SGD $3.6 billion in economic benefits during its first decade, Chang said.

"There's really only three countries in the world where you can take a spaceflight (the U.S., Russia and China) and they're all superpowers," said Lyon. "Singapore would be the first public spaceport located in a major city, rather than out in the desert or remote areas."

In addition to the planned spaceport, work is already underway for two casino resorts to attract more tourists and revenue to Singapore.

"Singapore is at a turning point in terms of tourism," Lyon said.

The project also builds on Singapore's reputation as a port city, first for sea-bound ships berthing at its sheltered harbor, then later for its international airport, spaceport officials said.

"They have one of the premiere seaports in the world and their airport is one of the best in the world as well," Anderson, chief of Space Adventures, said of Singapore. "The whole idea of a spaceport falls in line with their long term strategy."

Space Tourism: A Multimedia Special Report
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Wow....so many things coming up in 2009....:eek:

Wow....so many things coming up in 2009....:eek:

Agree! better take as much pictures as you can as in a few years time so much of Singapore will be changed :D

just hope that this venture wont be another flock like sentosa because of government imposed restriction :bash:

2009's gonna be a big year! :eek2:

I hope STB comes up with a lot more exciting tourism products (like this perhaps) and packages them together for the wow effect :happy:

i hope singapore buildings are magnificently lit by 2009

Where will the spaceport be built?

Where is the exact location

This story was printed from TODAYonline

The final frontier: Spaceport Singapore steadies to dock

Friday • June 16, 2006

Jane Chiapoco
janec@newstoday.com.sg

BLUEPRINTS and bucks are starting to be collected, suggesting that Singapore's plan to develop the world's first commercial tourist spaceport is more than a flight of fancy.

Today has learnt that the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) is in the "initial stages" of determining the appropriate regulations for jetfighter, zero gravity, and suborbital flight for such a spaceport.

"These proposed flight activities are outside the usual civil aviation flights that CAAS regulates under a well-established regulatory framework," said a spokesperson. "A careful study of the regulatory options for these proposed flights therefore needs to be made."

Space Adventures, a United States-based adventure tourism company, announced in February plans to develop the world's first civilian spaceport in Singapore, capable of launching tourists into sub-orbit, or 100km from Earth.

The Singapore-based consortium comprising of firms Octtane, Batey, Lyon Capital, DP Architects, ST Medical, and KMPG Corporate Finance will manage, maintain, and oversee programming for the spaceport.

The project has been given tentative approval, though the CAAS said yesterday that groundwork for new flight regulations should not be confused for an official approval for the project. Besides new flight regulations, vehicle technical and safety aspects first need to be assessed.

According to the project's financial adviser KPMG, the amount required to fund the spaceport is now estimated to be US$130 million ($207 million) — higher than the original price tag of US$115 million.

"We formulated this new price target after conducting more in-depth analysis and took into consideration other financial models," said Mr Sharad Somani, business advisory manager at KPMG. "We benchmarked this price target with other attractions in Singapore and similar projects in Russia and the United States."

He said a memorandum on Spaceport Singapore was distributed to potential investors last month.

"We have mainly targeted Singapore-based companies, and are looking at the rest of the Asia-Pacific as well," Mr Somani said, adding that Space Adventures is committed to investing US$10 million. "This project might take investors two to three months to review all the information, or analyse the financial models and demand projections.

"I think that reaching our financial goal by the end of the year is realistic."

Mr Nick Marrett, Octtane's founder and director of the consortium's corporate vehicle Spaceport Pte Ltd, echoed the sentiment.

"We are quite far along in the project," said Mr Marrett. "We have interest from the US, Europe, and Japan to get involved in the spaceport, in the management of rides, and in other content as well. We have gone to the point of getting conditional approval for operations."

Mr Marrett said that Spaceport Singapore would occupy approximately two hectares of land adjacent to Changi Airport.

If it opens as scheduled in 2009, it should attract 500,000 visitors a year, a number projected to skyrocket to 800,000 visitors annually — thereby placing the spaceport among the "top echelons of attractions" in Singapore, said Mr Marrett.

"A large percentage of that number will be tourists interested in the interactive visitor centre at the spaceport," Mr Eric Anderson, president and chief executive officer of Spaceport Adventures, said in an email interview.

He said that Space Adventures already has 200 reservations from individuals from around the world.

"We estimate that we will enable thousands to launch to suborbital space in the first years of operation," Mr Anderson said.

Space Adventures is the only company to have sent paying passengers to space. It counts moon mission Apollo 11's Buzz Aldrin as an advisory board member.

Spaceport Singapore — the first of its kind to house all facilities, from training facilities to tourist attractions, under the same roof — will boast a full menu enticing the explorer in everyone: A space museum and visitor centre, a restaurant with "astronaut" food among more earthly delicacies, as well as a gift shop.

Visitors will be able to experience jet and suborbital vehicle flight simulators or undergo spacewalk "training" in a neutral buoyancy tank, or go on a a weightless flight, priced between US$2,000 and US$4,000.

Children can also attend a five-day space camp for US$100 to US$250. But suborbital flight, the undeniable key product, is for those with deeper pockets — for US$100,000, passengers get a view of the Earth from a 100km distance, while in zero gravity.

KPMG said market studies estimates that the tourism market for suborbital flights could be in the range of US$500 million to US$1 billion annually.

Copyright MediaCorp Press Ltd. All rights reserved.

The water around it reminds me of that Beijing Opera building...

The 1998 NDP theme song "Together" MV shows a space flight sequence.

Looks like this is going to be q reality. Although not a space launch, it's very close. And the video is almost 8 years old. :cool:

Any updates?

Hard to do updates.....no public transport there......:yes:

Construction started?

Hard to do updates.....no public transport there......:yes:

Where exactly might this spaceport be? I could detour to go look-see if I know where to find it.

No updates for a few months now

Hurdles to be cleared before Singapore's spaceport takes off

13 Nov 06

http://straitstimes.asiaone.com/STI/STIMEDIA/image/20061112/ST_IMAGES_FDHMSPACE1CAPt.jpg

LONDON - FLIGHTS to space will take off from Singapore if a consortium set up to build a spaceport manages to raise sufficient funds, and if approval is granted by the authorities.
Companies that include Space Adventures, Lyon Capital, Occtane, DP Architects and ST Medical announced in February plans for a spaceport in Singapore.

The project, supported by the Singapore Tourism Board (STB), includes plans to offer sub-orbital flights and astronaut training facilities as well as other space-related entertainment such as youth space camps.

The STB described it as the 'world's first integrated commercial spaceport' and cited an economic impact study by KPMG which estimated the project could generate $3.6 billion of economic benefits and create an estimated 5,000 direct and indirect jobs over the first 10 years.

Ms Stacey Tearne, vice- president for communications at Space Adventures, said the estimated project cost is a minimum US$115 million (S$179 million).

Besides private sector funding, investments will come from Space Adventures' spaceport development partner Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Crown Prince of Ras Al-Khaimah in the United Arab Emirates, she said.

'KPMG Corporate Finance in Singapore has also begun to raise the final funds needed,' she said.

Money aside, there are safety and regulatory hurdles that this project will have to clear.

As the technology for sub-orbital flights is new, the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) is looking closely at establishing a regulatory framework before granting any approvals.

A CAAS spokesman told The Straits Times that the authority is in the initial stages of a careful study into the regulatory options for the proposed flight activities.

She said: 'This study does not amount to regulatory approval for the proposed flights. Before that approval can be granted, the appropriate regulatory framework as determined has to be in place and CAAS has to assess the technical and safety aspects of the aircraft and sub-orbital vehicle used and their intended operations.'

STB director for cluster development, sightseeing and cruise Chang Chee Pey said the consortium still has 'work cut out for it, having to raise the remaining funds and obtaining the technical approvals with various agencies'.

He said: 'Even though in any project, especially an undertaking of this size, there is always a risk, Spaceport Singapore enjoys the collective will of the consortium and various agencies which remain optimistic that this project will become reality yet.'


NEO HUI MIN

Hmm..hope everything goes well for the project....:yes:

Hope this project will take off (pardon the pun). :yes::lol:

Nov 30, 2006
Next to take off: Sports and space tourism
Tourists to have fun at sports-themed hub or play astronaut

By Krist Boo

HOT on the heels of the announcement to turn the Southern Islands into a tourist draw, the sports and space tourism people yesterday trotted out their grand schemes to attract visitors to Singapore.

The Singapore Sports Council (SSC) is studying the feasibility of building a hotel within the Sports Hub, the $800 million project in Kallang that will offer sports-theme shopping, events and dining.

Three international consortia are bidding to develop the 35ha site, which has been designated home to Singapore's new cluster of sports facilities, learning and training.

SSC chief executive Oon Jin Teik said he hopes tourists will form a 'double digit' portion of users of the hub's facilities, which will include a stadium, an aquatic centre and a multi-purpose arena.

Currently, sports facilities here draw hardly any overseas visitors.

SSC is overseeing the construction of the project slated for completion in 2011.

Development director Keith Martin said the council has told bidders that 'the Sports Hub has to be a destination in itself'.

Unlike in other countries, there will be no Olympic stadium for photo-taking but visitors could, for instance, have a swim, watch a game and then proceed to dinner.

After all, said Mr Martin, the hub will be a 'downtown venue' with a vibrant waterfront.

Both officials were speaking to The Straits Times on the sidelines of the Leisure Invest Asia 2006 conference.

The winning consortium will be picked next year. When completed, Singaporeans may find that local sports facilities have moved from being purely functional to becoming fun hangouts, said Mr Oon.

The Sports Hub will have competition for tourists from another group, which wants to send visitors into space from here.

Spaceport said at the same conference that its goal to open a space centre in 2008 is one step closer to reality.

Director Nick Marrett said his team has secured pledges for more than US$60 million (S$93 million), about half the required investment.

Responding to doubts that the project may not take off, he said Spaceport will proceed and will disclose details such as the centre's location early next year.

Spaceport said it will offer sub-orbital tours on a five-seater Russian spacecraft - at US$150,000 a pop - as well as getaways for tourists wanting to play astronauts.

In the first three years, it expects at least 50 visitors would make the 120-minute sub-orbital flight - heading out of the Earth's atmosphere. The highlight of such a trip would be 10 minutes of weightlessness.

Spaceport will also have children's space adventure camps, one-day astronaut experience tours, a museum and a cafeteria offering space food.

Mr Marrett said the centre expects 800,000 visitors a year.

The venture is a tie up with United States-based Space Adventures, which has so far sent three tourists into orbit.

Mr Marrett said a study by AC Nielsen has shown the venture would be capable of persuading tourists to extend their stay in Singapore by 1.5 days.

Tourism and aviation agencies here are backing the project, but not before some convincing, Mr Marrett said. 'When we first came up with this idea, they thought we had lost a screw.'

krist@sph.com.sg

Copyright ? 2006 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved.

Responding to doubts that the project may not take off, he said Spaceport will proceed and will disclose details such as the centre's location early next year.


That sounds positive! :happy:

That sounds positive! :happy:

Yes....it's exciting.....I could fly to space after taking a 10 min taxi ride....:D (that is provided i got US$150,000....:lol: )

yah...tourists can arrive at Changi and transit for a ride into outer space :eek:

yah...tourists can arrive at Changi and transit for a ride into outer space :eek:

Yeah.....Space tour during transit......:eek:

Any idea of the current status?

This is going to be exciting, too much for me to bear!!!! World's first commercial spaceport!!!

The best airport, one of the biggest ports, and now spaceport!

An example of how a sub orbital flight would be like after launching from the space port.^^

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/graphics/2007/01/08/nspace08.jpg

Space race triggered by tourist flight plan

By Sebastien Berger, South East Asia Correspondent
Last Updated: 1:58am GMT 17/02/2006

Tourists will soon be able to fly 60 miles into space to see the curve of the Earth and experience weightlessness from a launch pad being built in Singapore, it has emerged.

The venture is organised by Space Adventures, the US firm that sent the world's first space tourists on Russian craft to the International Space Station for week-long stays.

The new flights will cost a fraction of the £11 million paid by Americans Dennis Tito and Greg Olsen and the South African internet multi-millionaire Mark Shuttleworth on their trips. Passengers can expect to pay about £59,000 for each sub-orbital flight.

advertisement
Prospective astronauts will receive a few days' training in Singapore, unlike Tito, Olsen and Shuttleworth, who received weeks of instruction in Russia before blasting off.

The initiative, which will be formally announced on Monday, will ignite a space race with Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic, which is building a spaceport in the US state of New Mexico.

Both companies plan to fly their first commercial passengers within three years.

Space Adventures' communications director, Stacey Tearne, said: "We are the first and only company to have sent tourists to space. As we were the first in orbit we would like to be the first in sub-orbital too."

But Virgin Galactic's president, Will Whitehorn, said it had a considerable technological lead and was "not in the slightest bit" concerned about its rival.

Both companies' spacecraft will be lifted to around 50,000ft by conventional planes. Solid fuel rockets will then take them to an altitude of 62 miles - 12 miles beyond the edge of space - where they will experience four minutes of weightlessness.

Information appearing on telegraph.co.uk is the copyright of Telegraph Media Group Limited and must not be reproduced in any medium without licence. For the full copyright statement see Copyright

Wow, Singapore spaceport, never in my wildest dreams... :eek: :cool:

Wow, Singapore spaceport, never in my wildest dreams... :eek: :cool:
But still no definite plans or location.... wonder what's holding it up.

But still no definite plans or location.... wonder what's holding it up.

But it's confirmed already, is it?

But it's confirmed already, is it?
Let's wait for the details and location to be annouced this year as promised. With only half the investment capital obtained so far, I wonder how they can hope to complete everything by next year.

Not much time left..

Partners sought for S'pore space venture

11 Sep 07

A PROPOSED Singapore spaceport, announced last year, has yet to get off the ground because the company is still looking for local partners to finance it, a US space travel company said on Tuesday.
Mr Eric Anderson, president and chief executive officer of Space Adventures, said his company has received interest from potential space travellers across the region - including Japan, China and Malaysia - but the Singapore project has yet to take flight because the company still needs local partners.

'There is not enough local support...we are still looking for local partners to help finance the Singapore project but it certainly remains a possibility and we are still working through it right now,' Mr Anderson said at the Forbes Global CEO Conference.

Space Adventures, which first made its name by sending US millionaire Dennis Tito into space in 2001, announced 18 months ago plans to develop the Singapore spaceport for suborbital space flights along with educational and tourist attractions.

It said the project, costing at least US$115-million (S$175-million), was being undertaken with a Singapore consortium.

The announcement last year came shortly after Space Adventures said it planned a commercial spaceport in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

An official of the Singapore Tourism Board last year expressed optimism that the spaceport in the city-state would quickly become a reality.

But on Tuesday Mr Anderson said Singapore is one of several Asian countries being looked at by his company, which is also planning a facility in the United Arab Emirates.

'We are still looking at different locations but we've been working pretty heavily in the Emirates and also in Asia,' said Mr Anderson.

'It hasn't happened yet and we're obviously looking at a lot of other options but somewhere in Asia is a critical market for us and hopefully in the next few months we would find the right place to do it,' said Mr Anderson.

The suborbital spaceflight offered by Space Adventures allows the traveller to fly 100km above earth and experience weightlessness for about five minutes just like an astronaut, its website said. -- AFP

Partners sought for S'pore space venture

11 Sep 07

A PROPOSED Singapore spaceport, announced last year, has yet to get off the ground because the company is still looking for local partners to finance it, a US space travel company said on Tuesday.
Mr Eric Anderson, president and chief executive officer of Space Adventures, said his company has received interest from potential space travellers across the region - including Japan, China and Malaysia - but the Singapore project has yet to take flight because the company still needs local partners.

'There is not enough local support...we are still looking for local partners to help finance the Singapore project but it certainly remains a possibility and we are still working through it right now,' Mr Anderson said at the Forbes Global CEO Conference.

Space Adventures, which first made its name by sending US millionaire Dennis Tito into space in 2001, announced 18 months ago plans to develop the Singapore spaceport for suborbital space flights along with educational and tourist attractions.

It said the project, costing at least US$115-million (S$175-million), was being undertaken with a Singapore consortium.

The announcement last year came shortly after Space Adventures said it planned a commercial spaceport in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

An official of the Singapore Tourism Board last year expressed optimism that the spaceport in the city-state would quickly become a reality.

But on Tuesday Mr Anderson said Singapore is one of several Asian countries being looked at by his company, which is also planning a facility in the United Arab Emirates.

'We are still looking at different locations but we've been working pretty heavily in the Emirates and also in Asia,' said Mr Anderson.

'It hasn't happened yet and we're obviously looking at a lot of other options but somewhere in Asia is a critical market for us and hopefully in the next few months we would find the right place to do it,' said Mr Anderson.

The suborbital spaceflight offered by Space Adventures allows the traveller to fly 100km above earth and experience weightlessness for about five minutes just like an astronaut, its website said. -- AFP

Hmmm....we got F1 now, perhaps it's time to venture the space?? :D

Doesn't sound too good? :(

A spaceport is cool!

cheers

excelsvr

Hope for the best then. The Singapore Flyer also took a while before it finally secured the necessary investment.

But I wonder which would be a bigger economic draw for Singapore: F1 or the proposed spaceport.

I think spaceport. The cost of 1 ride alone is like, 10 rides of the F1?

cheers

excelsvr

美国太空探险公司　在我国建太空港计划可能有变


● 郭书真　李韵琳
　　美国太空探险公司(Space Adventures)在新加坡兴建太空港(spaceport)的计划可能有变数，该公司到目前为止还未找到本地的合作伙伴为项目融资。

　　不过该公司总裁安德迅(Eric Anderson)表示，由于供太空港使用的太空船还需要一两年的时间建造，因此公司有的是时间，所以并不急于物色第二个地点。

　　他昨天在福布斯环球总裁大会的一个记者会上，针对在新加坡兴建太空港的计划回答记者的询问时说：“我们有一套计划。但是我们没有融资，我们没有足够的本地支持，我们还在找寻本地伙伴融资在新加坡的项目。”

　　太空探险公司是在去年2月宣布，计划在樟宜地区兴建一座太空港，并在2009年启动本地的太空旅游。根据当时的报道，这项工程将耗资约2亿元的资金。

　　太空港提供亚轨道(suborbital)飞行，当太空船以相当于音速三倍的速度冲出100公里高的大气层后，在太空边缘处作短暂飞行，游人可遥望地球弧线表面，并体验约五分钟的失重状态，费用估计是10万到20万美元。

　　虽然新加坡的计划可能有变，该公司要在亚洲区兴建太空港的计划并没有不变。安德迅表示，除了新加坡之外，公司也研究在马来西亚、香港、中国、日本、韩国兴建太空港的可能性。

　　总部设在美国弗吉尼亚州的太空探险公司，专门组织太空旅游，人们只要付出1亿美元的代价，便能升上太空，在国际太空站逗留10天。除经济能力之外，太空游客还得接受培训并通过身体检查。

　　虽然收费不菲，安德迅表示，公司未来两年的“航期”已经排满，有多人在等候名单，其中20％是亚洲富豪，他们来自日本和中国，其中一人来自马来西亚，但是他不愿透露客户的身份。

Never get too excited when huge development is announced as most of them will die off due to funding issue.

If you guys still remember the Singapore Flyer almost died off due to funding until the IR was announced at Marina Bay.

Recently the Tang dynasty which died off 10 years ago was meant to revive with a new concept around Shaolin, but also announced died off.

Others include Disney land in the 1990s, the recent Aquarium at Marina East also died off.

No venture no gain. When you're the pioneer you're forging your own paths for others to follow

Never get too excited when huge development is announced as most of them will die off due to funding issue.

If you guys still remember the Singapore Flyer almost died off due to funding until the IR was announced at Marina Bay.

Recently the Tang dynasty which died off 10 years ago was meant to revive with a new concept around Shaolin, but also announced died off.

Others include Disney land in the 1990s, the recent Aquarium at Marina East also died off.
Tang dynasty @ Jurong was LONG-dead.

cheers

excelsvr

Game over ??? or Game not even started???

"The company said it has not ruled out the possibility of pulling out of Singapore"



Virgin Galactic says space travel may be possible in Asia in 5 years
By Satish Cheney, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 20 February 2008 1955 hrs








SINGAPORE: A boost for space travel and technology in Asia - as Sir Richard Branson's new venture, Virgin Galactic, said on Wednesday it is possible to introduce space travel in Asia within the next five years.

It cited Singapore as a possible candidate to be the first port of call in the region.

This was revealed to Channel NewsAsia at the first Global Space and Technology Convention, held as part of the 2008 Singapore Airshow.

Space travel has long captured people's imagination and what was once an exclusive club with the Americans and Russians, is now opening up to Asia.

Virgin Galactic is trying to crack the American market and will soon focus on Australia and Asia over the next five years.

However, do not expect cheap tickets.

Alex Tai, Group Director of Special Projects for Virgin Management, said: "US$250,000 - you can buy a ticket right now and go. We expect to fly more people into space in our first year than ever flown before into space. Our target is 500 people for the first year."

Many said Singapore is poised to take advantage of the rising industry.

Minister of State for Trade and Industry, S. Iswaran, said: "There are lots of commercial ventures coming up. Whether it is commercial ventures into space or adapting these technologies for terrestrial applications on the ground, I think those are the areas where Singapore can meaningfully be involved."

Jonathan Hung, President of the Singapore Space and Technology Association, said: "We can help in terms of R&D (and) niche manufacturing. We can help in terms of training, for example, simulation training. The soft factors are also what make us very all encompassing."

Although Singapore does not have a national space programme, its local researchers are designing and building their first experimental micro-satellite, which is targeted to be launched by the end of this year.

However, the company Space Adventures, said the long-awaited Spaceport announced in 2006, is seeing funding problems.

Eric Anderson, President and CEO of Space Adventures, said: "As you often find in aerospace, projects take longer than you think they will. It's a new concept and explaining to prospective investors, not only a specific project, but also an industry... often takes longer than we would hope."

The company said it has not ruled out the possibility of pulling out of Singapore. - CNA/vm

bye bye...

actually i dun see why singapore has the advantage as a spaceport hub?

Me neither.

If anything, it will restrict Changi's plans for expansion.

I've been a skeptic on a Spaceport, and remain a skeptic.

I think equatorial location would make it easier on energy needs to send something into orbit.

bye bye...

actually i dun see why singapore has the advantage as a spaceport hub?

Eventually, Terminal 4 or Terminal 5 will handle such new planes that can propel into space or sub-orbital atmosphere. Existing planes already reach the sub orbital atmosphere. :)

All they need is to come up with good planes that can carry passengers and zap to other countries in record time.

No need to have rocket launches. Soon or later we would see Star Wars like spaceships landing at Changi Airport down 10 - 20 years later.

Virgin Galactic + Space Adventures = Singapore spaceport? or still "NOT" port


A S'pore spaceport?
Second firm looking at S'pore as space tourism base while first hits funds snag

Leong Wee Keat
weekeat@mediacorp.com.sg

THE latest plot sounds familiar but the suspense has not abated: Will space tourism take off here or be consigned to the realm of pure science fiction?
.
Virgin Galactic — the space tourism arm of British billionaire Richard Branson's Virgin Group — is looking at Singapore as a possible base for its commercial spacecraft within the next five years.
.
At a global space conference at the Singapore Airshow yesterday, Virgin Galatic's chief operating officer Alex Tai said the company hopes to expand its business after its first venture in the United States lifts off in 2011.
.
If there is a sense of deja vu about all this, it is because another space tourism company, Space Adventures, had grandly announced in February 2006 its plans to build spaceports in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Singapore at the cost of US$265 million ($404 million) and US$130 million, respectively.
.
But Space Adventures' plans here have hit a snag: It has only managed to raise just over half the required investment, said president and chief executive Eric Anderson. He aims to raise the funds by the year's end and, if the money does not materialise, the firm could move on to other Asian countries.
.
Space Adventures has been speaking to government agencies here and while they have been "supportive", Mr Anderson said, his efforts in the UAE were more fruitful. The spaceport got clearance from the UAE's rulers and Department of Civil Aviation. Crown Prince Sheikh Saud Saqr Al Qasimi of Ras Al Khaimah, where the spaceport is likely to be based, also pledged US$30 million.
.
It was reported last September that aviation authorities here had not given the project the green light. Mr Anderson said it was also a lot more difficult convincing a local consortium of companies to put up the money.
.
Earlier yesterday, Minister of State for Trade and Industry S Iswaran told reporters that plans to build a spaceport here were a private initiative. While welcoming new players to tourism, he said the ultimate take-off test for space tourism was commercial viability.
.
He added: "Whether it is commercial space ventures or adapting these technologies for terrestrial applications, those are areas Singapore can be meaningfully involved in."
.
Mr Tai said the space tourism industry is looking for "that Netscape moment", when someone makes a lot of money, before other investors will decide they, too, "want to make an awful amount of cash".
.
Mr Joerg Kreisel, who runs a consultancy specialising in space ventures and equity finance, told Today a spaceport endeavour was "a very complex commercial undertaking. It is not just an infrastructure which somebody rents and everyone is happy. It goes all the way to regulatory, the financing, the share in upsides and legal liabilities if an accident happens".
.
For Virgin Galactic, plans to build its first spaceport in New Mexico, America had to be put to a local vote, said Mr Tai. More than 200 prospective passengers from 30 countries have booked seats with the company, shelling out US$200,000 apiece. Rocketed into sub-orbital space, passengers would get about five minutes of zero-gravity time — and an unparalleled view — before gliding back to Earth.
.
With the growing number of millionaires in the Asia Pacific, Mr Tai said Singapore was an "excellent place" to base the company's product and it could partner Space Adventures or the Singapore Government to do so.
Second firm looking at S'pore as space tourism base while first hits funds snag

Well as the article says, it's quite unproven as a commercial venture so I find it rather promising if they really managed to raise half of the sums they are speaking about.

i rather they use more money to improve the public transport here.who cares about going to space when u cant even get into the train or bus. oh well.. out of point here but still.

But we do know that all this multi ultra high net worth individuals would never wanna be caught taking a public transport....

Singapore seems to have a spate of mishaps with the Virgin brand.

Virgin mobile closed shop in Singapore and,
SIA's stake in Virgin Atlantic was a mess.

I wonder what will happen this time around...

Singapore seems to have a spate of mishaps with the Virgin brand.

Virgin mobile closed shop in Singapore and,
SIA's stake in Virgin Atlantic was a mess.

I wonder what will happen this time around...

Oh yeah and where's my Virgin Megastore? ;-)

You may add the Virgin cola fiasco too.

In my opinion, it was too odd looking (blue, pink), too sweet and too gassy.

In competition, Pepsi marketed the Pepsi Blue well while it lasted.

So what's the difference between a spaceport and an airport?

Spaceport is for spacecraft while airport is for airplanes? =P

Airport for Aircraft.
Spaceport for spacecraft.
Hoverport for hovercraft?

Furthermore, port is for cold nights in front of a fire place.

^^
How will the spaceport affect our height restriction?

^^ In the foreseeable future, "spaceport" really isn't a fair word to use considering that aircraft like the SpaceShipTwo just skim you slightly above the atmosphere before coming back down to land.

These craft takeoff and land just like a normal plane would so their height restrictions would be little changed from what is currently in place.

However, if you view "Spaceport" as in rockets blasting into the sky, space shuttles and stuff, it's still a long, long way to go and chances are we might see the first steps of it before we close our eyes for eternity.

^^ We have no chances of having ours. Not only the Kennedy Space Center is comparable in size with Singapore itself - NASA has few other large centers.

And, for instance, Apollo programme took entire 1 year modern Singapore's GDP, considering inflation and exchange rate... Its expensive business.

But Singapore should participate in NASA. Malaysians just went space with Russians, part of the Sukhoi Su30 deal.

A Singaporean on ISS would boost morale and motivate students...

I think a Singaporean in space is far too expensive, too flashy without actually doing much.

Is this project still on-going
seems like their official website has been missing

Is this project still on-going
seems like their official website has been missing
No. Virgin Galactic chose some base in New Mexico already, plus the GFC has done alot of damage in this area. Not to mention the political climate is not particularly condusive to space tourism.

So what happened to this project now?

^^Seems to me that the project could be cancelled. Usually when they don't say anything for a very long time, it is a huge probability that they have it cancelled. Besides, the economic crisis slows a lot of things down so this project could have been shot down by then.