# UAE to Build Spaceport



## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

*UAE chosen for sub-orbital tourism spaceport *

NEW YORK, Feb 17, 2006 (AFP) - The space travel agency, Space Adventures, announced Friday plans to develop a commercial "spaceport" in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to take tourists on sub-orbital flights. 

The proposed facility in Ras Al-Khaimah, the most northern of the seven emirates that form the UAE, would be the first of several such spaceports envisaged under a global development project budgeted at more than 250 million dollars. 

Other potential locations have been identified in Asia, specifically Singapore, and North America. 

The company said it had already received clearance from the UAE authorities to operate suborbital spaceflights in their air space. 

"The close proximity to Dubai, one of the worlds leading luxury tourist destinations, makes (Ras Al-Khaimah) a choice location for spaceflight operations," said Space Adventures president and CEO, Eric Anderson. 

"Suborbital flights will offer millions of people the opportunity to experience the greatest adventure available, space travel," Anderson said. 

Currently the only operating space tourism agency, Space Adventures first made its name by sending US millionaire Dennis Tito into space in 2001. 

Since then, two other ultra-wealthy tourists have made similar trips, South African Mark Shuttleworth in 2002 and last year another American millionaire businessman, Greg Olsen, who paid 20 million dollars to spend eight days aboard the International Space Station. 

The sub-orbital flights would send tourists 60 miles above the surface of the earth on solid fuel rocket craft dropped from conventional planes. 

The cost of each flight would be more than 100,000 dollars. 

Space Adventures' main rival in sub-orbital tourism will be Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic, which is building a spaceport in the US state of New Mexico.


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## Red aRRow (Jul 5, 2005)




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## mic of Orion (Feb 24, 2005)

This is now taking a piss :hilarious:


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## rise_against (Apr 26, 2005)

Is this for real??? Sound cool...but kind of farfetched.


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## LordMarshall (Jun 26, 2005)

if its real COOL 

if its fake (bungholes)


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## Giorgio (Oct 9, 2004)

Why am i not surprised? Im Impressed yet again.
Now lets wait for some Dubai bashers to critizize this thing in any way posible.


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

This is a very real project. Founded in 1998, "Space Adventures Ltd. is the world's leading space tourism, entertainment, and event-production company delivering the public opportunities to experience space today". They are based in the US.

Website : http://www.spaceadventures.com/


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## luv2bebrown (Nov 4, 2004)

[Gioяgos] said:


> Why am i not surprised? Im Impressed yet again.
> Now lets wait for some Dubai bashers to critizize this thing in any way posible.


its in ras al khaimah
Dubai has nothing to do with it


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## lazar22b (Oct 22, 2004)

This doesn't surprise me. Theres one being built in New Mexico as well.

http://www.space.com/news/060216_spaceport_update.html


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## Giorgio (Oct 9, 2004)

luv2bebrown said:


> its in ras al khaimah
> Dubai has nothing to do with it


Yes but Dubai bashers bash all UAE  
There very stupid! :lol:


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## redstone (Nov 15, 2003)

One in UAE, one in Singapore, one in New Mexico...

Lots of choices for the ultra rich... :lol:


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

lazar22b said:


> This doesn't surprise me. Theres one being built in New Mexico as well.
> 
> http://www.space.com/news/060216_spaceport_update.html


The New Mexico one is being built by the rival Virgin group.


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## lazar22b (Oct 22, 2004)

hkskyline said:


> The New Mexico one is being built by the rival Virgin group.



this is suppose to be the home base of the virgin group, but the space port is being built by the New Mexican government so it will be open to any company wanting to fly out from there.


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## KJBrissy (Jan 9, 2006)

Apparently Virgin are also considerinbg having a base in Australia somewhere also. 


Can't wait till this industry gets up and running!!


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## KJBrissy (Jan 9, 2006)

Apparently Virgin are also considering having a base in Australia somewhere also. 


Can't wait till this industry gets up and running!!


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