For Immediate Release:
January 9, 2004
Senator Gilmer Capps, representatives of Rocketplane Limited,
Inc., and other officials announce plans for suborbital
flights from Oklahoma's spaceport in Burns Flat.
Space Travel Firm to Locate in Oklahoma
Members
of the public could soon have the opportunity to fly into
space and back from the Oklahoma Spaceport in Burns Flat.
Rocketplane Limited Inc. will soon begin work on development
and operation of a reusable launch vehicle, Senate Aerospace
and Technology Committee Chairman Gilmer
Capps and company officials announced at the Oklahoma
State Capitol Friday.
"Oklahoma is on the cutting edge in this new field
of civil and commercial space transportation. Reusable launch
vehicles will bring down the cost of the space travel experience
and could eventually make Oklahoma a hub for commercial
space activity," said Capps, D-Snyder.
American Dennis Tito and South African Mark Shuttleworth
have both paid the Russian space agency $20 million for
a trip into space on a conventional expendable launch vehicle.
Rocketplane Limited will offer suborbital trips to space
for approximately $100,000, said George French, company
president.
The Rocketplane XP launch vehicle will take off and land
like an airplane, but it will also have a reusable rocket
engine that will propel it from 30,000 feet to over 60 miles
in altitude. Rocketplane Limited will take space travelers
60 miles above Earth where they can experience zero gravity
for three to four minutes before returning to the landing
strip at Burns Flat.
The reusable launch vehicles can also carry scientific experiments
into space to perform research in zero gravity or to qualify
experiments for use on the International Space Station.
Additionally, the rocketplanes will provide a platform for
observation of earth for agricultural and environmental
purposes.
French said Rocketplane Limited chose Oklahoma because of
spaceport infrastructure and Oklahoma’s commitment
to a space launch vehicle. The company was certified as
a qualified space transportation vehicle by the Oklahoma
Department of Commerce, the Oklahoma
Space Development Authority and the Oklahoma
Tax Commission. Certification means investors in Rocketplane
Limited will be eligible to receive state tax credits.
Capps, Rep. James
Covey, D-Custer City and Rep. Jack
Bonny, D-Burns Flat, were the authors of the legislation
that created the tax credits. Under the statute, investors
in the company can receive up to 59.9 percent tax credit
on the value of their investment in Rocketplane Limited.
Capps also authored the legislation that created the Oklahoma
Space Industry Development Authority, a seven-member board
which oversees development and operations of the spaceport
at Clinton-Sherman Industrial Airpark in Burns Flat.
Under the direction of Rocketplane Limited’s officers
and Board of Directors, including Gen. Merrill McPeak, Dr.
James Stuart, Dr. William Byrd, Dr. Eric Rice, George French,
Mitchell Burnside Clapp, David Urie and Charles Lauer, the
company hopes to commence flights in September of 2006.
OSIDA Chairman Gen. Ken McGill said: “The leaders
of Rocketplane Limited have exhibited tenacity, creativity
and a belief in Oklahoma’s role as an aerospace leader.
At OSIDA, we feel confident that this company’s presence
at the Oklahoma Spaceport gives us a big advantage in meeting
our goals of job creation in the aerospace industry.”
“This is a great opportunity for Oklahoma to embark
on a new business frontier which will continue to solidify
Oklahoma’s role as a leader in the aerospace industry
as well as create new and exciting opportunities for all
Oklahomans,” said OSIDA Deputy Director Bill Khourie.
Governor Brad
Henry congratulated Rocketplane Limited officials and
Capps on the announcement.
"This is exciting news for all of Oklahoma. This announcement
is further proof of our state's dynamic and always-growing
aviation and aerospace industry. There are many public officials
who deserve thanks for this economic boost, particularly
Sen. Gilmer Capps and Rep. Jack Bonny," Henry said.
An official ribbon cutting for Rocketplane Limited will
be held at the Oklahoma Spaceport in Burns Flat at 10:30
a.m. Monday, Jan. 12.
For
more information contact:
Senate
Communications Division - (405) 521-5774
