RICHARD BRANSON BUILDS HIS SPACEPORT

Almost two years after the first plans were announced construction has finally begun in New Mexico on Spaceport America. The spaceport, which will serve as the launch pad for Virgin Galactic flights, is the first of its kind anywhere in the world, and represents the first serious commitment of infrastructure to manned commercial spaceflight. Right now Richard Branson only has two spaceships, barely capable of achieving sustained orbit, but, after the track record of Virgin Records, Virgin Airlines, Virgin Rail, Virgin Megastores, and even Virgin Cola, growth would seem inevitable. And, in a strange connection with the story above, Branson began his galactic empire building with an underground mag called The Student. (Click here for more.)