The first spaceport began construction last Friday

Traveling in space is going to start in near future as the first ever spaceport began construction last Friday in New Mexico called Spaceport America. The design for Spaceport America's terminal hangar facility was created by a team of American and British architects that were selected after competing in an international design competition. URS Corporation, one of the world's largest design and engineering firms, teamed with lead designer Foster + Partners of the United Kingdom to submit the winning design. Foster + Partners has extensive experience designing airport buildings and other high profile projects worldwide, will host commercial operations by private space travel companies, like Virgin Galactic.

The 110,000-plus square foot-facility using cost-effective, energy-efficient green building practices. Spaceport America's terminal hangar facility will be built to the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED rating system. Extensive use of sustainable and clean energy technology throughout the design will ensure that the spaceport will set the standard for environmentally sound design for similar structures in the future. From earth-tubes that will pre-condition the air to reduce HVAC costs by 50-70% to solar thermal panels on the roof for hot water to the embedded in-floor loop system, Spaceport America is both unique and iconic in terms of visual and environmental design.

Spaceport America is the world's first purpose-built commercial spaceport, and the first spaceship that will fly from this space port is called "WhiteKnightTwo" which is Virgin Galactic's mother ship for the company's SpaceShipTwo, a vehicle that will transport passengers from Spaceport America to the edge of space. Spaceport America is expected to begin construction in July and is scheduled for completion in late 2010 or early 2011. [ Spaceport America ]