About 55 miles north of Las Cruces, New Mexico, in the middle of the desert, Spaceport America is ground zero for the organizations pioneering space tourism, including Virgin Galactic and SpaceX. Although it will still be a few years before any of these companies are able to offer space flights to the public, groups can visit Spaceport to learn about this exciting industry and see some of the technology making it possible.
The journey into Spaceport America begins at the Spaceport America Visitor Center in the town of Truth or Consequences. After traveling to the Federal Aviation Administration-licensed launch complex adjacent to the U.S. Army White Sands Missile Range, visitors enter the Gateway Gallery, where their tour includes interactive exhibits. The optional G-Shock simulator gives the experience of rapid acceleration, comparable to what an astronaut might feel in actual flight. In the Spaceport Operations Center, visitors can interact with Spaceport America crewmembers and view the state-of-the-art fire station before posing in front of the Gateway to Space hangar for a photo op.
