Gov. Tim Kaine Proceeds With $10M Spaceport Bonds at Wallops Island

Despite an expected $2.9 billion shortfall in the Virginia state budget, Governor Tim Kaine is proceeding with a $10-million for new Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport via infrastructure bonds through the Virginia Public Building Authority, as was expected.

The Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport will serve as the launch pad for the planned Taurus II rocket being developed by Orbital Sciences Corporation as a part of the NASA COTS. The first launch of the new booster is expected in late 2010. A $16 million bond was adopted last year to build a new launch pad for the Taurus-II.

"Governor Kaine is clearly a man of vision," said Jack Kennedy, a member of the Virginia Commercial Space Flight Authority. "The General Assembly will need to ratify the spaceport infrastructure funding in the 2009 General Assembly session."