Tax vote moves New Mexico spaceport closer to launch

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - New Mexico's plan to promote space tourism took a major step forward as voters approved a tax for a launch complex where billionaire Richard Branson aims to operate the world's first "spaceline," officials said on Wednesday.

Two-thirds of voters in the Southwestern U.S. state's Sierra County on Tuesday backed an 0.25 percent sales tax to fund New Mexico's $198 million Spaceport America, said the project's executive director, Steve Landeene.

Proceeds from the tax will pay off revenue bonds to be sold in the future.

New Mexico has a long history of space-related projects, starting with early rocket research. British entrepreneur and Virgin Group chief Branson wants his Virgin Galactic "spaceline" to send passengers on suborbital flights launched from its planned spaceport.

Flights may take place as soon as 2010 after the first phase of construction, said Landeene.

"We're looking to break ground in July for the roads into the spaceport," he said. "We'll be breaking ground on site in early 2009."

Virgin Galactic will have company at the spaceport, Landeene said. Earlier this month, Lockheed Martin signed a memorandum of understanding to research and test new aircraft at the facility, he said.

Commercial satellite launches from the spaceport are also a possibility, Landeene said in an interview.

"It's the first purpose-built, commercial spaceport," Landeene said. "Most of the other spaceports when you look at them tend to be old Air Force bases or airports."

"We have about 18,000 acres of property out there," he said, referring to land slated for development about 25 miles southeast of the town of Truth or Consequences. "I don't really see us being capacity-constrained in terms of putting hangers and infrastructure in."

The spaceport could employ more than 2,000 people, according to a projection in a New Mexico State University study.

(Reporting by Jim Christie; Editing by Adam Tanner and Jonathan Oatis)