Baku, October 25 (AZERTAC). The first private spaceport in the world, the New Mexico Spaceport Authority Building was opened on 17 October in the desert of New Mexico

A dedication ceremony was held on October 17th at Spaceport America in New Mexico—the world`s first commercial space terminal. More than 800 guests attended the event, which included flying displays of Virgin Galactic`s WhiteKnightTwo and SpaceShipTwo vehicles.

The Virgin Galactic Gateway to Space, a combined terminal and hangar facility, will support up to two WhiteKnightTwo and five SpaceShipTwo vehicles. The 120,000 square-foot building has been designed by Foster + Partners, working with URS Corporation and New Mexico architects SMPC.

The Gateway will also house all astronaut preparation and celebration facilities, a mission control centre and a friends and family area. Entrance is via a deep channel cut into the landscape and its retaining walls form an exhibition space that documents a history of space exploration alongside the story of the region.