On Friday, ground will be broken in the desert of southern New Mexico for a terminal and hangar facility at the world's first commercial spaceport. The Land of Enchantment is hoping a forgotten stretch of cattle ranches and mountain ranges will become a gateway for private citizens to be launched into space. Already 250 people are lining up to pay $200,000 each to take the trip. 
From a 10,000-foot runway, spacecraft will take flight attached to an airplane, then break free and rocket 62 miles into space before returning to the facility. The flights will last about two hours and include five minutes of weightlessness.
Virgin Galactic and American aerospace designer Burt Rutan are building a craft that will take passengers on the thrill ride from New Mexico's spaceport. In 2004, Rutan's SpaceShipOne became the first privately built manned craft to reach space. The runway is slated for completion next summer.
The terminal and hangar should be ready in December 2010, and that's when Virgin Galactic hopes to begin launching rich, insane tourists into space. Here is the link to Spaceport America.
