Law aimed to boost proposed Colorado spaceport.

• Author: Cole, Mike
• Position: AEROSPACE

GOV. JOHN HICKENLOOPER WAS presented with a bottle of beer after signing a bill in Colorado Springs in April. While the gesture alluded to his success as a co-founder of the state's First brew pub. it was the name of this local variety that was apropos: Bristol Brewing GUS Red Rocket Pale Ale.

The law limits liability for companies that would operate space flights from the proposed Spaceport Colorado. the state's entry in a race already under way or proposed in several states including California. New Mexica and Texas. As the Federal Aviation Administration begins to allow kw privatization. spaceports aim to become a hub For commercial space travel.

The state recently asked permission from federal officials For permission to build Spaceport Colorado, which would be based at Front Range Airport. a general aviation Facility near Watkins. The slate also is seeking an agreement with Spaceport America to support point-to-point commercial space flights.

"Spaceport become a connection between the Eastern Hemisphere and the Western Hemisphere. (They) allow us to conceive of Hying to Australia in a couple of hours," Hickenlooper told industry executives and political leaders at a luncheon before he signed the bill.

And with NASA retiring its space shuttle program, the time For commercial space investment has arrived.

"NASA has done a great job for the last 50 years and has accomplished many great things ... but we're at a point now where we're going to see a big transition to turn over a lot of the activities to private industry," George Nield, FAA associate administrator lor commercial space transportation, told Colorado Biz before addressing the group.

"I think we're going to see some very exciting things happen, both from Transportation in and from lower Earth orbit and from a tourism perspective." he said. "It's really going to...