The Commercial Space Flight Industry Is Taking Off, and with It a New Architectural Typology: the Spaceport by Bill Millard

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11 FEATURE

The Architect’s Newspaper March 12, 2014

B Oldly GO The Commercial space flight industry is taking off, and with it a new architectural typology: The spaceport BY Bill Millard

Quick: close your eyes and think of matter in environments with no Spare-no-expense public projects phase in the evolution of the field. 80 payloads a year... globally.” space flight. Where do the images atmosphere and, hence, no friction with single-use rockets that discard Consultant/engineer Derek Webber, Envisioning a wide range of “horses come from? If you’re of a certain age, (they don’t, as Thom Mayne once launch stages into the ocean, manned executive director of Spaceport for courses”—spaceports tailored they’re from the Mercury, Gemini, noted in reference to the Apollo Lunar by larger-than-life rocket jocks who Associates, has analyzed the business to particular purposes—and looking and Apollo missions of the 1960s, Module that his Cooper Union building joined the astronaut/cosmonaut elite models and regulatory climate for to suborbital tourism as the path to the heroic era that culminated in so uncannily resembles). through military training, have given passenger space flight, managing commercial viability as general space a moon landing. For nearly everyone Personal visions of space travel are way to economical carrier craft Futron Corporation’s ASCENT study transportation matures and expands, younger, they’re from cinema and less likely to suggest NASA’s more (“motherplanes”) taking off horizontally of space markets for the National Webber compares the brewing space video: some iteration of Star Trek, prosaic space shuttle (or, lower on on regular runways, ferrying light Aeronautics and Space Administration boom to the barnstorming era in Star Wars, Battlestar Galactica, and the aerospace-iconography ziggurat, reusable vehicles full of relatively (NASA)’s Marshall Space Flight Center. the early history of aircraft. “Go back 2001: A Space Odyssey. The visual The Jetsons). Yet commercial unheroic civilian passengers. Tourism After decades in the communications to the Wright brothers. They started vocabulary became a cliché long ago: spaceports, a critical step toward a and eventual routinization, in other satellite industry, he believes that something, and they didn’t know sleek techno-biomorphic spacecraft future when space is open to every words: the passing of the torch from space tourism could grow far larger. where it was going to lead.” straight out of William Gibson’s George and Jane, have moved from people with the Right Stuff to people “It’s an enormous potential market,” One thing is certain: wherever Gernsback Continuum, zooming speculation to actual construction over with plenty of the green stuff. he said, “because if each person is this industry is headed—back to the between Fullerian/Saarinenesque/ the past decade. If the space-travel Though it’s easy to view rocket- considered as a payload, you’ve got moon, to a future Martian settlement, Aaltoid space stations and CGI battle industry follows the path these ports’ borne millionaires as the ultimate potentially tens of thousands of to the Martian moons Deimos and scenes, dodging the question of proliferation implies, those humbler dilettantes, some longtime aerospace payloads per year, whereas in normal Phobos (an exploratory possibility whether streamlined contours actually models will be closer to reality. observers see tourism as an essential commercial space you have about that some at NASA Goddard Space

Situated between Las Cruces and Truth or Consequences, New Mexico, Spaceport America— designed by Foster + Partners and URS—is the world’s first dedicated commercial spaceport. a eric am

t cepor a esy sp esy t cour 12 FEATURE

The Architect’s Newspaper March 12, 2014

This proposal for a Houston Spaceport to be built at Ellington Field was designed spectacle on the ground. It marks the held by no other location in the States, by Nejc Trost of Trost & Associates and Sam Ximenes of Exploration Architecture first realized case of the commercial which is the proximity of the White Corporation. It provides flexible facilities for flight operations, research and spaceport as a distinct building typology. Sands missile base,” creating a large development, business incubation, and a museum. commercial no-fly zone. Additional X Prize leads to New Mexico benefits of the location include Space-flight privatization began impressive desert views, a 12,000- with the 1980 founding of the foot runway, and the prevailing French satellite firm Arianespace and westerly winds, which the building accelerated after businessman Dennis employs in a geothermal system, Tito’s self-financed International Space channeling air beneath large earth Station visit on a Russian Soyuz rocket berms via long tubes for cooling and in 2001. The Ansari X Prize— $10 delivery into the mechanical plants, million offered by telecom tycoons making the HVAC system more Anousheh and Amir Ansari to the first efficient. A broad, blanket-like roof of nongovernmental team that could thin-shell concrete keeps direct sunlight deliver a manned reusable spacecraft from penetrating the building and to the Kármán line, the 100-km provides additional thermal mass. (62-mile) altitude accepted as the Although flight is obviously energy-in- border between Earth’s atmosphere tensive, environmental performance and outer space, twice within two is an important priority for the port; weeks—gave the effort a boost. the terminal is not carbon-neutral, but Mojave Aerospace Ventures, a it is designed to attain LEED Gold, partnership of aerospace designer Anderson reports. The site offers an Burt Rutan’s Scaled Composites firm incremental advantage over sea-level and Microsoft cofounder Paul Allen, areas: “We’re also at altitude,” she won that competition in 2004 with adds. “We always say, ‘The first mile is SpaceShipOne, a carbon-fiber craft free,’ because we’re at 4,600 feet, so whose folding-wing design allows that means more payload, less fuel.” a high-drag feathered configuration The curves of the low-slung, for re-entry and a glider configuration symmetrical, steel-framed facility for landing. SpaceShipOne, which can be read as a horseshoe crab or a launched from the motherplane manta ray as easily as a parked space- White Knight at California’s Mojave craft or winged alien; it references Air and Space Port, now hangs in both Earth and space. “We wanted the Smithsonian’s National Air and something that really felt that it was Space Museum. Its successor, almost tethered,” Brooker continues, SpaceShipTwo, large enough to “floating above the landscape, in the carry two pilots and six passengers landscape. That gave us an aesthetic (all with window seats), is undergoing straight away. We like that it hovered, testing as Virgin Galactic’s demon- but we weren’t consciously trying to stration craft for a maiden flight drive anything that looked futuristic.” carrying Branson and his two adult Internally, it circulates observers on children from the New Mexico port a viewing bridge close to the hangar and back, with White Knight Two space without disrupting the facility by (VMS Eve, after Branson’s mother) placing them right in the vaults with as carrier. Though Virgin Galactic the equipment, a decision that Brooker has kept details quiet and revised calls the most important design-stage its timetable several times, Webber change in a competition proposal speculates that the Bransons’ ride that otherwise remained consistent. may occur as early as late 2014. Lifting the walkway allowed the The convergence of the X Prize, the architects to join the control and train- appearance of Virgin Galactic, and the ing vaults as one large “superhangar” energetic promotion by NMSA, said with enough clearance for carriers and Spaceport America’s project architect jets to pass below. Grant Brooker, senior partner at Galleries for spectators are among Foster + Partners, created an optimal the earthbound considerations that opportunity for the firm to apply its make an active spaceport more than signature high-tech, high-efficiency a launch site. Astronauts are the approach to a new realm of transpor- most prominent people a port serves, tation infrastructure. It wasn’t a hard but they are outnumbered by terrestrial es

at sell—more a case of “‘You had me at onlookers whose purchases of soci

s spaceport,’ really. Any conversation souvenirs, hot dogs, lodging, and a

d that begins, ‘We really want to build a other goods, Webber has concluded, an

t spaceport in America,’ that’s definitely will be a key part of any private space- a project we want to do. This is not port’s revenue stream. This far from

esy Tros esy an expensive facility; this is not a other settlements, Anderson pointed t very big facility; but we were trying out, “we had to build a small city,” our C to make something that was very self-sufficient in basic infrastructure: Flight Center have studied), or only operational; its first-phase construction executive director Christine Anderson concentrated and where, [as] in the water, power, and sewer, plus a fire to the checkbooks of indulgent was completed in 2013, and its describes as “the Holy Grail... that will early days of flight, you get the people department, security, emergency flight hedgefundistas and celebrities—its vertical-launch component (it supports cut costs 100-fold in the vertical space close to the equipment.” termination capability, and emergency trajectory leads through a quiet airfield both horizontal and vertical takeoffs) industry.” Siting decisions for spaceports, at medical technicians. Aware of the on 18,000 acres between Las Cruces has hosted 20 launches since 2006. Uniquely among its existent peers, least for now, rank remoteness above port’s potential for education aimed and Truth or Consequences, New Virgin Galactic, the furthest-flung and perhaps providing a prototype for accessibility. Keeping uninvolved at the wider population as well as Mexico. Here, a state agency, the New branch of entrepreneur/adventurer its speculative ones—globally, there populations safe from errant preparatory training for the passengers Mexico Spaceport Authority (NMSA), Richard Branson’s empire, is its anchor are still more of the latter than the rockets, Webber points out, is a vital themselves, she notes its secondary operates the world’s first dedicated tenant. In May 2013, the port added former—Spaceport America expresses consideration in licensing decisions function as a kind of science museum. commercial spaceport. Spaceport Elon Musk’s firm SpaceX, which will a recognition that since the business by the Federal Aviation Administration “We hired a company from Florida America, with a terminal designed launch the Grasshopper test rocket, a model and the theatricality are inter- (FAA), favoring ocean-side or desert that did a lot of EPCOT and Disney by Foster + Partners and URS, is vertical-takeoff, vertical-landing (VTVL) twined, success in the sky requires sites. Spaceport America, Brooker activities,” she said. “Education is an not just photogenic but substantially design that Spaceport America’s balanced attention to practicality and said, offers a “geographical advantage undercurrent, but it’s a fun experience, no governmental funding.Wallops Base inLompoc, operateswith Spaceport atVandenberg AirForce Systems International’s California of LosAngeles);onlyone,Spaceport Cecil inFloridaandMojavenorth fields inthecaseofJacksonville airports (decommissionedmilitary satellites, orrepurposedexisting launch facilities,mainlyhandling Canaveral. Mostareeithervertical- manned-launch monopolist,Cape States, includingthelongtime licensed spaceportsintheUnited Spaceport Americaisoneofeight a network First, singlepoints;eventually under fastingconditions. space tourismisbestexperienced acquired thenickname“Vomit Comet,” why NASA’s reduced-gravityaircraft ment thatremindssomepassengers re-entry, plusazero-gravityflightseg- accelerating forcesof3-6Gduring certainly notin-flightfood:with passport control,orcustoms.And there isnoneedforbaggagehandling, make point-to-pointflightsanoption, Until enoughofthesefacilitiesexistto than travelingelsewhereonEarth. future returntotheliftoffpointrather Space touristsfortheforeseeable airports todesign,build,andoperate. ports arelesscomplicatedthan trucking. cargo-transfer capabilitiestorailand intermodal transportationhubwith is alsoawindpowercenterandan different ways.Mojave,forexample, supplement theircentralbusinessin line.” Otherspaceports,shesaid, there. That’s ourotherbusiness can buildmodelrocketsandflythem learn howspacecraftfly, andkids commercial space;you’regoingto so you’regoingtolearnmoreabout the WhiteKnightTwo motherplane. Denver. Spanish firmLuis Vidal +Architets’proposalforSpaceportColorado,near

In otherrespects,privatespace FEATURE

Below right:Aflyoverof Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo beneath 13

California, Florida,andOklahoma). join the“spaceportstates”(Alaska, Wisconsin havemountedeffortsto Legislatures inTexas, Colorado,and ambitions throughitsacronym. missions butmayhintatlong-range Spaceport, hasnottakenonpassenger Island, Virginia’s Mid-AtlanticRegional local investors. A global spaceport local investors.A globalspaceport partnership between Bransonand spaceport withintwoyearsina to beoutdone,maygetapassenger and trainingcenter. AbuDhabi,not U.S. portsforasuborbital-flight port Singapore, andDubaialongwith vetting sitesinJapan,Australia, civilians intoorbittodate,isreportedly firm thathasput Tito andsixother 2012; SpaceAdventures,thetourism the island-basedTanegashima portin market withasatellitelaunchfrom Agency (JAXA)joinedthecommercial The JapanAerospaceExploration to theCuraçaoportasearly2015. moving theseoperationsfromMojave motherplane), hasbruitedtheideaof horizontal-launch vehiclewithno pilot, onitsLynx spaceplane(a person flights,onepassengerplus Aerospace, whichmarketstwo- along withatropicallocation;XCOR firm D/DOCK)andengineering, architectural design(bytheAmsterdam features Dutchleadershipinboth Caribbean SpaceportinCuraçao the auroraborealis.Theproposed passengers thechancetoflythrough ESA rocketry, maybeabletooffer in Kiruna,alreadyexperienced Webber notesthatSpaceportSweden to localfeaturesaswellexpertise. market theirserviceswithappeals Agency (ESA),proposedportscan Centre, usedbytheEuropeanSpace and Jiuquan),theGuianaSpace three inChina(Xichang,Wenchang, Baikonur (actuallyinKazakhstan), Overseas, alongwithRussia’

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Colorado, to be located at Front Range Colorado, tobelocatedatFrontRange he is confident that “an evolution of he isconfidentthat “anevolutionof proximity tospacecraft manufacturers; connections forpassengersand and commercialairportstofacilitate advocating sitechoicescloserto cities He alsogoesagainstthegrainin spaceport andgeneral-aviationuses. his knowledgethatwillincludeboth regular runway,” istheonlyoneto a conventionalaerodromewith The FrontRangespaceport,“actually principles fortheemergingtypology. and modularityasessentialdesign project, Vidal seesfunctionality conventional cargoterminal.” very different[from]thoseofa “extreme confidentialityrequirements, and researchfacilities,alongwith environments, callingforlaboratories studies performedinmicrogravity centers, hebelieves,particularlyfor also serveastechnologydevelopment would berequired.”Spaceportswill and receivethisnewexperience after thetrip,anotherplacetoguide passenger beforethetrip,andthen space focusedonpreparingthe “A needwillarisetocreateaunique crafting theexperienceisparamount: demands,” hesuggested.Fortourism, developed toadaptthenew side’ newbuildingsshouldbe ing aerodromes,whileinthe‘land the ‘airside’istryingtousepreexist- requirements. “Thetrendconcerning evolving outofairports,withdistinct Vidal seesthespaceporttypology of Madrid-basedLuisVidal +Architects. airport designspecialistandprincipal Vidal, aninternationallyrecognized near Denver, plannerscalledinLuis Airport, asmallgeneral-aviationfacility is conceivable. XCOR somewheretogobesidesup, network, givingVirgin Galacticand For theproposedSpaceport From hisworkontheColorado

courtesy luis vidal + architects museum. aviation andspacethroughanonsite of thegeneralpublic’s interestin business incubation,andpromotion operations, researchanddevelopment, of theindustry.”flight Itallowsfor growth Trost, the to “flexibleaccording “a framethatcanbemodified,” said as designed proposed complexis flight overpopulatedareas.The so thatrocketscanminimize Mexico, central HoustontotheGulfof than Johnson Space Center—andcloser field afewmilesfromNASA’s Ellington isadeactivatedAirForce the CommercialSpaceFederation. last fallbeforeanannualmeetingof Houston AirportSystemunveiled to designthisfacility, whichthe Exploration ArchitectureCorporation with recentalumnusSamXimenesof graduate studentatSICSA,worked Architecture, Ljubljana,2011) anda of firm Trost &Associates,author expertise: NejcTrost oftheSlovenian Ellington Airportdrawsonthiscenter’s The proposedspaceportatHouston’s Center forSpaceArchitecture(SICSA). of Houston’s SasakawaInternational program inthefield,University animates theworld’s firstacademic travel willeventuallybecomeroutine a plane.” will soonbeascommontaking realize thatsci-fiisnow. Theseflights architecture todate—“butwehave implicit influencesonmostspaceport that science-fictionvisionariesare for aesthetics,heacknowledges the samelevelsofsafety.” As would besufficienttoguarantee the currentaviationsafetyprotocols the spaceport terminal is a roof has to the spaceportterminalisaroofhasto one ofthemainconsiderationsin to spacevehiclesinthehangar. So for natureandtechnologytomixnext inside thebuilding.Thiswasplan; you seealargegreenpatchgrowing the openareainsideterminal,so same time,”hesaid,“wepushed campus andbusinesscenter. “Atthe terminal andmuseumamidaverdant dominant Fulleriangeometriesforthe gently emergingdiagriddedsurfaces: landscape ofthesix-acresitewith and futuristicelements,mergingthe edgy passengersbycombiningnatural design forEllingtonaimstocalm thrilling andnerve-wracking.The recognizing thatflightcanbeboth training plane,doesnotflinchfrom himself onaRussian“vomitcomet” A similarconvictionthatspace T (Faculty of Chase forSpace(Facultyof rost, who has flown in zero gravity rost, whohasflowninzerogravity

A AN Bill Millardisacontri pu R knowledge thatthey’regaining.” expanding thetechnologiesfromthat them outonsmallfields,andthen brave peoplepilotingsmallcraft,trying a year. Itbeginswithafewincredibly of handling80millionpassengers an enormousairportcomplexcapable context. “Jettraveldoesn’t beginwith Brooker placesthefieldinhistorical Icarus, letaloneChallenger).Yet ing theseportsandprojectsmentions endeavor areobvious(noonediscuss- that coulddelayorderailthewhole early customers,contingencies stars signedonamongVirgin Galactic’s sense. Withfiguresasvisiblefilm speculation inanon-metaphorical tation networkisadmittedlyblue-sky infrastructure intotheglobaltranspor spaceport there. for developingthenation’s ninth he believes,isastrongargument concentration ofaerospaceexpertise, new aviationskill.”Houston’s protection, andit’s acompletely much higherorbit.Soyouneedthermal high, evenhigherthanConcorde,and Trost said,“butthespeedsarevery flights havebeenprovenassafe,” definitely thenextstep,aftersuborbital transportation. “Point-to-pointis from suborbitaltourismtoorbital prepared foraneventualtransition Trost alsowantsthefacilitytobe experience tothespacetravel.” the spaceport,togivethemsimilar passengers, whentheygothrough to encourageafeelingofthe have afeelingoffloating. We want you that they want to go up again.” you thattheywanttogoupagain.” to alotofthem—theyalwaysjusttell astronaut I’vetalkedto—and ‘Wow: itwastransforming’?Every it wasn’t thatgreat’?Orwilltheysay be disappointed?Willtheysay, ‘Ah, Once afewhavedoneit,willthey Will theforecaststurnouttobecorrect? It’s justamatterofhowsuccessful. places aroundtheworldandinU.S. knows it’s goingtohappenindifferent the gigglefactorisgone.Everyone believed it;itwasimpossible;butnow to makeabuckoutofit.Nobody some fun,andotherpeoplewanting boundaries, takesomerisks,have It’s peoplewantingtopushthe very Americanidea,spacetourism. summarized: “Intheessence,it’s a eview, eview, rchitectural rchitectural W Integrating rocketsandtheir b , , lications. O ebber, aveteranandanoptimist, culus/e I con, con, O C culus, culus, ontent L ighting, ighting, A , andother rchitect, rchitect, b LEA utor to F F

Derek Webber