ARKANSAS, USA — Senator Justin Boyd from Fort Smith co-sponsored a bill that would begin the process of possibly building a spaceport in Arkansas.
The bill defines a "spaceport" as a facility used for the "takeoff, landing, retrieval, servicing, and monitoring of vehicles capable of entering space."
HB1499, if passed, would direct the Arkansas Economic Development Commission to conduct a study that would assess the feasibility of building a spaceport using recommendations given in the Arkansas Council on Future Mobility's report in Dec. 2022.
The bill also would instruct the AEDC to analyze the demand and interest of developing a spaceport and possible locations.
Other parts of the study would have to look into the type of technology needed and how much it'd cost, the economic impact, and workforce requirements.
As of March 16, the bill had passed through both the House and the Senate and will likely make it to Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders' desk soon.
If it does get signed, the feasibility study is to be completed no later than Jan. 1, 2024.
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