Page 24 - ARUBA TODAY

A24 TECHNOLOGY
Friday 16 august 2019
Virgin Galactic reveals futuristic outpost for space tourism

By SUSAN MONTOYA BRY- a Democrat, first pitched
AN the plan for the spaceport
Associated Press nearly 15 years ago.
UPHAM, N.M. (AP) — There were construction
Spaceport America is no delays and cost overruns.
longer just a shiny shell of Virgin Galactic's space-
hope that space tourism ship development took far
would one day launch longer than expected and
from this remote spot in the had a major setback when
New Mexico desert. its first experimental craft
The once-empty hangar broke apart during a 2014
that anchors the taxpayer- test flight, killing the co-pi-
financed launch and land- lot.
ing facility has been trans- Critics suggested the proj-
formed into a custom-tai- ect was a boondoggle,
lored headquarters where but supporters argued that
Virgin Galactic will run its there were bound to be
commercial flight opera- hard and sometimes costly
tions. lessons.
Two levels within the space- Democratic state Sen.
port include mission con- George Munoz has endur-
trol, a preparation area ing concerns about the
for pilots and a lounge for business model for com-
paying customers and their mercial, low-orbit travel for
friends and families, with passengers.
each element of the fit and "You can have all the mon-
finish paying homage to ei- Virgin Galactic ground crew guide the company's carrier plane into the hangar at Spaceport ey in the world and come
America following a test flight over the desert near Upham, New Mexico, on Thursday, Aug. 15,
ther the desert landscape 2019. back and say, 'Was my 30
that surrounds the futuris- Associated Press seconds of fame worth that
tic outpost or the promise risk?'" he said.
of traveling to the edge of visitors on the first floor. The the first glimpse of the facil- newly outfitted digs for the Munoz says New Mexico's
space. social hub includes an inter- ity Thursday, say the space first commercial flights has anticipated return on in-
From hotel rooms to aircraft active digital walkway and is meant to create "an un- yet to be determined. A vestment in terms of jobs
cabins, the Virgin brand a coffee bar made of Ital- paralleled experience" as small number of test flights and visitors is still overdue,
touts its designs for their ian marble. On the upper customers prepare for what are still needed. with more than $200 mil-
focus on the customer ex- deck, shades of white and Virgin Galactic describes Billionaire Richard Branson, lion public funds spent on
perience. Spaceport is no gray speak to Virgin Galac- as the journey of a lifetime. who is behind Virgin Galac- Spaceport America in co-
different. tic's more lofty mission. Just how soon customers tic, and former New Mex- operation with Virgin Ga-
Earthen tones help ground Company officials, offering will file into Virgin Galactic's ico Gov. Bill Richardson, lactic as anchor tenant.q

Vaping companies sue to delay

U.S. review of e-cigarettes

E-cigarettes first appeared ciation. federal review. The FDA has
in the U.S. more than a de- The 2009 law that gave the until next month to appeal
cade ago and have grown FDA power over the tradi- the decision.
in popularity despite little tional tobacco products The vapor group's lawsuit
research on their long-term did not mention e-ciga- said the FDA has now set
effects, including whether rettes. And it wasn't until five different deadlines.
they can help smokers quit 2016 that the agency ex- "It is time for FDA to stop
cigarettes. panded its own regulations moving the goalposts and
In this Tuesday, April 10, 2018 photo, a high school principal
displays vaping devices that were confiscated from students at In recent years, health au- to include the devices. But changing the rules in the
the school in Massachusetts. thorities have warned of since then FDA regulators middle of the game to the
Associated Press an epidemic of vaping by have repeatedly pushed detriment of our manufac-
underage teenagers, par- back the timeline, at one turers and small business-
By MATTHEW PERRONE fort to regulate the multi- ticularly the leading brand point until 2022, to begin re- es," said Tony Abboud, the
AP Health Writer billion-dollar vaping indus- Juul, known for its high nic- view the legions of vaping group's executive director,
WASHINGTON (AP) — A try, which includes makers otine content and easy-to- products that have come in a statement.
vaping industry group sued and retailers of e-cigarette conceal device, which re- to market. Vaping executives have
the U.S. government on devices and flavored solu- sembles a flash drive. Frustrated by the delays, long said that most compa-
Wednesday to delay an tions. Nicotine is what makes anti-tobacco groups in- nies will not be able to af-
upcoming review of thou- The vaping group argued both cigarettes and e- cluding the Campaign for ford to conduct large, ex-
sands of e-cigarettes on that the latest deadline of cigarettes addictive, and Tobacco-Free Kids sued pensive studies needed for
the market. next May to submit prod- health experts say the the FDA to speed up the FDA review. Only products
The legal challenge by the ucts for review could wipe chemical is harmful to de- process. In June, a federal that meet FDA standards
Vapor Technology Asso- out many of the smaller veloping brains. judge sided with the groups would be permitted to be
ciation is the latest hurdle companies. The lawsuit was San Francisco-based Juul is and set a deadline of next sold.
in the Food and Drug Ad- filed in U.S. District Court in among 800 member com- May for all companies to The FDA declined to com-
ministration's yearslong ef- Kentucky. panies of the vaping asso- submit their products for ment on the lawsuit.q