A spaceport in Yuma County could be close to reality after the Greater Yuma Economic Development Corporation (GYEDC) received a grant worth more than $27,000 to test Yuma County's ability to host a spaceport.
The grant funded by the U.S. Economic Development Administration will study the feasibility and guide for creating small rocket satellite launch sites for economic development according to Julie Engel, President, and CEO of GYEDC.
"We have unimpeded airspace, and the smaller rockets really struggle with commercial airline disruption. So the ability for us to launch these rockets without disruption to the commercial air services is very attractive," Julie Engel said.
For years Engel believed Yuma County and its military presence would be ideal for a launching site where the military could provide trained workers and controlled airspace.
This location, in particular, has its advantage over other cities because of Yuma County's proximity to Rocky Point and the Sea of Cortez.
"If there's a catastrophic event it's over water," Engel said. "That's why most of these things are on the coast. Florida, Texas, California."
If approved the proposed launch site would be on the City of Yuma property near the Mexican border with existing airport facilities proposed as staging and post-flight locations. The feasibility study is expected to be complete in about a month.
