Idaho Commerce Director Tom Arnold said the Dec. 9 meeting is the state's chance to validate its selling points. Plus, we have the secretary of Energy's firm commitment to join us in the effort. That's a definite advantage. VentureStar is a reusable rocket anticipated to replace NASA's aging space shuttles. It will launch vertically and land horizontally as a shuttle does now.
Plans call for two space ports located in two separate states.
State officials have proposed the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory as a launch site. They say the project could eventually create 1,000 support jobs, another 1,000 assembly positions and up to 1,000 short-term construction jobs. Arnold expects VentureStar to issue a formal request for proposals in January, giving the state six months to respond. Finalists will be announced next spring and a site is to be selected by late 1999. Idaho's proposal has been reviewed and confirmed by the Johnson Space Center in Houston.