Meanwhile New Mexico Legislators Are Quibbling: The New Mexico State Senate declined to support Gov. Bill Richardson’s proposal to invest $225 million for spaceport development. According to the Silver City Sun-News, some lawmakers have concerns about specifics, such as location—wanting to consider Cannon Air Force Base and the old Roswell Field as well as the site next to White Sands Missile Range—while others question the viability of the project since Virgin Galactic is asking the state to provide the startup capital.
The Air Force awarded matching $17.7 million contracts to Kratos Unmanned Aerial Systems and General Atomics Aeronautical Systems for the first part of a program to design an "Off Board Sensing Station," which would be an escort to extend the sensor reach of combat aircraft and carry extra munitions for…