Spaceport America and ARCA Space Corporation Announce Partnership for Space Launch Vehicle and High Altitude Autonomous Aircraft Testing

SPACEPORT AMERICA, N.M., Sept 1, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Spaceport America – the world's first purpose-built, commercial spaceport announced today ARCA Space Corporation has selected Spaceport America as the site for its space launch vehicle and high altitude autonomous aircraft testing.

ARCA Space Corporation was founded in the United States in July 2014 in Las Cruces, New Mexico.  ARCA will engineer, manufacture, test and bring to market innovative and affordable aerospace products such as the AirStrato UAS and Haas rocket series from its new global headquarters.  ARCA was originally established in 1999 as a non-profit organization in Romania in the European Union and quickly became known for its innovative developments within private space flight.  In 2004, as part of the Ansari X Prize Competition, ARCA successfully launched its first rocket – Demonstrator 2B - followed by a number of additional space launch milestones.

Spaceport America's facilities and access to protected airspace offer unique opportunities for test flights and experimental operations that complement the capabilities of Las Cruces International Airport and New Mexico State University's Physical Sciences Laboratory UAS Flight Test Center, together enabling ARCA Space Corporation to leverage the full suite of aerospace capabilities offered by southern New Mexico.

"Only in New Mexico did we find the perfect combination of aerospace assets, airspace and affordability," emphasized Dumitru Popescu, Founder and CEO of ARCA Space Corporation. "Proximity to Spaceport America and the expansive access to airspace were crucial factors in our decision to locate our global headquarters to Las Cruces, New Mexico in the United States."

Beginning later this year, ARCA Space Corporation expects to be operating autonomous aircraft testing activities at Spaceport America with space launch activity beginning in 2016.

"We look forward to our partnership with ARCA Space Corporation as the first of many hybrid air and space operators," said Christine Anderson, CEO, Spaceport America. "ARCA Space Corporation is a perfect example of how New Mexico's space nexus can be leveraged to help aerospace companies commercialize their technology while creating economic growth for our state."

About Spaceport America
Spaceport America is the first purpose-built commercial spaceport in the world. The FAA licensed launch complex, situated on 18,000 acres adjacent to the U.S. Army White Sands Missile Range in southern New Mexico, boasts 6,000 square miles of protected airspace, low population density, a 12,000-foot spaceway and 340+ days of sunshine and low humidity. The two most respected companies in the commercial space industry are now tenants at Spaceport America; Virgin Galactic and SpaceX.  For more information: http://spaceportamerica.com/press-center/ and follow us on Twitter: @Spaceport_NM

About ARCA Space Corporation
ARCA SPACE believes that the future of mankind is inseparably linked to the exploration of space. From its global headquarters based in the USA, ARCA Space Corporation engineers, manufactures and launches some of the most cost effective space vehicles on the market today. By leveraging existing technology in an innovative and affordable way, ARCA is helping to make access to space possible for everyone.  For more information: http://www.arcaspace.com/ and follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/arcaspace                                                        

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SOURCE Spaceport America

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