SANTA FE - Governor Bill Richardson today announced that Rocket Racing, Inc. and Armadillo Aerospace are partnering up to offer commercial space flights from Spaceport America.

“I am proud that Rocket Racing, Inc. and Armadillo Aerospace recognized that New Mexico is the home of the commercial space industry, and that they’ve decided to set up shop here,” said Governor Bill Richardson. “This partnership adds fuel to the economic explosion that Spaceport America will bring to New Mexico.”

The partnership’s goal is to send passengers into suborbital space with a target price of $100,000 per ticket or less. The companies’ plans include using a fleet of reusable Vertical Take-Off and Landing vehicles. The cabins will be equipped so that passengers can float weightless with a 360-degree view of space.

“The price of space is coming down to earth,” said Granger Whitelaw, Chief Executive Officer of Rocket Racing, Inc. “And thanks to Armadillo’s ships and New Mexico’s spaceport, human beings will be treated to the most stellar views in the galaxy.”

Under the terms of the partnership, Armadillo Aerospace will develop the reusable launch vehicles and provide ground support and equipment. Rocket Racing Technology Development, a wholly owned subsidiary of Rocket Racing Inc., will provide financing for, and business and operational management of, the partnership.

The New Mexico Spaceport Authority is setting a timeline for construction of its space-launch facility for early next year.

The companies plan to fly evolutions of existing vehicles to space and fabricate an initial manned vehicle prototype in 2009 and perform initial manned flights to space in 2010.