A proposed spaceport project near Lake Superior has residents both excited and worried. The plan for this vertical launch spot has been formulated by the Michigan Aerospace Manufacturers Association and should be fully operational by 2026.
The locals recognise the project’s economic benefits but have raised several environmental concerns especially as the rockets will fly over Lake Superior.
So what?
With the increased interest in commercial space, such a project should not come as a surprise. In 2021 we witnessed several commercial space launches with the promise of more mainstream air travel within the decade. The spaceport holds the economic promise of increased jobs and capital to the region with tourists flocking to witness launches.
What remains to explore is the impact on the local environment with Lake Superior being vast enough to have its own weather systems? If more regions would adopt similar plans, how would urban resiliency be created and navigated as we face rising climate impacts on earth while also looking regularly at new frontiers?
What would this mean for us as explorers?
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