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posted by janrinok on Saturday January 21 2023, @02:41PM   Printer-friendly

Chinese Companies to Build Commercial Spaceport on the Horn of Africa

The Hong Kong Aerospace Technology Group (HKATG) and a Shanghai-based Touchroad International Holdings Group have entered into a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the government of Djibouti to build a $1 billion commercial spaceport with seven launch pads and three rocket engine test facilities.

Djibouti President Ismail Omar Guelleh met with company officials on Monday to discuss the planned Djiboutian Spaceport, which will be constructed in the northern Obock region near the entrance to the Red Sea. It would be the first orbital spaceport in Africa.

[...] HKATG and the Djiboutian government will manage the spaceport for a period of 30 years. The government will then take control over the facility.

Construction of the spaceport is expected to begin after the parties sign a formal agreement in March. The project is expected to take five years.

The Djiboutian government said the project will require the development of a port facility, a network of highways, and a power grid.

See also: Rocket Report: SpaceX reaches 'ludicrous' cadence; ABL explains RS1 failure

Previously:
    A Small Secret Airstrip in Africa is the Future of America's Way of War
    China Sends Troops to Djibouti Ahead of Establishment of its First Overseas Military Base
    U.S. Complains That Chinese Military Personnel Are Injuring American Pilots With Lasers in Africa


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  • (Score: 2, Informative) by Runaway1956 on Saturday January 21 2023, @05:51PM (1 child)

    by Runaway1956 (2926) Subscriber Badge on Saturday January 21 2023, @05:51PM (#1287922) Journal

    Try Google Maps. Djibouti is a small speck on the east coast of Africa. It's probably bigger than the state of Delaware, but not by much. It's a convenient port from which to fight piracy in the gulf. https://maps-africa.blogspot.com/2012/05/east-africa-map-pictures.html [blogspot.com] It's also a good port for the US Navy to take on fuel, and spend an afternoon on the beach, drinking a few beers. It's not a good liberty port though - there's nothing there but a refugee camp. https://www.unhcr.org/djibouti.html [unhcr.org] Depressing place, really.

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  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday January 21 2023, @06:36PM

    by Anonymous Coward on Saturday January 21 2023, @06:36PM (#1287933)

    That refugee camp will become a company town of immigrants. I doubt the locals know much about running a space port.