Houston Spaceport to receive $1 million grant

Rendering of the proposed Spaceport at Ellington Field Airport. Rendering of the proposed Spaceport at Ellington Field Airport. Photo: Houston Airport System Photo: Houston Airport System Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Houston Spaceport to receive $1 million grant 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

The Houston Spaceport is receiving a $1 million grant to help build roadways and utilities needed to attract aerospace companies and, ultimately, pave the way for space flights from Ellington Airport.

The grant won't cover all infrastructure expenses, but officials said it signals support from the federal government. The U.S. Department of Commerce's Economic Development Administration announced the award to the city of Houston on Wednesday.

Read the full story at HoustonChronicle.com.

"The momentum behind Houston Spaceport continues to build," Mario Diaz, director of the Houston Airport System, said in a statement. "There is limitless potential for aerospace activity at Ellington Airport and that fact is now being recognized on a broad scale, both by our partners within the U.S. government and representatives from the private sector."

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The Houston Spaceport became the country's 10th commercial spaceport in June 2015. A few months later, NASA signed a Space Act Agreement to officially provide expertise and credibility.

Progress continued with last year's opening of the 53,000-square-foot Houston Aerospace Support Center. This is designed to be a co-working facility with incubation space for early-stage companies, more permanent offices for developing companies and larger facilities for those wishing to manufacture or assemble products.