Construction work on the world's first purpose-built spaceport in New Mexico, US, which will be the base for Virgin Galactic commercial space flights, is expected to be completed in early 2011.

A groundbreaking event was held to mark the start of work on Spaceport America in June 2009, which will boast a 10,000ft x 200ft (3,048m x 61m) concrete runway and a 110,152sq ft (10,233sq m) terminal hangar facility.

Virgin Galactic - launched by Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Group in 2004 - will be the anchor tenant of the spaceport, which is located 45 miles (72km) northeast of Las Cruces and is designed for new space tourism operations.

The new runway, which will also be able to handle returning launch vehicles and other space launch and training vehicles, is being constructed by David Montoya Construction and is expected to be completed by late summer 2010.

Meanwhile, the terminal hanger facility - designed by a team incorporating URS corporation and UK-based architects Foster + Partners - is scheduled to open in early 2011.

New Mexico Spaceport Authority (NMSA) has been working in partnership with a range of firms to develop commercial space tourism at the new facility, including Lockheed Martin, Moog-FTS, UP Aerospace and Microgravity Enterprises.

Speaking at the groundbreaking event in June, NMSA executive director Steve Landeene said: "The groundbreaking for Spaceport America is the beginning of a historic new chapter in New Mexico's long legacy of space and cutting-edge technology.

"From the pioneering rocketry work of Robert J. Goddard in New Mexico in 1930, the beginnings of America's space program in the 1940's and 50's to the ongoing NASA programs at White Sands Missile Range and now to Spaceport America, the Gateway to the Future."

Image: Spaceport America conceptual images URS/Foster + Partners