Firm gets environmental OK

Thursday, May 16, 2002 | 10:58 a.m.

A company developing a commercial launch, re-entry and recovery operation at the Nevada Test Site has received environmental clearance to proceed.

The Federal Aviation Administration's Associate Administrator for Commercial Space Transportation has issued a "finding of no significant impact" and will not be required to prepare an environmental impact statement for Kistler Aerospace Corp.

Kistler, which has corporate offices in Kirkland, Wash., and executive offices in Los Angeles, plans to develop two launch sites, one in Nevada and one in Australia, for commercial space ventures using a two-stage reusable space vehicle.

Jack Gregory, vice president of operations for Kistler, said the environmental clearance "closes out a process" and the company still must complete financing to build a vehicle before launches can begin.

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