Aerospace Company Says It's Far from Finished in Oklahoma - NewsOn6.com - Tulsa, OK - News, Weather, Video and Sports - KOTV.com |
Rocketplane Global vacated its Oklahoma City Will Rogers Airport headquarters in February, but company officials said it is far from finished with its work in Oklahoma.
Rocketplane Co-founder Chuck Lauer said the economy forced the headquarters' closure but said he wanted to show Oklahoman's that their tax dollars have not gone to waste.By Rusty Surette, NEWS 9
OKLAHOMA CITY -- The company that promised to launch our state into the future of space travel said it's far from finished with its work in Oklahoma.
Rocketplane Global co-founder Chuck Lauer said the company may be grounded, but it's far from gone.
 | Rocketplane's Future |
"When you run out of money, you lay people off. That's what we've done. A lay-off does not mean we're dead, it means that we're on hold," said Lauer. "We're in suspended animation until we get more money."
Lauer blames the bad economy for what's happened with Rocketplane, but said the company has plans to return to Oklahoma, despite what others think.
"I don't think they ever intended to launch a space craft from Oklahoma," said State Rep. David Dank.
Just two week ago, the news was announced in Hawaii that state lawmakers there were in talks with Rocketplane over a proposed space tourism project.
That's not what Oklahoma lawmakers wanted to hear, especially since the state has granted the company $18 million in tax credits, but Lauer said the plan has always been to have Rocketplane based in multiple locations.
"We never abandoned the plan to fly in Oklahoma. We will build vehicles in Oklahoma. We'll have jobs in Oklahoma. We will fly from the Oklahoma spaceport", said Lauer.
Lauer also said the company is working out a deal with a new investment group and hopes to be back in Oklahoma within three years.
"It's been unfortunate as hell. I don't like it anymore than anybody else does, but it's what you do. You try to recover", said Lauer.
The company is currently based in Wisconsin, where Rocketplane's Chief Executive Officer and President George French resides.
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