Nation/World

Opponents speak out at spaceport meeting on Big Island of Hawaii

HILO — Opponents of a proposed spaceport on the Big Island attended an open house this week as part of the project’s environmental assessment process.

The Hawaii Tribune-Herald reported Friday that some protesters sang songs, played the ukulele and circulated with a microphone seeking to put project representatives on the spot.

Concerns included noise and air pollution, along with safety.

The Alaska Aerospace Corp. project would sit on 12.5 acres and launch small satellites into low orbit. Rockets would be between 40 feet and 60 feet tall.

The project requires Federal Aviation Administration approval.

The state of Alaska formed the Alaska Aerospace Corp. in 1991 as a public corporation to promote the state’s aerospace industry. It operates one launch site on Kodiak Island in Alaska.

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