Beal Aerospace Technologies and the government of Guyana have signed an agreement allowing the U.S. company to develop a private satellite-launch site in the equatorial country’s coastal wetlands. For the project to go forward, it must now win permits from Guyanese and U.S. authorities. It also must weather criticism within Guyana and opposition from Venezuela, which claims territory in the area. Beal, owned by Dallas, Texas banker Andrew Beal, began talks with Guyana last year as its efforts to secure assembly and launch sites in the Caribbean met with environmental opposition. (See “Beal nears deal for Guyana launch site”—EcoAméricas, March ’00.) Though the Frisco, Texas company plans to launch its first rockets from Florida’s Cape Canaveral, it hopes eventually to operate its own... [Log in to read more]