Although a private company runs it, Wallops Island Flight Facility on Virginia's Eastern Shore will get a fresh start in the New Year and a financial boost from the federal government after a failed launch months ago caused significant damage. October's explosion of a rocket caused an estimated $20-million in damage--and the repairs will be paid for by Congress.
Included in the omnibus bill passed by Congress last month, is the funding that officials say should help repair the damage to the flight facility, where a rocket exploded shortly after launch while carrying supplies to the International Space Station. Governor McAuliffe says he turned to Virginia's Congressional delegation for help.
“I called and requested $20-million to assist us in this very unfortunate incident that occurred down in Wallops Island. This is why Virginia is in the great place it’s in – all of us working together in a bipartisan way to move Virginia forward.”
The state had invested about 100-million dollars to help build the flight facility, which is said to be a big economic boost to that region. It's estimated that Wallops will be up and running at the end of 2015 or the beginning of 2016.
