UAE to sign agreement with Virgin Galactic for spaceport in Al Ain Airport

The UAE Space Agency is signing an agreement with Virgin Galactic on Wednesday, potentially about the long-discussed launch of a spaceport at the Al Ain Airport.
Virgin Galactic aims to send space tourists into suborbital flights and has already completed two successful test flights.
Dr Mohamed Albhabi, the director-general of the UAE Space Agency, has told Khaleej Times previously that Al Ain Airport is the "most suitable" for commercial space flights as it's less busy than other airports in the country. He had said that the UAE can offer the horizontal runway that is required by Virgin Galactic flights.
He spoke to KT again on the first day of the Global Space Congress, being held in Abu Dhabi, where he revealed that Virgin Galactic and the UAE Space Agency is signing an agreement on the space tourism flights, however, didn't reveal additional details. He added that more information will be revealed at the Global Space Congress on March 20, including confirmation on which airport will be used. 
Virgin Galactic is owned by Richard Branson and Abu Dhabi-based Mudabala Investments. 
Virgin Galactic and the UAE Space Agency have been in talks for several years about using the UAE as a launch hub for space tourism flights. 
The price for a seat on a Virgin Galactic suborbital flight costs $250,000. More than 600 tickets have already been sold and seats are full until 2021.
- Sarwat@khaleejtimes.com