Kistler to Build Spaceport in Australia

Kistler Aerospace Corp. signed an agreement with the Australian government establishing a commercial space launch site in Woomera, South Australia. The operations agreement would allow Kistler to begin construction of a spaceport and start launch tests later this year. The privately owned company, which has headquarters in Los Angeles and Kirkland, Wash., still needs to complete its lease agreement and other approvals, and did not release terms of the deal. Kistler is developing a reusable rocket--the Kistler K-1--that would carry communications satellites into low orbit. The rocket’s first commercial flight is set for early 1999 at the Australia site.