Business tycoon Jeff Bezos is all set to take a space flight on Tuesday at 5 pm (EST). He will be accompanied by brother Mark, an 82-year-old pilot Wally Funk and an 18-year-old teen, who secured a seat after the man who paid $28 million for the space travel opportunity dropped off.
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While Blue Origin‘s space flight is getting tremendous media attention, the venue of the launch- a small town by the name of Van Horn in Texas is getting its fair share of global attention, thanks to Blue Origin’s space flight.
The launch site is in a secluded desert area near Van Horn, a tiny town of about 2000 people located about 120 miles southeast of El Paso.
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The launch has generated an unusual excitement in Americans and people across the globe about this small town. With all the media mileage and attention, it wouldn’t be unfair to say that Van Horn will now have to get itself ready for a tourism boost, both in terms of business and leisure.
How is Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin responsible for this boost?
Blue Origin’s launch site, which began testing rockets in 2012, has resulted in some Blue Origin workers moving into Van Horn for the purpose. Now, this shift resulted in employees buying homes, and bringing more business to contractors, restaurants, and hotels, which fill up with Blue Origin personnel prior to periodic rocket launches.
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This not only provided the secluded town with some employment opportunities but the regular activities also brought attention to Van Horn.
Van Horn is about 20 miles from where the Blue Origin rocket will take off from the launch site and about as close as the public is allowed to watch. Oscar Carrillo is the Culberson County sheriff.
There is oil and gas, the traditional foundations of the Texas economy, from the North of this town, which makes it an ideal place for economic settlements.
