New Mexico's Spaceport America is ready, but the facility that was built to stand out as a world leader in space travel has yet to launch a commercial space flight.

Action 7 News recently went down to the remote complex outside of Truth or Consequences, N.M. to find out if the taxpayers' $200 million investment is at risk.

The spaceport was built as part of an agreement with Virgin Galactic to turn ordinary people into astronauts.

Projected launch dates have come and gone at the facility. Spaceport America Director Christine Anderson said the wait may soon be over.

"Virgin Galactic will hopefully be flying by the end of this year," Anderson said. "It's a matter of when, not if."

Back in 2011, Virgin Galactic's owner Sir Richard Branson christened the hanger and introduced the world to a spaceship with huge hopes of being the first company offer rides to space.

But delays in safety testing are creating doubts. In the worst case scenario, Virgin Galactic would have to pay between $2 million and $3 million if it scraps its plans to launch from New Mexico's spaceport. That's a drop in the bucket compared to the nearly quarter of a billion dollars the state invested in Spaceport America.

"And then we have a beautiful building, still, that somebody else may like to rent," Anderson said.

Virgin Galactic has put up a construction fence at the spaceport. Officials said the company is doing a fit-out of the building.

VIDEO: Officials optimistic about Spaceport despite delays

See the article here:

Officials optimistic about Spaceport despite delays