The first human space flight occurred on April 12, 1961, when Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin made a single orbit around Earth. Since that day, nations have spent hundreds of billions of dollars reaching out to the stars.

Local space aficionados hope it doesn't take another four and a half decades to bring the dream - and the reality - of space exploration to the Central Coast.

Officials of the California Space Authority announced last week significant progress toward creation of the California Space Center near Vandenberg Air Force Base in the Lompoc Valley.

If all goes according to plan, Space Authority officials hope to have an approved lease by the end of this year on 66 acres just outside VAFB's main gate.

Once the lease is secured, the group starts hustling for financing in earnest. It is expected that, with full build-out of the project, the final cost will be in the neighborhood of $175 million.

A pricey neighborhood, to be sure, but one that would provide a place for education, entertainment and offices, with the emphasis on mankind's exploration of the heavens.

They couldn't have picked a better spot. The 66 acres was once a mobilehome park for base personnel. It sits on a knoll, and is a prime viewing area for launches from VAFB.

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And the effort could be perfect for the region. Recent studies indicate the completed facility will pump nearly $2.5 billion into the local economy, directly or through the economic multiplier effect, in the next few years.

The center would provide a grand adjunct to VAFB, whose economic impact on the area is estimated to be about $1.7 billion a year.

Still, the initial cost of getting the Space Center into orbit is daunting. Backers have managed to scrape together most, but not all, of the $250,000 needed for completion of a master plan and environment assessment. What these folks really need is an angel or two to help get this project off the ground.

We hope they succeed. The space industry has been an integral part of this region's growth and prosperity over the years. A Space Center could be a crowning achievement.

May 15, 2008