A port is a point of departure or arrival. This book covers the topic of Spaceports. Like an airport or a train station, these are hubs that people and cargo come to for a transportation system. Some launch sites allow for vertical launch, and some allow for horizontal take off and landing. These are indistinguishable from airports, although the runways are usually longer. Spaceports are the gateway to orbit for people and supplies. They are key to continued exploration of the solar system, and enhanced human exploration beyond the Earth. As we shall see, spaceports can be placed... in space. The Deep Space Gateway and the Lunar Orbital Platform - Gateway are examples of these. The Russians prefer the term Cosmodrome for the place from which rockets depart.
