In the West: 20 towns of the future

Palo Alto, San Diego, Tucson, Pasadena, Denver, Boise, Fairbanks, and more: Here's why to live in these cities now

Conceptual images by URS/Foster + Partners, , story by Christine Ciarmello and Samantha Schoech

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Las Cruces, NM: Space tourism

More than 300 would-be astronauts have already signed up with Virgin Galactic to be among the first to plunk down $200,000 for a trip into space.

Spaceport America (think LAX for spaceships), funded by the state of New Mexico and now under construction in Las Cruces, is going to be the first purpose-built commercial spaceport in the world, and Virgin Galactic expects to be the first company to provide sub-orbital flights to the general public.

Liftoff is expected in the next five years.