JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Cape Canaveral may not be the only place launching space ships in Florida if plans for space flights out of Cecil Field are approved. The Jacksonville Aviation Authority held a public hearing on Thursday about opening a spaceport at Cecil field.

Residents who attended the meeting were given the chance to learn what having a spaceport might mean.

Officials said the takeoffs from a spaceport would horizontal not vertical launches like a shuttle. The planes would reach 10s of thousands of feet in the air before rockets would take over, launching the plane into space. The plane would then glide back down to Earth, landing at Cecil Field.

"This would be for civilian use. Originally, it'll be for leisure use. It would be a business, not conducted by JAA but by an operator," said Todd Lindener, of JAA.

JAA said Thursday's meeting was another step in the process of bringing commercial space flights to Cecil Field. Officials were able to get input from the public, much of which was opposed plans to bring the Navy back to Cecil Field a few years ago.

However, residents who live nearby showed up at the meeting with a different perspective on Cecil Field becoming a spaceport.

"From what I understand, you're looking at limited operations," one resident said.

One of the concerns when the Navy considered coming back to Cecil Field was about the number of flights coming in and out of the field on daily basis. With the spaceport there would be roughly 52 flights a year -- one a week.

One group represented at the meeting was a company that is looking to make the space flights affordable. There are currently a few companies operating in the world that offer flights that cost in the range of a $100,000. Tony Webb, of ESpaceTickets.com, said his company is working to make if affordable to everyone.

"To bring forth a solution for how an every-day person would have an opportunity to participate in space tourism without being a multimillionaire or an astronaut," Webb said.

If the application process and the public comment process go through without any major problems, space planes could arrive at Cecil Field as early as 2010.