Archive for September, 2009

“Space Week in Southern New Mexico” is held each year in conjunction with the International Symposium for Personal and Commercial Spaceflight, organized by the New Mexico Space Grant Consortium.

This year’s events begin with the PSL Leonard R. Sugerman Public Forum, on Tuesday, October 20^th beginning at 9:00 a.m. The theme for this year’s event is “Building a Spaceport Community” and will focus on the roles that various private and public sector organizations will have in building a spaceport community. The event will be held at the New Mexico Farm and Ranch Heritage Museum and is free and open to the public.

As a prelude to this year’s symposium, a workshop and tour of the NASA White Sands Test Facility is scheduled for Tuesday, October 20th.  It will include a panel of experts who will speak to assets in the local community that are capable of supporting the commercial space industry.

The ISPC S symposium begins at 7:30 a.m. on Wednesday, October 21^st and continues through Thursday, October 22^nd.  Topics to be covered include:

• Flight Safety: Lessons Learned and Opportunities for Innovation
• Space Operations: Lessons Learned and Opportunities for Innovation
• Personal Spaceflight – What to Expect
• Survey Results on Commercial Human Spaceflight
• Augustine Committee Review of Manned Space Flight at NASA
• University Aerospace Research Programs as Enablers of Growth of Commercial Space
• The Suborbital Future Beyond Tourism: The Research and Education Market
• Small Satellites for Orbital and Sub-Orbital Applications
• Launch Vehicle Options for Future Operators in the Sub-Orbital Environment
• Unique Capabilities in New Mexico for RLV and Payload Processing
• Spaceports Investments to Enable Commercial Spaceflight

All ISPCS sessions are plenary, allowing everyone to receive the same information simultaneously. Responding to feedback, ISPCS has created multiple means of engaging the audience in discussions with speakers during the sessions. Additional networking opportunities are scheduled throughout the two days.

To conclude the week’s activities, there will be a tour of Spaceport America led by Steve Landeene and Dr. Jerry Brown on Friday, October 23^rd.  The tour will include the construction site (World HQ for Virgin Galactic); the runway and terminal hanger; the existing site- mission control; and launch pad.

Registration is required for the tours and the symposium. Early bird registration closes October 1^st and on-line registration closes October 16^th.

The New Mexico Economic Development Department’s Office of International Trade and the U.S. Commercial Service are hosting one-day workshop on Thursday September 24, on “Export Methods of Payment and Export Shipping/Documentation Requirements”.  Businesses who are interested in understanding export financing and shipping and documentation requirements are encouraged to attend.

Finance representatives from the U.S. Small Business Administration and the Export Import Bank of the United States will be making presentations on methods of export financing, export payment methods, and their agencies’ export finance and insurance programs. There will also be a representative from UPS and a local customs broker from Brown, Alcantar & Brown will go over important international documentation and shipping requirements.

Seminar Date and Time: September 24, 2009 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

> Registration Fee of $35 includes networking coffee breaks, lunch and all conference sessions and materials. You must pre-register and pay online.

> Event Location: Nick L. Salazar Center for Performing Arts, Northern New Mexico College, 921 Paseo de Onate, Espanola, New Mexico

Article Courtesy of Spaceport America

The construction of a new runway is well underway at Spaceport America, the world’s first purpose-built commercial spaceport. New Mexico Spaceport Authority (NMSA) officials have released new aerial photos taken on September 13, 2009, of the 10,000-foot runway project, which is designed to accommodate horizontal launch space and air operations at the spaceport. The runway is expected to be complete by late summer 2010.

Photo Courtesy of Richard Woodsum

Measuring 10,000 feet long by 200 feet wide, the runway is designed for day-to-day space tourism and payload launch operations like those anticipated for Virgin Galactic, the anchor tenant for Spaceport America. The large concrete runway will also be able to accommodate returning launch vehicles, fly-back rocket boosters and other space launch and training vehicles.  David Montoya Construction, Inc., of Alameda, NM, is building the airfield at Spaceport America. After successfully completed an RFP process, this contractor was selected to provide construction services of the airfield by the NMSA Board of Directors.

David Montoya Construction, Inc. has provided construction services on many large-scale projects since being established in 1985. The company has provided similar concrete paving services for Albuquerque International Airport and Holloman Air Force Base in Alamogordo. David Montoya Construction, Inc. is recognized by the Hispanic Business Magazine as one of the top 500 Hispanic-owned businesses in the United States.

The Terminal Hangar Facility at Spaceport America is projected to be complete by early 2011.The NMSA has been working closely with leading aerospace firms such as Virgin Galactic, Lockheed Martin, Moog-FTS, UP Aerospace and Microgravity Enterprises to develop commercial spaceflight at the new facility.

The October meeting of the MVEDA Business on the Border Forum will be held on Tuesday, October 6, 2009 from 11:30 AM until 1:00 PM at the Day’s Inn Columbus Conference Center, 901 Avenida de Mesilla.  The meeting will begin with a hot entree buffet, followed by an update by MVEDA staff.

This month’s program will focus on “Space Week in Southern New Mexico”.  Wayne Savage, chairman of the Chamber’s Commercial Space Committee, will provide an overview of the Dona Ana County Spaceport Community Council’s outreach and the October 20^th Leonard R. Sugerman Public Forum.

Dr. Patricia C. Hynes, Director of the New Mexico Space Grant Consortium, will outline the events of the 5^th Annual International Symposium for Personal and Commercial Spaceflight. This annual conference brings together the current space community, academics, the innovators and entrepreneurs, and the civil and military government communities to discuss the current and future growth of global space commercialization.

Luncheon cost is $15.00 per person, payable by cash, check or major credit card. The meeting is open to the public and reservations are not required.

Dona Ana Community College (DACC) and the Southern Rio Grande Chamber of Commerce are hosting “Career Fair – Fall 2009″ on Tuesday, September 29, 2009. The event is scheduled from 2:30 – 6:30 p.m. in the Commons Area of the DACC Gadsden Center, 1700 E. O’Hara Road in Anthony, New Mexico. The Gadsden Center is located immediately to the east of the O’Hara Road overpass at Interstate 10 in Anthony.

The event offers employers the opportunity to meet students, graduates and other individuals in the community seeking employment.  Employers from all sectors can share information and job openings for part-time, full-time, summer, internships, or cooperative education.

A registration form is attached. If you have questions or need more detailed information, please contact Eldelisa Nava, Southern Rio Grande Chamber of Commerce at 915-731-2533 or eldelisappl@aol.com.