Archive for April, 2010

Release courtesy of New Mexico Space Grant Consortium

The New Mexico Space Grant Consortium (NMSGC) is planning to webcast the Second Annual Education Launch live from Spaceport America on Tuesday, May 4. The UP Aerospace SL-4 rocket is scheduled to launch at 6 a.m. MDT, and will be seen live on the Internet at the NMSGC website (www.launchnm.com/the_launch.php) via Ustream, a leading live interactive broadcast platform.

NMSGC is hosting the Second Annual Education Launch from Spaceport America. This program provides New Mexico students the opportunity to design and launch scientific experiments into space. Dr. Pat Hynes, Director of the NMSGC, said, “By making the launch available via webcast, we hope to share our experiences and inspire the imaginations of young scientists all over the world. We want to build awareness of the applied learning and workforce development that is going on right now in New Mexico.”

The New Mexico Space Grant Consortium is a member of the congressionally funded National Space Grant College and Fellowship Program that is administered by NASA and sponsored by New Mexico State University. The program promotes and inspires lifelong learning in areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics as it pertains to space-related activities. The consortium supports a wide range of projects and scholarship opportunities, including the Student Launch Program. New Mexico students build multi-sensor electronic experiments that use the environment of sub-orbital space to further their hands-on scientific and engineering experience.

For additional information, visit www.spacegrant.nmsu.edu or contact Aaron Perez, Program Coordinator at aaperez@nmsu.edu or call 575-646-6414

Article courtesy of NMSU News Center

Photo by Fred Shepherd

April 27, 2010
WRITER: Justin Bannister, (575) 646-5981, jbannist@nmsu.edu
CONTACT: Vicki Galindo, (575) 646-5265, vigalind@nmsu.edu

A mile-long extension of Payne Street through New Mexico State University’s Arrowhead Business and Research Park is now open. The new road, and its accompanying underground utilities, will allow for the park’s continued growth and better connect it with the rest of campus.

“Without this road, we couldn’t continue developing the park,” said Garrey Carruthers, dean of the NMSU College of Business and vice president for economic development. “This road lays the infrastructure necessary to help us attract the kinds of companies that hire our students, offer internships and create jobs in the region.”

The 257-acre business and research park is located on the south end of NMSU’s Las Cruces campus between Interstates 10 and 25. The new road extension stretches south, through the park, from the intersection of Payne and Wells streets to Sam Steel Way.

“Academically, this research park is a place where our students will eventually be engaged in hands-on applications, working with companies in search of solutions that they have identified in the classroom,” said Kevin Boberg, CEO of the Arrowhead Center. “Economically, it’s estimated that once fully developed, the entire research park could contain more than two million square feet of office and lab space where 5,000 to 6,000 people would work. This road enables us to realize those benefits.”

The road project represents nearly $2 million in investments, including a $900,000 grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration. Other money for the project came from the state of New Mexico, local road funds, the New Mexico Department of Transportation and NMSU.

Photo by Fred Shepherd

The first 11 acres of the park under development are adjacent to the new road. The most recently completed building, Spaceplex 2, is home to General Dynamics and opened last summer. The park’s next building will be more than 8,000 square feet and broken into smaller, 1,700-square-foot pads for businesses intending to establish themselves before jumping into larger spaces. That building is currently under construction with an occupancy date set for later this summer.

Other plans for the research park include working with the Las Cruces Public School District to construct an early college high school where high school students could take college-level courses for credit.

Broadcast Advisory: Video and sound bites are available under the slug Arrowhead Drive at the following ftp site: ftp://aggievision:goaggies@aggievision.nmsu.edu. Use the following information if you are using a download client: Host: aggievision.nmsu.edu Username: aggievision Password: goaggies. To download these files you must have Quicktime Pro software. For questions on problems with downloading, please contact Minerva Baumann (575) 646-7566.

Article courtesy of the Las Cruces Sun-News

Rick Homans

Governor Bill Richardson announced Friday that Taxation and Revenue Secretary Rick Homans will serve as chairman of the Spaceport Authority until a replacement executive director is hired. Homans previously served as Spaceport Authority chairman from 2005-07, before leaving the post for a job in the private sector.

Steve Landeene, who’s been executive director of the spaceport since January 2008, announced his resignation April 16. The seven-member New Mexico Spaceport Authority board on Wednesday voted to give the executive power to the body’s chairman, state Economic Development Department Secretary Fred Mondragon, until a replacement director is named.

A news release from the governor’s office indicated that Homans will serve as Mondragon’s designee.

Homans “played a key role in recruiting Virgin Galactic as the anchor tenant at the Spaceport,” the news release said. “We are reaching a critical point in our efforts to recruit new jobs to New Mexico, and I will be working closely with Secretary Mondragon to pursue some high-profile companies to the state,” Richardson said. “At the same time, we need all the expertise we can get as we complete construction of Spaceport America, and I am tapping Secretary Homans to lead that effort.”

Homans will retain his job as cabinet secretary for the state Department of Taxation and Revenue.

Homans said Friday he was “thrilled to be back working on the project” and will be in southern New Mexico two to three days each week. He said the new job won’t come with a pay increase.

“It means I add a few more hours to each day, which I’m prepared to do and happy to do,” he said. “I have a good team in place at Taxation and Revenue. They’ll support me in this.” Homans said the Spaceport Authority will move “as quickly as possible” to hire an executive director.

Landeene, who’s now an advisor only, will work through May 14.

Article courtesy of Las Cruces Sun-News

By Steve Ramirez

Next to the site where America’s space and missile program began more than 60 years ago, NASA technicians were busy Friday preparing for the next generation of space flight.

Covered in a yellow thermal blanket to protect it from the wind and spotty rain and to keep its 4,000 pounds of fuel at a cool temperature — the 55.58-foot tall Orion space exploration vehicle stood poised for its first test flight. Jay Estes, deputy manager of the Orion Flight Test Office, at NASA’s Johnson Space Center, in Houston, said that the historical first flight is now scheduled for 7 a.m. May 6. The flight will be at WSMR’s Launch Complex 32, a short distance west of where the first American V-2 rocket lifted off, from Launch Complex 33.

“We’re very glad to be a part of this program,” said WSMR spokeswoman Monte Marlin. “White Sands Missile Range has a long relationship with space. It’s a part of our past, and hopefully, part of our future.”

Estes was one of nine NASA officials who conducted a briefing Friday on the Orion Pad Abort-1 test flight. Wide public interest in the test is expected since Orion is being billed as NASA’s next generation of space vehicle. It will replace the space shuttle.

“There’s going to be at least a thousand people coming in to view this test launch,” said Brent Cobleigh, director of NASA’s Exploration Mission Directorate, at Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards Air Force Base in California. “This will definitely make an economic impact, particularly in Las Cruces, where a lot of these people will stay.”

Estes said the test flight’s importance is significant because it is the first for the new space vehicle. Whether the flight is successful or not, NASA engineers and technicians will be keenly interested in the data gathered from the 99 second test.

“Sometimes in failure you learn even more than you would if it were a success,” Estes said. “These tests are critical for determining the human rating of the (crew capsule).  There’s more risks and unknowns because this will be the first test flight. It’s risky but it’s the time to go test it. “We have an excellent chance of getting all the data back.”

David McAllister, flight operations engineer, added, “If it’s going to be a failure we want it on this type of test. This data is going to be extremely useful no matter what happens.”

But the greatest concern among NASA officials is inclement weather. It is a primary reason why the 7 a.m. launch on May 6 is listed as tentative. Had the launch been on Friday, it would have probably been scrubbed because of windy conditions.

“Wind is our biggest enemy,” Estes said. “Low clouds, much like we have today (Friday) would have made a launch difficult.”

As a contingency, Cobleigh said there will be a two-day window to conduct the first test launch. If there are poor weather conditions on May 6 the test flight would be rescheduled the following day. “There’s a 74 percent chance of launch on that first day,” Cobleigh said. “For the two days that improves to a 95 percent chance.”

Orion’s first flight is expected to be noisy and quick. Estes said the sound levels from the spacecraft’s engines, are expected to reach between 160 to 170 decibels as it lifts off. To put the noise level in perspective, he said 180 decibels can cause the death of hearing tissues in people. “It will be an extreme environment,” Estes said.

McAllister said the thrust from Orion’s engines will propel it 5,000 feet above the Earth and approximately the same distance north of the launch site. “It’s going to go fast,” McAllister said. “At liftoff it will expend 4,000 pounds of propellant in three seconds. At peak thrust, Orion will be traveling 600 mph.”

He also promised a spectacular view if Orion’s first flight is a success. “It’ll be a good show,” McAllister said.

Article Courtesy of Las Cruces Sun-News

By Diana M. Alba

Spaceport America officials met Wednesday to formally accept the resignation of Spaceport Authority Director Steve Landeene.

After a closed-door meeting, they also appointed board Chairman Fred Mondragon, based in Santa Fe, to act as executive director until a replacement is named. Mondragon, also state economic development secretary, said he’ll spend two to three days a week in Las Cruces or Truth or Consequences while in the role.

The board granted another of its members, Ben Woods, who’s also a New Mexico State University official, authority to sign documents on Mondragon’s behalf, if Mondragon isn’t able to. Woods said the board will meet again within the next week or two to decide its next steps.

Landeene, 47, served as executive director since January 2008. The Economic Development Department announced his resignation in a news release Friday. Landeene has cited family reasons as the motivation for his decision.

Landeene earns $155,546 annually, said Michael Moxey, spokesman for the New Mexico Economic Development Department. He’ll be paid through May 14, though officials have said he’s only working in an advisory capacity until then.

Spaceport Authority board members Kent Evans and Woods were physically present at the meeting, while members Toots Green of Alamogordo, James Manatt of Roswell, Casey Luna of Belen and Gary White of Truth or Consequences attended by phone.

The spaceport authority oversees the state-owned Spaceport America, a $198 million future launch site for commercial space vehicles that’s under-construction in southeastern Sierra County.