Release courtesy of Spaceport America

LAS CRUCES, NM – The New Mexico Spaceport Authority (NMSA) has announced three contract awards to companies located in the State of New Mexico. The contracts include Information Technology (IT) Services, Space Operations Services, and the Southern Road Environmental Analysis.

Fiore Industries of Albuquerque was selected as the IT Services contractor. Fiore will be tasked with the development of the necessary policies and procedures for operations and maintenance of the IT infrastructure and applications, plus the management of the computing facilities and associated network at Spaceport America. Fiore’s time and materials contract has an estimated value of $310,000 over two years.

The Space Operations Services contract was awarded to White Sands Research and Developers, LLC (WSRD) of Las Cruces. WSRD will provide policy and procedure development, support for airfield control, horizontal and vertical launch operations, flight safety and launch-site licensing preparation. WSRD’s time and materials contract has an estimated value of $698,000 over two years.

The Southern Road Environmental Analysis contract was awarded to Parametrix of Albuquerque. Parametrix will provide environmental compliance, services, and analyses, including the assistance of the preparation of an Environmental Assessment (EA) for the spaceport’s southern road, which is County Road 39 from I-25 Upham exit. Parametrix will operate under a time and materials contract at an estimated value of $192,000 for one year.

About Fiore Industries

Fiore of Albuquerque, NM has over 22 years of successful operations experience and achievement. The company’s Information Technology Division provides high-level Oracle consulting services and IT support services that include applications software development, and help desk services to government IT users. Fiore was named as one of NM Business Weekly’s “Top 25 Technology Companies” from 2002 to 2006. They were named the Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce’s Small Business of the Year for 2009. For more information, please visit www.fiore-ind.com.

About White Sands Research and Developers, LLC (WSRD)

WSRD is based in Las Cruces, NM and is experienced in a wide range of services. They have provided service to White Sands Missile Range, NASA Johnson Test Faculty, and New Mexico Space Grant Consortium. WSRD services include engineering modeling, simulation and related analysis; technical support, training and software development. Their expertise includes modeling, simulation & analysis of conceptual, historical or modern vehicles. This includes estimation of aerodynamic characteristics, estimation of mass properties, performance prediction, trajectory analysis, accident simulation and environments modeling. For more information, please visit www.wsrds.com.

About Parametrix

Parametrix of Albuquerque, NM possesses many multidisciplinary capabilities including: natural and cultural resources; transportation; environmental engineering and sciences; water, toxicology and sciences; community building; surveying and interdisciplinary services. In 2008, Parametrix added cultural resources to the core services offered through the company’s acquisition of Taschek Environmental Consulting in New Mexico. For more information, please visit www.parametrix.com.

About Spaceport America

Spaceport America is the first purpose-built commercial spaceport in the world. It is situated on 18,000 acres adjacent to the US Army White Sands Missile Range. Virgin Galactic, Sir Richard Branson’s company, is the spaceports anchor tenant. Spaceport America has been providing commercial launch services since 2006. Phase One of the construction for the spaceport is expected to be complete in 2012. Phase Two of the construction and pre-operations activities has begun and includes improvements to the vertical launch complex, the paving of the southern road to the spaceport, and the development of a world-class Visitor Experience for students, tourists and space launch customers.

To date, there have been 14 vertical launches at the Spaceport. Customers include Armadillo Aerospace, UP Aerospace, MOOG FTS and Lockheed Martin. The Spaceport also hosts a student launch annually in concert with the New Mexico Space Grant Consortium. Last year there were over 800 students and teachers participating. The Spaceport presents a tremendous opportunity to excite and inspire our students in science and math. The Spaceport Visitor Experience is strongly focused on this objective. The economic impact of launches, tourism and new construction at Spaceport America are already delivering on the promise of economic development to the people of New Mexico. Over 1,000 jobs for New Mexicans have been generated to date. For more information, please visit: www.spaceportamerica.com

For more information on public tours of the Spaceport, please visit: www.ftstours.com

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