Courtesy of Spaceport America
Las Cruces, NM – New Mexico Spaceport Authority (NMSA) officials announced today that a site for the Sierra County Spaceport Welcome Center in Truth or Consequences, NM (T or C) has been chosen by the NMSA Welcome Center Site Source Selection Committee and approved by the NMSA Board. Meanwhile, the committee opted against selecting the only proposed location for the Welcome Center in Hatch, NM for not adequately meeting the criteria of the Welcome Center Site Selection Request for Proposals (RFP).
The NMSA Welcome Center Source Selection Committee recommended that the NMSA Board select a 6.254 acre parcel about half a mile off Interstate 25 Exit 75, offered by the City of T or C. The site was selected based on its close proximity to and visibility from Interstate 25, low cost and strong value to the State of New Mexico. The location was selected from six sites that were submitted to the Source Selection Committee through a RFP issued by the NMSA on May 17, 2012. Two of the proposals received were not evaluated due to their locations outside the perimeters of the city – a requirement of both the RFP and an MOU between NMSA and Sierra County. The purchase price of the land from the City of T or C was $151,195.
“This site, located just off of I-25 on the way into the T or C downtown area, is a win – win for the whole community,” said T or C Mayor John Mulcahy.
The NMSA Welcome Center Source Selection Committee only received and reviewed one proposal for a six-acre site in Hatch and recommended no contract award at this time due to the low score the site received. Shortcomings include a lack of access roads, utilities and other infrastructure to the site, the low visibility from I-25 going north, and the site’s location in a flood plain. The NMSA board approved the recommendation to make no awards for a Hatch site at this time.
“The NMSA will continue to work with the Village of Hatch to identify a suitable Spaceport America Welcome Center site,” said NMSA Executive Director Christine Anderson.
About Spaceport America:
Spaceport America is the first purpose-built commercial spaceport in the world. The launch complex has been providing commercial vertical launch services since 2006, and is situated on 18,000 acres adjacent to the U.S. Army White Sands Missile Range in southern New Mexico. Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic is the spaceport’s anchor tenant and customer. Phase One of development, which includes the Virgin Galactic Gateway to Space Terminal Hangar Facility, the Spaceport Operations Center, the 10,000-foot spaceway and supporting infrastructure, is expected to be complete in 2012.
Phase Two activities have already begun and include improvements to the vertical launch complex, airfield safety zone extensions, additional road access to the spaceport, and the development of a world-class Visitor Experience that includes two Welcome Centers and a Visitor Center designed to delight and inspire spaceport guests.
Spaceport America has hosted 15 vertical launches thus far from customers including Armadillo Aerospace, UP Aerospace, MOOG FTS and Lockheed Martin.
With over 1,000 jobs created for New Mexicans to date, the economic impact of launches, tourism and new construction at Spaceport America is already delivering on the promise of economic development to the people of New Mexico.
For more information, please visit: www.spaceportamerica.com
Images and HD video of Spaceport America can be found by going to: http://spaceportamerica.com/press-center/
Find Spaceport America on Facebook or follow us on Twitter: @Spaceport_NM
Media contact: David Wilson @ 575-640-8228 or by email at: dwilson@zianet.com