Posts Tagged ‘commercial space industry’

You are invited to attend the Commercial Space Exhibit Hall Grand Opening and Growing Partnership Luncheon on October 18th at the Farm and Ranch Heritage Museum, 11am – 2pm. This event is part of the International Symposium for Personal and Commercial Spaceflight (ISPCS) where leaders from the commercial space industry meet, listen, talk, and collaborate.

Growing the community partnerships is an essential activity as we continue on the path of leading the commercial spaceflight industry here in Southern New Mexico. At the luncheon you will:

•             Attend Grand Opening of Commercial Space Exhibit Hall

•             Meet commercial space entrepreneurs

•             Enjoy lunch and keynote speaker Allan Lockheed

•             Tour Commercial Space Exhibit Hall

The Grand Opening of the Commercial Space Exhibit Hall will be hosted by the Las Cruces Chamber of Commerce Conquistadors. (This event is free, 11:00-11:30)

Allan Lockheed Jr., son of aviation pioneer Allan Lockheed, will describe how the commercial space transportation industry parallels the development of the airline industry. This event is sponsored by Steinborn & Associates Real Estate and the Las Cruces Bulletin. Registration is required for luncheon.

Visit NASA’s Exploration Experience display. This is a visual journey through the past, present and future of space exploration, using the latest in 3-D imagery.

To register for the luncheon, please visit www.ispcs.com.

ISPCS 2011 will be held Oct. 19-20 during Space Week in New Mexico.

ISPCS is organized by the New Mexico Space Grant Consortium, a member of the National Space Grant College and Fellowship Program, administered by NASA.

Article courtesy of the Las Cruces Bulletin

By Samantha Roberts

More than two dozen Mexican investors will visit Las Cruces as part of a Foreign Investment Trade Mission organized by the Hispano Chamber of Commerce de Las Cruces and New Mexico Economic Development Department Office of Mexican Affairs from 2 to 7 p.m. Friday, March 1 8, at the Las Cruces Convention Center, 680 E. University Ave.

This event marks the first trade mission in Las Cruces and the first bi-national event at the new convention center, said Peter Ibarbo, organizer of the trade mission and newly appointed chair of the Hispano chamber’s Economic Development Committee.

Ibarbo said he wanted to bring the event to Las Cruces as an effort to fulfill the chamber’s mission to promote culture. “I have been involved in numerous (trade missions) before in Albuquerque,” Ibarbo said. “There has never been anything like this in Las Cruces. There are a lot of great opportunities Las Cruces has to offer. I hope the event captures additional businesses and showcases the region’s assets.”

Trade sessions will be held from 2:30 to 5:30 p.m. and include the following:

•Table 1: Real estate development – This table consists of prospects interested in viewing investment opportunities in projects involving hotel development, townhome development, condominium complex development, apartment complex development, gasoline station-convenience store development and other similar commercial real estate opportunities.

•Table 2: Restaurant and café development – This table consists of prospects interested in viewing viable commercial properties to develop restaurants and cafes.

•Table 3: Import and distribution – This table consists of prospects interested in identifying joint-venture partners to expand their marketing channels and establish distribution centers. The products include wooden dowel, plugs and bungs manufacturing looking to partner with a U.S. company to establish a consolidated distribution center; infectious disease and environmental health hazard control kits; a buyer looking for a U.S. supplier for national distribution in Mexico; corrugated cardboard packaging manufacturing looking to develop a market to possibly establish a processing plant in Las Cruces for local and international distribution; and a supplier development center looking to make contacts with potential maquiladora suppliers in the realm of metal stamping, machining, plastic injection and packaging.

•Table 4: Tourism and special events – This table consists of prospects interested in partnering with travel agencies to promote weekend getaways to Copper Canyon, promote tourism in Chihuahua, Mexico as well as looking to coordinate special events in Las Cruces and identify vendors from Las Cruces that may want to showcase products at special events in Chihuahua, such as the Chihuahua Balloon Festival, ExpoAlimentab, ExpoMaquila, etc.

•Table 5: Commercial space supply chain – This table consists of commercial space supply chain coordinators interested in viewing potential suppliers for the commercial space industry. Areas of interest include construction of commercial space facilities, common area maintenance suppliers for commercial space facilities and tier 1/2 commercial space production inputs.

•Table 6: Sister City agreements – This table consists of four municipalities interested in establishing sister city agreement discussions with potential cities around the Las Cruces region. These cities include Guerrero, Cuauhtemoc, Meoqui and Chihuahua.

With a multi-faceted group of investors, Ibarbo said he is also inviting a wide range of businesses to the event. “We are inviting the business community in Las Cruces to come with established products that are looking to expand and make new contacts,” he said. “Companies who want to grow their market, such as real estate developers who would like to partner and bring hotels and condominiums. “We are also reaching out to local agencies that are active in economic development and want to provide a platform in foreign investment.”

Registration for tables includes: $500 for logo presence, an exhibitor’s table and an access pass for two persons to participate in the private lunch, business-to-business sessions and dinner; $250 for an exhibitor table and an access pass for two persons to participate in the business-to-business session dinner; and $100 for a banner sponsorship that will be positioned in a prominent place during the event. Admission tickets can also be purchased for $17.50 to $35 per person.

In addition to the tables, the event will also host a dinner at 6 p.m. and offer different levels of entry fees to cater to everyone’s needs. Tickets can be purchased for the business-to-business marketing session, dinner or both.

The dinner will include keynote speakers from the Commercial Space Committee, who will talk about the commercial-supply chain for Spaceport America; Sacred Power, which will discuss alternative-energy developments; and Jose Louis Mauricio, who comes from the El Paso-Juárez area and founded La Red, a company that has helped to establish more than 100 businesses in El Paso.

“The Hispano chamber is partnering with the New Mexico Economic Development Department, the Mesilla Valley Economic Development Alliance and the Greater Las Cruces Chamber of Commerce,” Ibarbo said. “If you are a member of any of these groups, then you can get more information from them, or anyone can contact the Hispano chamber.”

For more information or to register, contact the Hispano chamber at (575) 532-9255.

Release courtesy of the New Mexico Space Grant Consortium

LAS CRUCES, NM – The International Symposium for Personal and Commercial Spaceflight (ISPCS) is a ‘go’ at the New Mexico Farm and Ranch Heritage Museum from October 20 through 21 in Las Cruces, New Mexico. The symposium will feature industry experts and renowned speakers discussing the current state and future developments in the growing commercial space industry.

New Mexico Space Grant Consortium (NMSGC) Director Dr. Pat Hynes said, “We are excited about this year’s symposium since we are at a critical time in the growth of the commercial space industry. The purpose of ISPCS is to bring key industry stakeholders together in New Mexico. Throughout the world, New Mexico is becoming a well-respected leader for this growing industry.”

The ISPCS event is not only important for the commercial space industry, but also for the city of Las Cruces, New Mexico. Along with establishing the city as a hub for commercial space activity, the event will have tremendous economic impact and bring a greater level of international awareness to the community.

ISPCS has an extensive list of speakers scheduled for this year:

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 20

8:45 a.m.          Keynote Address – Neil Sheehan, Pulitzer Prize winner and Author of A Fiery

Peace in a Cold War

10:00 a.m.       Past is Prologue: The Future of the Space Industry From the Perspective of

Those Who Helped Get It Started

Jeff Greason, Guruswami Ravichandran, Neil Sheehan, Bill Campbell, Rick Sturdevant, Fredrick Bachtel

11:00 a.m.         Closing the Credibility Gap: The Role of Suborbital Testing as a Pathfinder to

Orbital Markets or as an End Market in Itself

Debra Facktor Lepore, Jeff Greason, Julia Tizard, Neil Milburn

1:30 p.m.          Establishing the Commercial Space Market: Matching Business Strategy

with Funding Sources

Lee Rand, Grant Anderson, Mark Sirangelo, Tim Pickens, Robert Bigelow

2:30 p.m.          FAA Center of Excellence for Commercial Space Transportation

Ken Davidian, Samuel Durrance, Farrukh Alvi , Pat Hynes, Van Romero, Jim Vanderploeg

3:30 p.m.          The Practical Impact of ITAR Reform on Commercial Space

Bob Dickman, Craig Weston, Sven Grahn, Franceska Schroeder

4:30 p.m.          The Path Forward from DC-X/XA

Bill Gaubatz, Jess Sponable, Tom Ingersoll, David Masten, Yoshifumi Inatani, Neil Milburn, James Ball, Fredrick Bachtel

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 21

8:30 a.m.          Keynote Address – Lori Garver, Deputy Administrator, NASA

10:00 a.m.       The Microgravity Market

Dennis Stone, Cheryl Nickerson, Andrew Nelson

11:00 a.m.         Crew Transportation Systems: The Game Changer in Human Spaceflight

Brett Alexander, Keith Reiley, Kenneth Reightler, Robert Bigelow, Mark Sirangelo, Ken Bowersox

1:30 p.m.          Space Policy Evolution: Changes Portend Larger Commercial Markets to

Service Government Needs and Greater International Cooperation

Clay Mowry, Brendan Curry, Valerie Skarupa, Philip McAlister

2:30 p.m.          Creating the Demand: Free and Low Cost Flight Opportunities for Education

and Research in Space

David Masten, Doug Comstock, Susan Newsam, Brienna Henwood, Mark Severance, Jerry Larson, Charles Chafer

4:00 p.m.          Spaceports

Karin Nilsdotter, Rick Homans, Stu Witt

This year’s conference is expected to attract over 400 company executives, government officials and industry and university researchers. The event is scheduled to coincide with Space Week in New Mexico. Attendees can register online at www.ispcs.com for the two-day conference.

For additional information on ISPCS, please visit www.ispcs.com or contact Joylynn Watkins at jwatkins@nmsu.edu or 575-646-6414.

Release courtesy of Spaceport America

LAS CRUCES, NM – Officials from Spaceport America congratulate today’s historic vote by the House of Representatives that sets a new direction for NASA that assigns a primary role to the commercial space industry.

“This legislation marks a major turning point for the U.S. Space program, and means we will rely on the private sector, and facilities such as Spaceport America, for travel to sub-orbit, lower-earth orbit the space station and most likely the moon,” said Rick Homans, Executive Director of the New Mexico Spaceport Authority.

The NASA Authorization Act of 2010, previously passed by the Senate on August 5, now goes to the President for his signature.

The bill earmarks $1.62 billion to help private companies develop new systems and technology for crew transportation to and from the International Space Station.

As well as providing funding for commercial crew and cargo programs, the bill also expands funding for technology research & development and commercial suborbital research programs.

Spaceport America has been providing commercial launch services since 2006. The state-of-the-art launch facility is under construction near Truth or Consequences, New Mexico, and is expected to become fully operational in 2011. Officials at Spaceport America have been working closely with leading aerospace firms such as Armadillo Aerospace, Virgin Galactic, Lockheed Martin, Moog-FTS, and UP Aerospace to develop commercial spaceflight at the new facility. The economic impact of launches, tourism and new construction at Spaceport America are already delivering on its promise to the people of New Mexico.

For additional information and images of Spaceport America go to www.spaceportamerica.com or contact David Wilson at david@wilson-binkley.com or at 575-524-8118.

Release courtesy of New Mexico Space Grant Consortium

LAS CRUCES, NM – When Dr. Pat Hynes was recently notified that the New Mexico Space Grant Consortium at New Mexico State University (NMSU) was selected by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) as a 2010 Center of Excellence for Commercial Space Transportation, she predicted that this would help make New Mexico the magnet for commercial space in the nation and the world. At a press conference held August 19 at NMSU, Dr. Hynes noted that this highly competitive process for the $10 million dollar funding was an important win for New Mexico because it also marks the first time the federal government has made a major investment in the commercial space industry, and it was made in New Mexico.

“Robert Goddard and NMSU’s Physical Sciences Laboratory were pioneers in the space industry along with White Sands Missile Range, leadership in space research is our heritage at NMSU and in New Mexico” Dr. Hynes said. “As we begin the age of Spaceflight for Mankind, the State of New Mexico is once again leading the effort.”

The FAA has created the Center of Excellence (COE) program in partnership with the Office of Commercial Space Transportation (AST) to help identify solutions of existing and anticipated space transportation issues. By teaming with the nation’s top academic research institutions, the COE will help ensure the protection of the public, property, and the national security and foreign policy interests of the United States during commercial launch or reentry activities. NMSU will be the lead institution for the FAA, working with the following core university partners: New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology; Florida Institute of Technology; Florida Center for Advanced Aero-Propulsion; Stanford University; University of Colorado – Boulder; and the University of Texas – Medical Branch.

Initial funding for the COE is $2 million for the start-up phase, with and additional $4 million in agency funds over the first five years of operation, which will be matched by the partners to total $10 million in initial funding. Center Operations Cooperative Agreements will be issued to all seven research universities. Research funding will come from government contracts in addition to the operating funds in the form of IDIQ contracts.

Dr. Hynes explained what the COE will do for the FAA. “We will work on research for improved spaceport operations systems, and to find ways to improve airspace integration, for example.” She explains that vehicles traveling to space will transverse through present commercial air space, so changes to the air traffic control process will allow for frequent travel to and from space. “We will also characterize the business of commercial space, and define the related markets we expect it will create.” In addition, the COE will provide education services for all organizations involved in commercial space transportation.

Dr. Hynes is also the Director of the New Mexico Space Grant Consortium which is a member of the congressionally funded National Space Grant College and Fellowship Program. This program is administered by NASA. The statewide consortium supports a wide range of space related research and education projects, including the Student Launch Program which provides annual access to space from Spaceport America for student experiments.