Posts Tagged ‘spaceport’

Article courtesy of Las Cruces Sun-News

LAS CRUCES – Britain-based Virgin Galactic, the anchor tenant company for New Mexico’s spaceport, on Monday announced the first-ever commercial contracts to fly scientists into suborbital space to conduct research.

Virgin Galactic has signed a contract with San Antonio-based Southwest Research Institute to fly two researchers to space (more than 328,000 feet – or 62 miles – above Earth). The company plans to purchase an additional six seats, for a total value of $1.6 million, according to Virgin Galactic.

As well as flying its own researchers, who will carry scientific experiments developed by its in-house technical staff, the institute also aims to help American researchers who do not have direct spaceflight experience to develop and fly their payloads and personnel on suborbital missions, according to Virgin Galactic.

Said Virgin Galactic President and CEO George Whitesides: “This agreement signals the enormous scientific potential of the Virgin spaceflight system. Virgin Galactic will be able to offer researchers flights to space that are unprecedented in frequency and cost. Science flights will be an important growth area for the company in the years to come …”

The first two researchers will carry out biomedical monitoring and atmospheric imaging experiments, among others, said Alan Stern, associate vice president of the institute’s space division and former NASA associate administrator for science.

The Southwest Research Institute on its website describes itself as “one of the oldest and largest independent, nonprofit, applied research and development organizations in the United States.” Its research ranges from chemistry to space science to engine design to electronics, according to the website.

NASA has opened the door to expand this type of research through its new Commercial Reusable Suborbital Research Flight Opportunities program. Though separate from Monday’s announcement, that program will fund future chances for researchers onboard suborbital vehicles.

Spaceport America is a launch site for commercial, suborbital space vehicles that’s under construction in southeastern Sierra County.

Article courtesy of Las Cruces Sun-News

Rick Homans

By Diana M. Alba

LAS CRUCES – Spaceport America Director Rick Homans announced his resignation Wednesday, saying he’d been ordered to do so by the Gov. Susana Martinez administration.

Some Spaceport America board members expressed concern about Martinez’s move and questioned whether Homans’ departure was good for the $209 million spaceport project as it goes through a key stage.

An emotional Homans read a lengthy resignation statement, saying he was committed to the project and hoped to stay longer.

“While I have embraced this project, it is clear that Gov. Martinez is not embracing me,” he said, during an emergency meeting of the Spaceport Authority board in Las Cruces. “I understand politics, and I also understand how critical it is for her to have absolute trust and confidence in the executive leadership of the New Mexico Spaceport Authority.”

Homans, 54, said he was informed last Thursday to resign or be fired. He said he told the Martinez administration that he’d take up the matter Wednesday with the board, which has official power over hiring and firing the executive director.

Jon Barela – Martinez’s economic development secretary nominee who’ll also chair the spaceport board – didn’t attend the meeting. But Barela’s spokeswoman, Angela Heisel, said later that Martinez has asked for the resignations of all political appointees from the Gov. Bill Richardson administration.

“This is no different than what was asked of other political appointees,” she said. “Homans’ resignation will not disrupt the construction of the spaceport; the construction team remains in place and is continuing its work.”

Heisel said a search for a replacement director is under way.

Two members of the seven-person board – Jerry Stagner and Gary Whitehead, both Truth or Consequences businessmen – voted against accepting Homans’ resignation, while other members voted in favor.

Whitehead said he realizes this is the first gubernatorial changeover in the spaceport’s existence, but “as a board member, I’d really envisioned a smoother transition as we move forward with the spaceport and our new administration.

“I know we’ll work through it, and we’re certainly in a gray area,” he said. “It would have been my wish we would have seen an extension of Mr. Homans’ contract or his job to allow a smoother transition.”

The first suborbital spaceflights are expected to launch later this year from Spaceport America.

Some officials pointed out the spaceport project is in a critical stage, attempting to transition from a big construction project to an active hub for commercial aerospace activities. Finishing construction and attracting industry are the next important steps, they said.

Homans said the first phase of construction, which includes the spaceport terminal-hangar and a 10,000-foot runway, is about 80 percent finished.

But a second construction phase that was added last year is only beginning.

Board member Casey Luna of Belen pointed out he’s been involved with planning for a New Mexico spaceport since 1991 and said he’s concerned that “we’re skipping a beat here.” But the project survived a previous “hiccup,” after the resignation last year of former director Steve Landeene, he said.

Luna said he believes that’s possible again.

“I’m hoping the governor is aware that continuity is very, very important,” he said. The spaceport “will be a good thing for the state in general and this country.”

Lt. Gov. John Sanchez, an eighth, non-voting member of the spaceport board, did attend Wednesday’s session by phone, though didn’t say much.

Board members thanked Homans and outgoing board member and chairman Ben Woods.

Spaceport board members also said they were unsure of whether Martinez will allow them to serve out their terms. And, they said they hadn’t been told how to move forward in hiring a new director.

Said Whitehead: “It’s a time like this where we’re really not sure where we stand as leaders. And it feels like we’ve been put on hold, so I remained concerned about that.”

Homans, in his statement, said for the spaceport to succeed, Martinez must “become its biggest champion and rally her administration to support this effort.”

“Nothing short of complete commitment from Gov. Martinez and her administration will allow this project to achieve its full potential, which is the promise we made to the citizens of New Mexico …,” he said. “My hope is that Gov. Martinez can quickly move beyond viewing Spaceport America as the legacy project of Bill Richardson.”

Homans said instead, the project should become “her own legacy” because she’ll be governor when it first opens.

Homans, who earned $170,000 annually, said the resignation is effective at the close of business Friday. He said he started a search for a new job Wednesday.

Homans was hired as executive director in June, after Landeene resigned because of a controversy involving a possible conflict of interest. Before that, Homans was chairman of the spaceport board from 2005 to 2007 because of his job as head of the state’s Economic Development Department. Also, he was briefly the executive director in 2007, before leaving for a job in private industry.

Spaceport America is located in southeastern Sierra County.

Diana M. Alba can be reached at (575) 541-5443.

One of the foundational principles for having a spaceport in New Mexico is to provide tangible evidence of what can come from a good education, and enough excitement and incentive to encourage our students to learn and go make a difference. Spaceport America can be that catalyst for many of our youth to go beyond circumstance to a great future!

The April Dona Ana County Spaceport Community Council will feature a panel of leading educators from the Southern New Mexico who will discuss how Spaceport America is impacting our local schools from those that are involved in creating the change we’ve desired.

The event’s facilitator will be Margie Huerta, CEO of Dona Ana Community College.  Panelists include:

• Tom Burton, Department Head and Professor of New Mexico State University’s Aerospace Engineering Program;
• Patricia Hynes, Director of the New Mexico Space Grant Consortium;
• Jerry Welch, Division Dean of Dona Ana Community College’s Technical and Industrial Studies;
• Stan Rounds, Superintendent of Las Cruces Public Schools;
• Steven Sanchez, Associate Superintendent for Learning, Teaching and Research of Las Cruces Public Schools;
• Bill Coker, Superintendent of Hatch Valley Public Schools;
• Cynthia Nava, Superintendent of Gadsden Independent School District; and
• Tom Burris, Superintendent of Truth or Consequences Municipal Schools.

The meeting will be held on Thursday, April 22, 2010 from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. at the Gerald Thomas Auditorium on the campus of New Mexico State University.  The meeting is open to the public and there is no admission charge.

For more information contact the Greater Las Cruces Chamber of Commerce, 575-524-1968.

Article courtesy of the Las Cruces Sun-News

By Amanda L. Husson

A master’s degree in aerospace engineering could take Krystal Deinez any number of places – or help her stay right here in southern New Mexico. Deinez, 24, came to New Mexico State University from Maxwell, N.M., to get her bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering and will be one of the first students to join the aerospace engineering graduate program this fall.

From there, even the sky’s not the limit. Deinez said she’d be looking everywhere for job opportunities when she finishes her degree, but she sees potential here. “I like southern New Mexico,” she said. “With the spaceport and White Sands, there are a lot of possibilities I could look for.”

Patricia Hynes, director of the New Mexico Space Grant Consortium, said the graduate program, which received final approval on Dec. 15 after a three-year process, was key to developing the highly skilled workforce that will be needed to support the growing commercial space industry in the area. “This is trying to help NMSU become to the commercial space industry what Stanford has become to Silicon Valley,” she said. As a new industry evolves, they’ve got to have the university to back it up.

Tom Burton, mechanical and aerospace engineering department head, said the program – and the industry – need time to grow, but in the long run, more companies will be looking into the area because of both. “Twenty to 30 years from now, there will be a big aerospace presence around the spaceport,” Burton predicted. “There will be an aerospace industry here and we will have the technical base to support it.”

This year more than 60 entering freshmen declared themselves aerospace engineering majors – the largest year-to-year increase in the undergraduate program’s short history. Another 60 are expected in the fall, and an external study calls for a $1 million increase in the program to support students and hire six full-time faculty members. The program employs two full-time faculty members at present, with two more projected to start in the fall.

Deinez, who has already begun her graduate work, will be one of just a few masters’ students this fall. “I haven’t made up my mind,” on a career focus, Deinez said, “but I think I would definitely be more valuable with a graduate degree.”