Posts Tagged ‘Wayne Savage’

Article courtesy of the Las Cruces Bulletin, by Todd G. Dickson

With Virgin Galactic developing its spaceliner and new launch testing at Spaceport America, the first jobs created by the spaceport are coming, members of a panel said.  At the Greater Las Cruces Chamber of Commerce community update forum Tuesday, Jan. 10, at the Doña Ana County Government Center, Wayne Savage of the chamber’s spaceport committee said the forum was about making Spaceport America bring about the promise of jobs. We’re beginning to see things take place, and we’re seeing opportunities show up, and that’s what we’re here for,” Savage said.

Chad Rabon of the New Mexico Spaceport Authority (NMSA) said the first phase of construction on the $209 million spaceport between Las Cruces and Truth or Consequences is almost complete. To get Spaceport America ready for business with a runway, vertical launch area, several support facilities and the terminal hangar for its anchor tenant Virgin Galactic. NMSA is now starting the spaceport’s second construction phase, which Rabon said includes paving the southern road leading to the complex. It was recently announced that the surfacing of the already wide and well-grated county road won’t require time-consuming environmental studies.

Spaceport America operations are located the Lewis Cain Ranch and is surrounded by similar desert range ranches 45 miles north of Las Cruces.

The next construction phase includes adding more pads and support facilities to the spaceport’s vertical area, Robin said. NMSA is currently accepting bids on contracts to provide information technology and space operations support.

Already, activity at NMSU is picking up for research and development of new systems, such as reusable rocket boosters, with Lockheed Martin winning an Air Force contract to test its design for such a system at Spaceport America.

NMSA’s Aaron Prescott said Armadillo Aerospace has tested more traditional rocket prototypes with three launches since May. Also, Boeing will test a helicopter avionics system at the spaceport, he said. The new construction will provide a second pad for vertical launches and rollback shelter for these kinds of tests, Prescott said. The current Spaceport America vertical launch facility was developed for UP Aerospace that has been launching sounding rockets since 2006 to send a variety of small payloads into suborbital space.

With the State Legislature about to start its new session, Prescott mentioned spaceport supporters are pushing for refining the 2010 law that protects companies such as Virgin Galactic from lawsuits as something goes wrong with a flight carrying passengers. The informed consent legislation didn’t extend those protections to suppliers of the spaceship companies, but competing states have passed protections granting protections to support industries.  “It doesn’t help us very much to protect the operator, but not the supplier,” Prescott said. “This is key for Spaceport America to remain competitive with other states.”

Mark Butler of Virgin Galactic, who moved from England to New Mexico, said the company is making progress on the safety and flight testing of its prototype of the kind of thrilling but- upscale suborbital flights it plans to give passengers for $200,000 a ride.  The craft that will carry the six-passenger spaceship to 50,000 feet for midair launches, the White Knight 2, has completed about 80 flights reaching important altitude and duration goals, Butler said.

Testing has begun with Spaceship 2 more than 15 “captive carry” flights and 16 release and- glide tests, Butler said. The hybrid engine – the world’s largest such engines – is being tested, he said, and the company won’t start taking passengers into space until the system performs safely, he said.  “We are now pushing the envelope on that system,” Butler said. “Yes, this is rocket science, so it takes a while. … This kind of thing does take a long time, and this is the first time this is being done so we are going to take the time to do it right.”

Butler reported that five Virgin Galactic staff members are now using office space in Las Cruces.  Once the flights begin on a regular basis, Butler said Virgin is going to need human resources and financial people, all the normal behind-the-scenes people. Also, there will be people hired to provide a variety of customer services, he said.  The space business goes beyond needing engineers and other technical staff, but also hospitality and other support staff, Butler said. Virgin does intend to buy local supplies as much as possible, he said.

“It’s important for us to get our supply chain to New Mexico,” Butler said.  With $60 million in deposits and more than 500 signed up as future astronauts, Virgin has “a hugely busy year ahead of us,” he said. To work for Virgin, Butler recommended patience and persistence.

Meanwhile, Fiore Industries won the contract for providing protective services to the spaceport, including security, EMS, fire protection and hazardous materials control. Fiore’s Tim Zagorski said the company is hiring people with local experience and subcontracted with local entities such Sierra Vista Hospital and the Las Cruces-based Zia Engineering “We strongly believe in local economic development,” he said “ We even rent power generators from a local company and buy fuel locally.”

Fiore will be looking to buy fire equipment, EMS vehicles and equipment in the near future, he said, and the company is seeking applicants for security guards, firefighters and EMTs. The company will need 15 security guards and 15 firefighters/EMTs, along with some office and compliance support, he said.

Also at the forum was Paul Schmidt of EASI, general services contractor, that will be running spaceport functions, such as water and wastewater, fuel depot operations, electrical systems, roads and grounds upkeep, runway maintenance, generator maintenance and repair, janitorial services, pest control and even HazMat clean-up and removal.

Article courtesy of the Las Cruces Bulletin

By Todd G. Dickson

Part of the state’s spaceport deal with Virgin Galactic is that the company set up its headquarters in New Mexico, and Las Cruces appears to be that place.

Carolyn Wincer, Virgin Galactic’s head of travel and tourism, told the City Council Monday, Oct. 3, that the company will soon be opening an office in Las Cruces as the base of its operations in New Mexico.  A location has been picked, but Virgin isn’t releasing it yet.

Virgin is ramping up its preparations for when the company begins flying tourists into suborbital space 70 miles above Earth’s surface, perhaps even as soon as next year. The company is currently testing the carrier flyer and spaceship, which is launched in mid-air.

Wincer said more than 70 flight tests have made of Virgin’s first spaceliner, including 16 solo glide flights of SpaceShipTwo, a six-passenger version of the two-seater that was the first piloted rocket vehicle to reach suborbital space in 2004. The hybrid rocket engine that will be propelling the passengers and pilots is going through a series of tests, which Wincer said she wasn’t allowed to say much about for proprietary reasons.

Some 500 experienced test pilots have applied to fly for Virgin Galactic, she said. Meanwhile, more than 500 potential passengers have put down deposits for the $200,000 tickets, totaling close to $16 million, she said.

British business magnate Richard Branson is investing more than $200 million into development of the Virgin Galactic fleet, while the total start-up budget for Spaceport America is $209 million. Located 45 miles north of Las Cruces, Spaceport America has a two mile runway ready for the flights and work is near completion on the Hangar Terminal Facility that will house Virgin Galactic’s fleet of spaceliners.

Wincer said Virgin has already hired more than 100 people, many of them Americans, because large-scale rocketry falls under the International Traffic in Arms Regulations passed after the 9/11 attacks.

As work continues to make sure the spaceliner is safe for its passengers – with Branson and his family to take the first non-test flight – the company is now focusing on preparing the on-ground experiences, said Wincer, who has worked for Branson’s resorts in the past.

Virgin plans to fly at least twice a day with each passenger arriving two days before their flight. Those passengers also are expected to bring family, friends and others during their visit, she said.  Virgin is currently assessing what kind of “tourism infrastructure” is available, she said, and talking to its future passengers about what kind of experiences they would like to have during their stays.

Wayne Savage, who chairs the Greater Las Cruces Chamber of Commerce’s Commercial Space Committee, said his group is working on issues, such as supporting the tourism experience, but even more critical is trying to make the city a central location for providing supply chain services and other support of the spaceport operations and the companies like Virgin Galactic.

“The good news is that our spaceport is quickly becoming a functioning reality,” Savage said. Operational contracts have recently been awarded to companies that have done work with White Sands Missile Range, he said.

The next day, Pat Hynes, director of the New Mexico Space Grant Consortium, talked about the upcoming International Symposium for Personal and Commercial Spaceflight (ISPCS) to the Mesilla Valley Economic Development Alliance (MVEDA). More than 500 people – including those key players in developing the private space industry – are expected to attend ISPCS Wednesday and Thursday, Oct. 19-20, at the New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum, 4100 Dripping Springs Road.

Hynes told those attending the MVEDA luncheon Tuesday, Oct. 4, at the Hotel Encanto de Las Cruces, that there are a number of opportunities for local businesses to make connections at ISPCS.

 Prior to the conference, there will be a Growing Community Partnership Luncheon Tuesday, Oct. 18, at the Commercial Space Exhibit Hall, which will be located inside the museum. The $50 luncheon includes a talk by Allan Lockheed, son of the aviation pioneer who created what is now Lockheed Martin. Hynes said Lockheed will talk about how the space industry will coalesce around Spaceport America – an industry that is currently supported by $60 billion just in government spending. Though a “heavy business conference” attracting attendees from all over the world, ISPCS also will hold panels on creating the supply chain support, Hynes said.

So important is the question of establishing reliable sources of materials, equipment and facilities near Spaceport America that Virgin Galactic also is holding a supply chain meeting the day before ISPCS, Hynes said. “The supply chain is an indicator of the growth of the industry,” she said.

Because ISPCS has become the main annual gathering for those trying to open up this new industry, Hynes said she makes a point to expose them to local and New Mexico products, from its chile to its wines.

One in-state resource that the conference will look at is a center for gliding at Moriarty. Many of the spaceport’s vehicles will glide in for landings, such as Virgin Galactic, she said. Also, research has been conducted at Spaceport America’s sounding rocket launch facilities on winged rocket boosters that glide back to the ground for potential reuse, instead of simply falling away.

The two-day ISPCS costs $649 with discounted rates for active military – $329 – and students – $150. Last year, ISPCS brought in more than $1 million of local economic activity, Hynes said. “That’s a lot of economic impact for this area and this year’s conference will be three times that,” she said.  The proceeds from the conference pay for launches from Spaceport America of student experiments, which Hynes said is very expensive.

The good news is that our spaceport is quickly becoming a functioning reality.

Article courtesy of the Las Cruces Bulletin

Bulletin Staff Report

About two dozen Mexican investors will meet with local business owners and industry experts during the Hispano Chamber of Commerce de Las Cruces’ Reverse Trade Mission Friday, March 18, at the Las Cruces Convention Center, 680 E. University Ave.

According to the Hispano chamber, the objectives of the mission are to showcase the potential growth areas in the Las Cruces region to foreign investors; introduce foreign investors to existing businesses in the area and provide an opportunity to expand their product lines and create joint-ventures; introduce foreign investors to entrepreneurs in the Las Cruces region; and to create new jobs in the Las Cruces area.

“This is a first for the Hispano chamber, but it’s an event we plan to hold every year to remind foreign investors of the opportunities our area has to offer,” said Peter Ibarbo, Hispano chamber board member and chair of the chamber’s Economic Development Committee. “We are expecting 25 investors from Mexico to come to the area and tap into local resources and expertise in a mutually beneficial, business-to-business setting.”

Investors will explore local industries related to hotel and tourism development, café and restaurant development, product distribution center development, maquiladora supplier development, alternative energy infrastructure development and real estate development.

The day will begin at 1:30 p.m. with a lunch session for the investment delegation featuring welcoming remarks from John Munoz, Hispano chamber president, and Ken Miyagishima, Las Cruces mayor. Introductions by Las Cruces Economic Development entities will be given by Kevin Boberg of the Arrowhead Center and Christine Logan of the City of Las Cruces Economic Development Department.

A pre-qualified business-to-business session with potential business partners and associates will take place from 2:30 to 5:25 p.m. From 5:30 to 6 p.m., local attorneys will speak on tax and fiscal issues regarding bi-national business activities and business immigration visas.

U.S. Rep. Steve Pearce has been invited to give the opening remarks for the 6 p.m. dinner, to be followed by a presentation on the Spaceport America supply chain by Wayne Savage, chair of the Commercial Space Committee for the Greater Las Cruces Chamber of Commerce. Odes-Armijo Caster of the Albuquerque- based Sacred Power Co. will talk about solar energy initiatives and developments in New Mexico.

Individual ticket prices are $17.50 for Hispano chamber members, which includes full access to business-to-business sessions and dinner, and non-member ticket prices are $25 for access to the business-to-business sessions only, $35 for business- to-business sessions and dinner and $27.50 for dinner only tickets.

To learn more or to purchase a ticket, call Ibarbo at 621-5240 or email peter@ibarbogroup.com.

MVEDA would like thank everyone who was able to attend Friday’s Regional Economic Development Forum, titled “A Tale of Two Ports.”  Those who attended were able to hear directly from leading experts on both the opportunities and challenges we face in Southern New Mexico in growing our region’s two commercial ports of entry, both the Santa Teresa Port as well as Spaceport America.

The MVEDA Board of Directors and Staff want to give special thanks to our key note speakers:

• Francisco Urango, Corporate Vice President and Chief Business Operations Officer for Latin America,for Foxconn.   Foxconn is the largest contract manufacturing company in the world with a significant manufacturing presence in San Jeronimo, next to the Santa Teresa Port of Entry,

• Carissa Bryce Christensen, founder and Managing Partner of The Tauri Group, an analytic and engineering firm based in Alexandria, VA, which provides expertise on the economic, market, technology and policy issues associated with commercial spaceflight, and

• Dr. Lowell Catlett, Regent’s Professor/Dean and Chief Administrative Officer at NMSU’s College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences.  Dr. Catlett is also a national speaker and futurist on trends associated with technologies and their implications on the way we live and work.

Special thanks also go out to our expert panelists that included:

• Juan Massey, Director of Regulatory Affairs at Verde Realty,

• Jerry Pacheco, Executive Director of the International Business Accelerator,

• Andrew Moralez, Executive Director of the New Mexico Border Authority,

• Zoe Gisela Richmond, Director of Public Affairs for Union Pacific,

• Robert X. Martinez, VP of Construction Management for Gerald Martin,

• Keith Beck, VP and General Manager of the Jacob’s Technology Test and Evaluation Center,

• Wayne Savage, Program Manager of Progressive Construction Management, and

• Mark Lautman, Principal of Lautman Economic Architecture Partners, LLC.

For those of you who could not attend, we will be placing parts of the presentations on our website in the coming weeks.

Q1 2010-’11 Activity

MVEDA entered the 2010-’11 Fiscal Year with twelve, high-priority projects, consisting of approximately 1,200 jobs with a realistic chance of closing in the current fiscal year.   Approximately 1/3 of those jobs (as illustrated in the blue on the chart below), consisting of primarily manufacturing and renewable energy companies, show a very strong chance of closing.  What this means to MVEDA’s internal operations is that we have turned much of our attention this past quarter towards the project management needs of our clients.

Additionally, MVEDA continues its aggressive marketing campaign and year to date we have developed 22 new leads consisting of approximately 925 employees and 785,000sf of required space.   In comparison to last year, total new leads are slightly down and we see a shift in industry specific leads especially within food processing which currently represents 25% of all our new 2010-’11 leads as compared to only 3% of total leads for the same period last fiscal year.

Manufacturing/logistics and aerospace also showed some slight growth as a percentage of total leads while renewable energy leads dropped to 21% of total leads YTD 2010-’11 compared with 32% for the same period last fiscal year.  Additionally, whereas a large portion of our renewable energy leads last year were involved in manufacturing, we see a much larger portion of this year’s renewable energy leads involved in renewable energy generation.

With respect to employment trends in the region versus the rest of the United States, the Las Cruces market has fared very well.  In a September 2010 report by Garner Economics LLC, which measured job growth trends amongst 158 U.S. metros, Las Cruces was recognized along with 15 other metros as setting new record employment numbers.  Garner Economics’ report quoted:

“The July 2010 employment numbers also show that sixteen metros have set new records; surpassing July peak employment totals from the previous five years (see map and table).”

As illustrated in the map and table provided as part of the Garner Economics report, Las Cruces NM was ranked 8th amongst these 16 cities in terms of the percentage increase in jobs with over 1,900 new jobs added over July 2009.

In the upcoming months, MVEDA will continue to be active in several events.   Later in October, MVEDA is sponsor to ISPCS as well as to the VC Speed Dating Event put on by the Arrowhead Center.   We will also be attending the BizTech 2010 Expo in El Paso.

Finally, if you were not already aware, the MVEDA staff is now settled into our new offices in the First Community Bank Building in downtown Las Cruces.  Our formal address is: 1st Community Bank Tower, 277 E. Amador, Suite 304, Las Cruces, NM  88001.  We hope you can all stop by and visit us in the very near future.

Article courtesy of the Las Cruces Bulletin

By Todd G. Dickson

Rick Homans, who starts his second stint as the New Mexico Spaceport Authority’s executive director this week, said the $198 million Spaceport America should be fully operational by mid-2011.

Speaking before the Greater Las Cruces Chamber of Commerce Thursday, June 24, at the New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum, Homans said a number of new potential tenants are interested in the spaceport.

Homans said new and existing aerospace companies are especially interested in the spaceport’s vertical launch area to develop new launch systems as NASA changes its focus.

The potential for new jobs and economic opportunity is what has always drawn him to the spaceport effort, Homans said.

“I’m absolutely honored to be back on the job,” he said.

But just as the spaceport authority still has many issues to work through to make Spaceport America operational, local businesses need to get ready as well, said Mark Butler, operations program manager for Virgin Galactic, Spaceport America’s anchor tenant.

“A lot of things need to happen,” Butler said of Virgin Galactic safety testing its newly developed spaceliner system. “But let’s say that if we start flying 18 months from now, a lot of supply chain issues need to be worked on now.”

That’s because, Butler emphasized, Virgin Galactic’s primary focus will be flying customers into suborbital space at $200,000 a ticket. With these people paying so much for their trips, Virgin Galactic can’t allow the cancellation of a single flight because of something as minor as a lack of spare parts, fuel or materials – let alone something as miniscule as running out of bolts, he said.

Local businesses need to realize that these new passengers aren’t just going to be coming for a quick flight and leave. It will be at least a two and- a-half-day stay during which the passengers will go through training to prepare them for their spaceflight experience.

That means hotel stays – nice hotels. Butler said he believes one nice hotel near the spaceport won’t be enough.

These customers will want to find fine dining, preferably food made with quality local ingredients. Their visits will require reliable transportation to and from the spaceport in the desert between Las Cruces and Truth or Consequences.

There will be a need to provide activities for friends and families of the passengers while they are going through their pre-flight training. Though local businesses should offer experiences for these accompanying families and friends. Butler admitted that a jaunt to Las Vegas, Nev., is not that far of a trip for them and will likely be a draw away from local sites.

There are many needs in the direct supply chain of the Virgin Galactic flight system that should preferably be made readily available locally, Butler said, such as repair materials for the specialized carbon fiber composite materials manufactured by Burt Rutan’s Scaled Composites operation in California.

Virgin’s owner, British billionaire Richard Branson, is requiring his network of companies to reduce its carbon footprint and be as ecologically sensitive as possible. Part of the philosophy includes having these kinds of resources close to operations, which requires less shipping, Butler said.

Each flight of the spaceliner will require the replacement of the hybrid rocket engine, fueled by specially shaped rubber particles and nitrous oxide. Having the manufacturing of those fuels locally would provide additional assurance as well as satisfy the company’s ecological desires.

Considering the money at stake, reliability of those suppliers also will be tantamount, he said.

Because Virgin Galactic’s primary mission is making sure the customers experience safe flights, Butler said the company isn’t interested in coming up with all the “trinkets” and mementos passengers will want to take home from their trip. That is another opportunity for local businesses, he said.

Since Virgin Galactic is an international company, all of its American employees will have be U.S. citizens to comply with international trade agreements, he noted.

These are some of the reasons why the chamber has created a working group for the spaceport, said Wayne Savage, who chairs the committee. Butler’s talk gave some insight to kinds of jobs and money the spaceport could bring to the region, he said.

“We haven’t seen this kind of a catalyst for the local economy since the creation of White Sands Missile Range,” Savage said.