Posts Tagged ‘White Sands Test Facility’

Release courtesy of the New Mexico Spaceport Authority

LAS CRUCES, NM – The New Mexico Spaceport Authority (NMSA) announced today that Enterprise Advisory Service, Inc. (EASI) has been awarded a contract to provide general services for Spaceport America. EASI has nine operating locations.  As part of its operations to fulfill the contract, EASI will have nine New Mexico resident staff members at the spaceport, while 29 local subcontractors  – 22 from Las Cruces, five from Albuquerque and two from El Paso – will be available to support surge activities.

EASI was awarded the two-year base contract for $630,125 as a firm-fixed price for key personnel and a not-to-exceed value of $1,198,297 that is managed through task authorizations by the NMSA. As its primary function, EASI will develop policy and procedures for Spaceport America’s general services requirements, which will include: maintenance of buildings, utilities, roads and airfield; grounds keeping, waste management, janitorial services, fuel storage operations and maintenance; and the fueling of motor and air vehicles.

“Creating new jobs for New Mexicans is our goal at Spaceport America,” NMSA Executive Director Christine Anderson said. “This general services contract is a major step toward becoming an operational spaceport.”

President and CEO of EASI Robert Carter said “EASI is excited to be on the launch pad of the first purpose-built spaceport.  We are looking forward to supporting NMSA in achieving all aspects of Spaceport America’s mission.”

About Enterprise Advisory Services, Inc. (EASI)

EASI is an established, reliable provider of high-quality technical and managerial services with clients at locations across the U.S. With 27 years of experience, EASI has developed a strong management structure and client-focused corporate culture, a philosophy that has earned many awards and recognitions.

Among experiences and clients, EASI includes handling the operations contract for NASA – White Sands Test Facility (WSTF) near Las Cruces, NM. Other clients include:

•    Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA

•    Glenn Research Center, Cleveland, OH

•    Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD

•    Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX

•    Wallops Flight Facility, Wallops Island, VA

•    Oak Ridge Operations Office, Oak Ridge, TN

•    Lockheed Martin Information Technology

For more information, please visit: http://easiwww.com/

About Spaceport America

Spaceport America has been providing commercial launch services since 2006.  Phase One of the construction for the spaceport is expected to be complete in late 2011.  Phase Two of the construction and pre-operations activities will follow, including the development of a world-class Visitors Experience for students, tourists and space launch customers.

The State of New Mexico entered into a 20-year lease agreement with Virgin Galactic, Spaceport America’s anchor tenant.  Virgin Galactic is currently developing the world’s first commercial passenger-carrying space vehicle fleet, including the WhiteKnightTwo mother ship and SpaceShipTwo launch vehicle.

Officials at Spaceport America have been working closely with entrepreneurial space leaders like Virgin Galactic, UP Aerospace, and Armadillo Aerospace, as well as established aerospace firms like Lockheed Martin, Boeing, and Moog-FTS to develop commercial spaceflight at the new facility.  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.

For more information, please visit: www.spaceportamerica.com

For more information on Preview Tours, please visit: www.ftstours.com

Facebook: Spaceport America, or follow us on Twitter: @Spaceport_NM

NMSA Media relations: David Wilson              

p: 575-640-8228                                         

e: dwilson@zianet.com

Release courtesy of the New Mexico Spaceport Authority

LAS CRUCES, NM – The New Mexico Spaceport Authority (NMSA) announced the selection of Fiore Industries Inc., of Albuquerque, NM, as the contractor to perform Protective Services for Spaceport America. The company was awarded a two-year base contract with a not-to-exceed value of $2.3 million and two one-year renewal options. Fiore will provide 24/7 site security, badging, firefighting, emergency medical services and environmental, safety and health requirements at Spaceport America. Initially, the contractor will develop policies and procedures for the site security, emergency response, and risk management, as well as perform pre-operational exercises.

Fiore will lead a team of companies that will work together to provide all Protective Service requirements during the two-year contract period. Other team members include: Allied Barton Security Services, LLC (ABSS); Sierra Vista Hospital New Mexico (SVH); Zia Engineering and Environmental Consultants, LLC (Zia); and New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology (NM Tech).

The Fiore team has experience providing a broad range of services including security services to all United Space Alliance facilities, security support to the Miami International Airport, and security services to Raytheon Corporation. The team also served White Sands Test Facility (WSTF) as both the incident command contractor and the firefighting response contractor, and served Region 2 Emergency Medical Services, Inc. as the EMS contractor. This caliber of relevant experience makes the team well suited to provide service at Spaceport America.

“The New Mexico Spaceport Authority is very pleased to award our Protective Services contract to Fiore Industries, Inc. Fiore is a New Mexico-based contractor with extensive experience providing these type of services,” said Chad Rabon, NMSA General Operations Manager.

Bill Miera, President and Chief Executive Officer of Fiore, Inc., said “Fiore Industries is honored to have been chosen by the NMSA to perform this critical work on the first-ever, purpose-built spaceport.  Along with our partners, we are committed to the success of this endeavor. Having been born and raised in New Mexico and having family here that goes back to the 1600s, I have worked on creating jobs and educational opportunities in this state my entire career.  We consider ourselves stakeholders in the spaceport effort and as such, I am thrilled to have the opportunity to partner with the NMSA in creating employment in such a leading-edge industry”.

About Spaceport America

Spaceport America has been providing commercial launch services since 2006.  Phase One of the construction for the spaceport is expected to be complete in late 2011.  Phase Two of the construction and pre-operations activities will follow, including the development of a world-class Visitors Experience for students, tourists and space launch customers.

The State of New Mexico entered into a 20-year lease agreement with Virgin Galactic, Spaceport America’s anchor tenant.  Virgin Galactic is currently developing the world’s first commercial passenger-carrying space vehicle fleet, including the WhiteKnightTwo mother ship and SpaceShipTwo launch vehicle.

Officials at Spaceport America have been working closely with entrepreneurial space leaders like Virgin Galactic, UP Aerospace, and Armadillo Aerospace, as well as established aerospace firms like Lockheed Martin, Boeing, and Moog-FTS to develop commercial spaceflight at the new facility.  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.

For more information, please visit: www.spaceportamerica.com

For more information on Preview Tours, please visit: www.ftstours.com

Facebook: Spaceport America, or follow us on Twitter: @Spaceport_NM

About Fiore Industries Inc.

Fiore was started in Albuquerque, NM by Bill Miera in 1989 and remains a New Mexico-based firm with multiple sites. They bring over 22 years of successful operations experience and achievements to the spaceport. They have been awarded numerous innovative research contracts and are currently developing a new, more capable “jaws of life” technology with New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology to assist in emergency response and rescue. Flore was also named as one of NM Business Weekly’s “Top 25 Technology Companies” from 2002 to 2006. In 2010, they were named the Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce’s Small Business of the Year in 2009.

Fiore brings a structured method for managing complex services through individual subcontractors, an in-depth understanding of financial management and project reporting requirements, and a broad understanding of the local New Mexico culture and employment market. 

For more information, please visit: www.fiore-ind.com

L&M Radiator photo courtesy of Fred Shepherd

Article courtesy of the Las Cruces Bulletin

By Samantha Roberts

The Mesilla Valley of Economic Development Alliance (MVEDA) has been busy this month with meetings, events and behind-the scenes work. The organization, which was incorporated in 1994, is “a public/private sector economic development partnership that serves Dona Ana County,” according to its mission. MVEDA partners with entities in southern New Mexico, such as the City of Las Cruces, Dona Ana County, New Mexico State University, Dona Ana Community College, the Las Cruces Public Schools, the Village of Hatch and the New Mexico Economic Development Department.

“We have begun a business connection series,” said Fred Shepherd, MVEDA business development manager. “We are trying to put together events that address what companies want to see and hear about.”

In addition to monthly business luncheons, MVEDA has other tools in its toolbox, such as business resource guides, assistance programs, business start-up help, educational opportunities and business consultations.

Newest to its resources, MVEDA offered a “commuter package” in collaboration with the City of Las Cruces to L&M Radiator, a worldwide manufacturer of MESABI flexible core heat exchangers that has decided to relocate its El Paso office to Las Cruces. The company purchased the old Coca-Cola bottling plant at 2100 S. Valley Drive.

“We have 60 current employees that will stay with us, and it will be up to them if they chose to move to Las Cruces or stay in El Paso, but we thought this was a nice way to at least show them what Las Cruces has to offer,” said Production Manager Tom Baumchen, in regards to the open house event.

L&M Radiator chartered two buses Saturday, June 4, filled with employees and their families to introduce them to the City of the Crosses. In addition to MVEDA, guests were allowed to peruse several vendors’ booths, including Dona Ana Community College (DACC), Las Cruces Public Schools, the City of Las Cruces, home loan companies, newspaper options and many others. Guests were also treated to a lunch and tour of Las Cruces before going back to Texas.

“We hope this event is the first of many of its kind,” Shepherd said. “We learned a lot from this first experience. For example, someone asked us about child care, and we didn’t have the information to provide them that day, but in the future we will know. And it is obvious, people moving to Las Cruces want to know the best place for their kids to go to school or where they can be safely kept.”

Other than booths, the participants also enjoyed guest speakers, including Margie Huerta, president of DACC, who was able to facilitate a brief question-and-answer session and recognize Las Cruces for its many wonderful opportunities.

“We are excited about the move, and it just came at the right time,” Baumchen said. “The reason for moving here was to continue a longtime partnership we have with TMS Machine Shop, and we found a building that could house both companies.”

Baumchen said the move has already started and anticipates three shifts per week to be operating by Friday, June 17. “We should be all moved over and settled in by the first or second week of August. Overall, we are very eager about being in Las Cruces and thrilled about the tremendous turnout today,” said Baumchen, hinting that an upcoming “phase two” is in the works for the company.

After L&M moves its final belongings to Las Cruces, Baumchen said he anticipates about 30 more hires. “We are bringing 60 people with us, and have already hired 30 more, but I anticipate that with the way work is coming in, we will add another 30 in the near future,” he said.

For Davin Lopez, MVEDA President and CEO, this event helped answer an important question. “For people moving here, where does quality of life fit in?” Lopez asked at the monthly Business on the Border luncheon Tuesday, June 7. “In addition to that, we at MVEDA want to help connect the fact that companies and their people are wanting to move here and are moving here, and how that will impact our local economy.”

L&M Radiator is not the only company making big changes in the area. Keith Beck, vice president and general manager of the Jacobs Technology’s NASA Test and Evaluation Contract (NTEC) at the NASA White Sands Test Facility (WSTF), also gave an update at the Business on the Border luncheon about what is going on at WTSF.

In regard to the number of people who will be out of work due to departments closing and contracts ending, Beck said a majority of the personnel will be maintained.

“We do a lot of stuff that has to do with testing. Anything that goes into space has to go through testing,” Beck said. “We have 420 employees now and as new jobs come, we look to hire internally first. The fiscal year is looking good, and we don’t anticipate another big hit coming anytime soon.”

Beck also said WSTF is constantly looking at new partnerships to create jobs, such as working with Spaceport America.  “We are currently working on scenarios that Spaceport America could be interested in,” he said. “For example, we are working with nitrous- oxide testing with the (Federal Aviation Administration). We will also have the ability to train people at Spaceport America or provided services as simple as rebuilding a valve on their car so they can get it fixed locally instead of shipping it away.”

At WSTF, Beck is responsible for all rocket propulsion testing, materials and component testing and the processing of flight hardware for the Space Shuttle and International Space Station as well as commercial and military systems. He holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Christian Brothers University and a master’s degree in engineering management from the University of Tennessee and is a registered Professional Engineer.

The next Business on the Border luncheon will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday, July 5, at Hotel Encanto de Las Cruces, 705 S. Telshor Blvd. The meeting will begin with a hot entrée buffet followed by a brief update by MVEDA staff. Luncheon cost is $20 per person and open to the public.  For more information, call MVEDA at 525-2852.

Keith Beck, NASA Test and Evaluation Contract (NTEC) Program Manager for Jacobs Technology, Inc., will be the featured speaker at the June Business on the Border Luncheon.  The meeting will be held on Tuesday, June 7, 2011 from 11:30 AM until 1:00 PM at the Hotel Encanto de Las Cruces, 705 S. Telshor. The meeting will begin with a hot entree buffet followed by a brief update by MVEDA staff.

The NASA Test and Evaluation Contract is one of 20 main contracts that Jacobs Technology Inc. (Jacobs) holds with NASA, the Department of Defense, and other government, and commercial entities.  The primary role of Jacobs is to provide outstanding and unprecedented service to its customers.  With more than 420 people on this contract, the Test Evaluation and Support Team (TEST) at the NASA Johnson Space Center’s White Sands Test Facility (WSTF) provides the expertise to test and evaluate spacecraft materials, components, and rocket propulsion systems to enable the safe human exploration and utilization of space.  Jacobs’ services also include system-level development and test operations, testing of composite overwrap pressure vessels (COPV), oxygen system analysis and testing, chemistry and metallurgy testing.  The Agency’s hypergolic experts reside at WSTF, most of who are Jacobs, employees, making this facility essential to the health of future hypergolic propulsion-system development.  Jacobs also has the facilities and expertise to provide calibration, machining, and welding services and clean rooms for their customers.

Luncheon cost is $20.00 per person, payable by cash, check or major credit card. Due to space limitations, reservations are required. Please confirm your attendance no later than Thursday, June 2 by sending an email to rsvp@mveda.com or by calling the office at (575) 525-2852. The meeting is open to the public.

“Space Week in Southern New Mexico” is held each year in conjunction with the International Symposium for Personal and Commercial Spaceflight, organized by the New Mexico Space Grant Consortium.

This year’s events begin with the PSL Leonard R. Sugerman Public Forum, on Tuesday, October 20^th beginning at 9:00 a.m. The theme for this year’s event is “Building a Spaceport Community” and will focus on the roles that various private and public sector organizations will have in building a spaceport community. The event will be held at the New Mexico Farm and Ranch Heritage Museum and is free and open to the public.

As a prelude to this year’s symposium, a workshop and tour of the NASA White Sands Test Facility is scheduled for Tuesday, October 20th.  It will include a panel of experts who will speak to assets in the local community that are capable of supporting the commercial space industry.

The ISPC S symposium begins at 7:30 a.m. on Wednesday, October 21^st and continues through Thursday, October 22^nd.  Topics to be covered include:

• Flight Safety: Lessons Learned and Opportunities for Innovation
• Space Operations: Lessons Learned and Opportunities for Innovation
• Personal Spaceflight – What to Expect
• Survey Results on Commercial Human Spaceflight
• Augustine Committee Review of Manned Space Flight at NASA
• University Aerospace Research Programs as Enablers of Growth of Commercial Space
• The Suborbital Future Beyond Tourism: The Research and Education Market
• Small Satellites for Orbital and Sub-Orbital Applications
• Launch Vehicle Options for Future Operators in the Sub-Orbital Environment
• Unique Capabilities in New Mexico for RLV and Payload Processing
• Spaceports Investments to Enable Commercial Spaceflight

All ISPCS sessions are plenary, allowing everyone to receive the same information simultaneously. Responding to feedback, ISPCS has created multiple means of engaging the audience in discussions with speakers during the sessions. Additional networking opportunities are scheduled throughout the two days.

To conclude the week’s activities, there will be a tour of Spaceport America led by Steve Landeene and Dr. Jerry Brown on Friday, October 23^rd.  The tour will include the construction site (World HQ for Virgin Galactic); the runway and terminal hanger; the existing site- mission control; and launch pad.

Registration is required for the tours and the symposium. Early bird registration closes October 1^st and on-line registration closes October 16^th.