Space Race

Will Planets Align for N.M.’s Spaceport?

By Neal Singer

The Jet Set may soon become the Space Set as New Mexico moves ahead with its planned $198 million civilian spaceport, the first of its kind in the world.

Robert Goddard built the world’s first modern rockets in southern New Mexico in the 1930s.

The futuristic design for Spaceport America by URS Corp. and Foster + Partners uses natural earth as a berm to its low-lying, organic shape.

Renderings courtesy Wilson Binkley Advertising & Marketing

So it seems only appropriate that construction bids are expected to be going out late this year for one of the world’s first civilian spaceports, Spaceport America, which will be built in the same general region.

The spaceport about 40 mi north of Las Cruces will be home to the New Mexico Spaceport Authority, a subunit of the state’s Economic Development Department. It will also house pre- and post-flight training facilities for commercial space entrepreneur Virgin Galactic Inc., a company created by Sir Richard Branson as the world’s first commercial space tourism business. Other firms committing to the spaceport include Bethesda, Md.-based Lockheed Martin and Denver-based UP Aerospace Inc.

The 100,000-sq-ft terminal will feature an expansive glazed façade offering spectacular views onto the spaceport’s runway. The building will rely on passive energy for heating and cooling, with photovoltaic panels for electricity and water recycling capabilities.

A 100,000-sq-ft hangar, which is expected to house seven flying craft, and a terminal for the facility are being designed by U.S./British team of URS Corp. and Foster + Partners. The buildings are expected to qualify for LEED platinum designation.

Bermed earth is expected to be used to buffer the low-lying, $31 million terminal against climate extremes and help reduce heating and cooling equipment capital costs and energy payouts. Photovoltaic panels will provide for some electrical needs, and westerly winds should provide ventilation. Skylights penetrating the concrete roof will provide natural lighting.

Water recycling equipment, local building materials and regional construction techniques will also be used.

David Wilson, the project’s public relations spokesperson, says the design “is in its final stages.”

Construction bids have not yet been released because of the complex funding, but the entire project is estimated to cost $198 million.

An approximately $8 million access roadway is expected to go out to bid this summer. Other design elements of the spaceport-runway, security, water, power and communication systems-have been completed and are expected to be put out for bid late this year.

Construction bids have not yet been released because of the complex funding. The entire project is estimated to cost $198 million, of which the state of New Mexico has guaranteed $140 million. The remaining funds are to come from sales taxes collected in the counties nearest the spaceport: Doña Ana, Sierra and Otero counties.

“The New Mexico Legislature required that at least two out of these three counties have to successfully vote on and pass the spaceport GRT tax in order to form the tax district needed to collect the tax money for this spaceport construction,” Wilson says.

Voters did recently approve the creation of the tax district in two of the counties, creating a one-quarter cent sales tax that is expected to bring in $49 million in funding from Doña Ana County and $2.4 million from Sierra County.

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Otero County is expected to have its public vote on the tax district in November. If approved, it would provide another $6.6 million for construction of the spaceport.

“We are hoping that Otero County voters will see the direct benefits from Spaceport America to their local economy just as they have benefited from the huge White Sands and Holloman Air Force Base aerospace industry that has been in place for over 60 years,” Wilson says.

Also expected by the end of the year is the issuance of a site operator’s license by the Federal Aviation Administration, to be granted upon completion of an environmental impact study.

The physical plant is expected to be completed in late 2009 or early 2010.

Test flights of the spaceships are expected to occur in that time period as well.

Useful Sources

To learn more about Spaceport America, visit their website at www.spaceportamerica.com.

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