Where Is Space Valley in the United States?
This state is a major player in the industry and is home to Spaceport America, the world’s first purpose-built commercial spaceport.
Where is Space Valley? New Mexico. The nickname is a sign of the state’s leadership role in the commercial space industry, which is on track to reach a value exceeding $1 trillion over the next couple of decades, according to Charlie Hurley, spokesman for Spaceport America.
New Mexico lived up to the name Space Valley by being the third state to reach space in 2021. The state benefits from approximately 140 space-related ventures and is home to Spaceport America, the world’s first purpose-built commercial spaceport.
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Space Valley: The Epicenter of Space Exploration
“We want to make sure Space Valley is as well-known as Silicon Valley. We have research and development, launch facilities and every type of space-related company,” Hurley says. “We want to have a vision of having it all here – space tourism, launch facilities – along Interstate 25, all within 250 miles,” he says of the industry.
Spaceport America’s anchor tenant is Virgin Galactic, a pioneer in space tourism that in 2023 began launching commercial flights aboard rocket planes that take civilian passengers to altitudes of about 53 miles. NASA categorizes astronauts as anyone who has flown at an altitude of 50 miles or higher, and Virgin Galactic has more than 600 space enthusiasts signed up for future flights at a cost of $250,000 per person.
Take a Spin!
SpinLaunch is another Spaceport company that has created an alternative method for putting 200-kilogram class satellites into low-Earth orbit. Unlike fuel-based rockets, SpinLaunch uses a ground-based, kinetic launch system that delivers a less expensive and environmentally sustainable approach to space launches.
Technological Advancements in New Mexico
Life in space begins with innovations by companies like mPower Technology. Based in Albuquerque, the company was chosen to participate in the NASA Artemis program, which aims to return humans to the moon as the first step toward permanent lunar habitation and Mars exploration.
Solstar Space Co., a Santa Fe-based company, provides internet-based communication solutions that make living and working in space more efficient. The technology makes it possible for anyone – from a space tourist to an astronaut – to access the internet from space. As missions extend past Earth’s orbit to the moon and beyond, Solstar’s technology will make communicating from space as easy as opening a laptop on Earth.
“Astronauts will be using it,” says Brian Barnett, Solstar’s founder and CEO. “Or if there are scientific experiments on board and Wi-Fi enabled, then scientists on the ground could interact with their experiments. That’s one of the benefits of our technology. We enable scientists on the ground 24/7 access to their experiments.”
In 2023, Solstar Space secured a $1.25 million Phase II Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contract for its Deke Space Communicator.
Obruta Space Solutions is a Canadian startup and a member of Q Station, a collaborative workspace supported by the Air Force Research Laboratory and the U.S. Space Force. Its Autonomous Rendezvous, Proximity Operations and Docking (RPOD) software enables spacecraft to safely operate in proximity with each other.
Education, Careers & Opportunity
New Mexico: Where Outdoors Is Big Business
Outdoor recreation businesses in New Mexico thrive in this diverse, natural playground.
“With Obruta’s membership in the Q Station’s Space Tech Cohort, the Q Station and Air Force Research Laboratory have recognized the potential of Obruta’s RPOD technology in supporting the U.S. space industry and the importance of international collaboration between allies. For Obruta, the program supports our entrance into the U.S. market with many resources, including consulting, networking and business development opportunities,” says Kevin Stadnyk, CEO of Obruta Space Solutions.
Obruta’s autonomous RPOD technology is a key capability required across many emerging in-space industry segments, while also having applications for space situational awareness and space traffic management.
Those industries include satellite refueling, life extension, inspection, component repair and replacement, space debris removal, reusable logistics vehicles, resupply, and transportation to space stations, as well as lunar landing and return.
“By enabling business activities across all of these markets, Obruta attracts companies seeking to leverage our technology and can help establish New Mexico as a key location for companies operating in the emerging in-space economy,” Stadnyk says.
Spaceport America Cup
More than 100 college and university rocketry teams arrive each summer at Spaceport America to participate in an annual Spaceport America Cup competition. The extravaganza features six days of competitive events, with all teams showcasing the design, construction and flight of their individual rockets.
“The rockets vary in size, including some that are 9 or 10 feet tall,” says Charlie Hurley, Spaceport America spokesman. “It’s an exciting competition, with as many as 100 rocket launches occurring during the course of a day. Some of the rockets can go as high as 10,000 feet.”
Teams were in attendance from every continent except Antarctica for the 2023 Spaceport America Cup. “Competitions are in several categories, and the overall winner in 2023 was Brigham Young University,” Hurley says.
When not hosting the Cup, the 18,000-acre Spaceport America property is home to tenants such as AeroVironment, HAPSMobile, SpinLaunch, UP Aerospace and Virgin Galactic.
“Our mission at Spaceport America is to be a gateway to space for everyone,” Hurley says. “Economic projections have the overall space industry reaching a level of $1.2 trillion by 2040, and we’re making sure that we are a major player in this industry.”
Astronaut Campus in New Mexico
Also making news at Virgin Galactic is the planned construction of a first-of-its-kind astronaut campus and training facility to be located at Spaceport America, where Virgin Galactic is a tenant. When built, the Sierra County campus will be used for Virgin Galactic’s future astronauts in training and up to three of their guests.
The campus will feature overnight accommodations, a wellness center, an observatory, training facilities, dining options and recreation activities. The plan is for astronauts and their guests to stay on the campus for five nights, before the commercial space flight.
“At Virgin Galactic, the road to space begins in New Mexico,” Blair Rich, Virgin Galactic president and chief business officer, said in a press release. “While our future astronauts are completing spaceflight training, their guests will live out a tailored itinerary of discovery and educational experiences on our campus and throughout southern New Mexico.”
Also involved with training future space travelers is NewSpace Nexus, an Albuquerque-based nonprofit that plans to introduce a new Pathways to the Stars program to inspire more students to become part of the future space workforce.
“We are currently mapping out Pathways programs that will keep students inspired and interested about the space industry as they keep advancing in their education,” says Casey Anglada DeRaad, NewSpace Nexus founder & CEO.
DeRaad says a big part of the Pathways program will be getting additional New Mexico space and aerospace companies involved to offer student internships, serve as mentors for middle school students, fund additional programs and provide career connection paths.
“We have numerous assets in New Mexico, and we want to keep many students on a path toward top careers in space,” she says. “Our mission at NewSpace Nexus is to grow the new space economy from New Mexico – for the nation.”
– Staff writer Kevin Litwin contributed to this article.
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