Lockheed Martin signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the New Mexico Space Authority to conduct future testing and vehicle development at Spaceport America.

UP Aerospace signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the New Mexico Space Authority for continued operations at Spaceport America and to relocate their business offices to Sierra County.

Microgravity signed a Memorandum of Understanding to expand business development in Sierra County and assist with educational activities. 

Update of Spaceport America Design and Construction Packages

The planning and design for the various components of Spaceport America are well underway.  It is anticipated that some construction procurement packages for related works will be issued as early as the summer of 2008. Construction will begin after the EIS/ROD process, with licensed operations scheduled to begin in late 2010 for horizontal flight and early 2009 for vertical launch.  Costs are in-line with the budget. A summary of the packages is as follows:

Temporary Road Improvements -Second Quarter, 2008---- NMDOT will procure construction services for road and bridge work on approximately 8.5 miles of AO13, just south of Engle.  Design and Construction is being coordinated by NMDOT.

On-site Infrastructure -Fourth Quarter, 2008 ---- NMSA will procure construction services for site grading, utilities (water and power distribution), roadwork, airfield paving, fencing, and fuel storage facilities for the entire Spaceport America site.  Design is 95 per cent complete, and the Construction Procurement will be coordinated by NMSA with the support of the design team headed by DMJM Aviation, Molzen Corbin, and Dekker/Perich/Sabatini.

Systems Integration Package -Fourth Quarter, 2008---NMSA will issue performance specifications for communications, security, and life safety systems for the selection of a Systems Integrator for the detailed design, construction, installation, and start-up for systems to be housed in the Fire Station and in the Terminal and Hangar facility at Spaceport America.  Specifications are 95 per cent complete, and the Procurement will be coordinated by NMSA with the support of the systems design team, DMJM Aviation.

 Terminal and Hangar Facility Package- Fourth Quarter, 2008---- NMSA will procure construction services for the 110,000 square foot Terminal and Hangar Facilities that will house NMSA facilities as well as lease space for the tenant, Virgin Galactic.  Design is 10 per cent complete.   The procurement will be coordinated by NMSA with the support of the Terminal design team, URS Corporation, Fosters & Partners,  and SMPC Architects.

Fire Station and Maintenance Facility - Fourth Quarter, 2008--- NMSA will procure construction services for the 8,000 square foot fire station and maintenance facilities on-site at Spaceport America.  Design is 95 per cent complete, and the Procurement will be coordinated by NMSA with the support of the design team, DMJM Aviation

Off-site power- Second Quarter, 2009---Sierra Electric Co-op will procure construction and installation services for the off-site power distribution that will supply Spaceport America.  Design is underway.  Design and procurement will be coordinated by Sierra Electric Co-op in Elephant Butte, NM.

Negotiations continue with Virgin Galactic on Development Agreement and Facilities lease

Progress continues on the Development Agreement.  The Lease is in draft form and will be worked upon Development Agreement signing. 

EIS

The draft EIS was released in March.  This starts the official review, comment and update cycle.  The process includes stakeholder agency review followed by a public comment period prior to the Final EIS being issued.  The anticipated date for the Final EIS and Record of Decision is the end of December 2008 assuming the process goes smoothly. 

License

The current draft of the Launch Site Operator License application has incorporated responses to all questions and comments from FAA/AST, and is ready for submittal in accordance with the current EIS schedule.  The site license is anticipated shortly after issuance of the final EIS Record of Decision.

Community outreach activities continue.

Community outreach activities continued with regard to keeping the public informed on Spaceport progress and construction activity. To that end, meetings have been held with business and community leaders in Las Cruces, Alamogordo, Hatch and T or C. The Spaceport Tax vote was held April 22, 2008 for Sierra County. The voters of Sierra County, approved (2046 yes and 1066 no) an increase in local gross receipts tax to support the construction of Spaceport America. Sierra County can now join adjacent Doña Ana County in forming a Tax Development District (TDD) as required by the New Mexico State Legislature for the project to move forward.

Otero County Commissioners recently provided a letter of support to Spaceport America and agreed to put the GRT to a vote in the general election on November 8^th, 2008 contingent on the passage of the GRT in Sierra County.  NMSA has been requested to provide a spaceport update to the Alamogordo City Commission. 

Thank you for your continued support of Spaceport America.  The next newsletter update will be in May 2008. In the meantime, please contact me with any questions.

Lou Gomez

Program Manager

Spaceport America

New Mexico Spaceport Authority

505-521-3407