WE’RE MAKING NEW MEXICO THE PLACE FOR SPACE
Courtesy Spaceport America
New Mexico Space Valley Coalition is a statewide team of public and private entities that have come together to rocket forward the commercial space industry in New Mexico.
The New Mexico Space Valley Coalition meets a national imperative to grow the commercial space industry, with an unmatched, holistic approach to space accessibility, commercialization, and exploration. NSF Engines will enable this cross-sector Coalition to level up the impact of current and new initatives-rapidly accelerating local growth while driving competitive advantage for the nation.
With a focus on diversification and equity, the Coalition will speed economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, promote resilience by building the Space Valley of the future, benefit national security, strengthen our global competitiveness, and increase local and national economic prosperity.
A REMI analysis predicts a $2.5 billion gross regional product within 10 years and over 2,500 direct jobs. As a result, New Mexico will become the nation’s nexus for commercial, public, and private space stakeholders to create an equitable and thriving marketplace of ideas and products.
U.S. Secretary of Commerce
Gina M. Raimondo
“The NSF Engines Regional Challenge aims to supercharge local economies and increase American competitiveness around the globe.”
COALITION MEMBERS
city of albuquerque
CNM
Community College
CNM Ingenuity
New Mexico International Trade Alliance
NewSpace Nexus
New Mexico Spaceport Authority
COALITION PARTNERS
LEVADO
Navajo Technical University
NEW MEXICO TECH
New Mexico MEP
New Mexico State University
STEMarts Lab
OUR OPPORTUNITY
PHASE 2
The coalition received $500,000 as a Phase 1 finalist in the U.S. Economic Development Administration’s (EDA) NSF Engines Regional Challenge after competing against 529 other applicants.
Now, we’re advancing our vision of making New Mexico the place for Space. The six high-impact, interconnected projects proposed by the Coalition bring a unique offering and a fully integrated strategy to support starts-ups and small to mid-size companies from concept to product to sales with education/training/business support, the world’s first purpose-built commercial spaceport, a new Space-focused venture studio and fund, and navigation and connection services to customer contracts.
The Coalition could be selected as one of 20-30 applicants to receive up to $100 million to bring our vision to life: $540 million in economic growth, over 2,500 direct jobs, and incredible diversification for our economy over the next 10 years.
SPACE VALLEY CENTER
A multi-use innovation facility located in Downtown Albuquerque that will be thriving landmark for new space activity.
ROCKET ASSEMBLY BUILDING @ Spaceport America
Expands the state’s vertical launch capacity and functionality, attracting users from across the region as the only vertical launch area in the Southwest and Mountain West.
SPACE WORKFORCE OF THE FUTURE
Brings together CNM, NM Tech, NMSU, and UNM to supply diversified and equitable talent for the growing new space industry.
Q-STATION EXPANSION
Powers co-working space, K-12 opportunities, and a new Software Talent Factory to build solutions for new space companies.
UNITE & IGNITE EXPANSION
Accelerates space innovation from concept to product to sales with equipment & testing, prototyping, advanced manufacturing, workforce pathways and navigation services.
VENTURE STUDIO & VENTURE FUND
Supports and invests in new Space start-ups with co-founder levels of support and Seed through Series A funding round participation.
new mexico
the place for space
New Mexico has more than 100 private sector space companies today. The DoD space budget is approximately $12B annually for unclassified systems. At Kirtland AFB, Air Force Research Laboratory, Space and Missiles Center–Advanced Systems and Development Directorate, and Space Rapid Capabilities Office utilize over $900M in annual funding and over 1,600 employees. The newly established SpaceWERX Innovation Office is deploying its first hub to the Air Force Research Lab’s Q-station facility. The Spaceport’s neighbor, the U.S. Army’s White Sands Missile Range, is the largest open air range and features nearly 3,200 square miles of surface to unlimited restricted airspace; a “no fly” zone of this size makes it attractive for private companies and the federal government alike.
New Mexico also hosts three Federal Laboratories, Air Force Research Laboratory (DoD), Los Alamos National Laboratory (DoE) and Sandia National Laboratories (DoE). Collectively, the state’s major Air Force and Laboratory assets have over 21,000 staff. New Mexico’s three Research Universities stand out in engineering and the sciences, resulting largely from our long history as a world–class research center being home to several federal and private sector research institutions.
Space equity & diversity
New Mexico is positioned to rethink the aerospace sector to be more inclusive, engaging communities historically left out of this transformational ecosystem to build the future of the commercial space industry. Each component project empowers partners to put our diversity, equity, and inclusion goals in overdrive:
- Q-Station Expansion generates urban, rural, and tribal high school students’ interest in STEM careers using virtual reality.
- Unite & Ignite Space will expand co-innovation hubs to Navajo Technical University, support minority business enterprises and build workforce pathways for underserved K-12 students.
- Space Workforce of the Future provides learner supports, and maps credentials earned by four institutions straight into industry jobs.
Courtesy Spaceport America
NEWS & PRESS RELEASES
KOB 4 | FEBRUARY 9, 2023 – Some local organizations are pushing for space to be a much larger frontier in the Land of Enchantment. KOB 4 spoke with some folks looking to put the state ahead in the space industry race.
Albuquerque joins effort to gain federal funds to build a space innovation hub in New Mexico
ALBUQUERQUE BUSINESS FIRST | FEBRUARY 23, 2022 – Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller’s administration announced it will join five other organizations that are vying for federal funding to build a center for space innovation in New Mexico…
New Mexico’s growing reputation as a space state
SPACENEWS.COM | FEBRUARY 19, 2022 – Federal space funding flows to New Mexico. The state is home to the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory, the U.S. Space Systems Command Innovation and Prototyping Directorate, the U.S. Space Force Rapid Capabilities Office and the U.S. Army White Sands Missile Range. Additional space-related research is conducted at the Energy Department’s Sandia and Los Alamos National Laboratories.
New Mexico’s Space, Tech Industries in Running for $200M
GOVERNING.COM | JANUARY 1, 2022 – New Mexico’s space and creative technology industries could get a $200 million boost from the U.S. Economic Development Administration’s “NSF Engines Regional Challenge.”
Coalition of five New Mexico organizations aim to boost the aerospace industry with federal dollars
ALBUQUERQUE BUSINESS FIRST | DECEMBER 22, 2021 – A coalition of five New Mexico organizations is among a pool of national applicants seeking to spark the local economy through the millions of dollars made available under the NSF Engines Regional Challenge.
NSF Regional Innovation Engines program selects 16 teams for the final round of competition
NSF NEWS | AUGUST 2, 2023 – The U.S. National Science Foundation announced 16 finalists for the first-ever NSF Regional Innovation Engines (NSF Engines) competition, spanning a range of key technology areas and societal and economic challenges highlighted in the “CHIPS and Science Act.”
New Mexico aerospace coalition gets a step closer to federal funding
BIZJOURNALS.COM | AUGUST 2, 2023 – A coalition of economic development organizations in New Mexico, focused on growing the state’s aerospace industry, is one step closer to landing up to $160 million almost a year after it missed out on a portion of U.S. Economic Development Administration dollars.
New Mexico Space Valley selected as finalist for national science competition
KRQE | AUGUST 3, 2023 – A local space-focused group is making waves in a national competition. The New Mexico Space Valley Coalition has made it to the final round of a nationwide competition to boost science and technology development.
National Science Foundation Announces Space Valley Coalition A Finalist For Potential $160 Million Federal Grant
LOS ALAMOS DAILY POST | AUGUST 3, 2023 – The U.S. National Science Foundation announced Wednesday the Space Valley Coalition as a finalist of its first-ever Regional Innovation Engines Competition.
Space Valley Announced a Finalist for Potential $160M Federal Grant
ABQ NEWS | AUGUST 3, 2023 – The U.S. National Science Foundation announced the Space Valley Coalition as a finalist of its first-ever Regional Innovation Engines Competition on Wednesday.