Welcome to Excavating Innovation, a bi-monthly interview series with the visionaries and trailblazers who call Space Valley home. Each interview reveals how these remarkable individuals dig deep into their scientific explorations, artistic endeavors, and more to unearth groundbreaking ideas. In this edition, we feature Loretta Hall, an award-winning author, historian, and advocate whose work illuminates New Mexico’s vital role in the history of human space exploration.
Loretta Hall is an author and freelance writer whose work focuses on human space exploration and its history. She serves as a member of the NSS Space Ambassadors Subcommittee and is a Space Ambassador Subject Matter Expert on Space History and Women in Space.
Loretta holds a BS degree in Mathematics and previously taught high school math. She began her writing career in 1990. Her magazine articles, speeches, and books have earned numerous awards, including a Silver Award in the Science category of Foreword’s Book of the Year Awards and a Gold Medal from the Military Writers Society of America. In 2016 she was named the National Federation of Press Women’s Communicator of Achievement and was one of five finalists in Phase I of the NSS Space Ambassadors Program.
Join us as we talk with Loretta about her journey, her passion for preserving history, and why New Mexico is an unparalleled hub for space innovation.
What first sparked your interest in space, and how did that evolve into your career as a space historian?
My interest began when I was about twelve years old, watching the Mercury astronauts being introduced to the nation. I grew up alongside the early space program, watching us reach the Moon. That curiosity stayed with me.
I have been a freelance writer since 1990, covering a wide range of topics, but in 2006 my attention turned sharply toward space. When the state legislature authorized Spaceport America, I wanted to know why New Mexico was chosen for the world’s first commercial spaceport. I went to the library expecting to find a book with the answer, and there wasn’t one. I began researching and discovered an incredible, largely overlooked history of space research here that dates back to the 1930s. That research became my first space-related book.
In your view, what makes New Mexico such fertile ground for space innovation?
The same factors that brought Robert Goddard here for rocket testing still apply today: wide-open land, low population density, little vegetation to burn, a generally mild climate, and rail access for equipment and supplies. It is a nearly ideal environment for space research and testing. Our only limitation is that we cannot launch directly over water.
It is also about the people. New Mexico has always attracted innovative, creative thinkers, and that spirit continues to fuel the work happening here.
What is one story or contribution from New Mexico’s space history you wish every American knew?
The human factors research conducted at Holloman Air Force Base proved human beings could survive spaceflight. It is such a foundational piece of the story. There is also rocket development at White Sands Missile Range. These contributions shaped the course of human space exploration, yet they are rarely mentioned alongside the better-known history of other space regions.
You have described New Mexico as being overlooked in the national space narrative. How do you see Space Valley changing that?
New Mexico’s contributions to space are immense in science, culture, and history, but they have often been under the radar. Space Valley goals seem like they could give us a way to tell that story more broadly and to position the Rio Grande Corridor as a hub of innovation on par with other space regions. It is about claiming our place in the public imagination and showing the world the depth of what is happening here.
Loretta Hall’s dedication to preserving and sharing New Mexico’s space legacy reflects the mission of Space Valley. Her work ensures that the stories, people, and breakthroughs rooted here continue to inspire future generations of explorers.
Stay tuned for more Spotlights on remarkable individuals who are pushing the boundaries of what is possible in space science, technology, and the arts. Visit us at SpaceValley.org for upcoming events and opportunities to connect with fellow innovators, researchers, and creatives.
