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Las Cruces And Albuquerque Companies Get Spaceport Contracts

 

LAS CRUCES, NM – The New Mexico Spaceport Authority (NMSA) has announced two contract awards to companies located in the State of New Mexico. The contracts are for Spaceport General Services and the Spaceport Operations Center (SOC) Fit Out Design.

 

Western Building & Development, LLC of Las Cruces was selected as the Spaceport General Services Contractor. Western will be tasked with the development of policies and procedures for pre-operational and operational support for all general services activities to include: building and utility maintenance and repairs, interior and exterior building maintenance, janitorial services, fuel storage operation and maintenance, motor vehicle and aircraft fueling, Foreign Object Debris (FOD) removal, grounds-keeping and landscape maintenance. Western’s vision of Spaceport America’s General Services operations is to maximize the use of qualified vendors, contractors and employees located in Sierra or Dona Ana Counties.  Western’s basic Time and Materials contract has an estimated value of up to $1,660,000.

 

The SOC Fit Out Design contract was awarded to SMPC Architects of Albuquerque. SMPC’s contract is essential to providing SOC interior design development including construction drawings, selection of interior building finishes, and construction administration services for the interior build-out effort.  SMPC’s basic Time and Materials contract has an estimated value of up to $294,000.

ABOUT SPACEPORT AMERICA:

 

Spaceport America is the first purpose-built commercial spaceport in the world.  It is situated on 18,000 acres adjacent to the US Army White Sands Missile Range.  Virgin Galactic, Sir Richard Branson’s company, is the spaceports anchor tenant.  Spaceport America has been providing commercial vertical launch services since 2006. Phase One of the construction for the spaceport is expected to be complete in 2012. Phase Two of the construction and pre-operations activities has begun and includes improvements to the vertical launch complex, the paving of the southern road to the spaceport, and the development of a world-class Visitor Experience for students, tourists and space launch customers.

To date, there have been 15 vertical launches at the Spaceport.  Customers include Armadillo Aerospace, UP Aerospace, MOOG FTS and Lockheed Martin.  The Spaceport also hosts a student launch annually in concert with the New Mexico Space Grant Consortium.  Last year there were over 800 students and teachers participating.  The Spaceport presents a tremendous opportunity to excite and inspire our students in science and math.  The Spaceport Visitor Experience is strongly focused on this objective.  The economic impact of launches, tourism and new construction at Spaceport America are already delivering on the promise of economic development to the people of New Mexico. Over 1,000 jobs for New Mexicans have been generated to date.