By KRWG News
Las Cruces – The New Mexico Spaceport Authority's board of directors has named a retired Air Force civilian official as the spaceport's next executive director.
Gov. Susana Martinez's office announced Christine Anderson's appointment Monday. Anderson previously served for 30 years in civilian positions with the Air Force, including several years at Kirtland Air Force Base.
Martinez says the spaceport has the potential to create jobs, spur economic development and make New Mexico a leader in space travel. She says her administration will work with Anderson and the spaceport authority to attract private investment and see the project through to its full potential.
Anderson was most recently a director at the Air Force Research Laboratory at Wright-Patterson base in Ohio. She also was the founding director of the Space Vehicles Directorate at Kirtland.
Copyright 2011 The Associated Press.