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Commercialization

Cutting Corners At Spaceport America

By Keith Cowing
NASA Watch
August 28, 2016
Filed under
Cutting Corners At Spaceport America

Transparency lacking in spaceport search, editorial, Las Cruces Sun News
“There may be no more important hire in southern New Mexico this year than the next person who is selected to lead Spaceport America. Sadly, we have lost all faith that the process will be comprehensive or transparent. It was decided early on that, instead of hiring a search firm to lead the effort, the Spaceport Authority would rely on social media to get the word out. A subcommittee of four members of the Spaceport Authority board of directors was selected to review applications with former CEO Christine Anderson and send the best ones to Santa Fe for Gov. Susana Martinez. But before that subcommittee could hold its first meeting, the decision was made to call off the search and ship the applications to the governor’s office. The Sun-News filed an open records request on Aug. 16 seeking copies of the applications being turned over to the governor’s office. The response from the Spaceport Authority was that they would be unable to comply with the requirement that documents be produced within three business days, and would need until the end of the month instead. That’s troubling, given that Spaceport Authority board Chairman Rick Holdridge has said that it is his intention to have a new CEO named well before then if possible.”

NASA Watch founder, Explorers Club Fellow, ex-NASA, Away Teams, Journalist, Space & Astrobiology, Lapsed climber.

6 responses to “Cutting Corners At Spaceport America”

  1. Michael Spencer says:
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    What exactly does this facility do? Lie in wait for Sir Richard? Is that all? Is it looking for the incipient “Space Age”?

    The architect hit a home run however. Not only does form follow function, but unlike some of the modern monstrosities we see this one is actually functional. If it only had spaceplanes.

    • Daniel Woodard says:
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      The facility could certainly host other aviation and suborbital research and tourism concepts such as XCOR’s suborital vehicle, and there is a lot of experimental and aviation manufacturing activity that could be attracted with some moderate infusion of funds by the state.

      • Michael Spencer says:
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        My admittedly snarky question was framed to reflect the lack of activity. Many will point out, as you do, what could happen.

        Perhaps it’s a decade (?) too soon.

  2. Jackalope3000 says:
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    The North Haverbrook monorail does not cut corners!

  3. ThomasLMatula says:
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    Sadly the desirable skills listed for the next CEO will only ensure the facility will drift. You really need someone who will stop thinking of the spaceport as just an airport to space and recognize it for what it was originally intended to be in the 1990’s, a space focused research park that has easy access to space. The suborbital space tourist model they fell into is really a dead end for the facility even if VG ever gets around to flying from it.

  4. Neville Chamberlain says:
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    25 Years too early. Probably the best aspect is that it occupies the real estate preserving it for use as a spaceport in the future. Even so, it is probably too small even then.