SENATE MEMORIAL 30

48th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2007

INTRODUCED BY

Leonard Lee Rawson

A MEMORIAL

EXPRESSING APPRECIATION AND GRATITUDE TO LONNIE SUMPTER FOR HIS CONTRIBUTION TO NEW MEXICO'S FUTURE IN SPACE COMMERCIALIZATION AND DECLARING FEBRUARY 16, 2007 "LONNIE SUMPTER DAY" AT THE SENATE.

     WHEREAS, Lonnie Sumpter graduated from Oklahoma state university with a degree in mechanical engineering and was employed by the army depot in Pueblo, Colorado, as an engineering intern; and

     WHEREAS, Lonnie Sumpter was employed at White Sands missile range, where he was eventually promoted to senior project engineer; and

     WHEREAS, Lonnie Sumpter was recruited by the Coleman Research corporation to develop its test and evaluation business in southern New Mexico; and

     WHEREAS, Lonnie Sumpter was a founder of General Kinematics corporation; and

     WHEREAS, Lonnie Sumpter played a key role in organizing the southwest regional space task force, which charted the early path for New Mexico in the realm of commercial space; and

     WHEREAS, Lonnie Sumpter was appointed executive director of the New Mexico office of space commercialization but had to leave his position due to illness; and

     WHEREAS, Lonnie Sumpter continued to make an invaluable contribution to New Mexico's commercial space program with his innovative systems engineering approach to flight safety analyses in support of reusable launch operations, as well as his presentations on the unlimited possibilities for New Mexico in commercial space; and

     WHEREAS, Lonnie Sumpter was appointed to New Mexico's military base planning commission and personally developed a description of New Mexico's military advantages, which was included in the state's presentation to the United States department of defense base realignment and closure commission in support of saving Cannon air force base during the base realignment and closure round in 2005; and 

     WHEREAS, Lonnie Sumpter was appointed director of New Mexico's spaceport authority, where he worked closely with the rocket racing league, UP Aerospace and Virgin Galactic corporation and provided outstanding executive leadership to New Mexico's commercial spaceport program; and

     WHEREAS, Lonnie Sumpter, as director of the spaceport authority, worked diligently on planning, environmental review and licensing for New Mexico's commercial spaceport program; and

     WHEREAS, Lonnie Sumpter, as director of the spaceport authority, presented an inspiring vision of the economic benefits of New Mexico's spaceport through his numerous presentations to civic, cultural, professional and educational groups;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that sincere appreciation and gratitude be expressed to Lonnie Sumpter for his significant contribution to New Mexico's future in space commercialization and for his love for the New Mexico spaceport program and that February 16, 2007 be declared "Lonnie Sumpter Day" at the senate; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this memorial be transmitted to Lonnie Sumpter.

- 3 -