ENDORSING THE EFFORTS OF THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT TO PURSUE THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A SPACEPORT IN NEW MEXICO.

WHEREAS, New Mexico has a number of organizations with space-related activities and unique facilities, including Sandia national laboratories, Los Alamos national laboratory, Air Force research laboratory, Air Force space and missile center, Air Force operational test and evaluation center, White Sands missile range, national atmospheric and space administration, White Sands testing facility, university of New Mexico, New Mexico state university, New Mexico institute of mining and technology and the professional aerospace contractors association; and

WHEREAS, high technology endeavors are more important to New Mexico's economy than to any other state; and

WHEREAS, New Mexico is a leader in the commercialization of technology; and

WHEREAS, New Mexico has the environment, climate and high launch altitude to support low-cost space flight operations; and

WHEREAS, commercialization of space is a rapidly growing business sector with enormous opportunity for the state; and

WHEREAS, Lockheed-Martin is developing a single-stage-to-orbit, commercial, reusable, space booster, the VentureStar, and is looking for a suitable spaceport to assemble, launch and recover the VentureStar; and

WHEREAS, Lockheed-Martin expects the site provider to be a partner in the VentureStar program, and the program will ultimately provide between three thousand and four thousand direct jobs; and

WHEREAS, protected airspace and infrastructure for launch and recovery are available in New Mexico;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that it endorse and support the efforts of the economic development department to secure an agreement with Lockheed-Martin to establish a spaceport in New Mexico for the VentureStar assembly, launch and recovery; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the legislature endorse and support formation of a public-private partnership to develop and operate the spaceport; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the secretary of economic development and to the president and chief executive officer of Lockheed-Martin.