Release courtesy of the New Mexico Spaceport Authority
UPHAM, NM – Virgin Galactic and sister aerospace production company The Spaceship Company (TSC) has announced that they will co-host the first-ever “Industry Day” in cooperation with the New Mexico Spaceport Authority (NMSA) at Spaceport America on Tuesday, October 18. The NMSA said that the Industry Day event, which is by Virgin Galactic invitation only, is designed to educate potential suppliers on the type of goods and services that will be needed by the two companies as commercial space travel becomes a reality in New Mexico.
The daylong event will include presentations by Virgin Galactic President and CEO George Whitesides; New Mexico Department of Economic Development Cabinet Secretary Jon Barela; and NMSA Executive Director Christine Anderson. Attendees will have a unique opportunity to see the WhiteKnightTwo and SpaceShipTwo vehicles up close in their new home at Spaceport America.
“Virgin Galactic and The Spaceship Company are looking to create relationships with local, regional and global suppliers to support their operations at Spaceport America,” said Christine Anderson, NMSA Executive Director. “The organizers of this event have stated their intention to hire locally as much as possible, which is good news for New Mexico companies.” Interested suppliers are encouraged by Virgin Galactic to complete an online registration form at http://www.virgingalactic.com/news/item/virgin-galactic-industry-day/ to express their desire to attend the event and to become a Virgin Galactic and/or TSC supplier. Virgin Galactic will select the final guest list prior to emailing invitations.
“This is a fantastic opportunity for companies ranging from local New Mexico firms to national corporations to understand our unique needs for goods and services, including our requirements in building and servicing multiple commercial spaceships as the market further develops,” said Virgin Galactic’s President and CEO George Whitesides. “Our intention is to establish these relationships and emphasize our desire to hire locally as much as possible.”
New Mexico Department of Economic Development Cabinet Secretary Jon Barela encourages New Mexico businesses to register their interest in attending online. “New Mexico has a vast pool of available aerospace and related industry talent due to White Sands Missile Range, our national laboratories, Holloman, Kirtland, and Cannon Air Force bases, and many other resources statewide. This is a great time for New Mexico to take advantage of these unique opportunities.”
About Spaceport America
Spaceport America has been providing commercial launch services since 2006. Phase One of the construction for the spaceport is expected to be complete in late 2011. Phase Two of the construction and pre-operations activities has recently been initiated, including the development of a world-class Visitors Experience for students, tourists and space launch customers.
The State of New Mexico entered into a 20-year lease agreement with Virgin Galactic, Spaceport America’s anchor tenant.
Officials at Spaceport America have been working closely with entrepreneurial space leaders like Virgin Galactic, UP Aerospace, and Armadillo Aerospace, as well as established aerospace firms like Lockheed Martin, Boeing, and Moog-FTS to develop commercial spaceflight at the new facility. 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.
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About Virgin Galactic
Virgin Galactic is on track to be the world’s first commercial spaceline. The new spaceship (VSS Enterprise) and Mother ship (VMS Eve) are both being developed for Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic by Mojave-based Scaled Composites. Founded by Burt Rutan, Scaled developed SpaceShipOne, which in 2004 claimed the $10 million Ansari X Prize as the world’s first privately developed manned spacecraft. Virgin Galactic’s new vehicles share much of the same basic design, but are being built to carry six customers on sub-orbital space flights, allowing an out-of-the-seat, zero-gravity experience and offering astounding views of the planet from the black sky of space. The VSS Enterprise test flight program will continue through 2011, prior to commercial operations, which will be based at Virgin Galactic’s future headquarters at Spaceport America in New Mexico.
About The Spaceship Company
The Spaceship Company (TSC) is a recently formed aerospace production company founded by Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Group and Scaled Composites. TSC will build the world’s first fleet of commercial spaceships and carrier aircraft, which will allow widespread space travel to become a reality. TSC has contracted with Scaled Composites to develop and build a suborbital space flight system comprised of WhiteKnightTwo and SpaceShipTwo, and is now taking these designs into commercial production.
NMSA Media relations: David Wilson
p: 575-640-8228
