NEW MEXICO – New Mexico’s congressional delegation is trying to sell the federal government on setting up a new space agency under the state’s bright stars.
The Department of Defense is establishing a Space Development Agency that would oversee the military’s space research, development and acquisition efforts. It would eventually fold into the Space Force — a new, separate branch of the armed forces.
In a letter to Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan, all five members of the New Mexico delegation argued for establishing the agency in the state, citing facilities such as White Sands Missile Range, Spaceport America and the national laboratories already located here.
They also pointed to the Space Rapid Capabilities Office at Kirtland Air Force Base in Albuquerque.
“New Mexico is already home to many of the nation’s core space assets and has a significant space R&D community,” said the letter, signed by Sens. Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich as well as Reps. Ben Ray Luján, Xochitl Torres Small and Deb Haaland.
Source: Santafenewmexican