Spaceport America Breaks Ground, Awards New Contracts

Following the official groundbreaking, two new contracts were awarded for Spaceport America’s airfield and site work in Upham.

New Contracts Awarded for Spaceport Construction

The Terminal Hangar Facility at Spaceport America is expected to be completed in early 2011. (Image by URS/Fosters + Partners)

The New Mexico Spaceport Authority has selected two contractors to provide services for the construction of Spaceport America, the world’s first purpose-built commercial spaceport that is now being built in southern New Mexico. The NMSA Board of Directors awarded construction of the airfield to Alameda, N.M.-based David Montoya Construction Inc. The airfield for Spaceport America is a 10,000-ft runway designed to accommodate horizontal launch space and air operations that complement the existing vertical launch infrastructure.

The board also awarded the Site Enabling contract to FNF New Mexico LLC. FNF will design and execute a plan to facilitate the construction of the spaceport. The activities include preparing the site for construction and coordination with all contractors for site security, dust control, and other crucial functions.

Located in Upham, N.M., the $200-million Spaceport America officially broke ground this summer. Airfield and site work contracts were also awarded. (Image by URS/Fosters + Partners)

“Spaceport America is fully underway, and we continue to make rapid progress,” says Steve Landeene, NMSA executive director. “NMSA will continue to issue Request for Proposals and Invitations to Bid for more services and construction at the spaceport, and awarding contracts to the best qualified contractors.” The latest RFP/ITB information can be found online at www.spaceportamerica.com.

Gerald Martin Construction Management and HDR of Albuquerque were awarded a contract in 2008 to oversee the spaceport’s construction phase for the NMSA. After marking the official groundbreaking ceremony for Spaceport America last month, officials are moving forward with the construction of the airfield. Spaceport America plans to have the airfield complete by late summer 2010 with the 110,000-sq-ft Terminal Hangar Facility projected to be complete by early 2011.

EMCORE Awarded Air Force Research Lab Contract

EMCORE Corp. has been awarded a $5.7 million cost-plus fixed-fee contract from the Air Force Research Laboratory, located at the Kirtland Air Force Base, for the development of high-efficiency photovoltaic solar cells. The two-year contract calls for EMCORE to demonstrate high efficiency solar cells for space applications, as well as investigate advanced photovoltaic devices based on inverted metamorphic (IMM) structures. The contract also includes a provision for an additional 12-month award of $3.4 million for advanced IMM development once the base contract has been completed. Funding for the entire contract has been appropriated.

EMCORE Corp. has also been awarded a contract to manufacture, test, and deliver solar panels for NASA’s Global Precipitation Measurement spacecraft. The contract, valued at approximately $5 million, will be managed by MEI Technologies, Inc. for the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland.

The Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) mission is one of the satellite-based science missions studying global precipitation, including rain, snow, and ice. The launch of the spacecraft is presently scheduled for summer of 2013. The GPM spacecraft solar arrays will be powered by EMCORE’s latest generation, 30% efficiency class ZTJ multi-junction solar cells. Production of the solar cells and panels will take place at EMCORE’s manufacturing facilities located in Albuquerque.

Harwood Museum of Art Expands

Flintco Inc. broke ground on an addition for the Harwood Museum of Art. Located at 238 Ledoux Street in Taos, the 10,000-sq-ft expansion will provide additional gallery space, archival and work study research rooms, art storage, loading dock and an art receiving area. A new 135-seat auditorium will provide the community with more educational and performance opportunities within the arts.

Designed by Conron & Woods Architects, the $6.3-million project involves extensive excavation to fit the multi-level expansion into the compact historic site available for construction.

Two ARRA-Funded Projects Break Ground

James Hamilton Construction Co. broke ground on the $16.5-million U.S. 62/180 project south of Carlsbad, the sixth highway project funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to get underway in New Mexico. The NMDOT project is scheduled to take about 18 months to complete. This is the fourth of five phases to expand U.S. 62/180 between Carlsbad and the Texas State Line to four lanes.

James Hamilton also began work on N.M. 128, a 14-mile, $15.5-million reconstruction project in Lea County that also includes installation of drainage structures, fencing and erosion control measures. This project is scheduled to be complete in about a year. The Department has already begun construction on six of the nine stimulus projects. Construction on three remaining highway stimulus projects will start this summer.

To submit news items and press releases, please email to: scott_blair@mcgraw-hill.com.