NEW MEXICO SPACE INDUSTRY

ECONOMY + WORKFORCE

75K+

AEROSPACE, DEFENSE & NATIONAL LAB EMPLOYEES

2K+

COMPANIES IN THE AEROSPACE & DEFENSE SUPPLY CHAIN

$15B+

STATEWIDE ECONOMIC IMPACT

LEADERSHIP + INNOVATION

#2

STATE FOR CONCENTRATION OF AEROSPACE ENGINEERS

#1

NATIONAL LAB R&D FUNDING PER CAPITA

$28B+/YR

FEDERAL R&D INVESTMENT THROUGH LOS ALAMOS, SANDIA & SPACE PROGRAMS

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SPACE FACTS

  • New Mexico is home to major space, defense, and advanced technology organizations including Virgin Galactic, Spaceport America, BlueHalo, Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Raytheon, AFRL, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Sandia National Laboratories, and White Sands Missile Range. Together, they anchor one of the nation’s most strategically important aerospace and national security ecosystems.

  • The world’s first purpose-built commercial spaceport, enabling launch, testing, astronaut training, and next-generation aerospace operations.

  • Los Alamos and Sandia drive breakthroughs in national security, space systems, advanced computing, energy, and materials science.

  • One of the world’s largest military test ranges supporting missile testing, space systems, hypersonics, and aerospace R&D.

  • New Mexico continues to attract emerging space startups and advanced manufacturing companies leveraging open airspace, testing infrastructure, and federal partnerships.

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NEW MEXICO’S EDGE

    • Commercial launch & testing capabilities

    • Spaceport America operations

    • Restricted airspace for aerospace testing

    • National security & defense integration

    • Los Alamos National Laboratory space, energy, AI & national security research

    • Sandia National Laboratories advanced systems engineering & satellite technologies

    • Air Force Research Laboratory directed energy, hypersonics & space systems work

    • High-performance computing and quantum research capabilities

    • Deep partnerships between federal labs, universities, startups & industry

    • Remote sensing and Earth observation technologies

    • Space-based cybersecurity and national security applications

    • Satellite communications and advanced radar systems

    • Data analytics, AI and autonomous systems development

    • Integration of defense, commercial and research data capabilities

    • Virgin Galactic commercial astronaut operations

    • Horizontal launch and reusable flight testing infrastructure

    • Spaceport America supporting next-generation launch companies

    • Suborbital research and microgravity flight opportunities

    • Growing ecosystem for commercial space tourism and astronaut training