A Gateway to Space from Ancient Petroglyphs Depicting Celestial Events to the Futuristic Spaceport America, New Mexico Offers a Galaxy of Otherworldly Adventures

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SPACEADVENTURE GUIDE A Gateway to Space From ancient petroglyphs depicting celestial events to the futuristic Spaceport America, New Mexico offers a galaxy of otherworldly adventures

p. 1 The future of flight is ready for liftoff p. 3 15 places to explore in Truth or Consequences and Las Cruces As the home+ of Virgin p. 5 Peek inside Galactic, Spaceport Virgin Galactic’s America serves as New spaceships Mexico’s launchpad for a new era of space travel p. 7 Suit up in the most advanced flight gear p. 8 Chart your odyssey along the Space Trail Eyes to the Skies. Eyes to theSkies.

THIS PAGE AND COVER: COURTESY OF VIRGIN GALACTIC journey into the final frontier. final the into journey their leg of first the as route same this trace will astronauts later, years future Some them. 400 to unknown tination ades people today, even reach outnumber to where yuccas edge. western spaceport’s the Fe, Santa whichto now skirts City Mexico connecting route trading the Real, Camino El traveled explorers tury, 16th the in cen ginning Be Tularosa. Site, near Three Rivers Petroglyph now the is what in faces rock into phenomena people etched celestial Mogollon Jornada ago, Someers. 2,000 years epic and travel gazers for aplace star been surrounds. its into blend shape undulating hues and earthen whose hub, public America’s Spaceport way Space, to form of Gate the wing country. the in innovation for aerospace one destinations of top as the books record and snuck history the into quietly has America Spaceport of Upham, town named aptly the But near Cruces. Las of of north Tor 55 Cand miles east 26 miles of desert, engine. acombustion to way give to desire little expressing faces placid their Consequences, missile and space programs set important roots, clinched clinched roots, important set programs space and missile where country’s the Range, Missile Sands Army’s White U.S. the from Mountains Andres San over the just setting, Its appeal. holds location remote acertain this dreamers, FOR AEROSPACE AND STARRY-EYED RESEARCHERS I landscape, inhospitable an across Those trekked travelers long has region This tucked- the to I head the hoof off blacktop, last their With stretch this in for course par the is blockade A bovine Spaceport America serves as Mexico’s New launchpad for era anew blocked the two-lane county road outside Truth or road county two-lane blocked the of Old the of West: of a vestige cattle Atrio cows. dawning—because is age space where a futuristic place America—the for of late nearly Spaceport my tour was of adventure. you And don’t have to be an astronaut to go. The FutureThe Flight of - - - - - of its most famous tenant, Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic. Virgin Branson’s Richard tenant, famous most its of ¢ Spaceport America’s futuristic architecture complements the vision BY ASHLEY M. BIGGERS M. BY ASHLEY SPACEPORT -

1 get them into the headspace to enjoy every single second of second of single enjoy to every headspace the into them get to preflight want briefings. and “We exams, medical suits, space bespoke their of fittings include final will training astronauts. be training for will floor third The pilot controlmission use. yet-to-be-revealed and to dedicated area an in sky evoke the to whites blues and director, JeremyGalactic’s design incorporated Brown, Virgin coffeebar.the secondand Cirrus, On floor, called lounge its in effect agrounding create to materials ral flights. their to dedicated facility enter athree-story they’ll bridge, asky crossing doors. After metal ofa set patina America’s tenants. Spaceport 18,000 its and acres over extends umbrella enviable that ground—and testing important an remains airspace of restricted miles square Today, missions. Apollo Range’s Missile 6,000 Sands White for astronauts training and program Station Space tional Interna the which include supporting adventures, space theregion’s in milestones one of first photo the was white black-and- grainy 24, 1946.October That groundbreaking on fromspace Earth of image first the took Range Missile spaceships). for airport for a site (an it world’sspaceport as the purpose-built first When they arrive, possibly in 2021, in of possibly days three the arrive, When they natu and tones earth uses Gaia, floor, The main called inopened officially 2011, a big-name with The spaceport Sands White from launched Arocket Consider history: its

Walk and pass through through pass Walk and Astronaut the climb will entourages their and They astronauts. future as path low same the I fol lactic’s terminal, Ga Virgin and center welcome the doubles as which Space, to Gateway space. into ride abrief customers give “spaceline,” promises to world’s commercial first the Galactic, Virgin company His Branson. Richard entrepreneur celebrity tenant: British Walking up to the up to Walking

- - - - - 32°59’10.07” N -106°58’17.99” W -106°58’17.99” N 32°59’10.07” 32°59’10.07” N -106°58’17.99” W For many, the tour highlight is being strapped into the the into strapped being is For highlight many, tour the experiences. center for visitor the earthbound into a left hang can for there avisit Those who of just are us rise. to hasn’t again—it 2018—it since tickets ing prices expects sell begins Galactic When Virgin Bieber, Gaga. Lady and Jolie, included Tom Justin investors Angelina Hanks, Early $250,000and gravity. zero at afew spend minutes to Galactic. for Virgin communications of head Crane, Aleanna flight,”the says The founding 600 astronauts paid between $200,000 between paid The astronauts 600 founding SPACEPORT - 2 Hawking’s piercing blue eyes. of one of image the with abanner Girl pulling a Galactic SpaceShipTwo Unity VSS the dubbed Hawking Stephen attendant. aflight who was Eve VMS as known SpaceShipTwo. metallic-winged the The WhiteKnightTwo, Unity Eve VMS aircraft Galactic’s carrier Virgin designed, flight. Elegantly second supersonic its after home glides Unity VSS The of sound toward the inky dark of space. of space. dark inky the of toward sound it propels 3.5 at speed the and climb times vertical a near SpaceShipTwo a that motor pitches into it firing released, is 50,000 SpaceShipTwo to climbing feet with Then attached. thefrom 2.25-mile-long spaceway, a conventional takeoff 2020.) February in facility Mojave, its from California, moved them Galactic (Virgin amajor milestone. marks vehicles’ these New Mexico presence in worked just so out, been have issues of safety worth agalaxy’s as acrawl like FELT OFTEN HAS SPACE TO RACE GALACTIC’S VIRGIN ¢

To achieve spaceflight, theWhiteKnightTwo completes To spaceflight, achieve FROM ABOVE: to the sky. sky. to the

lifts lifts , takes its name from Branson’s from name its , takes mother, of the WhiteKnightTwo carrier and form includes catamaran-like the which fleet, space Galactic’s Virgin football-stadium-size and hangar the reveal to clear windows fogged flight. in encounter astronauts g-forces the of asense get to simulator G-Shock As I step into the visitor center, visitor the into Istep As . The ship’s features branding

COURTESY OF VIRGIN GALACTIC w

PLAY SPACES Spaceport America has two great choices for a base camp. Call ahead to ensure your destinations are open and ask about their COVID-19 protocols. ¢ CLOCKWISE: TRUTH OR Sierra Grande Lodge CONSEQUENCES & Spa, Farmers & Spaceport’s nearest Crafts Market of Las Cruces, Riverbend neighbor, T or C sits 26 Hot Springs miles to the west. Public tours, when available, depart on Saturdays and Sundays from the visitor center, in one of the town’s historic adobe buildings, where displays set the stage for a great outing (301 S. Foch St., 575-267- 8888, spaceportamerica tour.com). Space fans can continue the journey by booking a stay at the Rocket Inn, where rooms named Apollo, Jupiter, and Pluto lie behind the retro- lodge’s brick facade, just Sierra Grande Lodge & when available, depart arcade, Rad Retrocade outside of downtown (605 Spa offers private soaks from here on Fridays (336 (201 N. Main St., 575-556- N. Date St., 575-894-2964, beneath the stars, on-site S. Main St., 575-267-8888, 9338, on Facebook rocketinn.net). dining, and guided tours spaceportamericatour @radretrocade). T or C is also a hot- of the Armendaris and .com). Head to Beck’s Roast- springs hamlet known Ladder ranches (501 Among the city’s top ing House & Creamery for soothing soaks at an McAdoo St., 877-288-7637, activities is the Saturday for third-wave coffee and affordable price. Nearly a tedturnerreserves.com). and Wednesday Farmers micro-batch ice cream dozen hotels and bath- The description-defying & Crafts Market of Las (try the java flavor), in the houses are clustered in Asian fusion cuisine at Cruces (farmersand Mesquite Historic District the Hot Springs Historic Latitude 33 is a local fa- craftsmarketoflascruces (130 N. Mesquite St., 575- District (nmmag.us/torc vorite. Dishes such as the .com). The market springs 556-9850, beckscoffeelc springs). Riverbend Hot crispy orange chicken with up along streets in the .com). In nearby Mesilla, Springs offers private pecans and edamame, walkable downtown area, Dry Point Distillers serves tubs set along the bank and the BYO Impossible near the 1926 Rio Grande house-distilled vodka of the Río Grande (100 Burger (a vegan favorite Theatre. When it has a cocktails (1680 Calle de Austin St., 575-894-7625, to which you can add— full calendar, the restored Alvarez, 575-652-3414, CAULEY, NMTD CAULEY, c riverbendhotsprings.com). ahem!—bacon), top the two-story adobe theater drypointdistillersnm.com) For such a small town, menu (304 S. Pershing St., hosts three to four events Also in Mesilla, Jo- T or C has an outsize num- 575-297-0844, on Face- each week, from family sephina’s Old Gate ber of high-profile names book @latitude33torc). movie nights to tour- offers charmingly historic with property in the area. ing cello virtuosos (211 lodgings (2261 Calle de Media mogul Ted Turner LAS CRUCES Main St., 575-541-2290, Guadalupe, 575-525-2620, (whose Armendaris Virgin Galactic’s hub city is riograndetheatre.org). josefinasgate.com). In Las Ranch marks the turn to 55 miles south of Space- The theater’s restora- Cruces, reserve a room Spaceport America, at port America. Around 100 tion ushered in other at the towering Hotel Engle) joins Branson as a of the company’s staff and downtown redevelop- Encanto (705 S. Telshor local property owner. Ted their families call Las Cru- ments, including the Blvd., 575-522-4300, Turner Reserves’ 17-room ces home. Public tours, addition of a 1980s-style hotelencanto.com). COURTESY OF SIERRA GRANDE LODGE & SPA, JOHN M

3 SPACEPORT

At more than 50 miles above ¢ FROM ABOVE: The Earth, the pilots shut off the rocket Gaia lounge com- bines elegant design motor, allowing passengers to leave and an endless their seats and enjoy several minutes view. Its interactive of weightlessness. Gravity soon pulls Astronaut Walkway the ship back toward Earth, and rewards visitors at 50,000 feet the pilots initiate a who choose a more circuitous path. dynamic glide to the Spaceport America runway. Virgin Galactic’s pilots have completed several tests of these maneuvers, hitting two milestones in Mojave—a crewed flight in December 2018 and a single-passenger flight in February 2019—and another in May 2020, a glide test from Spaceport. The company had hoped to have at least Branson in space this year, if not paying clients as well; the pandemic set that back. It must still complete additional glide flights, powered flights, and cabin tests, as well as various pilot proficiency tests, and achieve all 27 of the FAA’s commercial licensure access to space travel. We’ll see what will come from those provisos (it has met 25). new perspectives.” “Space has always captivated the imagination of people,” Crane says. “We’re on the cusp of starting human space- OUTSIDE THE GATEWAY TO SPACE, I TAKE IN THE THREE- flight on a regular basis. That will be the beginning of a story glass windows along its eastern facade. The Fosters new era. Astronauts never come back from space and say, + Partners–designed building feels cutting-edge yet remi- ‘That was okay.’ They come back with a changed perspec- niscent of the Jetsons designs that emerged when the space

tive. Now we’ll see artists, musicians, and teachers having race first captured America’s consciousness. COURTESY OF VIRGIN GALACTIC

32°59’10.07” N -106°58’17.99” W N -106°58’17.99” 32°59’10.07” 4 ¢ WhiteKnightTwo’s wingspan is 140 feet, around the same as a Boeing 737.

¢ SpaceShipTwo, which carries two ¢ After Space- pilots and six pas- ShipTwo’s rocket sengers, is mounted motor fires and under the mother propels it into space, ship for takeoff. it doesn’t fire again. When the ships Reentry and landing reach around 50,000 are done in a glide feet, SpaceShipTwo without further is released for its propulsion. blast into space.

¢ All the ships’ structural components are made of 100 percent carbon composite, which is a quarter the weight of steel but has similar strength. ¢ SpaceShipTwo has 17 windows to maximize the astronauts’ views of space and the Earth. Inside, each is bordered by a halo that frames the view and acts TIGHT SHIPS as a hand- and foothold during Technology rules weightlessness. at Virgin Galactic, where engineers and pilots have collabo- rated on building aircraft that can ¢ SpaceShipTwo uses a take paying custom- wing-flexing system that ers on once-in-a- ¢ The seats are allows pilots to change lifetime trips. dynamic, moving to opti- the angle of the entire mize g-forces as needed. wing. Similar to the way They also lie flat during the plastic feathers on a apogee (when astronauts badminton shuttlecock experience microgravity) make it float, this maneu- to maximize cabin space ver makes the ship more for floating. stable for reentry. CHRIS PHILPOT CHRIS

5 32°59’10.07” N -106°58’17.99” W flight on a regular basis. basis. on a flight regular that the first mile of space altitude comes free.) altitude mile space of first the that to joke quick is at 4,600sits level, staff the sea feet above spaceport the (Because Space. to of Gateway the north stretches runway asecond horizontal and edge, southern competition. and conference world’sCup, the engineering rocket intercollegiate largest America Spaceport annual the during many decade, past again. do it heavens to all the toward back nose the points and quickly, as out the floats spin of Pecile flips. Just stomach floor. desert the My toward dive acorkscrewing he begins g-force his tolerance. maintain to aircraft acrobatic a single-person pilot flying Nicola is Pecile Italian starting human space imagination of people. people. of imagination We’re on of the cusp era.” Overhead, I hear the buzz of Virgin Galactic’s progress. progress. Galactic’s of Virgin buzz the Ihear Overhead, Vertical launchpads are situated toward the property’s property’s the toward situated are launchpads Vertical the in off taken have launches vertical 300 More than as plane’s the I spot sky cloudless form the in birdlike beginning of anew beginning “Space always has That will be the the be will That captivated the the captivated —ALEANNA CRANE —ALEANNA

- ing and heat shields and foring aerobrak with menting experi been has service, flight-test and launch aspace- Aerospace, UP well. as history space aero making are facility state-owned the at ers oth three anchor tenant, most headline-grabbing America’s Spaceport is tic Although Virgin Galac Virgin Although SPACEPORT - - - - -

6 closer to Earth. Earth. closer to alittle just are for stars the amoment though as it seems form. U-shaped sculpture’s iron the massive into glass cast inlaid roots, Roswell who has Rigan, Otto artist zona–based America’s Tucson, exit. and Spaceport entrance Ari marks episode of Jayepisode Leno’s Garag for aHarper’s backdrops as served Bazaar spaceway. the down moving it on of atrailer ahelicopter landing by capabilities remote the a vehicle’s evaluating and space from reentry slow that parachutes testing for research, grounds the used also has Boeing medicine. computer human and chips as broad have applications as which could manufacturing, space-based exploring is for research, facilities spaceport’s of globe. the reaches farthest the back at the sky. the at back sculpture glitters Rigan’s Otto Artist mission. the monumental to speaks to Space Gateway the at Walk ¢ LEFT: I watch as sunlight dances off the mirrored glass, and and glass, mirrored the off dances sunlight as I watch Genesis the around Iwalk Idepart, As Beyond that, the spaceway and Gateway to Space have have Space to Gateway and spaceway the Beyond that, the uses which A non-tenant customer, Aerospace, Exos ABOVE, FROM

The Astronaut Genesis

to provide internet connectivity to to connectivity internet provide to sky, the in tower designed acell aka platform, communications a testing is AeroVironment company flight unmanned And cost. of usual the atafraction space into satellites send small to launches rocket-fueled than rather technology kinetic uses NASA’s SpinLaunch missions. Mars e, and a Super Bowl commercial. commercial. Bowl aSuper e, and sculpture, which which sculpture, fashion shoot, an an shoot, fashion -

COURTESY OF VIRGIN GALACTIC, MINESH BACRANIA ¢ Under Armour Clone adaptive technology in the boot forms to the exact shape of the astronaut’s ¢ The Virgin Galac- foot. HOVR foam tic Flight DNA insig- and mesh Energy nia represents the Web technology in progression of our the sole minimize desire to fly. It be- impact during zero- gins with an image gravity movement. of Icarus, moves through the Wright Flyer, the Spirit of St. Louis, the Bell X-1 ¢ The suit includes Glamorous Glennis, a push-to-talk the Boeing 747, the button on the arm Apollo Lunar Mod- for in-flight com- ule, and SpaceShip- munication, which One, and ends with allows the astronaut Virgin Galactic’s to speak to the SpaceShipTwo. pilots. Yes, kind of like on Star Trek.

¢ Unique to each mission, the mission patch features the name of each astronaut and an image that blends each individual’s iris to form one. Patches also indicate the wearer’s country. WELL SUITED Under Armour designed the four-part Virgin Galactic spacewear system (a base layer, space boots, a training kit, and the spacesuit itself) from scratch to meet the demands ¢ The spacesuit of space exploration. Fitted in advance, the liner features newly custom spacesuit is ready for customers when created fabrics, they arrive at Spaceport America. After their such as Tencel Luxe, flight, astronauts are awarded their flight SpinIt, and Nomex, jackets and wings in a special ceremony. which are used for temperature control and moisture management. COURTESY OF VIRGIN GALACTIC

7 SPACE TRAIL

Space Odysseys From evidence of an ancient supernova to development of a cutting-edge spaceport, the New Mexico Space Trail invites explorations of otherworldly wonders. BY ELIZABETH MILLER

¢ LEFT: An array of rockets at the White Sands Missile Range Museum tracks the early years of the space race.

on the moon called for sampling its geology and recording its geography. To prepare for the job, astronauts and geologists hiked New Mexico, exam- ining ancient volcanoes, counting layers in canyon walls, and practicing how to collect rock samples and write field notes. Some outings saw them hiking through the desert and he Land of Ham on the Side including replicas of early radioing back descriptions Enchantment When NASA was testing satellites and tracks used of what they found, after has drawn eyes early systems for send- for testing the human to the skies for ing humans into space, body’s response to speed. ? Tmillennia. In more recent a chimpanzee named The International Space decades, our wild and Ham became its first test Hall of Fame pays tribute open spaces made room pilot. Ham, an acronym to astronauts, engineers, for the earliest research for Holloman Aeromedi- astronomers, and vision- into ways to visit the cal Research Laboratory, aries, including Gene Rod- stars. Now, a burgeoning the Air Force facility near denberry, lauded by the space tourism industry Alamogordo where he was museum for creating Star attracts a new generation trained, completed his mis- Trek and inspiring genera- of adventure seekers. A sion, lived in a zoo, and was tions of space fans. road-tripper with a vora- buried at the New Mexico Museum staff also man- GOLD! cious appetite can Museum of Space History age the New Mexico Space Astronaut Alan Bean heard about New step into the past, pres- (nmspacemuseum.org). Trail (nmspacetrail.org) Mexico’s gold-mining ent, and future of cosmic Visitors often leave tokens of destinations pivotal to history while training wonders—without ever at his gravesite—flowers space history. here and caught a little leaving terra firma. and bananas, but also, to gold fever. He pulled Some sites are open; the bafflement of manage- Training Grounds a hubcap off his rental others are on a pandemic ment, Pez dispensers. Most Apollo astronauts car and used it to pan pause. Always call ahead. Inside the Alamogordo were pilots, not scientists for gold in a stream, And take this handy guide museum, New Mexico’s (New Mexico native Har- turning up a few spar- to the New Mexico Space robust role in the Space rison Schmitt was one kling flakes …. of mica.

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8 CHRIS PHILPOT overlook-trails). (blm.gov/visit/taos-valley- of trails network a 20-mile 68,on whichaccesses NM of Taos south Trailhead, Overlook Valley Taos the at course obstacle basalt blackened the contemplate and sagebrush the through Hike boulders. jumbled and sand over rover lunar areplica driving and samples rock taking tice prac to area this to came Astronauts Gorge. Grande Río the to dimensions in similar study, strikingly is 15 to Apollo crew the wanted NASA that feature alunar Rille, The Hadley one, the Cerros del Abrigo. one, Cerros the A 7.2-mile encircles trail domes. into settled magma of swells where the activity volcanic studying days spent three Astronauts Preserve sign. Philmont the near for trailhead Look the 2.4-milea out-and-back. trailhead, Canyon Creek Turkey the from area the Explore Cimarrón. of west US just 64 facing foot peak a7,600- on Hill, Slate sures expo various the defining and describing, sketching, aday spent Astronauts these hikes: through areas those work. Explore their check to sections same the walked which geologists touched by signs of other signs by touched un nearly is sky night the Forest, where National Gila the in Alma, near (nmmag.us/cosmiccamp), the at nation the in skies est some in Revel of dark the Night Starry Starry, Philmont Scout Ranch. Scout Philmont Gorge. Grande Río Valles Caldera National Cosmic Campground Cosmic Campground (nps.gov/vall). (nps.gov/vall).

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Tour Tour Hit Space 380 56 40 62 - - 60 54 ¢ CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: A rocketry display at the New Mexico Museum of Space History, in Alamogordo. Ham the astro- chimp’s grave. The National Museum of Nuclear Science & History, in Albuquerque. A supernova petroglyph in Chaco Canyon. humans. The campground because of the elevation Park (nmmag.us/clayton lights without a red filter. perches on a high point, and the weather, combined statepark), the first New Some headlamps come and the Mogollon Moun- with the way the popula- Mexico park to earn IDA with a red-light option. For tains ripple along the tion development has oc- recognition and a place a DIY solution, rubber- eastern horizon, affording curred in the state, means that astronomers have band red plastic wrap to a a bowl-like view of the sky. there are some exception- called “outstanding” and flashlight. Out here, you can see the ally dark places where you “unequaled.” At Chaco Milky Way unfurl like a can view almost pristine Culture National Histori- Party Up pale stream. Four concrete skies,” says IDA program cal Park (nps.gov/chcu), Capulin Volcano National pads provide hard surfaces manager Adam Dalton. hike by day to a pictograph Monument (nps.gov/cavo) for BYO telescopes. A few of our other favor- that shows what’s thought hosts dark-sky star parties In 2016, the Interna- ite campsites: At El Morro to be a supernova, a star throughout the summer tional Dark-Sky Associa- National Monument (nps that exploded in 1054, and on occasional nights tion (IDA) recognized the .gov/elmo), the full moon then stay for a mind-blow- the rest of the year at the campground as the first shines brightly enough to ing star show at night. volcano’s base, providing Dark Sky Sanctuary in the hike the two-mile Head- Pro tip: White lights, in- giant telescopes to view Northern Hemisphere, but land Trail by its light cluding cellphone screens, galaxies, nebulae, planets, New Mexico is blessed with alone. Rolling grasslands compromise night vision and other wonders. Pair an abundance of options. wrap around placid waters for up to half an hour. The the stunning sights of “The natural conditions, at Clayton Lake State Cosmic Campground bans archaeological treasures MINESH BACRANIA BACRANIA MINESH 10 MINESH BACRANIA (2), ALAMY/THE NASA LIBRARY around, including tinfoil tinfoil including around, kitsch alien best the with shop gift its cident fills and In Roswell purported the museum.com) delves into Center Research and Museum The (ufofestivalroswell.com). July every Roswell in Festival UFO annual the life, try of extraterrestrial you’reIf for looking signs YouDo Believe? Monument National Missions Pueblo Salinas at nights tronomy monthlyas during stars with brimming asky and the night sky. night the of tour aguided with ruins of fort’s the tour evening (nps.gov/foun) an pairs Monument National volunteers. astronomy-society local and staff park by steered telescopes and ops, photo sunset tours, rock-art /sapu), include which can

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of of author II, Josephsays Page time,” work to first the had engine where that cases Apollo astronauts owe a lot astronauts Apollo 2013). “Those (Arcadia, the Apollo missions. Apollo the on modules of lunar the some in used engines the tested also The area space. of backdrop black the against of Earth images first the snap to used was 1948, one rockets of his Braun’s V-2 In rockets. Wernher von space, into travel to object man-made first the for launching ideal location the make combined weather to tive coopera and people, few sand, gypsum white with filled bed lake of adry “This was one of those one of those was “This New Mexico Space Trail Space Mexico New

SPACE TRAIL

¢ LEFT: The network of research in nanotechnol- antennae at the Very Large ogy, biofuels, and more. Array, 51 miles west of Socorro, essentially creates a The National Museum of single telescope that’s spread Nuclear Science & His- across many miles. tory (nuclearmuseum .org), in Albuquerque, includes a nine-acre outdoor stop on NM 60 affords a exhibit area with World view of some of the anten- War II–era planes, includ- nae even when visitor ing the B-29 Superfortress. facilities are closed. The New Mexico Museum of Natural History & Sci- Show and Tell ence (nmnaturalhistory The University of New .org), in Albuquerque, has Mexico has gathered about full-scale replicas of the 1,500 spectacular meteor- Mars Exploration Rovers, ites and shows about Spirit and Opportunity. a hundred of them in of credit to the guys here at geous notion. But he defied its Meteorite Museum The Next Gen White Sands.” doubters in 1930, launch- (meteorite.unm.edu). To witness what’s yet to The missile park at ing a rocket from near Check out the display of come, check out the info White Sands Missile Roswell that reached a pallasites, a type of mete- on page 3 and plan your Range Museum shows record-setting 2,000 feet orite containing black iron trip to Spaceport America pieces of those achieve- and 500 miles per hour. and gem-quality peridot (spaceportamerica.com ments, among them a He’s remembered with a crystals, which, when /visit). ¢ restored V-2, missiles, statue outside the Roswell thinly sliced, let green early drones, and a VC-6A Museum and Art Center light gleam through. When aircraft that, legend has (nmmag.us/rmac) and a intergalactic rocks enter ? it, von Braun flew between replica gantry, the sup- Earth’s atmosphere, heat White Sands and the port structure that holds forms them into new Redstone Arsenal, in Ala- rockets on the launchpad. shapes. Some are dimpled bama. The area’s history A wing of the museum re- and shiny, while others is captured with a model creates his workshop, and look tumbled and charred. of the McDonald Ranch, the Goddard Planetarium Some were blasted off from which scientists (nmmag.us/goddard) has a Mars, others the moon. watched the first atomic full-dome digital theater. Meteorites fall randomly, weapon explode in July but you’re most likely to SO. MUCH. 1945, as well as leather Hearing Aid find them in the desert, SAND. chaps and a 700-year-old The Karl G. Jansky Very where arid conditions White Sands Missile water jug found intact Large Array (nmmag.us preserve them. They’re Range offered a backup landing site there. The first Star Wars /vla) radio antennae, west often recognizable by their for space shuttles. movie includes audio of Magdalena, listen for odd surfaces, high density, Columbia used that recorded at White Sands, faint intergalactic sounds and, occasionally, an abil- option in 1982, during and Lucasfilm gave the and translate that noise ity to attract magnets. one of its 27 successful museum a Darth Vader into richly detailed im- Other museums worth missions. “They got so helmet as a thank-you. ages. Research contributed pulling on your moon boots much of that gypsum to the discovery of ice on include the Bradbury sand inside the vehicle Rocket Man Mercury—a surprise for Science Museum (lanl.gov that they really tried When Robert Goddard the planet closest to the /museum), in Los Alamos, to avoid landing there first wrote about using sun—and a mini-spiral of which explores the history again,” says NASA liquid-fueled rockets to hot gas ringing the black of the then-secret mission historian Jennifer Ross-Nazzal. escape Earth’s gravity, hole at the center of the to make the world’s first it seemed like an outra- Milky Way. A roadside rest atomic bomb, plus ongoing ALAMY/WISANU BOONRAWD, ALAMY/TTHE NASA LIBRARY NASA ALAMY/TTHE BOONRAWD, ALAMY/WISANU 12 COURTESY OF VIRGIN GALACTIC technological verve. technological region’s the up amping flights, training staff, and research, its expanded has Galactic Virgin Mexico, to New spaceships its moving Since HOME BASE HOME

BEHIND THE SCENES 13 ¢ Galactic’s Pilot Corps. Virgin Mexico. to New crafts SpaceShipTwo. Welcoming the second The suits. astronaut ing Design spaceship. the Inside CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: FROM CLOCKWISE

- NEWMEXICO.ORG Here in the Land of Enchantment, you can experience an ancient and authentic adventure, where we celebrate our dark skies and relish the starlight.

The NEWMEXICO.ORG website is your destination to learn about all of the must-see spots and hidden gems, and to build your dream galactic-themed itinerary. Get inspired with virtual experiences, as well as our other videos that cover these, and many other destinations around the state. Here, every true adventure has a story.

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