ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – A local space-focused group is making waves in a national competition. The New Mexico Space Valley Coalition has made it to the final round of a nationwide competition to boost science and technology development.
The Space Valley Coalition is a meeting of minds coming from the private and public sectors around the state. Their goal is to boost the commercial space industry in New Mexico.
Now, the group is joining 15 other finalists in the U.S. National Science Foundation’s (NSF) first-ever Regional Innovation Engines competition. If the New Mexico Space Valley Coalition wins, it will receive around $15 million over the program’s first two years.
“These NSF Engines finalists demonstrate strong promise to become emerging hubs of innovation for our nation. NSF Engines harness the talents and resources to advance our vision to create opportunities everywhere and enable innovation anywhere,” NSF Director Sethuraman Panchanathan said in a press release. “NSF welcomes regional and local organizations to reach out to these finalists and contribute their ideas, talent, and resources to create vibrant innovation ecosystems all across our nation.”
The New Mexico Space Valley Coalition, made up of partners like the City of Albuquerque, Central New Mexico Community College, the New Mexico Trade Alliance, and others, tried to get federal funding from the Build Back Better competition. The Space Valley Coalition did not make the final cut.
Now, the New Mexico Space Valley Coalition will have to wait until sometime this winter to find out if it has won the National Science Foundation competition. If it does win, the program could get over $100 million in funding over the next ten years, according to the NSF.
