SpaceValley Foundation

Did you know that Space Valley not only reaches through New Mexico *cool map pic*, but also well into #WestTexas and #SouthernColorado. The regional impact we have together is greater and growing. That’s why we hope to see you all at the 40th Space Symposium in Colorado Springs, CO. The 40th Space Symposium brings together space pros from around the world to tackle big challenges, spark new ideas, and keep the space industry moving forward—right here in good ol’ #SpaceValley. Upcoming Space Valley happenings… For Industry Apr 7 – Space Foundation: 40th Space Symposium (April 7 - April 10, 2025) Apr 29 – 2025 State of the Space Industrial Base – Main Conference and SSIB Workshops (April 29 - May 2, 2025) For the Community Apr 26 – Designing Futures with AI Bootcamp #4: Build New Worlds in AI May 30 – Member Preview: “Makowa: Native Skywatching in the Southwest” May 31 – Kirtland Air Force Base Air and Space Fiesta: “Soaring Over the Sandias” (May 31 - June 1, 2025) #40thSpaceSymposium #SpaceIndustry Check out the link in the comments to learn more about these upcoming Space Valley events!

“Explore. Examine. Discover. Report.” These four words shape the work of Thomas Ashcraft, an artist-scientist whose practice spans from sunspot sketches with a backyard telescope to radio astronomy tracking meteoric fireballs. This post marks the first in our bimonthly blog series, where we’ll highlight the thinkers, dreamers, and doers pushing the boundaries of space, science, and creativity.? Thomas kicks things off with insights for young minds eager to blend #art and #research into something extraordinary. Start your weekend with a little #inspiration —read the full interview here. And stay tuned for more stories that bridge imagination and exploration. #SpaceValley #ScienceMeetsArt Santa Fe Institute NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Heads up! The ISS is cruising by… The NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration ISS sighting schedule has dropped, so now’s your chance to spot a space station! No telescope, no special equipment—just your eyes and some decent timing. Your pre-sight checklist: Time – When the International Space Station National Laboratory first shows up. Best viewing? Right before sunrise or after sunset when it catches the sunlight. Visible – How long you can see it before it dips out. Max Height – Its highest point in the sky (pro tip: your fist at arm’s length ≈ 10°). Appears – Where to spot it first. Disappears – Where it exits stage left. That’s it. Look up, wave at the astronauts, and enjoy a front-row seat to one of humanity’s coolest feats. Want more spacey goodness? Stick with us for the latest cosmic happenings. #SpaceValley #ISS #LookUp #NASA Check out the lnk in our comments to learn more!

STEM: The real rocket fuel for space exploration... Turns out, the key to shaping the future of space isn’t just rockets—it’s sixth-graders asking NASA the big questions. Thanks to NPR’s Science Friday and NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration, a group of students got the ultimate pop quiz: a live Q&A with astronauts aboard the International Space Station National Laboratory. Their questions were chosen from over 300 nationwide, proving that curiosity and a little STEM knowledge can literally take you out of this world. Because let’s be real—today’s kids aren’t just learning equations, they’re prepping to run the next space race. ?? #SpaceValley #STEMEducation #FutureAstronauts Check out the link in the comments to learn more!

Forget Roswell—New Mexico’s UFO history goes way beyond that. The state has been home to strange sightings, like the 1957 radar incident at Kirtland Air Force Base, where military personnel tracked an unknown object. In 1964, a boy was burned by a UFO in Hobbs, and in 1950, over 50 people in Farmington saw a "huge saucer armada" hovering in broad daylight. UFO expert David Marler isn’t calling them aliens—just "unidentified objects." Make of that what you will. Check out our the lnk in our comments to discover more bizarre encounters in New Mexico! #SpaceValley #UFO #KirtlandAFB #DavidMarler

This?New Mexico State University?professor, Beth O'Leary, and the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) were born to make history. The moon has officially been added to the 2025 World Monuments Watch list. Yes, you read that right. The moon. Apollo 11’s footprints and the Lunar Module remain on the lunar surface, but increasing space activity could put these historic artifacts at risk. Enter Beth O'Leary, a New Mexico State professor who’s dedicated herself to space artifact preservation. Partnering with ICOMOS, she’s advocating for an international framework to protect the moon’s legacy from being erased in the name of progress. Check out the lnk below! #SpaceValley #NMSU #Moon #ICOMOS

Forget your basic bottled H20, we're bringing back water from the moon. Researchers at?The University of New Mexico?and?USRA's Lunar and Planetary Institute (LPI)?are working together to bring back that water, ice and other materials can be retrieved from the moon on future mission. Full details were published in the?The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS.) Check out the comments to discover more! #SpaceValley #USRA #UNM #PNAS

Let's be honest, astronauts want pizza too. Now, thanks to some genius New Mexico middle schoolers, that’s becoming a possibility. STEM kids fixing the real space issues. These students built a high-tech box loaded with yeast, basil and tomato seeds, and radiation-measuring microchips—all headed 70,000 feet up to test how space affects the ingredients. Because science should be delicious. Now NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration is on board, awarding their project and making it one of 70 experiments pushing space research forward. ?????? Check out the full story in the comments. #STEM #NASA #NewMexico #SpaceValley

Hat tip to our pals at New Mexico’s Magdalena Ridge Observatory, part of the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology for today's terrifying space story. They're helping track the "city-killer" sized asteroid that NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration is saying has a 1-in-43 chance of hitting the earth. It's not headed this way until 2032, so yes, you should still file your taxes this year. #SpaceValley #LinkedInNews #Asteroid #NASA

Better. Harder. Faster. Stronger. - Daft Punk or The Space Rapid Capabilities Office? Space RCO is changing the game when it comes to getting satellites into orbit. With its new Rapid Resilient Command and Control (R2C2) program, the goal is simple: deploy critical space assets faster and with greater flexibility to support national security. As space becomes more contested, rapid integration and deployment of satellite systems aren’t just nice-to-have—they’re essential. Space RCO’s approach emphasizes modular design, automation, and streamlined logistics, ensuring the U.S. stays ahead in an era where response time matters more than ever. What does this mean for the broader space industry? A shift toward agility and adaptability, opening up opportunities for innovation across commercial and defense sectors. #SpaceRCO #SpaceInnovation #SatelliteDeployment #DefenseTechnology #AerospaceAdvancement ?? Read more about the initiative at the lnk in comments