Economic Impact of Spaceport America, 2019-2024 (PDF)
LAS CRUCES, N.M. (Tuesday, August 12, 2025) – The New Mexico State University (NMSU) Arrowhead Center and the Center for Border Economic Development (C-BED) have published a study on Spaceport America's economic impact on New Mexico from 2019 to 2024. The analysis looked at Spaceport America's operations not funded by the state and focused on tenant activities and out-of-state visitor spending related to the spaceport.
"Our impact study of Spaceport America utilized a standard methodology for economic impact analysis and is based on existing operations and activities that took place over a period of six years," explained Arrowhead Center program director and co-author of the report, Dr. Kramer Winingham. "The results are significant, showing that Spaceport America in 2024 supported 313 direct jobs and 790 total jobs in New Mexico, up from 242 direct jobs and 396 total jobs in 2019, while contributing nearly $240 million to economic output, up from $72 million in 2019.
"Most recently, our estimates indicate Spaceport America has totaled $110.8 million in value-added production and $73.1 million in labor income for our state in 2024," continued Winingham.
The report is the second economic impact study released by the New Mexico Spaceport Authority (NMSA) and the Arrowhead Center/C-BED team. In August 2023, a similar report was issued focusing on the economic impact for the 2022 calendar year. The most recent version's year-by-year data has yielded comprehensive information to better understand the spaceport's cumulative impact.
"We are excited to see these numbers and the growing contribution the spaceport is making to the region," said Scott McLaughlin, Executive Director of the NMSA, the state agency that designed, developed, and oversees operations of Spaceport America. "Besides bringing jobs and new money to New Mexico, Spaceport America is also helping Space Valley to grow and get noticed by the national aerospace community."
"New Mexico continues to be a trailblazer in aerospace and space innovation, and having Spaceport America right here in the heart of our state ensures that legacy will only grow," said New Mexico Economic Development Department (EDD) Cabinet Secretary Rob Black. "Spaceport's impact over the last 6 years reverberates on so many levels, from moving this key industry forward to bringing the state millions in economic impact and hundreds of high-paying jobs".
The report's analysis covers the spaceport's tenant employment, privately funded construction, out-of-state visitor spending, spaceport revenues, tax revenue impact, and total economic impact. The study also includes a brief introduction, an overview of the industry, and a summation of Spaceport America's tenant base and other activities.
"After meeting with tenants, we found Spaceport America has significant competitive advantages about restricted airspace access, weather, and elevation that draw tenants to New Mexico who would not be here but for Spaceport America," continued Winingham. "These are important attributes which can support further growth at Spaceport America even with the continued development of competing spaceports."
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About Spaceport America
Spaceport America is the first purpose-built commercial spaceport in the world. The FAA-licensed launch complex, situated on 18,000 acres adjacent to the U.S. Army White Sands Missile Range in southern New Mexico, has a rocket-friendly environment of 6,000 square miles of restricted airspace, low population density, a 12,000-foot by 200-foot runway, vertical launch complexes, and about 340 days of sunshine and low humidity.
Some of the most respected companies in the commercial space industry are tenants at Spaceport America: Virgin Galactic, HAPSMobile/ AeroVironment, UP Aerospace, Prismatic Ltd., Swift Engineering, Isotropic, ISC/Sirius Technologies, and SpinLaunch. Additional customers Spaceport America partners with include the United States Air Force Thunderbirds, Venus Aerospace, and Precision AI.
About The Arrowhead Center
The Arrowhead Center at New Mexico State University helps innovators, entrepreneurs, and small businesses at any stage start and grow through our services, resources, expertise, and connections. It is also the technology transfer and commercialization arm of NMSU, working with campus inventors and innovators to protect their work and ensure it reaches the broadest possible markets. While the Arrowhead Center is based at NMSU in Las Cruces, N.M., and is deeply engaged in its on-campus community, it also works with people across the state, providing advice, mentorship, education, and hands-on experiences to pioneer new technologies, businesses, and partnerships.
