NSF Engines Development Award: Building a space-based innovation ecosystem in New Mexico (NM)

该区域创新引擎发展奖旨在解决将航天工业从为政府机构设计的工业转变为支持快速增长的商业航天工业的社会挑战。这一转变对于美国在太空相关科学进步、经济增长和国家安全方面继续保持领导地位至关重要。项目团队在新墨西哥太空谷联盟中有合作伙伴，包括州和联邦政府机构、工业公司、多层次的高等教育机构和国家实验室。项目的集体努力，由团队协调和扩大，可以帮助加强区域生产链；利用该地区联邦合同和合作的基础；促进有利于经济、社会和可持续发展成果的创新；在航天工业的各个层面培养多样化的本地人才。航天工业历来是该地区的优先事项和优势，商业航天工业是该地区潜在的经济增长机会。该项目的愿景是加强现有的空间生态系统，帮助更多的创新从实验室转移到使用中，并确保商业空间部门拥有产品开发支持、当地劳动力、创业资源和成功的专业基础设施。关键技术包括卫星部件的先进制造；小卫星交会、近距离操作和对接技术；卫星网络安全;以及在地球上使用的天基太阳能收集。这些重点在协同作用下综合起来，应使研发工作更符合航天工业的需要；加大商业翻译研究力度；支持商业航天公司发展；增加工程、信息技术、先进制造和创业等空间相关职业的教育途径；改善弱势群体的教育和就业公平；并在该地区的农村和部落地区开发能够产生更大经济效益的项目和途径。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This Regional Innovation Engines Development Award addresses the societal challenge of transitioning the space industry from one designed for government agencies to one supporting the fast-growing commercial space industry. This shift is crucial for continued U.S. leadership in space-related scientific advancement, economic growth, and national security. The project team has partners across the New Mexico Space Valley Coalition, including state and federal government agencies, industrial companies, post-secondary institutions at multiple levels, and national laboratories. The project's collective efforts, coordinated and scaled by the team, could help strengthen the regional production chain; leverage the region's foundation of federal contracting and collaboration; promote innovations that benefit economic, social, and sustainability outcomes; and grow diverse local talent across all levels of the space industry. Space industry historically has been a priority and strength of the region, and commercial space industry is a potential economic growth opportunity for the region. The vision of this project is to strengthen the existing space ecosystem by helping more innovations move from laboratories to use and making sure the commercial space sector has the product development supports, local labor force, entrepreneurship resources, and specialized infrastructure for success. Key technologies include advanced manufacturing of satellite components; small satellite rendezvous, proximity operations, and docking technologies; satellite cybersecurity; and space-based solar power collection for use on Earth. These thrusts, integrated synergistically, should improve R&D alignment with space industry needs; increase commercial translation of research; support commercial space company development; increase educational pathways for space related careers in engineering, information technology, advanced manufacturing, and entrepreneurship; improve educational and job equity for underrepresented populations; and develop projects and pathways yielding greater economic benefits in the region’s rural and tribal areas.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.