Why was New Mexico selected as the site for the world's first purpose-built commercial spaceport? Space travel research was supported in the state for most of the twentieth century by a variety of private individuals and organizations as well as federal agencies and state and local government entities. At the beginning of the twenty-first century, the momentum of that support produced Spaceport America.

Loretta Hall's book Out of this World: New Mexico's Contributions to Space Travel tells the stories---human and technological---of space research in New Mexico that brought this country from the earliest liquid-fuel rockets to the forefront of the developing commercial space industry. From 1930 to 2010: Out of this World in 80 Years.

This website introduces you to that history and offers additional insights to the people and events that have made New Mexico a vital resource in the development of human space travel.

For information about Loretta's 2014 book, Space Pioneers: In Their Own Words, visit SpacePioneerWords.com.

Find out about her 2016 book, The Complete Space Buff's Bucket List: 100 Space Things to Do Before You Die, visit SpaceBucketList.com.

Published in 2017: Loretta's book Miguel & Michelle Visit Spaceport America, for ages 6-10.

Loretta's newest book is a joint effort with aviation and aerospace icon Wally Funk. Wally's memoir, Higher, Faster, Longer: My Life in Aviation and My Quest for Spaceflight, debuted in October 2020.
New Mexico's  Role in Space History
New Mexico's  Role in Space History
Why was New Mexico selected as the site for the world's first purpose-built commercial spaceport? Space travel research was supported in the state for most of the twentieth century by a variety of private individuals and organizations as well as federal agencies and state and local government entities. At the beginning of the twenty-first century, the momentum of that support produced Spaceport America.

Loretta Hall's book Out of this World: New Mexico's Contributions to Space Travel tells the stories---human and technological---of space research in New Mexico that brought this country from the earliest liquid-fuel rockets to the forefront of the developing commercial space industry. From 1930 to 2010: Out of this World in 80 Years.

This website introduces you to that history and offers additional insights to the people and events that have made New Mexico a vital resource in the development of human space travel.

For information about Loretta's 2014 book, Space Pioneers: In Their Own Words, visit SpacePioneerWords.com.

Find out about her 2016 book, The Complete Space Buff's Bucket List: 100 Space Things to Do Before You Die, visit SpaceBucketList.com.

Published in 2017: Loretta's book Miguel & Michelle Visit Spaceport America, for ages 6-10.

Loretta's newest books are a joint effort with aviation and aerospace icon Wally Funk. Wally's memoir, Higher, Faster, Longer: My Life in Aviation and My Quest for Spaceflight, debuted in October 2020. Co-author Janet Ivey Duensing helped turn Wally's story into an inspiring adventure for elementary/middle school students in Higher Faster Longer: Aviator Extraordinaire, which was published in early 2022.
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Out of this World was named Best New Mexico Book in the 2011 New Mexico Book Awards.
Photo Credits
Robert Goddard towing one of his rockets to the launch site near Roswell about 1931, courtesy of NASA.

WhiteKnightTwo carrying SpaceShipTwo at Spaceport America runway dedication flyover, photo by Loretta Hall.
Photo Credits
Robert Goddard towing one of his rockets to the launch site near Roswell about 1931, courtesy of NASA.

WhiteKnightTwo carrying SpaceShipTwo at Spaceport America runway dedication flyover, photo by Loretta Hall.
Out of this World was named Best New Mexico Book in the 2011 New Mexico Book Awards.
Unless otherwise credited, all material on this site is © Loretta Hall 2010-2020.
Unless otherwise credited, all material on this site is © Loretta Hall 2010-2022.