SANTA FE - Members of the New Mexico Spaceport Authority board of directors are out, dismissed Friday afternoon by Gov. Susana Martinez.

She said in a statement that she wanted a fresh start for Spaceport America because of financial concerns.

"Given its significant costs, I believe that developing the spaceport to its full potential requires more robust private investment and new leadership to make necessary adjustments," Martinez said.

More than half the money for the $209 million spaceport in Sierra County is from taxpayers. Martinez said the state "must explore ways to ease the significant financial commitment that taxpayers have made in this project."

Earlier this week, Martinez appointed a team to evaluate the spaceport's finances and contracts. The enterprise, which could launch suborbital flights this year, hopes to attract monied tourists interested in space travel.

Martinez announced today that she also had removed the appointed members of the Labor and Industrial Commission and ousted Johnny Cope from the Transportation Commission. She said all appointees were being evaluated and cuts were being made to balance the state budget.


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