Albuquerque has long been a haven for aviation and aerospace enthusiasts, due to its wealth of talent and resources, not to mention more than 310 days of sunshine. Albuquerque's success in this arena is directly tied  to Kirtland Air Force Base and the Air Force Research Laboratory’s Space Vehicles Directorate. The program's mission is to develop and transition high pay-off space technologies supporting the warfighter while leveraging commercial, civil and other government capabilities to ensure America's advantage. The Space Vehicles Directorate serves as the Air Force's "Center of Excellence" for space research and development.

 

In addition, there are a number of private companies in this field, including:

Honeywell Aerospace
Aspen Avionics
Devore Aviation
Eclipse Aerospace
Sun Country Industries
Lockheed Martin
 

Eclipse 500

With economic incentives that foster the growth of a renewable energy cluster and employment centers that seek to attract companies engaged in alternative energy product manufacturing, there is a rapidly developing cluster of solar technology companies in the Albuquerque metro area. And no wonder: New Mexico is ranked #2 in the U.S. for solar potential. In addition, manufacturing and service related companies in the Albuquerque metro area have the opportunity to tap into one of the world’s greatest concentrations of technology assets. The New Mexico Technology Corridor, stretching from Los Alamos National Laboratory northwest of Santa Fe to New Mexico State University just north of the Mexican border, contains an array of technology-based organizations involved in the research and development of alternative energy products.

 

Companies investing and growing in the Albuquerque metro area include:

 

Employees inspect CSP
receivers at SCHOTT Solar

Microsystems/nanotechnology is a growing and advancing industry that plays an integral role in everything from transportation and telecommunications to medicine and weapons technology. New Mexico is consistently ranked as one of the top five states for nanotechnology by Small Times magazine. The Albuquerque region is home to many innovative programs and facilities that foster the growth of this cluster.

One of Albuquerque’s most unique contributions to the area’s microsystems/nanotechnology cluster is Central New Mexico Community College (CNM). CNM was the first community college in the nation to offer a full curriculum on the subject of Micro Electromechanical Systems (MEMS) and is home to Southwest Center for Microsystems Education. Other renowned resources include the Microsystems & Engineering Sciences Applications (MESA) complex, a $453 million state-of-the-art microsystems research and development facility operated by Sandia National Labs and the Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies (CINT), an $85 million Department of Energy Nanoscale Science Research Center (NSRC) operating as a national user facility devoted to establishing the scientific principles that govern the design and integration of nanoscale materials.

 

CINT facility

Albuquerque metro is continuously recognized as a high tech haven by national publications such as Wired and Small Times magazines thanks to its variety of companies and technology savvy workforce available to new and expanding companies. The cluster, which includes computer chip manufacturing and the production of electronic components, is able to flourish here because of the city’s availability of skilled workers, high tech centers, advanced manufacturing programs, and low business costs. According to the New Economy Index, New Mexico ranks 2nd in the country for percentage of high-tech jobs and 3rd for percentage of scientists and engineers. 

 

Albuquerque is one of the only places in the world where students can begin to study optics in high school and continue on to associate programs, undergraduate, and graduate programs all the way to a Ph.D. in Optical Science and Engineering at the University of New Mexico. World-class technical support is provided locally from Sandia National Labs, the Air Force Research Laboratory’s Directed Energy Directorate at Kirtland Air Force Base, and the New Mexico Optics Industry Association.

 

Z machine at Sandia
National Labs