In 2020, LSU NCBRT/ACE and the New Mexico Spaceport Authority (NMSA) announced a long-term partnership to develop and implement programs that set the standards for safe space travel. These goals include reviewing safety protocols for commercial space agencies, coordinating emergency efforts of local and national law enforcement agencies, and developing the proper emergency preparedness, mitigation, response and recovery guidelines.
As a training partner with NMSA, LSU NCBRT/ACE provides expert assistance on areas from near-term safety and security training and policies to long-term activities that will help establish an aerospace physiology training pipeline that creates the necessary human capital to support the growing commercial space industry.
In March 2020, LSU NCBRT ACE hosted its course, PER-219: A Prepared Jurisdiction: Integrated Response to a CBRNE Incident, at the Spaceport America launch site in Truth or Consequences, NM. The course allowed Spaceport America personnel the opportunity to cross train and recognize the capabilities of their own agency as well as those of the response organizations in their region. The course also brought in emergency responders from agencies including the New Mexico State Police, the New Mexico Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, the 64th WMD-CST New Mexico Army National Guard and other local responders.
“As the possibilities of commercial space travel become more and more tangible, we recognize that there is a vital need for high-quality, innovative emergency training to protect our nation’s citizens,” said LSU NCBRT/ACE director Jeff Mayne. “We are proud of the relationship we have built with NMSA and Spaceport America, and hope this partnership paves the way for safety and security in the realm of space travel.”
LSU NCBRT/ACE is planning multiple exercises for NSMA and the Spaceport America personnel in 2021.
LSU NCBRT/ACE is also a member of the Louisiana Space Grant Consortium, the state’s chapter of the National Space Grant College and Fellowship Program. LSU NCBRT/ACE will collaborate and explore new training frontiers for Louisiana students and the workforce for the university’s role in aerospace research, education, technology and economic development in the aerospace field.