MSDC's Efforts to Develop Midland International into a Proper Spaceport

Jun. 9—Midland Spaceport Development Corp. (MSDC) recently held its quarterly meeting, during which the organization recapped different objectives it has for the future and discussed the challenges it faces getting there.

At Midland International Air and Space Port, new developments include the long-awaited arrival of Starfighters Space to Midland, as well as the 2025 International Rocket Engineering Competition (IREC) that will start Tuesday, June 10, and last through Saturday.

Following up on the former, Starfighters confirmed that they will be donating one of its engines to a local aviation maintenance school. MSDC hopes that continued investments into these programs will spur local engineering talent to eventually work for the Spaceport's growing company portfolio, including Starfighters and AST SpaceMobile.

Approximately 1,500 engineering students from all across the world will come to Midland this week for IREC, the largest thermal rocket competition in the world. While they are not directly financing the event, MSDC says:"These people, being here for a week, eating and staying in our hotels, things of that nature, (can create) upwards of $10 million economic impact."

Funding through the Space Exploration and Aeronautics Research Fund (SEARF) was also discussed. Many at MSDC believe that they are not receiving the proper funding to develop Midland International into a proper spaceport because the FAA does not recognize space travel in its agenda nor consider space travel as being aeronautical.

In the hopes of appealing to larger entities to get further funding and approval, as well as increase local awareness of Midland's space developments, Dann Schantz, who was named MSDC's new vice president at the meeting, outlined different objectives that the city had put forth in regard to space.

"Recently, we've been increasing presence in the ( Museum of the Southwest) planetarium and having places so that people don't have to drive all the way out to the airport," he said. "Also, I think it was very good for Starfighters to have their parade and be able to show off what they have so people are like, 'Oh, that's coming'. But I think, also getting involved with college programs to where we actually have better tools for developing local area assets, students in particular, so that they have something to look forward to."

As for now, Schantz believes that it is simply a matter of bidding against other Texas cities to eventually get more funding.

"There's a big competition between cities to see who can get varying pots of the money that are given for awards in doing space-related research," he said. " Texas is unique in that it actually sets aside money directly for space, and so we have to make sure that we present the best foot forward and make sure that they know that Midland is ready for space and what it can do, what assets we have available, and how we can incorporate that."

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