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Travel Nerd
Out-of-this-world Getaway
On your New Mexico trip you can explore the cosmos, catch a glimpse of cutting edge galactic technology, learn about space history, and—someday soon—actually hitch a ride into outer space. By Brandon Call
New Mexico has played a major role in our understanding and exploration of space, from the experimental rocketry of Robert Goddard in 1930 to today’s Spaceport America. So, fasten your seatbelt and explore these can’t-miss destinations.
Begin your other-worldly journey in Albuquerque, home to the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science. Spend the morning brushing up on astronomy at the planetarium, and don’t miss the Space Frontier exhibit for a look into New Mexico's decorated cosmic past. For lunch, try Sadie’s Restaurant for authentic New Mexican cuisine, and cool off with Ecco Gelato for dessert.
After refueling the tanks, drive by the Sandia National Laboratories where scientists developed the Multispectral Thermal Imager (MTI) satellite, which was launched into space in May and now records day and nighttime infrared images of Earth in 15 spectral bands, providing data for military and environmental studies. While the labs aren’t open to the public, the National Museum of Nuclear Science and History offers a sneak peak at cutting-edge space technology. After perusing the exhibits, finish off your day with a sunset ride on the Sandia Peak Tramway, the world’s longest aerial tramway ascending 3,819 feet over the Cibola National Forest. Once at the summit, you'll feel like you’re on top of the world. For dinner, enjoy the views from your table at the High Finance Restaurant, located at the top of the peak.
Northwestern trip: Quite possibly some of the first astronomers in the world, inhabitants of Chaco Canyon built their community houses in line with the solar and lunar cycles. Today, you can visit the ruins at Chaco Culture National Historical Park accessible along U.S. 550 approximately 50 miles west of Cuba via Country Road 7900 (and about 140 miles from Albuquerque). Once home to the Ancestral Puebloans, the dwellings were mysteriously abandoned around 1150 AD.
North-central trip:
Continue your space vacation with a stop in the town of Los Alamos, 33 miles northwest of Santa Fe and home to Los Alamos National Laboratory, founded in 1943 as a secret facility for developing the first atomic bomb. Today, the lab is at the forefront of aerospace technology, with such developments as the RAPTOR telescope, which on February 6, 2006, became the first optical telescope to find an anomaly on its own with no human intervention. Other astronomical research includes the Sloane Digital Sky Survey with the goal of mapping the entire universe and several projects aimed at unveiling the true nature of dark energy, dark matter, and the expansion of the universe.
Of course, the labs are high-security, and the public is not allowed. The Bradbury Science Museum is your best bet for experiencing the Laboratory’s accomplishments. Be sure to catch a lecture by one of many leading researchers or attend a how-to class on building telescopes, just two of the many outreach programs available at the museum. While in Los Alamos, stop by The Hill Diner for some comfort food, and catch some shut-eye at the Adobe Pines Bed and Breakfast.
Southern trip:
On your southern New Mexico excursion, check out the Very Large Array, one of the world’s premier astronomical radio observatories consisting of 27 gargantuan radio antennas, located 50 miles west of Socorro on U.S. 60. The VLA is designed to study gamma ray bursts, supernovas, black holes, radio-emitting stars, planets, and the sun, and has also been featured in the films Independence Day (1996), Contact (1997), and Terminator Salvation (2009). For the best burger in the universe, try the nearby town of San Antonio, N.M., where the Owl Bar and Grill and Manny’s Buckhorn Tavern have both earned national acclaim for their out-of-this-world green chile cheeseburgers.
Next, stop by White Sands National Monument, 52 miles east of Las Cruces on U.S. 70, which is not only visible from space but also a location for many space-themed movies and TV shows like Stargate Universe (2009), Transformers (2008), The Astronaut Farmer (2007), The Man Who Fell to Earth (1976), and the 1954 cult classic Them! Soak up the sun and glistening, pearly white sand of the monument, where gypsum sand dunes have engulfed 275 square miles. Or, visit during a full moon for the guided sunset stroll and movie in the outdoor amphitheater.
Adjacent to the monument is the White Sands Missile Range, home to the Trinity Site and the March 30, 1982 emergency landing of the Space Shuttle Columbia. Access to the Missile Range is limited, but stop by the New Mexico Museum of Space History, in nearby Alamogordo, for a complete rundown of the area’s space history. See Albuquerque shuttle astronaut Mike Mullane’s space suit, learn about Robert Goddard’s Roswell rocket experiments, and catch a movie in the Clyde W. Tombaugh IMAX Theater, named after the discoverer of Pluto who lived in Las Cruces and taught astronomy at New Mexico State University. Be sure to save room for ice cream from outer space, available in the museum’s gift shop.
Complete your adventure with a quick pit stop near the site of the future Spaceport America, 45 miles north of Las Cruces on I-25 near Upham. Though construction isn’t complete, the site made international news in 2007 when it was used by UP Aerospace to launch into space the ashes of the late actor James Doohan, best known for playing Scotty on Star Trek. There’s not much to see now (the spaceport broke ground on June 20), but one day soon it will be the world’s first purpose-built commercial spaceport, taking tourists to space via Virgin Galactic.
At day’s end, relax in nearby Truth or Consequences at Riverbend Hot Springs, the only open-air hot springs on the banks of the Rio Grande, for a peaceful end to your astronomical journey.
