Sierra County, New Mexico
Sierra County | |
|---|---|
 Sierra County Courthouse in Truth or Consequences | |
 Location within the U.S. state of New Mexico | |
 New Mexico's location within the U.S. | |
| Coordinates: 33°08′N 107°11′W / 33.14°N 107.19°W | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  New Mexico |
| Founded | 1884 |
| Named for | the Black Range (Spanish: Sierra Diablo) |
| Seat | Truth or Consequences |
| Largest city | Truth or Consequences |
| Area | |
| • Total | 4,236 sq mi (10,970 km2) |
| • Land | 4,179 sq mi (10,820 km2) |
| • Water | 57 sq mi (150 km2) 1.4% |
| Population (2020) | |
| • Total | 11,576 |
| • Density | 2.9/sq mi (1.1/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−7 (Mountain) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−6 (MDT) |
| Congressional district | 2nd |
| Website | www |
Sierra County is a county in the U.S. state of New Mexico. As of the 2020 census, the population was 11,576.[1] Its county seat is Truth or Consequences.[2]
Economy
[change | change source]Launching of spacecraft
[change | change source]Spaceport America - the spaceport of Virgin Galactic - is located in Sierra County, 45 miles (72 kilometers) north of Las Cruces and 30 miles (48 kilometers) east of Truth or Consequences. Sierra County voters approved the creation of a spaceport tax district in April 2008, freeing up funding for its construction.[3] The first launch from Spaceport America happened in 2006; There have been over 300 launches. On May 22, 2021, Virgin Galactic's VSS Unity launched from the spaceport with three people aboard becoming the first crewed launch from both Spaceport America and New Mexico; New Mexico became the third U.S. state, after California and Florida, to send humans into space.[4]
References
[change | change source]- ↑ "QuickFacts: Sierra County, New Mexico". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 17, 2024.
- ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
- ↑ Kaufman, Marc (May 10, 2008). "New Mexico Moves Ahead on Spaceport". Washington Post. Retrieved July 24, 2008.
- ↑ "NM 'has finally reached the stars' - Albuquerque Journal". www.abqjournal.com. Retrieved 2022-01-16.
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