3 firms, NMSU chosen for Hyperspace Challenge

Three Albuquerque-based companies and New Mexico State University will compete alongside nine out-of-state entities for $50,000 in cash prizes in this year's Hyperspace Challenge. Organizers of the challenge, now in its third year, selected a total of 11 companies and two universities to participate in the 2020 accelerator program, which will focus on developing new, innovative technology to help the U.S. Space Force provide satellites and spacecraft with remote, autonomous ability to manage problems. The Air Force Research Laboratory at Kirtland Air Force Base launched the annual challenge in 2018 in partnership with the ABQid business accelerator run by CNM Ingenuity. The program pairs participating companies with government contractors to resolve critical issues, potentially leading to contracts to build new technology for the U.S. Department of Defense and other federal entities. The last two accelerators in 2018 and 2019 focused, respectively, on data analytics to manage reams of information received from space operations, and new technologies for small satellites.