Gov. Susana Martinez is scheduled to visit the southern New Mexico city of Truth or Consequences on Tuesday afternoon to sign a bill that will shield commercial space travel companies from some damage lawsuits.
The goal of the legislation is to keep Virgin Galactic as the anchor tenant at Spaceport America and to attract more commercial space companies to the state.
The Legislature approved the measure that Martinez has said is critical for New Mexico to develop a commercial space travel industry. The liability limit would provide a partial legal shield for spacecraft manufacturers and their suppliers.
British billionaire Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic plans to fly tourists into space from the nearly complete spaceport near Truth or Consequences.