NM spaceport, chile, telescopes gain mentions in Popular Science, USA Today

Source: Las Cruces Sun-News, N.迷你倉價錢M.July 26--LAS CRUCES, N.M. -- The most recent edition of Popular Science magazine has aimed a spotlight squarely at New Mexico with a "Top 25" list that includes Spaceport America and two other locales in the state.In a separate ranking, USA Today's travel division recognized Albuquerque green chile sauce as the No. 1 best iconic food in the nation.Spaceport America, a future launch site for space tourists located just north of Dona Ana County, was ranked No. 5 on a listing of the "best nerd road trips" in the country -- a feature in Popular Science magazine's August issue. That's in spite of the fact that major operations -- Virgin Galactic plans to launch tourists from the site -- aren't likely to start until next year.Told about the listing, New Mexico Spaceport Authority board Chairman Rick Holdridge said the agency's plans for two visitor centers eventually will boost the experience for tourists."Wait until we get our visitor experience done, and then we might be No. 1," he said. "Hopefully it will be done by the time Virgin (Galactic) is up and going, and we'll be up and going."Now, there are authorized spaceport tours available at a cost.Also gaining a mention was the Las Cruces-based Chile Pepper Institute garden, a living showcase of chile varieties ranging from the locally loved to the world record-breaking. The garden ranked as the No. 24 best tourist destination for nerds.Placing No. 4 on the list, a step ahead of Spaceport America, was the Very Large Arra迷你倉庫, a visually impressive network of huge radio telescopes 50 miles from Socorro, N.M. The telescopes are used to study celestial objects that emit radio waves. The array appeared prominently in the 1997 sci-fi movie "Contact," starring Jodie Foster.Laurie A. Smith said she's been to two of the three New Mexico sites."It was news to me that I was a geek!" she said, via Facebook.Article authors Geoff Manaugh and Nicola Twilley visited 150 "built, natural and virtual landscapes" across the United States and selected the Top 25 for Popular Science, according to the magazine.CHILE SAUCE RANKED:Albuquerque green chile sauce was named the No. 1 best iconic food in the country in a recent 10Best, part of USA Today Travel.There was no mention of the Hatch, N.M., area -- a hot spot for growing green chile in the southern part of the state -- despite the community's slogan as "Chile Capital of the World."The list was selected based on voting in a non-scientific poll and by 10Best, according to 10Best.com. Tens of thousands of votes were cast, according to the publication.Topping the list were:1. Albuquerque -- green chile sauce2. Baltimore -- Maryland crabs3. Wisconsin -- fried cheese curds4. Memphis -- pulled pork5. Philadelphia -- Philly cheese steakFor more detail, visit http://10best.com/awards/travel/best-iconic-american-foodsCopyright: ___ (c)2013 Las Cruces Sun-News (Las Cruces, N.M.) Visit the Las Cruces Sun-News (Las Cruces, N.M.) at www.lcsun-news.com Distributed by MCT Information Services儲存