Steve Landeene
New Mexico Spaceport Authority Executive Director Steve Landeene is leaving his job after more than two years in the post.
Landeene led the authority through the final steps of securing a commercial spaceport license and other approvals needed to ensure that Spaceport America becomes a reality.
The final step was securing legislative approval earlier this year for a bill requiring that passengers sign a waiver agreeing to hold companies harmless before traveling into space from the Southern New Mexico spaceport.
“With the Spaceflight Informed Consent Act signed into law on February 27th, the last major element solidifying Spaceport America reality has been accomplished,” Landeene wrote in his resignation letter.
“I now have a need to regain some work/life balance that can not be accomplished given the current stresses and time commitments of the Spaceport America Executive Director role,” he wrote.
Landeene, who was hired in January 2008, submitted his resignation on Friday. It’s effective May 15.
“We appreciate Steve’s service and wish him well in the future,” Fred Mondragón, chairman of the Spaceport Authority and secretary of economic development, said in a news release. “The authority will move aggressively to find a replacement and move forward with the construction schedule for Spaceport America.”