Rocket moved after being too close to polling place

A 37-foot tall rocket had to be moved across the street from Picacho Middle School this morning because it was too close to that polling place.

Not that moving the massive object 300 feet changes the fact that it’s what everyone is looking at as they approach the school. It’s probably the first time in the state’s history that a rocket had to be moved because it was too close to a polling place.

Starchaser Industries brought its Nova-Starchaser 4 from Britain last week. The rocket is making appearances at schools in Doña Ana County today and was at the middle school in the Las Cruces district this morning.

Dave Wilson, spokesman for People for Aerospace, the group pushing for approval of the spaceport tax, said the rocket wasn’t on the grounds of the middle school at the urging of his group.

“We haven’t scheduled their rocket to be at polling places,” he said. “They’re here because they want to promote their rocket at a time when the whole world is watching this place.”

Even if they didn’t coordinate the appearances with People for Aerospace, I’m sure Starchaser is also here today because the rocket’s presence might help promote the tax. Starchaser plans to launch from the spaceport.

Wilson said Starchaser arranged its own schedule for the rocket’s appearances and coordinated with the schools “a long time ago.”

But when Starchaser showed up with its rocket at the school today, the principal questioned whether, because of the election, it should be there. The county attorney’s office said the rocket needed to be moved at least 100 feet from the school – the closest campaigners can get to a polling site.

Starchaser CEO Steve Bennett could not be reached for comment.