X2nSat to build satellite facility in New Mexico

X2nSat, a Petaluma-based company that provides satellite communications service to businesses, on Tuesday reported a partnership with Spaceport America project in New Mexico to lease land for a satellite ground station.

X2nSat deploys very-small-aperture-terminal satellites that can transmit data such as Internet access as well as credit card transactions.

'The world is a better place when the unconnected are connected,' said Garrett Hill, CEO of X2nSat, in a statement. 'We chose to partner with Spaceport America to build the world's most modern satellite gateway to support current and future satellite fleets because we're passionate about building the infrastructure for the next generation of satellite communications. This location has everything we need – stable and dry weather, a southern latitude, 24–seven security, plentiful real estate, minimal electromagnetic interference and extremely low horizons in all directions.'

Work on the satellite communications facility is expected later in 2015, and it will become operational in 2016, with about 20 new jobs expected in New Mexico over the long term.

Hill founded X2nSat (x2nsat.com) in 1996.

The Spaceport America project (spaceportamerica.com) has funding from the governments of New Mexico and Sierra and Dona Ana counties. The 18,000-acre property has clearances for testing horizontal and vertical launches and has a 25,000-foot runway.