1. On December 30, 1850, President Millard Fillmore signed the New Mexico Organic Act, creating the Territory of New Mexico. This act established the territorial government and recognized New Mexico's political status as a territory of the United States.

2. In 1862, during the Civil War, Union troops led by General James Carleton entered New Mexico's Mesilla Valley and established a military government. This sparked the Mesilla Valley Revolt, a political uprising in which New Mexicans supported the Confederacy.

3. On December 30, 1878, the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway completed its route to Albuquerque, connecting New Mexico with the rest of the country. The railroad played a significant role in the state's growth and development.

4. In 1937, Robert Goddard, a pioneer in rocketry, launched the first successful liquid rocket at his test site in Roswell, New Mexico. This event marked a milestone in the development of modern rocket technology.

5. December 30, 2006, was a historic day for New Mexico's space industry, as Virgin Galactic announced plans to establish its world headquarters and build a spaceport near Truth or Consequences. This project has placed New Mexico at the forefront of commercial space travel and helped create new jobs and economic opportunities in the state.