Volunteers clean a two-acre American flag at Spaceport America in March of 2026 (photo credit: Spaceport America)LAS CRUCES, N.M. (Wednesday, March 18, 2026) — One of the largest flags ever produced made its way to Spaceport America on the weekend of March 13-15, 2026, for comprehensive cleaning.
Josh Dorfman and AJ Rehberg, co-founders of the Great American Flag Preservation Group, transported the world's second-largest American flag to Spaceport America where it was unfurled, cleaned, and refurled by a group of nearly 100 community volunteers.
"We spent six years trying to find the right location to do this, and there were a number of factors we considered," said Josh Dorfman, co-founder of the Great American Flag Preservation Group. "First, there had to be a facility large enough to keep the flag. Second, security was important to us, and Spaceport America has a top-notch security team. We also needed a partner that was willing, and we found that."
The flag measures 410'x211' and weighs in at over 14,000 pounds. Each star on the flag measures 13 feet, and the flag has been displayed 13 times since 1980. Friday, March 13, 2026, marked the first unfurling of the flag since September 14, 2019, when it was unfurled in Derry, Pa., to better understand the restoration efforts needed.
Volunteers clean a two-acre American flag at Spaceport America in March of 2026 (photo credit: Spaceport America)Anchor Industries in Evansville, Ind., assembled the 86,000 square foot flag ahead of its debut at the Evansville Airport on March 22, 1980. The initial display was dedicated to the United States citizens who were, at the time, being held hostage in Iran.
Over its almost half-century lifespan, the flag has changed ownership several times. It was previously owned by the United States Government (through the General Services Administration) and the Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Museum before it was purchased by Ted and Lisa Dorfman, Josh Dorfman's parents, for $12,300 in July of 2011.
Dorfman and Rehberg hope to display the flag at numerous events leading up to the 250th anniversary of the United States of America in July of 2026. Now cleaned, the next step for Dorfman and Rehberg will be to identify where to display the flag next.
"New Mexican's love their country as much as anyone," said Scott McLaughlin, Executive Director of the New Mexico Spaceport Authority, "This was a chance to help the flag be ready for the country's 250th birthday, and for us to show our patriotism."
"Spaceport America has been a tremendous partner; we couldn't have asked for anyone better," Dorfman added.
The Great American Flag Preservation Group is an IRS-recognized 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with a two-fold mission: to restore the flag to its original condition and preserve it for decades to come, and to find the flag a permanent home so it may continue to tell future generations the story of its origin, history, and of its founders, supporters, and key turning points in American history. Individuals or groups interested in making a donation for the upkeep, care, transportation, and viewing of this impressive U.S. flag may do so at www.greatamericanflag.org.
