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There is life in the Antelope
Valley,
"A GOOD LIFE"
Let us Help you find it!!!
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Where is the Antelope
Valley ?
Just north of Los Angeles, approximately 60 miles, lies a large
flat, flat valley called the Antelope Valley, covering 3,000 miles and
populated by 350,000 people. The Antelope Valley Stretches from Palmdale
at the South end to Ridgecrest at the north end. Three major highway routes
and two major railroads link the valley communities of Palmdale, Lancaster,
Rosamond,
Mojave, California
City and Ridgecrest with all the major markets. US Highway 395 lies
on the east end, State Highway 14 on the west end and State Highway 58,
a major truck route cuts across the valley and along with the Southern
Pacific and Santa Fe Railroads eventually reaching the Eastcoast markets.
Two major airport facilities, the planned Palmdale International Airport
and the Mojave Airport will have a tremendous impact on the future of the
Antelope Valley. The Palmdale Airport is geared toward transporting people
and the Mojave Airport (already a viable industrial center, will do civilian
aircraft testing what Edwards Air Force Base AFB continues to do
for space missions and military testing. Other small airports predominately
for private aircraft are Fox Field in Lancaster, California City Municipal
Airport (recreational airport where glider soaring and skydiving take place
every week) and Inyokern Airport at Ridgecrest/Inyokern bode well for the
future of aviation in the Antelope Valley. What about the weather? Because
of the dryness attributable to the High Desert the Summers and Winters
are neither too hot or too cold. On any given day in the summer our temperature
will be 10 to 15 degrees cooler than the Palm Springs area. Almost all
the precipitation, usually less than 6 inches annually, arrives in the
winter with an occasional snow fall that will disappear in a day or two.
Spring fills the Antelope Valley with an overwhelming display of wildflowers
that thousands of people come to see and autumn provides most of the most
spectacular sunsets in the world! Come to the Antelope
Valley and see why we think this is a great place to live, work, play
and raise our families ! ! !
Antelope
Valley History
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Edwards Air Force Base (IATA: EDW, ICAO: KEDW, FAA LID: EDW) is a United
States Air Force base located on the border of Kern County and Los Angeles
County, California in the Antelope Valley. It is six nautical miles (11
km) southwest of the central business district of North Edwards, California[2]
and 7 miles (11 km) due east of Rosamond.
1 Overview
2 History
2.1 Major commands at Edwards AFB
2.2 Edwards AFB Base operating units
2.3 Early history of Edwards AFB
2.4 Post-war flight testing
2.5 On the ground
2.6 Edwards AFB in the space age
2.7 Books and movies
3 Present day Edwards Air Force Base Ca
4 Facilities
4.1 Main base
4.2 Dryden Flight Research Center
4.3 AFRL (Air Force [Rocket] Research Laboratory) test area
4.4 North base
5 Geography
5.1 Environmental concerns
5.2 Nearby bases
6 Demographics
7 Politics
8 See also
9 References
10 External links
Designated as the Air Force Flight Test Center (AFFTC), Edwards is home
to the 412th Test Wing, the United States Air Force Test Pilot School,
and NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center. It is currently operated and
maintained by the 95th Air Base Wing as a part of the Air Force Material
Command. Almost every United States military aircraft since the 1950s has
been at least partially tested at Edwards, and it has been the site of
many aviation breakthroughs as a result.
The base is strategically situated next to Rogers Dry Lake, an endorheic
desert salt pan; its hard playa surface provides a natural extension to
Edwards' runways. This large landing area, combined with excellent year-round
weather, makes the base a perfect site for flight testing. The lake is
a National Historic Landmark.[3]
Notable occurrences at Edwards include Chuck Yeager's famous flight
where he broke the sound barrier in the Bell X-1, test flights of the North
American X-15, the first landings of the Space Shuttle, the 1986 around-the-world
flight of the Rutan Voyager, and project MX981 - which took place on Muroc
Field (former name of Edwards AFB) - and may have resulted in the origination
of Murphy's Law.
The base is also one of the largest purchasers of renewable energy in
the nation, deriving 60 percent of its electricity from renewable sources,
and is a lead partner in the United States Environmental Protection Agency's
Green Power Partnership.
Edwards AFB History
Originally known as the Muroc Army Air Field, the base was renamed
on December 8, 1949 in memory of U.S. Air Force test pilot Glen Edwards
(1918-48), who died 18 months earlier while testing the Northrop YB-49
flying wing.
Edwards has been an airbase since 1933, when a cadre arrived from March
Field in Riverside to lay out a bombing range for bomb crews and to set
up tents. It has long been a home for flight research and testing and has
subsequently been home to many of aviation's most important and daring
research flights.
Previous names of Edwards AFB were:
Muroc Lake Bombing and Gunnery Range, Sep 1933
Army Air Base, Muroc Lake, 23 Jul 1942
Army Air Base, Muroc, 2 Sep 1942
Muroc Army Airfield, 8 Nov 1943
Muroc Air Force Base, 12 Feb 1948.
[edit] Major commands
Ninth Corps Area, USA, Sep 1933 - 16 Jan 1941
Air Corps, Sep 1933 - 1 Mar 1935
GHQAF, 1 Mar 1935 - 16 Jan 1941
Southwest Air District, 16 Jan 1941 - 11 Mar 1941
4th AF, 31 Mar 1941 - 17 Jul 1944
AAF Materiel and Services, 17 Jul 1944 - 31 Aug 1944
AAF Technical Service Comd, 31 Aug 1944 - 6 Jun 1945
Continental Air Forces, 6 Jun 1945 - 16 Oct 1945
Air Technical Service Comd, 16 Oct 1945 - 9 Mar 1946
Air Materiel Comd, 9 Mar 1946 - 2 Apr 1951
Air Research and Development Comd, 2 Apr 1951 - 1 Apr 1961
Air Force Systems Command, 1 Apr 1961 - 1 Jul 1992
Air Force Materiel Command, 1 July 1992 - Present
[edit] Base operating units
March Fld Range Maintenance Det, Sep 1933 - 9 Jul 1941
Bombing and Gunnery Range Det, Muroc, 9 Jul 1941 - 1 May 1942
323d Base HQ and Air Base Sq, I May 1942 - 1 Apr 1944
421st AAF Base Unit, 1 Apr 1944 - 16 Oct 1945
4144th AAF Base Unit, 16 Oct 1945 - 28 Aug 1948
HQ and HQ Sq 2759th AFB, 28 Aug 1948 - 20 May 1949
3076th Air Base Gp, 20 May 1949 - 25 Jun 1951
6510th Air Base Wg, 25 Jun 1951 - 8 Nov 1954
6510th Air Base Gp, 8 Nov 1954 - 1 Jun 1994
95th Air Base Wing, 1 Jun 1994 - Present
Edwards AFB Early history
The P-59 Airacomet ushered in America's jet age at Edwards.A water stop
on the Southern Pacific Railroad since 1876, the site was largely unsettled
until the early 20th century. In 1910, Ralph, Clifford and Effie Corum
built a homestead on the edge of Rogers Lake. The Corums proved instrumental
in attracting other settlers and building infrastructure in the area, and
when a post office was commissioned for the area, they named it Muroc,
a reversal of the Corum name, because there was already a town named Corum.
Under the leadership of Lt. Col. Henry H. Arnold, the Army Air Corps
selected a site next to the Rogers playa for a new bombing range in 1933.
The airbase established to service the range was called Muroc Field. At
this time, another colorful character in Edwards' history, Pancho Barnes,
built her renowned Rancho Oro Verde Fly-Inn Dude Ranch that would be the
scene of many parties and celebrations to come.
When Arnold became Chief of the Air Corps in 1938, the service was given
a renewed focus on Research and Development. Muroc Field drew attention
because the nearby playa was so flat that it could even serve as a giant
runway ideal for flight testing. Accordingly, the base debuted its first
major test aircraft when the P-59 Airacomet, America's first jet aircraft,
lifted off on October 1, 1942. Over $120 million was spent developing the
base in the 1940s, and it was expanded to 301,000 acres (470 square miles,
1,218 km²). Included in this development was the base's main 15,000
ft (4,600 m) runway, which was completed in a single pour of concrete.
Edwards AFB Post-war flight testing
After World War II, America found itself in an accelerating race for
aerospace technology. Accordingly, the Air Force began the X-plane program
in 1946, and development was largely centered at Muroc. The program grew
to achieve stunning successes as the Bell X-1 became the first aircraft
to break the sound barrier on October 14, 1947. Public attention was now
firmly centered on Muroc Field, and test activity surged enormously.
The flat lakebeds provided excellent emergency landing sites, as evidenced
by this Bell X-2 crash site.So many aircraft were tested in the years after
WWII that test pilots logged hundreds of hours each month, often in many
different prototype planes. This inevitably led to accidents, and the death
rate at Muroc surged. On January 27, 1950, the base was renamed after Glen
Edwards, who died while testing a prototype Northrop YB-49. Test pilots
were undeterred however, and Edwards AFB was designated the U.S. Air Force
Flight Test Center on June 25, 1951. The X-plane program achieved further
successes as the Bell X-2 achieved over 100,000 ft (30 km) of altitude
and speeds greater than Mach 3 in 1956.
Throughout the 1950s, American airplanes broke absolute speed and altitude
records on a regular basis at Edwards, but nothing compared with the arrival
of the North American X-15 in 1961. Within a few short years, the X-15
topped Mach 4, 5, and 6, setting a speed record for piloted atmospheric
flight of Mach 6.7 on October 3, 1967 that stands today. Furthermore, the
X-15 became the first airplane to fly into space on July 19, 1963, when
it achieved an altitude of 347,800 ft (106,010 m). Another aircraft gained
world fame in the late 1960s at Edwards: The Lockheed YF-12A, a precursor
to the SR-71 Blackbird, shattered nine records in one day of testing at
Edwards. The SR-71's full capabilities are classified to this day, but
the records set on May 1, 1965 included a sustained speed of 2,070 mph
(3,331 km/h) and an altitude of 80,257 ft (15.3 miles, 24,462 m).
[edit] On the ground
Lt. Col. John Stapp rides the rocket sled "Gee Whiz".Extensive aviation
research was also conducted on the ground at Edwards. Though they no longer
exist, Edwards once hosted two rocket sled tracks that pioneered important
developments and research for the Air Force. The first 2,000 ft-long track
was constructed by Northrop in 1944 near what is currently the North Base.
Originally intended for use as a development platform of a V-1 flying-bomb-style
weapon, this project never left the drawing board. The track found use
after the war as a test area for V-2 rockets captured from Nazi Germany
in Operation Paperclip. Later, Dr. John Stapp appropriated the track and
installed what was believed to be one of the most powerful mechanical braking
systems ever constructed for use in his famous deceleration tests whereafter
the press termed him "fastest man on earth" and the "Bravest man in the
Air Force" for his world-changing MX981 project.
The results from the first track prompted the Air Force to investigate
building a second, and in 1948 a new 10,000 ft (3,048 m) track was completed
just south of Rogers Lake. This track was capable of supersonic speeds,
and its first project was the development of the SM-62 Snark cruise missile.
This track was so successful that an extension was constructed, and on
May 13, 1959, the full 20,000 ft (6,096 m) track was opened. After the
Navy had conducted research on the UGM-27 Polaris ballistic missile, the
track was used for the development of ejection seats that could be used
at supersonic speeds. Though this program was a success, a budgetary review
concluded that the track was too expensive to maintain and the track was
decommissioned on May 24, 1963. Before it was closed, a trial run set a
world speed record of Mach 3.3 before the test car broke up. After its
closure, the rails were pulled up to facilitate the straightening of Lancaster
Boulevard.
Edwards AFB in the space age
A video of STS-1 landing at Edwards AFB on April 14, 1981.
The Space Shuttle Enterprise being tested in the skies above Edwards
Air Force Base. For a complete list of Space Shuttle landing locations,
see: List of space shuttle missions.
Discovery (STS-114) touches down in Edwards Air Force Base (August
9, 2005 PST).After President Richard M. Nixon announced the Space Shuttle
program on January 5, 1972, Edwards was chosen for Space Shuttle orbiter
testing. The prototype Space Shuttle Enterprise was carried to altitude
by the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA) and released. In all, 13 test flights
were conducted with the Enterprise and the SCA to determine their flight
characteristics and handling. After Space Shuttle Columbia became the first
Shuttle launched into orbit on April 12, 1981, it returned to Edwards for
landing. The airbase's immense lakebeds and its proximity to Plant 42,
where the Shuttle was serviced before relaunch, were important factors
in its selection and it continued to serve as the primary landing area
for the space shuttle until 1991. Since then, Kennedy Space Center (KSC)
in Florida has been favored. This saves the considerable cost of transporting
the shuttle from California back to Florida, but Edwards AFB and the White
Sands Space Harbor continue to serve as backups; Shuttles have landed at
Edwards as recently as August 9, 2005 (STS-114), June 22, 2007 (STS-117),
and November 30, 2008 (STS-126) due to rain and ceiling events at the KSC
Shuttle Landing Facility. STS-126 was the first and only shuttle to land
on the temporary runway 04 at Edwards AFB, as the refurbished main runway
will be operational from STS-119 onwards.[4]
The 1980s also saw Edwards host a demonstration of America's space warfare
capabilities as a highly modified F-15 Eagle launched an ASM-135 anti-satellite
missile at the dead P78-1 (or Solwind) satellite and destroyed it. In 1986,
Dick Rutan and Jeana Yeager launched from Edwards to set a new aviation
record by piloting the first non-stop, around-the-world flight on a single
tank of fuel in the Rutan Voyager.
Edwards AFB Books and movies
The base was the main location of the 1980 book written by Tom Wolfe,
and subsequent movie adaption "The Right Stuff." The book tells the story
of some of the testing done at Edwards during the 1950s and 1960s, at the
same time as the US Space Program was developing.
Present day Edwards AFB
The most recent projects at Edwards are the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter,
F-22 Raptor, RQ-4 Global Hawk, YAL-1 Airborne Laser and B-52 synthetic
fuel program. In addition, the C-17 Globemaster III flight test program
is another major project at Edwards AFB. As well, the Department of Defense's
massive development on unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) has seen significant
testing of prototypes at Edwards.
Unusually, Edwards has actually gained a few jobs in recent years under
the DoD's Base Realignment and Closure process. As smaller bases have been
decommissioned, their facilities and responsibilities have been consolidated
at large bases like Edwards and China Lake. For example, Marine Aircraft
Group 46, Detachment Bravo, two heavy lift helicopter squadrons, were assigned
to Edwards following the closing of MCAS El Toro in May 1999.
Edwards is also home to several other Associate units from DOD, Air
Force, Army, Navy, FAA, USPS and many companies that support the primary
mission or the personnel stationed there.[5]
Edwards AFB Facilities
Edwards AFB Main base
This aerial photo of the main base shows its runways extending out over
the hard playa of Rogers Lake.Edwards Main Base includes the Dryden Flight
Research Center at its north end and is directly connected to the South
Base. The Main Base airfield has a control tower, a TRACON (callsign Joshua),
and a Radar Control Facility (callsign Sport). Its ICAO airport code is
KEDW (IATA: EDW). As a military airbase, civilian access is severely restricted,
but is possible with prior coordination and good reason. There are three
(two are comissioned and in use) lighted, paved runways:
04R/22L is 15,013 x 300 ft (4,576 x 91 m), an extra 9,000 ft (2700 m)
of lakebed runway is available. It is currently closed for renovations.
4L/22R is 12,000 x 250 ft (3,658 x 76 m), and is only temporary until
4R/22L is re-constructed and ready for use. It is also complete with a
Shuttle visual cue.
06/24 is 8,000 x 50 ft (2,438 x 15 m); 5,000 x 50 ft (1,524 x 15 m)
usable (this runway is technically part of the South Base)
There are seven other official runways on the Rogers lakebed:
17/35 is 7.5 mi (12.1 km) long (primary runway)
05/23 is 5.2 mi (8.4 km) long
06/24 is 1.4 mi (2.3 km) long
07/25 is 4.0 mi (6.4 km) long
09/27 is 2.0 mi (3.2 km) long
30 is 2.0 mi (3.2 km) long (runway 30 rolls out onto the compass rose,
so its corresponding, unmarked, runway 30 so it is never used anyway)
15/33 is 6.2 mi (10.0 km) long
18/36 is 4.5 mi (7.2 km) long
The Rosamond lakebed has two runways painted on it:
02/20 is 4.0 mi (6.4 km) long
11/29 is 4.0 mi (6.4 km) long
The Main Base is home of the Benefield Anechoic Facility (BAF), an
electromagnetic and radio frequency testing building. It is also home to
the Air Force Flight Test Center Museum, which has over 15 aircraft on
display.[6]
[edit] Dryden Flight Research Center
Dryden Flight Research Center fleetMain article: Dryden Flight Research
Center
Contained inside Edwards Air Force Base is NASA's Dryden Flight Research
Center (DFRC) where modern aircraft research is still active (e.g. the
Boeing X-45). The DFRC is home to many of the world's most advanced aircraft.
Notable recent research projects include the Controlled Impact Demonstration
and the Linear Aerospike SR-71 Experiment. It is also the home of the Shuttle
Carrier Aircraft (SCA), a modified Boeing 747 designed to carry the Space
Shuttle back to Kennedy Space Center in the case the Orbiter lands at Edwards.
[edit] AFRL (Air Force [Rocket] Research Laboratory) test area
Rocket test area at Edwards AFRL siteThe Air Force Research Laboratory
(AFRL), Propulsion Directorate maintains a rocket engine test facility
on and around Leuhman Ridge, just east of Rogers Dry Lake. This facility
traces its roots to early Army Air Corps activities.
In 1934, Colonel Hap Arnold assigned an Army Air Corps officer to survey
a 300-square-mile (780 km2) area of the California desert in order to establish
the Muroc remote bombing range. Luehman Ridge, the granite ridge, where
two-thirds of the nation's high thrust static rocket stands are located,
is named in honor of that young second lieutenant. Arno H. Luehman rose
to the rank of Major General, USAF, before his retirement.
In the late 1940s, during the time of the United States Air Force formation,
the facility was selected as a rocket test site. The first test stands
were activated in 1952. The Rocket Engine Test Laboratory (RETL) and its
personnel conducted "test and evaluation" of rocket sled engines as well
as rocket engines for the Bell X1A, Boeing-Marquardt BOMARC, North American
NAVAJO, MACE, Convair ATLAS, Douglas THOR, and other systems.
A major expansion of the facilities in 1957 created the basis for today's
full spectrum research facility encompassing more than 65 square miles
(170 km2) of the northeast corner of Edwards Air Force Base. It is currently
(2008) valued at more than a billion dollars.
In 1959, elements of the Power Plant Laboratory at Dayton, Ohio, were
relocated to the Edwards Rocket Engine Test facility. Also in 1959, the
first tethered, vertical launch tests of the Minuteman I rocket were conducted
in underground test silos. Shortly after these tests, the Minuteman I rocket
completed its development and entered the U.S. Air Force's strategic arsenal.
During the 1960s, the need for continued operations and development
of both future space and ballistic missile launch systems was signified
by the re-designation of the site as the Air Force Rocket Propulsion Laboratory
in 1953. Work began at this time on large segmented solid rocket motors,
alternative liquid rocket engine boosters, high-speed turbo machinery,
upper stage propulsion and satellite propulsion, all driven by the need
to lessen the cost and complexity of the systems in use. The lab's personnel
helped develop the powerful Saturn F-1 rockets which powered the Apollo
manned moon missions. The F-1 was an outgrowth of the Air Force E-1 engine
research program that transitioned into NASA's Saturn V rocket. In order
to accommodate the testing of such large engines, a huge complex of multi-million
pound static test stands was constructed on the northeast end of Luehman
Ridge. The F-1's thrust chambers, nozzles, and entire engines were validated
for NASA and tested with more than 5,000 firings on Luehman Ridge. Each
rocket engine generated more than 1.5 million pounds of thrust, consuming
more than three tons of kerosene and liquid oxygen per second.
The late 1960s and 1970s saw the incremental integration of the Minuteman
II into the United States Nuclear Arsenal. Also the inception and research
and development of both the Peacekeeper and Small ICBM programs. This research
continued throughout the 1980s while the Titan II ballistic missile was
being phased out and utilized for early spacecraft launch. In this same
period, research into the Air Force's XLR-129 liquid rocket engine had
progressed. This engine's high speed turbopump mechanisms developed by
the lab and its industrial partners provided the basis for the Space Shuttle's
Main Engines. Large segmented solid rocket booster research and testing
and the lab facilities insured that the industrial and technological basis
for development of future large launch vehicles would be maintained.
In the mid-1980s, the facilities were reorganized and renamed the Air
Force Astronautics Laboratory. Its personnel were busy with helping the
nation recover from launch failures of the Titan 34-D and the Space Shuttle.
Tests of O-rings at the lab independently verified the lack of resilience
at very cold temperatures, helping to answer questions regarding the solid
rocket boosters used on the Shuttle. At the same time, a large test stand
capable of measuring more than eight million pounds of thrust was converted
from a former Saturn F-1 large engine test stand to the first vertical
large solid rocket booster test stand in the nation, capable of holding
the booster in an upright position during the entire firing sequence and
measuring its massive thrust. The tests were conducted successfully and
assured the nation of access to space for Air Force launch vehicles.
The 1990s saw the consolidation of the myriad Air Force laboratories
across the nation into four "SuperLabs." The Edwards rocket testing facilities,
by then known as the Astronautics Lab, became an integral part of the Phillips
"SuperLab," combining with the Geophysics Lab, Space Technology Center,
and the Weapons Lab. The facility was renamed the Phillips Laboratory,
Propulsion Directorate. Research at the Phillips Lab focused on the furthering
of rocket propulsion technologies through several efforts. Efforts to develop
Space Based Interceptors were considered in support of theater missile
defense on the Theater High Altitude Air Defense (THAAD) program. The High
Energy Density Matter (HEDM) project pushed the world of basic research
in the area of physics and chemistry to find rocket propellants to surpass
the capabilities of propellants existent at that time. The Titan IV Solid
Rocket Booster static testing began and successfully ended its validation
tests and acceptability as the newest booster in the Air Force, providing
an additional 25 percent boost to the Titan launch system. Research and
tests were conducted involving the nation's candidates for its next-generation
launch systems, X-33, X-34, the Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV),
and a master plan for rocket propulsion technology covering 15 years called
Integrated High Payoff Rocket Propulsion Technology (IHPRPT). The IHPRPT
plan is a DoD/NASA/Industry initiative that lays out the goals and blueprints
for achieving a doubling of rocket propulsion capability by 2010, covering
space launch vehicles, tactical and ballistic missiles, and spacecraft
propulsion.
A major milestone for the research lab and facility occurred on 2 October,
1997. A ribbon-cutting ceremony marked the activation and completion of
improvements to the labs historic Test Stand 1A. The stand is about to
embark on its third era of testing the nation's rocket propulsion and launch
capabilities. Initial use of the static test stand occurred in the 50's
for full-up system testing of Convair's Atlas Intercontinental Ballistic
Missile. The test stand was modified in the early 60's for use in developing
and testing the Apollo era Rocketdyne F-1 rocket engine that propelled
man to the moon. The third era supports the efforts of Boeing/Rocketdyne,
a candidate for the Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) launch program.
Their Delta IV family of launch vehicles relies on a new core rocket engine
technology called RS-68. The engine is designed to generate 650,000 pounds
of thrust and is fueled by liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen.
The AFRL combined all four Superlabs and the Air Force Office of Scientific
Research (AFOSR) into a single lab commanded by Major General Paul, headquartered
at Wright-Patterson AFB Ohio. The configuration of the nationwide lab is
based on research and development topics. The Edwards facility is part
of the new Propulsion Directorate which combines Wright-Patterson (Aeropropulsion)
and Edwards (Rocket Propulsion) research efforts. No personnel moves were
required. The Edwards rocket propulsion facility has approximately 500
researchers, engineers, technicians, and support staff split almost 50/50
between government/military employees and support contractors.
The rocket propulsion group leads a national plan called Integrated
High Payoff Rocket Propulsion Technology (IHPRPT) to identify needs, timetables,
and demonstrable goals for improvements to rocket propulsion technology.
Participants in the plan include all military services, industry, and NASA.
The rocket group's research and test projects are intregal with the plan
and its goals. Their efforts covers ballistic launch, spacelift, tactical,
and spacecraft propulsion research and development, with the end goal of
doubling the nation's rocket propulsion capabilities by 2010. A key item
in that plan is liquid fueled rocket propulsion component integration and
testing, called Integrated Powerhead Demonstration or IPD. When complete,
IPD technology will be available for application in future liquid rocket
engines to enhance performance and save weight and costs. IPD is a combination
of research efforts and validation testing to provide new, more efficient
portions of the rocket engine that precondition and pump liquid fuels and
oxidizers into the main engine. Dual-use components like Hydrostatic Bearings
can be applied to rocket engines and commercial refrigeration units. Other
efforts at the lab include electric and solar propulsion research, High
Energy Density Matter (HEDM) propellant research, and Theater Missile Defense
testing.
For more than half a century, the facility and its personnel, teamed
together with government and industrial partners, have provided the United
States with rocket propulsion that fits the needs of the nation and anticipates
the future of propulsion technology. The Edwards Research Site, sometimes
called 'The Rock', or simply 'The Lab' by those who work there, is part
of the AFRL Propulsion Directorate, which is headquartered at the Wright
Research Site, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio.
Edwards AFB North base
This section does not cite any references or sources.
Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources.
Unverifiable material may be challenged and removed. (December 2008)
Satellite photo of the baseNorth Base is located at the north-west corner
of Rogers Lake and is the site of the Air Force's most secret test programs
at Edwards. The site has one 6,000 x 150 ft (1830 x 45 m) paved runway,
06/24, and is accessed from the lakebed or via a single controlled road.
Despite its apparent proximity on a map, the North Base can hardly be seen
from the Main Base because of haze. Even on exceptionally clear days, no
detail is visible, making the base ideal for secret development. Also,
some speculate that the very close proximity of Edwards' Security Forces
Squadron Headquarters is for any responses or disturbances, since many
of the Base's squadron buildings are almost four miles (6 km) from the
North Base and the Security Forces Headquarters.
Edwards AFB Geography
Rogers Dry Lake isn't always dry. During the brief rainy season in the
Mojave Desert, water still fills the lake bed. The compass rose can be
seen on the left in this image.The largest feature of the 44.5 km²
(17.2 mi²) that make up Edwards AFB is the Rogers and Rosamond dry
lake beds. These lake beds have served as emergency and scheduled landing
sites for many aerospace projects including the Bell X-1, Lockheed U-2,
SR-71 Blackbird, and the Space Shuttle. Even today, the lakebeds have black
lines painted on it to mark seven official "runways" which are available
for pilots operating in the area. Also painted on the playa near Dryden
is the world's largest compass rose, which measures approximately 0.75
miles (1.21 km) in diameter. It is inclined to magnetic north (around 13
degrees east of true north) and is used by pilots for calibrating heading
indicators. The largest lake bed, Rogers, encompasses 44 square miles (114
km²) of desert. Because of Rogers' history in the space program, it
was declared a National Historic Landmark.
The world's largest compass rose is painted on the lake bed beside NASA's
Dryden Flight Research Center.The Rosamond dry lake bed encompasses 21
square miles (54 km²) and is also used for emergency landings and
other flight research roles. Both lake beds are some of the lowest points
in the Antelope Valley and they can collect large amounts of precipitation.
Desert winds whip this seasonal water around on the lakebeds and the process
polishes the lakebeds with a new, extremely flat surface; the Rosamond
lake bed was measured to have an altitude deviation of 18 inches (460 mm)
over a 30,000 ft (9,100 m) length.
Edwards AFB Environmental concerns
There are several protected and threatened species living in Edwards,
the most notable being the desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii). It is
unlawful to touch, harass or otherwise harm a desert tortoise. Edwards
is careful not to interfere with this "gem in the desert". Another notable
species is Yucca brevifolia: the taller members of this species are called
Joshua trees.
Edwards AFB Nearby bases
Another element of Edwards' success has been its proximity to other
U.S. military bases. Edwards is close to the major city of Los Angeles,
but it is also only a short flight south from Naval Air Weapons Station
China Lake or Nellis Air Force Base that houses Area 51. Very secret aircraft
developed at Edwards or other bases can easily and secretly be flown to
a nearby base on a moonless night for maintenance or testing. Air Force
Plant 42 and other defense research facilities in Palmdale are located
only a few miles south of Edwards. The site of Lockheed Martin's famous
Skunk Works, Plant 42 contains Boeing and Northrop Grumman aircraft manufacturing
facilities as well. New, top-secret planes are often built at Plant 42
and then flown to the Main Base for night-time testing to maintain secrecy.
Edwards' proximity to other bases has led to the establishment of the
jointly-administered R-2508 Special Use Airspace Complex. Containing Edwards,
the Navy's China Lake and the Army's Fort Irwin bases, and a significant
amount of land in between, R-2508 is completely restricted above FL200
for military use, and in some areas is restricted to the ground. The Department
of Defense and its branches use this airspace to train pilots, and to test
aircraft and weapons. Joint exercises are often conducted here, and sonic
booms can be heard on a regular basis.
Edwards AFB Demographics
A 1987 aerial view of the control tower with an older tower in the backgroundAs
of the 2000 census[7], there were 5,909 people, 1,678 households, and 1,515
families residing in the base. The population density was 132.9/km²
(344.1/mi²). There were 1,783 housing units at an average density
of 40.1/km² (103.8/mi²). The racial makeup of the base was 72.70%
White, 10.42% Black or African American, 0.83% Native American, 4.35% Asian,
0.52% Pacific Islander, 5.43% from other races, and 5.74% from two or more
races. 11.68% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 1,678 households out of which 67.3% had children under the
age of 18 living with them, 84.9% were married couples living together,
3.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 9.7% were non-families.
9.1% of all households were made up of individuals and none had someone
living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size
was 3.19 and the average family size was 3.38.
In the base the population was spread out with 36.1% under the age of
18, 19.9% from 18 to 24, 42.1% from 25 to 44, 1.8% from 45 to 64, and 0.2%
who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 23 years. For every
100 females there were 121.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over,
there were 130.4 males.
The median income for a household in the base was $36,915, and the median
income for a family was $36,767. Males had a median income of $27,118 versus
$23,536 for females. The per capita income for the base was $13,190. About
1.0% of families and 1.3% of the population were below the poverty line,
including 1.3% of those under age 18 and none of those age 65 or over.
Edwards AFB Politics
In the state legislature Edwards AFB is located in the 18th Senate
District, represented by Republican Roy Ashburn, and in the 34th Assembly
District, represented by Republican Bill Maze. Federally, Edwards AFB is
located in California's 22nd congressional district, which has a Cook PVI
of R +16[8] and is represented by Republican Kevin McCarthy.
[edit] See also
Military of the United States portal
North America portal
Commons has media related to: Edwards Air Force Base
Air Force Materiel Command
John Stapp Medical Doctor and research physicist; Contemporary and
friend to Yeager and Murphy, known variously as Fastest human on earth,
The bravest man in the Air Force, and The careful Daredevil, headed the
historic MX981 rocket-sled research project.
Aerospace Walk of Honor, in nearby Lancaster, California, honors notable
Edwards test pilots.
Murphy's Law point of origination sometime in 1949. Popularized by
John Stapp, one time neighbor of engineer Edward A. Murphy, his team coined
the term which came out a few months afterwards in the first of Stapp's
many press conferences over several decades. Murphy contributed measurement
instruments that went awry to Doctor Stapp's MX981 project which sparked
the laws naming to Murphy by Stapp's staff on his single visit to the program.
Pancho Barnes pioneer of women's aviation and the owner of the celebrated
Happy Bottom Riding Club located on land annexed into Edwards
North Edwards home of retired chief master sergeants and NASA engineers
as well as early clay mines vital to Muroc's fortunes.
California World War II Army Airfields
Edwards AFB References
This article incorporates text from the Air Force Historical
Research Agency website which, as a United States government publication,
is in the public domain.
This article incorporates text from Edwards Air Force Base, a public
domain work of the United States Government.
EAFB dry lake beds
Air-Attack.com page on the AFFTC
^ Edwards Air Force Base, official site
^ a b FAA Airport Master Record for EDW (Form 5010 PDF), effective
2008-04-10
^ NHL Summary for Rogers Dry Lake
^ Chris Bergin (November 30, 2008). "Endeavour lands at Edwards to
conclude STS-126". NASASpaceflight.com.
^ [1] "Edwards Base Guide" Associates
^ Air Force Flight Test Center Museum
^ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved on
2008-01-31.
^ "Will Gerrymandered Districts Stem the Wave of Voter Unrest?". Campaign
Legal Center Blog. Retrieved on 2007-10-20.
United States Air Force portal
Military of the United States portal
Edwards Air Force Base, official site
Edwards Air Force Base at GlobalSecurity.org
Videos and Pictures of current and historical tests at DFRC
AFRL PRS Homepage
Documentary film about 'First Citizen of Edwards' Florence Pancho Barnes
Aviation: From Sand Dunes to Sonic Booms, a National Park Service Discover
Our Shared Heritage Travel Itinerary
Historical record of balloons launched from the base between 1953 and
1954
Edwards AFB Open House & Air Show, October 22, 2005
FAA Airport Diagram(PDF), effective 15 January 2009
Resources for this U.S. military airport:
AirNav airport information for KEDW
ASN accident history for EDW
NOAA/NWS latest weather observations
SkyVector aeronautical chart for KEDW
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Edwards AFB Articles needing additional references from December 2008
| articles incorporating text from public domain works of the United
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