Edwards Air Force Base is an airbase located on the border of Kern County and Los Angeles County, California in the Antelope Valley, 7 miles (11 km) due East of Rosamond, USA at 34°57′ N 117°52′ W. An airbase since 1933, Edwards' has long been a home for flight research and testing and has subsequently been home many of the aviation's most important and daring research flights. For other uses, see Airport (disambiguation). ... Kern County is a county located in the southern Central Valley of California. ... Location in the state of California Formed 1850 Seat Los Angeles Area  - Total  - Water 10,517 km² (4,061 mi²)   Population  - (2004)  - Density 10,179,716 (est) 967. ... The Antelope Valley consists of northern Los Angeles County and the southeastern portion of Kern County, California. ... Rosamond is a town located in Kern County, California, 20 miles North of Palmdale, in the Antelope Valley, the westernmost desert valley of the Mojave Desert. ... ...

Satellite photo of Edwards AFB. Clearly visible are the Rogers and Rosamond dry lake beds and Edwards Main Base. For more photographs taken at Edwards, see the image gallery.

Originally known as the Muroc Army Air Field, the base was renamed in 1950 in memory of test pilot Glen Edwards, who died while testing the Northrop YB-49. The base is strategically situated next to Rogers 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, make the base an excellent site for flight testing. NASA satellite photo of Edwards Air Force Base, taken from [1], cropped, and uploaded for use in the Edwards article by me. ... NASA satellite photo of Edwards Air Force Base, taken from [1], cropped, and uploaded for use in the Edwards article by me. ... This is a gallery of photographs from Edwards Air Force Base that are featured in Wikipedia. ... 1950 was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ... Test Pilots work on developing, evaluating and proving experimental aircraft. ... Glen Edwards (March 5, 1918–June 5, 1948) was born in Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada where he lived until 1931, when his parents moved the family to Lincoln, California. ... A YB-49 being flown during a test flight The Northrop YB-49 was a prototype jet-powered flying wing heavy bomber aircraft developed for the United States Air Force shortly after World War II. It was a development of the piston-engined B-35, and the two YB-49s... The shores of Lake Hart, an endorheic desert lake in South Australia In geography, an endorheic basin is a watershed from which there is no outflow of water (either on the surface as rivers, or underground by flow or diffusion through rock or permeable material). ... A salt pan is a geological formation found in deserts. ... The playa and shore of Lake Hart, an endorheic desert lake in South Australia An alkali flat (known in US and Mexico as a playa) is a dry lakebed, generally the shore of, or remnant of, an endorheic lake. ... A runway is a strip of land on an airport, on which aircraft can take off and land. ...

Designated as the Air Force Flight Test Center (AFFTC), Edwards is home to the United States Air Force Test Pilot School and NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center. Almost every United States military aircraft since the 1950s has been at least partially tested at Edwards and Edwards has been the site of many aviation breakthroughs as a result. The U.S. Air Force Flight Test School is located on Edwards Air Force Base in California. ... The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), which was established in 1958, is the agency responsible for the public space program of the United States of America. ... Dryden Flight Research Centers fleet of aircraft in 1993. ... The armed forces of the United States of America consist of the United States Army United States Navy United States Air Force United States Marine Corps United States Coast Guard Note: The United States Coast Guard has both military and law enforcement functions. ... // Events and trends The 1950s in Western society was marked with a sharp rise in the economy for the first time in almost 30 years and return to the 1920s-type consumer society built on credit and boom-times, as well as the height of the baby-boom from returning...

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 Scaled Composites Voyager, and origination of Murphy's law. General Yeager Brigadier General Charles Elwood Chuck Yeager (born February 13, 1923 in Myra, Lincoln County, West Virginia) is a former World War II ace and test pilot. ... The Bell X-1 was the first aircraft to exceed the speed of sound in controlled, level flight. ... Description Role: Research Aircraft Crew: one, pilot Dimensions Length: 50. ... The Space Shuttle Columbia seconds after engine ignition, 1981 (NASA). ... Voyager returning from its flight The Scaled Composites Model 76 Voyager aircraft was the first to fly around the world without stopping or refueling. ... This article is about the popular adage in Western culture. ...

History

Early history

The P-59 Airacomet ushered in America's jet age at Edwards

A water stop on the Southern Pacific Railroad since in 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 would prove instrumental in attracting other settlers and building infrastructure in the area, and when the Corums had post office commissioned for the area, they named it Muroc, a reversal of the Corum name. XP-59 Airacomet File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... XP-59 Airacomet File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... The Southern Pacific Railroad (AAR reporting mark SP) was an American railroad. ... 1876 is a leap year starting on Saturday. ... 1910 in topic: Arts Architecture- Art- Film- Literature- Music- Television Science and technology Aviation- Rail transport- Science Other topics Australia- Canada- Ireland- South Africa- Sport Births- Deaths Lists of leaders: State leaders - Religious leaders 1910 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... Small-town post office and town hall in Lockhart, Alabama A post office is a facility (in most countries, a government one) where the public can purchase postage stamps for mailing correspondence or merchandise, and also drop off or pick up packages or other special-delivery items. ...

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 infamous Rancho Oro Verde Fly-Inn Dude Ranch that would be the scene of many parties and celebrations to come. In the U.S. Army, Air Force and Marine Corps, a lieutenant colonel is a commissioned officer superior to a major and inferior to a colonel. ... Henry Hap Arnold Henry Harley Arnold (June 25, 1886 – January 15, 1950), often referred to by the nickname Hap, was an American pilot, commander of the US Army Air Corps from 1938, commander of the US Army Air Forces from 1941 until 1945 and the first General of the Air... 1. ... Pancho Barnes as taken by her close friend George Hurrell in the 1930s. ... The gate to Rancho Oro Verde. ...

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 is 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 1940's, and it was expanded to 301,000 acres (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. The phrase research and development (also R and D or R&D) has a special commercial significance apart from its conventional coupling of research and technological development. ... The Bell P-59 was a fighter aircraft built in the United States during World War II. Its prototype, the XP-59 became the first jet-powered aircraft to fly in the US when it took off for the first time on October 1, 1942. ... October 1 is the 274th day of the year (275th in Leap years). ... This article is about the year. ...

The glory years of 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. World War II was a truly global conflict with many facets: immense human suffering, fierce indoctrinations, and the use of new, extremely devastating weapons like the atom bomb. ... X-Plane, produced by Laminar Research, is a flight simulator for personal computers, notable for its high degree of sophistication and customizability. ... 1946 was a common year starting on Tuesday. ... The Bell X-1 was the first aircraft to exceed the speed of sound in controlled, level flight. ... October 14 is the 287th day of the year (288th in Leap years). ... 1947 was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). ...

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 Edward's 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 (61 km) of altitude and speeds greater than Mach 3 in 1956. Download high resolution version (1800x1397, 1454 KB) NASA photo ID: E-749 This 1952 photograph shows the Bell X-2 #2 (46-675) with a collapsed nose landing gear, after landing on the first glide flight at Edwards Air Force Base. ... Download high resolution version (1800x1397, 1454 KB) NASA photo ID: E-749 This 1952 photograph shows the Bell X-2 #2 (46-675) with a collapsed nose landing gear, after landing on the first glide flight at Edwards Air Force Base. ... The Bell X-2 was an American research aircraft built to investigate flight characteristics in the Mach 2_3 range. ... January 27 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ... 1950 was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ... Glen Edwards (March 5, 1918–June 5, 1948) was born in Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada where he lived until 1931, when his parents moved the family to Lincoln, California. ... A YB-49 being flown during a test flight The Northrop YB-49 was a prototype jet-powered flying wing heavy bomber aircraft developed for the United States Air Force shortly after World War II. It was a development of the piston-engined B-35, and the two YB-49s... June 25 is the 176th day of the year (177th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 189 days remaining. ... 1951 was a common year starting on Monday; see its calendar. ... The Bell X-2 was an American research aircraft built to investigate flight characteristics in the Mach 2_3 range. ... Mach number (Ma) is defined as a ratio of speed to the speed of sound in the medium in case. ... 1956 was a leap year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

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 manned atmospheric flight of Mach 6.7 on October 3, 1967 that stands today. As well, the X-15 became the first airplane to fly into space on July 19, 1963, when it achieved an altitude of 106,010 m (347 801 ft). Another aircraft gained world fame in the late 60's 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 (24,462 m). Description Role: Research Aircraft Crew: one, pilot Dimensions Length: 50. ... October 3 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ... 1967 was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... July 19 is the 200th day (201st in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 165 days remaining. ... 1963 was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will take you to calendar). ... The Lockheed SR-71, unofficially known as the Blackbird, is a long-range, advanced, strategic reconnaissance aircraft developed from the Lockheed YF-12A and A-12 aircraft by Lockheeds Skunk works, which was also responsible for the U-2 and many other advanced aircraft. ... An SR-71 in flight The Lockheed SR-71 Type A, unofficially known as the Blackbird, is a long-range, advanced, strategic reconnaissance aircraft developed from the Lockheed YF-12A and A-12 aircraft by Lockheeds Skunk Works (also responsible for the U-2 and many other advanced aircraft). ... May 1 is the 121st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (122nd in leap years). ... 1965 was a common year starting on Friday (link goes to calendar). ...

On the ground

Lt. Col. John Stapp rides the rocket sled.

During this exciting time, 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 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 [1] for use in his famous deceleration tests. Download high resolution version (2968x2376, 221 KB) Lt. ... Download high resolution version (2968x2376, 221 KB) Lt. ... John Paul Stapp, M.D., Ph. ... A rocket sled is essentially a small railroad car with rockets attached. ... A rocket sled is essentially a small railroad car with rockets attached. ... The Vergeltungswaffe 1 Fi 103 / FZG-76 (V-1), known as the Flying bomb, Buzz bomb or Doodlebug, was the first modern guided missile used in wartime and the first cruise missile. ... German test launch. ... Operation Paperclip scientists pose together. ... John Paul Stapp, M.D., Ph. ...

The incredible 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 enormously successful, 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. 1948 is a leap year starting on Thursday (link will take you to calendar). ... Snark missile launch The Northrop SM-62 Snark was a specialised intercontinental missile with a nuclear warhead briefly operated by the US Strategic Air Command from 1958 until 1961. ... A Tomahawk cruise missile A cruise missile is a guided missile which uses a lifting wing and most often a jet propulsion system to allow sustained flight. ... May 13 is the 133rd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (134th in leap years). ... 1959 was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Polaris A-1 on launch pad in Cape Canaveral Polaris A-3 on launch pad in Cape Canaveral The Polaris missile was a submarine-launched, nuclear-tipped ballistic missile (SLBM) built during the Cold War by the United States Navy. ... Polish missile wz. ... US Air Force F/A-22 Raptor ejection seat test using a mannequin. ... May 24 is the 144th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (145th in leap years). ... 1963 was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will take you to calendar). ...

Edwards AFB in the space age

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.

After President Richard M. Nixon announced the Space Shuttle program on January 5, 1972, Edwards was chosen for testing. The prototype Space Shuttle Enterprise was carried to altitude by the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (a modified Boeing 747) and dropped. In all, 13 test flights were conducted with the Enterprise and the SCA to determine their flight characteristics and handling. After the 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, Florida's Kennedy Space Center has been favoured, but Edwards AFB and the White Sands Missile Range continue to serve as backups; Shuttles have landed at Edwards as recently as 2005 (STS-114). Cropped and color balanced from NASA Photo ID S77-28141. ... Cropped and color balanced from NASA Photo ID S77-28141. ... Enterprise visited pad 39-A in launch configuration 20 months before the first Shuttle launch. ... This is a list of missions flown by space shuttles. ... Order: 37th President Vice President: Spiro Agnew (1969–1973), Gerald R. Ford (1973–1974) Term of office: January 20, 1969 – August 9, 1974 Preceded by: Lyndon B. Johnson Succeeded by: Gerald R. Ford Date of birth: January 9, 1913 Place of birth: Yorba Linda, California Date of death: April 22... The Space Shuttle Columbia seconds after engine ignition, 1981 (NASA). ... January 5 is the 5th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1972 was a leap year that started on a Saturday. ... Enterprise visited pad 39-A in launch configuration 20 months before the first Shuttle launch. ... Atlantis transported by a Boeing 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft Schematic 3-view A Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA) is one of two extensively modified Boeing 747 jetliners that NASA uses to transport a space shuttle orbiter. ... It has been suggested that Boeing 747 Advanced be merged into this article or section. ... Shuttle Orbiter Columbia (NASA Orbiter Vehicle Designation: OV-102) was the first space shuttle in NASAs orbital fleet, first flying mission STS-1 from April 12 to April 14, 1981. ... April 12 is the 102nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (103rd in leap years). ... 1981 is a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... U. S. Air Force Plant 42 is a federally-owned military aerospace facility in Palmdale, California where aerospace contractors share a common runway complex, and either lease building space from the Air Force, or own their own building outright. ... 1991 is a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... State nickname: Sunshine State Other U.S. States Capital Tallahassee Largest city Jacksonville Governor Jeb Bush (R) Official languages English Area 170,451 km² (22nd)  - Land 137,374 km²  - Water 30,486 km² (17. ... Merritt Island and Kennedy Space Center The John F. Kennedy Space Center (KSC) is the NASA space vehicle launch facility (spaceport) at Cape Canaveral on Merritt Island in Florida, United States. ... White Sands Missile Range (WSMR), formerly known as the White Sands Proving Grounds, is located in a valley between the Organ Mountains and the Sacramento Mountains of New Mexico. ... 2005 is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar and is the current year. ... STS-114 is the Return to Flight Space Shuttle mission which launched Space Shuttle Discovery at 10:39 EDT (1439 UTC), July 26, 2005 (907 days after the loss of the orbiter Columbia), despite suffering unresolved fuel sensor anomalies in the external tank over the preceding weeks. ...

The 1980's also saw Edwards host a demonstration of America's space warfare capabilities as a highly modified F-15 Eagle launched an anti-satellite missile at the dead P78 SolWind satellite and destroyed it. In 1986, Dick Rutan and Jeanna Yeager set a new aviation record as they piloted the first non-stop, around-the-world flight on a single tank of gas in the Scaled Composites Voyager. McDonnell Douglas F-15E Strike Eagle The McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle is an American-built, all-weather, extremely maneuverable, tactical fighter designed to gain and maintain air superiority in aerial combat. ... Anti-satellite weapons (ASATs) are weapons designed to be used against artificial satellites. ... 1986 is a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Richard “Dick” Rutan (born July 1, 1938) is an aviator who is most famous for flying the Voyager aircraft around the world non-stop with the assistance of Jeana Yeager. ... Categories: Stub | 1952 births | American aviators ... Voyager returning from its flight The Scaled Composites Model 76 Voyager aircraft was the first to fly around the world without stopping or refueling. ...

Current projects at Edwards

The most recent projects at Edwards are the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (ongoing) and the F/A-22 Raptor. 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.
The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) is a joint venture between the UK and USA to replace the current generation of strike fighters, particularly the Hawker-Siddeley Harrier and the F-16 Fighting Falcon. ... F/A-22 Raptors over California The F/A-22 Raptor is a highly maneuverable stealthy fighter aircraft built by Lockheed Martin Aeronautics and Boeing Integrated Defense Systems. ... The United States Department of Defense, abbreviated DoD or DOD and sometimes called the Defense Department, is a civilian Cabinet organization of the United States government. ... Shadow 200 UAV flying over Iraq. ... Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) is a process of the United States federal government directed at the administration and operation of the US Armed Forces, used by the United States Department of Defense and Congress to close excess military installations and realign the total asset inventory in order to save...

Facilities

Dryden Flight Research Center

Dryden Flight Research Center fleet

For a more detailed treatment of this topic, see the 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 worlds most advanced aircraft. Notable recent research projects include the Controlled Impact Demonstration and the Linear Aerospike SR-71 Experiment. Download high resolution version (1800x915, 534 KB) From http://www1. ... Download high resolution version (1800x915, 534 KB) From http://www1. ... Dryden Flight Research Centers fleet of aircraft in 1993. ... The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), which was established in 1958, is the agency responsible for the public space program of the United States of America. ... The Boeing X-45 UCAV (Unmanned Combat Air Vehicle) is a concept demonstrator for a next generation of completely autonomous fighter aircraft, developed by Boeings Phantom Works (a Skunk Works-like division acquired through McDonnell Douglas). ... Practice approach Pre-impact Post-impact 1 Post-impact 2 The Controlled Impact Demonstration (or jokingly Crash In the Desert) was a joint project between NASAs Dryden Flight Research Center and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to test the impact of a Boeing 720 aircraft using standard fuel with... LASRE is NASAs Linear Aerospike SR-71 Experiment which took place at the Dryden Flight Research Center at Edwards Air Force Base, California and concluded November 1998. ...

AFRL test area

The Air Force Research Laboratory maintains a rocket engine testing site behind Leuhman Ridge, just east of Roger's Lake. Initially constructed for use in the Apollo Program, the test site has multiple facilities for testing full-size rocket engines and components. Since then, the Rocket Test Facility has tested booster rockets for ICBMs and the Space Shuttle. The site has recently benefited from an $18.5 million upgrade completed in 2003. The facility now boasts multiple test stands, and the only U.S. Government test stand capable of holding 1 million pounds-force (4.5 MN) of static thrust. The United States Air Force Research Laboratory with headquarters at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, was created in October 1997. ... Description Role: Earth and Lunar Orbit Crew: 3; CDR, CM pilot, LM pilot Dimensions Height: 36. ... A Minuteman III missile soars after a test launch. ... 2003 is a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The pound-force is a non-SI unit of force or weight (properly abbreviated lbf or lbf). The pound-force is equal to a mass of one pound multiplied by the standard acceleration due to gravity on Earth (which is defined as exactly 9. ... In physics, the newton (symbol: N) is the SI unit of force, named after Sir Isaac Newton in recognition of his work on classical mechanics. ...

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 two lighted, paved runways: Download high resolution version (1280x948, 1007 KB) Edwards Air Force Base File links The following pages link to this file: Edwards Air Force Base User:John Fader Edwards Air Force Base/gallery ... Download high resolution version (1280x948, 1007 KB) Edwards Air Force Base File links The following pages link to this file: Edwards Air Force Base User:John Fader Edwards Air Force Base/gallery ... The control tower at Schiphol airport. ... This article needs to be wikified. ... The ICAO airport code is a four-letter alphanumeric code designating each airport around the world. ... An IATA airport code, known by the IATA as an IATA location identifier or, simply, a location identifier [1], is a three-letter alphabetic code designating many airports around the world. ... A runway is a strip of land on an airport, on which aircraft can take off and land. ...

• 04/22 is 15,013 x 300 ft (4576 x 90 m), an extra 9,000 ft (2700 m) of lakebed runway is available.
• 6/24 is 8000 x 300 ft (2400 x 90 m); 5000 x 50 ft (1500 x 15 m) useable — (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 12 is never used)
• 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

North Base

North Base, sometimes called Operable Unit 10, 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. Haze is an atmospheric phenomenon where dust, smoke and other pollutant particles obscure the normal clarity of the sky. ...

Geography

The most interesting 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; inclined to magnetic north (around 13 degrees east of true north) it is used by pilots for calibrating heading indicators. The largest lake bed, Rogers, encompasses 44 square miles (114 km²) of desert. Because of Roger's history in the space program it was declared a National Historic Landmark. Square kilometre (US spelling: Square kilometer), symbol km², is an SI unit of surface area. ... This article is about the unit of measure. ... The Bell X-1 was the first aircraft to exceed the speed of sound in controlled, level flight. ... The U-2 is a single-seat, single-engine, high-altitude reconnaissance airplane flown by the United States Air Force. ... An SR-71 in flight The Lockheed SR-71 Type A, unofficially known as the Blackbird, is a long-range, advanced, strategic reconnaissance aircraft developed from the Lockheed YF-12A and A-12 aircraft by Lockheeds Skunk Works (also responsible for the U-2 and many other advanced aircraft). ... The Space Shuttle Columbia seconds after engine ignition, 1981 (NASA). ... A compass rose is a figure displaying the orientation of the cardinal directions, north, south, east and west on a map. ... This is about the geographic meaning of North Pole. ... True north is a navigational term referring to the direction of the North Pole relative to the navigators position. ... The heading indicator (or HI) is an instrument used in an aircraft to inform the pilot of his heading. ... USS Constitution. ...

The world's largest compass rose is painted on the playa 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 over a 30,000 ft (50 cm over 9,000 m) length! Download high resolution version (1280x948, 1068 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Download high resolution version (1280x948, 1068 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... A truck passes eastbound along the busy Highway 58 through the Antelope Valley. ...

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 the Nellis Range Complex 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. This article is about the largest city in California. ... NASA satellite photo showing the main runways at NAWS China Lake The Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake (NAWS China Lake) is an airborne weapons testing and training range operated by the United States Navy and its contractors. ... Satellite view of Area 51 from 1968. ... U. S. Air Force Plant 42 is a federally-owned military aerospace facility in Palmdale, California where aerospace contractors share a common runway complex, and either lease building space from the Air Force, or own their own building outright. ... City nickname:Aerospace Capital of America County Los Angeles County, California Area  - Total  - Water 272. ... Lockheed/BAE/Northrop F-35 Lockheed Trident missile C-130 Hercules; in production since the 1950s, now as the C-130J Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) is an aerospace manufacturer formed in 1995 by the merger of Lockheed Corporation with Martin Marietta. ... A modern Skunk works project leverages an older: LASRE and SR-71 Blackbird. ... The Boeing Company (NYSE: BA) is the leading American aircraft and aerospace manufacturer, headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, with its largest production facilities in Everett, Washington, near Seattle, Washington. ... The Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) is an aerospace and defense conglomerate that is the result of a 1994 merger between Northrop and Grumman. ...

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. The United States Navy (USN) is the branch of the United States armed forces responsible for naval operations. ... The Army is the branch of the United States armed forces which has primary responsibility for land-based military operations. ... In aviation, a flight level is the nominal altitude of an aircraft referenced to a standard pressure datum, as opposed to the real altitude above mean sea level. ...

Demographics

As of the census² of 2000, there are 5,909 people, 1,678 households, and 1,515 families residing in the base. The population density is 132.9/km² (344.1/mi²). There are 1,783 housing units at an average density of 40.1/km² (103.8/mi²). The racial makeup of the base is 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 are Hispanic or Latino of any race. A census is the process of obtaining information about every member of a population (not necessarily a human population). ... The following is a list of sources used in the creation of Wikipedia articles on various geographic topics and locations, such as cities, counties, states, and countries. ... This article is about the year 2000. ... Race (U.S. Census) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ... Race (U.S. Census) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ... Race (U.S. Census) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ... Race (U.S. Census) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ... Race (U.S. Census) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ... Race (U.S. Census) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ... Race (U.S. Census) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ... Race (U.S. Census) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ... Race (U.S. Census) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ...

There are 1,678 households out of which 67.3% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 84.9% are married couples living together, 3.0% have a female householder with no husband present, and 9.7% are non-families. 9.1% of all households are made up of individuals and 0.0% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 3.19 and the average family size is 3.38. Marriage is a relationship and bond between individuals that plays a key role in the definition of many families. ...

In the base the population is 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 are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 23 years. For every 100 females there are 121.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 130.4 males.

The median income for a household in the base is $36,915, and the median income for a family is $36,767. Males have a median income of $27,118 versus $23,536 for females. The per capita income for the base is $13,190. 1.3% of the population and 1.0% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 1.3% of those under the age of 18 and 0.0% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line. The per capita income for a group of people may be defined as their total personal income, divided by the number of people. ... The poverty line is the level of income below which one cannot afford to purchase all the resources one requires to live. ...

See also

• Gallery of photographs from Edwards Air Force Base

This is a gallery of photographs from Edwards Air Force Base that are featured in Wikipedia. ...

References

• Edwards AFB page on the dry lake beds
• Edwards AFB page on the history of the base
• Air-Attack.com page on the AFFTC

External links

• Edwards AFB
  • Virtual tour of Edwards AFB
• GlobalSecurity.org
• Videos and Pictures of current and historical tests at DFRC
• MapQuest's map of Edwards AFB
• Maps and aerial photos
  • Street map from Google Maps, or Yahoo! Maps
  • Topographic map from TopoZone
  • Aerial image or topographic map from TerraServer-USA or Microsoft Virtual Earth
  • Satellite image from Google Maps