![]() The huge airstrip at Mojave is used by research companies for test flights, and is most famous as the home of Burt Rutan's company Scaled Composites which in 2004 became the first private company to put a human into space. In addition the airlines park many older planes here, either because the planes are not required for service or because the plane has reached its end-of-life. In any case, seeing dozens of huge airplanes parked next to futuristic flight vehicles makes this airstrip in the desert a worthwhile stop. The airport flightline is open to the public, and many aircraft are typically on display during the monthly "Plane Crazy Saturday" event, held on the 3rd Saturday of each month, and sponsored by the Mojave Transportation Museum. A tram tour of the flightline is often available during the event. Admission to the flightline, display aircraft, and featured event speakers is free.Įdwards Air Force Base Balls 8, the iconic NASA B-52 mothershipģ4.905556 -117.883611 2 Edwards Air Force Base, 1 S. Rosamond Blvd ( take the 14 south to Rosamond, then take Rosamond Blvd east out of town and follow it directly to the base), ☏ +1 661 277-3510. ( updated Jun 2015)Įdwards AFB is a massive testing and training ground for the Air Force and NASA southeast of Mojave. There is a museum on the base and tours are available. Note that this is an active military base so ID will be required and visitors may be required to submit to a search.Įdwards AFB is best known for being similar to Area 51, but test and experimental aircraft will come out of the hangar to experiment. From 1876 there was an unsettled water stop at this point, for the Southern Pacific Railroad. The air base was built in 1933 and opened for use in 1948, for the military and NACA and in 1958, NACA became NASA. Ever since, Edwards is a NASA base as well. The Space Shuttles that didn't land on the Shuttle Landing Facility at Kennedy Space Center in Florida did it on Edwards AFB's dry lakebed runways. That is the only civilian gateway to enter Edwards. So, if you are driving from Rosamond, or driving on the Antelope Valley Freeway from Los Angeles, Mojave, or Palmdale, you shall take exit 55, and if from Palmdale, take a right, and if from Mojave, take a left. And leave Rosamond, and never take any turn and enter the base by a gate, and continue to enter the base. This is called the West Gate, If you are on Route 58, take Exit 186, then get on the road, and you will enter via the North Gate. 34.9507 -117.887 3 NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center ( Dryden Flight Research Center).The world's largest compass rose is carved on the lakebed beside Armstrong Flight Research Center South Gate is Lancaster but it is closed. Known as the Dryden Flight Research Center until the name was changed in 2014, this center has played an important role in the history of flight. Before NASA, NACA ("National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics") operated and tested the transsonic Douglas Skyrocket. ![]() ![]() The center also conducted the Controlled Impact Demonstration in 1984, a test in which a Boeing 720 aircraft was remotely piloted and intentionally crashed in order to study fuel additives meant to reduce fires in the case of a crash. Other experiments have included "aerospike" engines and supersonic rockets. Five lunar landing research vehicles were tested at the base, one of which is available for viewing. Home to the test rockets, they test rockets to research the rockets.
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