Mystery picture. (Base near Area 51)

[sferrin]

Anybody know what this is? It's about 25 miles southwest of Area 51. Its runway is aimed almost directly at Area 51.

Thanks.

 

[GeorgeA]

Not seeing it. Coordinates or local landmarks? North or south of US 95?

 

[sferrin]

Right here (Area 51 in upper right):

 

[quellish]

Anybody know what this is? It's about 25 miles southwest of Area 51. Its runway is aimed almost directly at Area 51.

Thanks.

Yes. That's the Aerial Operations Facility at Yucca Lake.

 

[Raptor_101]

Coincidentally, I was on Reddit when I found a post from Mashable on secret U.S. bases. This happens to be one of the ones in the gallery in the article.


To quote the caption: "This site is part of the Tonopah Test Range, where Lockheed Martin reportedly tests "experimental unmanned aerial vehicles" on a seculded airstrip east of the lake, according to Trevor Paglen's book, Blank Spots on the Map."


Link: http://mashable.com/2013/12/13/data-artist-satellite-pictures-military-bases/#gallery/u-s-military-bases/52acc89312d2cd15c9003f71

 

[quellish]

Coincidentally, I was on Reddit when I found a post from Mashable on secret U.S. bases. This happens to be one of the ones in the gallery in the article.


To quote the caption: "This site is part of the Tonopah Test Range, where Lockheed Martin reportedly tests "experimental unmanned aerial vehicles" on a seculded airstrip east of the lake, according to Trevor Paglen's book, Blank Spots on the Map."


Link: http://mashable.com/2013/12/13/data-artist-satellite-pictures-military-bases/#gallery/u-s-military-bases/52acc89312d2cd15c9003f71

LM administers the site. There is a good amount of information on the AOF at DLR. There have been several press articles on the site, such as one a few years ago about Google Earth catching a Reaper taxiing.
When polecat was tested it was from a different part of Yucca Lake, not this runway.

 

[Ian33]

That's a lot of door space they get with that rapidly closing clamshell design. I like their thinking.

 

[XP67_Moonbat]

Shuttlebay!

 

[quellish]

If you like maps, there are maps. Including one here
http://nnsa.energy.gov/sites/default/files/nnsa/inlinefiles/doe%202004d.pdf

The mention of restricted altitudes and operating areas should be of particular interest. Again, there is a lot of information on this facility in the public domain.

So, not so mysterious at all. One of many locations within the NTTR/NTS.

 

[bobbymike]

http://www.lifezette.com/quickzette/google-earth-reveals-area-6-top-secret-base/?utm_content=buffera4941&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=laura_ingraham_buffer

 

[Mr London 24/7]

Contractors:

http://www.lochsa.com/yucca-lake-airfield-hangar

http://iveysconstruction.com/GeneralContracting.asp