National Park Service White Sands U.S. Department of the Interior

White Sands National Monument Space History

NASA established White Sands Test Facility, a space shuttle runway, located north of the monument on White Sands Missile Range in 1963. (Nasa Photo) ince the 1940s, cutting-edge military research and testing have been conducted in the Tularosa Basin. With the Sstart of the Space Race after the Soviet Union launched Sputnik into the Earth’s atmosphere, White Sands has been the backdrop for amazing extraterrestrial research and testing. Rockets first tested in the White Sands Missile Range’s dunefield, just north of the monument, were the precursors of rockets that carried humans into space.

As World War II came to a close, a rocket testing facilities that allowed Facility is a U.S. government rocket- new conflict, now known as the Cold for the United States’ exploration of engine test facility and operates White War, arose. This conflict exacerbated space. The first generation of rockets Sands Space Harbor, a space shuttle tensions between the two world was only tested for earthbound runway, located north of White Sands super powers, the United States and missions, until 1957 when the Soviet National Monument in the dunefield the Soviet Union, engaged in an arms Union launched the first satellite, on White Sands Missile Range. This race of military defense. The conflict Sputnik, into orbit. Immediately is the primary training area for NASA was fought through the advancement concerns about the capability of space space shuttle pilots, a test site for rocket of military technology. Each party warfare forced the United States to research, as well as an alternative space sought to, at the very least, maintain realize the urgency in converting shuttle landing location. The runway the balance of shared power, if not to their terrestrial energies into space. has only been activated once in 1982, achieve supremacy as the sole super when the Space Shuttle Columbia power. By the late 1950s, space would Variations of the Redstone rocket returning from orbit was rerouted become another arena for this rivalry. family were developed out of V-2 due to poor weather conditions rockets technology first tested by the at alternate landing locations. Wernher von Braun, a German United States from the blockhouse scientist transplanted to the American at Launch Complex 33 at White Southwest during Operation Sands Missile Range. These went Paperclip, was initially only used as a on to carry our first astronauts to resource for his work in developing the outer space in 1961 and eventually deadly V-2 rockets. The United States landing on the moon in 1969. continued to test and develop the first generation of rockets: Corporal, Atlas, In 1963, six years before the U.S. landed Redstone, Nike, and Aerobee. White on the moon, NASA established White Sands Missile Range Launch Complex Sands Test Facility on White Sands 33 represents the first generation of Missile Range. White Sands Test Space Chimp Ham in Biopack Revised 2-6-17