The Wallops Flight Facility Model for an Integrated Federal/Commercial Test Range

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

The Wallops Flight Facility Model for an Integrated Federal/Commercial Test Range SS99-X-6 The Wallops Flight Facility Model for an Integrated Federal/Commercial Test Range Bruce E. Underwood Policy and Business Relations Office NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center Wallops Island, Virginia 23337 (757) 824-1613 [email protected] Abstract. Historically, the U.S. federal government has been the predominant user of space within this country. In support of this need, it established a number of federal launch facilities to support government projects. Among these sites was NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility. While Wallops’ historical responsibilities have been principally in support of NASA science and technology missions, the emerging growth of commercial space is changing the fundamental philosophies of the roles of the government. The Virginia Commercial Space Flight Authority and NASA have formed a partnership that leverages the capabilities of the established NASA/Wallops Test Range with the resources offered by a commercial space flight center. This innovative relationship allows for growth of commercial space activities while preserving the ability to support NASA and Department of Defense needs. Wallops Flight Facility has developed a cooperative federal/commercial relationship that can serve as a model for other potential public/private partnerships to follow. Today’s federal launch sites are challenged to meet the emerging needs of commercial industry under an increasingly difficult financial climate. The current range studies and the actions taken within the next several years will be critical to the future of this country’s space launch infrastructure. Background government organizations to meet their own particular needs. Since the earliest days of the Space Age, the federal government has dominated the use of space within the United States. The government Establishment of the Wallops Test Range has maintained a constant emphasis in space, split between national security interests led by the In the early 1940’s, NASA’s predecessor, the Department of Defense (DoD), and scientific National Advisory Committee on Aeronautics exploration led by the National Aeronautics and developed requirements for a site suitable for Space Administration (NASA). subscale tests of aircraft designs. The facility now known as the NASA Langley Research Center As part of these efforts, the federal government was heavily involved in the study of the has funded, managed, and conducted the vast aerodynamics of conceptual aircraft. With majority of efforts necessary to gain access to supersonic wind tunnels years away from reality, space. These efforts have covered the full extent measurements were made through the use of of enabling tasks including the development of aircraft models carried aboard rockets. spacecraft, launch vehicles, and supporting launch infrastructure. Wallops Island, Virginia was chosen as the site for supporting Langley testing due to its remote During the mid-1940's through the early 1960’s, barrier island location. In 1945, a Tiamat rocket the U.S. government established a number of test was launched, marking the first of more than ranges to support the array of missions to be fifteen thousand launches from Wallops. In 1959, carried out by the DoD and NASA. These ranges NASA added a large portion of land now known were typically established by individual as the Main Base to the Wallops Island site Bruce E. Underwood 1 13th AIAA/USU Conference on Small Satellites creating over 6000 acres of NASA-owned real launch range contained within restricted airspace estate. R-6604. The restricted area adjoins the offshore Warning Areas, allowing for continuous As the space race took off in the 1960's, the controlled airspace for runway or launcher-borne Wallops focus moved toward support of the flight vehicles such as the Orbital Sciences Corp. test programs necessary to put man on the moon. Pegasus, UAVs, and future reusable launch Wallops served as the site for many of the early vehicles, as well as conventional rocket designs. animal flight tests, flights of the Mercury capsule aboard the Little Joe rocket, and flights measuring the ionization blackout phenomena during spacecraft reentry. A mainstay of Wallops during the 1960’s, 1970’s, and early 1980’s was the Scout expendable launch vehicle. During this period, Wallops conducted more than 40 launches of the Scout launch vehicle, including 21 orbital missions. This represented Wallops’ entry into the ranks of orbital launch ranges. NASA Current Activities at Wallops The Wallops focus has evolved in recent decades and now predominantly supports scientific research and technology development missions. In addition to its historical function as a test range, Wallops is also responsible for implementation of NASA’s suborbital flight projects including sounding rockets, balloons, and scientific aircraft. Wallops also implements some of NASA's low Figure 1: Wallops Island Launch Sites cost orbital projects. As a result of these programmatic responsibilities, Wallops' own flight projects are the largest customers of the Wallops Test Range. The Test Range continues to support a large array of both Wallops and other NASA programs, ranging from small, meteorological-class rockets and balloons, to lower-end expendable launch vehicle missions. Inclusive are a wide array of carriers which support science and technology missions including drop models, unpiloted aerial vehicles (UAVs), and next-generation rocket designs. Wallops Test Range Description The Wallops Test Range consists of an integrated launch range and research airport. The two elements are located approximately five miles Figure 2: Wallops Flight Facility Main Base apart, with the inland airport and the coastal (including Research Airport) Bruce E. Underwood 2 13th AIAA/USU Conference on Small Satellites The Test Range consists of a variety of facilities non-NASA organizations. Various DoD including a Range Control Center, an organizations regularly use Wallops for Aeronautical Control Center, aircraft hangars, technology research and development missions, blockhouses, spacecraft processing, and hazardous target launches, aircraft and UAV testing, and processing facilities. NASA maintains sensor development operations. Three separate approximately a dozen suborbital launchers. Navy organizations reside at Wallops, partially as a result of their regular need for Wallops range capabilities. The range manages a large array of instrumentation equipment including tracking and Wallops also supports commercial launch vehicle surveillance radars, telemetry, UHF command and aircraft operations. In addition to government systems, high-speed tracking photography, and a Pegasus missions, five commercial missions have variety of communications capabilities. The been conducted by Wallops, including one mobile Wallops Weather Office has a full suite of mission conducted from the Canary Islands. resources necessary to support range and project Wallops also provided range support for the forecasting requirements. launch of the EER Systems Conestoga launch vehicle. Wallops maintains a full cadre of personnel necessary to support launch operations including This support for external customers is welcomed project managers, safety officials, and by Wallops, as it increases the facility's relevance instrumentation operators. It also has a staff of to other organizations, and provides reimbursable discipline engineers who provide technology revenue that is used to help maintain the range. improvements and other specialized services. The Today, nearly half of the range's efforts are in Test Range shares other Wallops capabilities, support of non-NASA projects for a large number such as a fabrication facility, an environmental of different customers. test laboratory, a chemical analysis laboratory, and a calibration laboratory with other programs. In July 1997, Wallops support of these external Wallops also provides a full slate of institutional customers, in addition to its core NASA services such as security and fire protection. customers, was formally recognized by NASA Wallops shares personnel among its flight projects Administrator Daniel Goldin when he endorsed and Test Range wherever possible to make the the Wallops Mission 2000 strategic plan. This most effective use of the available resources. plan defines the Wallops Flight Facility as "a national resource for providing low-cost Several of the Wallops flight programs require the integration, launch, and operation of suborbital ability to conduct operations worldwide in order and small orbital payloads." It also defined the to study scientific phenomena unique to a Wallops mission to include "enabling frequent particular location. In support of this need, the flight opportunities for a diverse customer base." Wallops Test Range maintains a transportable set Key strategies of the plan include the formation of of resources necessary to satisfy user needs and partnerships with industry, academia, and resident safety requirements. These transportable systems, Navy organizations to foster education, which include launchers, radar, telemetry, commercial development of space, and use of command transmitters, and a mobile Range Wallops capabilities by other potential customers. Control Center, are an integral part of Wallops' Test Range resources and are regularly used to support both suborbital and orbital flight projects. The Virginia Commercial Space Flight Authority In the early 1990's, NASA, local and state Support to Non-NASA Projects government, university, and
Recommended publications
  • Robenschain GSFC July 2012
    Goddard Space Flight Center NASA Goddard Space Flight Center • NASA’s first Space Flight Center (established 1959) • We TRANSFORM Human Understanding of Earth and Space • Largest Collection of Scientists & Engineers in the U.S. • Nearly 300 successful missions including the World’s First Weather Satellite and the Hubble Space Telescope • 2006 Nobel Prize in Physics [Big Bang/Cosmic Background] • Hubble Supported 2011 Nobel Prize in Physics • WMAP Team Awarded 2012 Gruber Prize for Cosmology 2 Our Facilities • GSFC Greenbelt, Maryland • GSFC Wallops Flight Facility, Virginia • IV&V Facility, West Virginia • Goddard Institute for Space Studies, New York Wallops Flight Facility • Ground Stations at White Sands Complex, New Mexico White Sands Complex Greenbelt Goddard Institute for Independent Verification and Space Studies Validation Facility 3 Our Lines of Business Cross Cutting Earth Science Technology and Capabilities Suborbital Platforms Astrophysics Planetary & Lunar Human Exploration Science & Operations Communications && Navigation GSFC’s Contributions to a Diverse Mission Portfolio QuikSCAT dinW dinW Voyager O-E1 O-E1 teoSer teoSer SBRE SBRE ACRIMSAT RHESSI TSOM TSOM TMMR TMMR Geotail OOHS OOHS aquA aquA ICESat DETMI DETMI SAMPEX Landsat 7 TRACE THEMIS TOPEX CALIPSO Tarer Tarer ECA ECA GRACE SORCE Cluster SOEP SOEP ODS ODS GEAMI GEAMI MIA MIA aruA aruA TSFA TSFA SGOE SGOE oPlar oPlar MGP MGP SMM SMM Solar-B XEBI XEBI PPN PPN Aquarius CloudSat TDRSS LMCD LMCD Osiris-Rex (Sample Return) PSBR PSBR PAMW PAMW TWINS Cassini (Instrument)
    [Show full text]
  • HLS 17RS-1433 ORIGINAL 2017 Regular Session HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 41 by REPRESENTATIVE GARY CARTER SPECIAL DAY/WEEK/MO
    HLS 17RS-1433 ORIGINAL 2017 Regular Session HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 41 BY REPRESENTATIVE GARY CARTER SPECIAL DAY/WEEK/MONTH: Commends several Tulane University students upon winning NASA's BIG Idea Challenge competition 1 A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 2 To commend Tulane University students John Robertson, Otto Lyon, Benjamin Lewson, 3 Matthew Gorban, Ethan Gasta, Maxwell Woody, and Afsheen Sajjadi upon their 4 selection as winners of NASA's 2017 BIG Idea Challenge competition. 5 WHEREAS, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is widely 6 regarded as the finest space exploration organization in the world and has an exceptional 7 reputation; and 8 WHEREAS, NASA hosts the BIG Idea Challenge, which is intended to produce 9 designs of crucial importance to manned spaceflight; and 10 WHEREAS, twenty-nine teams from top national universities submitted designs to 11 the BIG Idea Challenge competition; and 12 WHEREAS, the group of students representing Tulane designed a revolutionary solar 13 electric propulsion cargo transport spacecraft, called "The Sunflower", and submitted their 14 design to the BIG Idea Challenge competition in November of 2016; and 15 WHEREAS, in December of 2016, the students were selected to be among five 16 finalist teams and were invited to present their design before a panel of distinguished judges 17 at NASA's Langley research facility in Hampton, Virginia; and 18 WHEREAS, the judges selected the Tulane team and their design as the winner of 19 the BIG Idea Challenge competition; and Page 1 of
    [Show full text]
  • Assessment of Data Used to Manage Real Property Assets (IG-11-024
    AUGUST 4, 2011 AUDIT REPORT OFFICE OF AUDITS NASA INFRASTRUCTURE AND FACILITIES: ASSESSMENT OF DATA USED TO MANAGE REAL PROPERTY ASSETS OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL National Aeronautics and Space Administration REPORT NO. IG-11-024 (ASSIGNMENT NO. A-11-001-00) Final report released by: Paul K. Martin Inspector General Acronyms FERP Facilities Engineering and Real Property Division GAO Government Accountability Office GSA General Services Administration NPR NASA Procedural Requirements NTC NASA Technical Capabilities OIG Office of Inspector General O&M Operations and Maintenance RPMS Real Property Management System SPF Space Power Facility REPORT NO. IG-11-024 AUGUST 4, 2011 OVERVIEW NASA INFRASTRUCTURE AND FACILITIES: ASSESSMENT OF DATA USED TO MANAGE REAL PROPERTY ASSETS The Issue NASA’s real property holdings include approximately 5,000 buildings and structures such as wind tunnels, laboratories, launch pads, and test stands. In total, the assets occupy 44 million square feet and represent more than $26.4 billion in current replacement value.1 However, 80 percent of NASA’s facilities are 40 or more years old and many are in degraded condition. Moreover, NASA is dealing with the challenge of its aging infrastructure at a time of large and growing budget deficits that are straining the resources of all Federal agencies. As discretionary funding continues to decline, NASA will be required to make more prudent decisions regarding its infrastructure. In addition, the issue of the Agency’s aging infrastructure has been identified by NASA, the
    [Show full text]
  • Nasa Langley Research Center 2012
    National Aeronautics and Space Administration NASA LANGLEY RESEARCH CENTER 2012 www.nasa.gov An Orion crew capsule test article moments before it is dropped into a An Atlantis flag flew outside Langley’s water basin at Langley to simulate an ocean splashdown. headquarters building during NASA’s final space shuttle mission in July. Launching a New Era of Exploration Welcome to Langley NASA Langley had a banner year in 2012 as we helped propel the nation toward a new age of air and space. From delivering on missions to creating new technologies and knowledge for space, aviation and science, Langley continued the rich tradition of innovation begun 95 years ago. Langley is providing leading-edge research and game-changing technology innovations for human space exploration. We are testing prototype articles of the Orion crew vehicle to optimize designs and improve landing systems for increased crew survivability. Langley has had a role in private-industry space exploration through agreements with SpaceX, Sierra Nevada Corp. and Boeing to provide engineering expertise, conduct testing and support research. Aerospace and Science With the rest of the world, we held our breath as the Curiosity rover landed on Mars – with Langley’s help. The Langley team performed millions of simulations of the entry, descent and landing phase of the Mars Science Laboratory mission to enable a perfect landing, Langley Center Director Lesa Roe and Mark Sirangelo, corporate and for the first time made temperature and pressure vice president and head of Sierra Nevada Space Systems, with measurements as the spacecraft descended, providing the Dream Chaser Space System model.
    [Show full text]
  • Doing Business with Wallops Flight Facility
    National Aeronautics and Space Administration Doing Business with NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility (WFF) in Virginia provides agile, low-cost flight and launch range ser- vices to meet government and commercial sector needs for accessing flight regimes worldwide from the Earth’s surface to the moon and beyond. As a multi-user facility with operational launch range, spaceport, and airfield assets, Wallops is well-positioned to meet ongoing and emerging needs in the science, aerospace, defense, and commercial industries. WALLOPS RANGE The Wallops Range supports many of the mission activities around WFF and abroad. Project managers utlize the support of range services to provide a broad array of technical and instrumentation services, such as radar, optical tracking, telemetry, meteorological, command and control, surveillance and recovery, financial analysis and engineering services to support scientific research and technology development. WALLOPS MOBILE ASSETS Wallops has semi-permanent downrange instrumentation as well as mobile instrumentation to include radar, telemetry, command/control, and data systems that can be transported to offsite and remote locations. Campaigns have been conducted from the semi-permanent locations in Bermuda and North Carolina, as well as from the Arctic and Antarctic regions, South America, Africa, Europe, Australia and even at sea, with our mobile systems. WFF personnel have extensive experience in planning and conducting downrange support and mobile campaigns, developing equipment and systems to support these operations. Downrange and mobile systems include the following: C-band radar, meteorology, optical tracking, orbital tracking, flight termination, telemetry, timing, surveillance, and recovery. Keith Thompson, Wallops Advanced Projects Office | 757-824-1680 www.nasa.gov/wallops MID-ATLANTIC REGIONAL SPACEPORT Virginia’s Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport at Wallops supports two launch facilities, one medium-lift liquid-fueled pad and a medium-lift solid propellant pad.
    [Show full text]
  • Statement of Policy on Waiving Ground Safety Regulations At
    Commercial Space Transportation 800 Independence Ave., SW. Washington, DC 20591 DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Federal Aviation Administration 14 CFR Parts 415, 417, 431, and 435 Statement of Policy on Waiving Ground Safety Regulations at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Vandenberg Air Force Base, Wallops Flight Facility, and Kennedy Space Center. AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT ACTION: Policy Statement SUMMARY: This action establishes the FAA’s policy applicable to waivers of FAA ground safety requirements for licensed commercial launch and reentry activities at certain Federal ranges. The Federal ranges that currently meet the criteria for application of this policy are: Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Vandenberg Air Force Base, Wallops Flight Facility, and Kennedy Space Center. DATES: The policy described herein will be effective 3 November 2020. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For additional information concerning this action, contact Executive Director, Office of Operational Safety, via letter: 800 Independence Ave SW, Washington, DC 20591; via email: [email protected]; via phone: 202-267-7793. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Commercial Space Launch Act of 1984, as amended and codified at 51 U.S.C. §§ 50901-50923, authorizes the Department of Transportation, and the FAA through delegation, to oversee, license, and regulate commercial launch and reentry activities, and the operation of launch and reentry sites as carried out by U.S. citizens or within the United States. Section 50905(b)(3) allows the Secretary to waive a requirement, including the requirement to obtain a license, for an individual applicant if the Secretary decides that the waiver is in the public interest and will not jeopardize the public health and safety, safety of property, and national security and foreign policy interests of the United States.1 This policy statement provides public notice of the FAA’s approach to evaluating waiver applications under 51 U.S.C.
    [Show full text]
  • Rideshare and the Orbital Maneuvering Vehicle: the Key to Low-Cost Lagrange-Point Missions
    SSC15-II-5 Rideshare and the Orbital Maneuvering Vehicle: the Key to Low-cost Lagrange-point Missions Chris Pearson, Marissa Stender, Christopher Loghry, Joe Maly, Valentin Ivanitski Moog Integrated Systems 1113 Washington Avenue, Suite 300, Golden, CO, 80401; 303 216 9777, extension 204 [email protected] Mina Cappuccio, Darin Foreman, Ken Galal, David Mauro NASA Ames Research Center PO Box 1000, M/S 213-4, Moffett Field, CA 94035-1000; 650 604 1313 [email protected] Keats Wilkie, Paul Speth, Trevor Jackson, Will Scott NASA Langley Research Center 4 West Taylor Street, Mail Stop 230, Hampton, VA, 23681; 757 864 420 [email protected] ABSTRACT Rideshare is a well proven approach, in both LEO and GEO, enabling low-cost space access through splitting of launch charges between multiple passengers. Demand exists from users to operate payloads at Lagrange points, but a lack of regular rides results in a deficiency in rideshare opportunities. As a result, such mission architectures currently rely on a costly dedicated launch. NASA and Moog have jointly studied the technical feasibility, risk and cost of using an Orbital Maneuvering Vehicle (OMV) to offer Lagrange point rideshare opportunities. This OMV would be launched as a secondary passenger on a commercial rocket into Geostationary Transfer Orbit (GTO) and utilize the Moog ESPA secondary launch adapter. The OMV is effectively a free flying spacecraft comprising a full suite of avionics and a propulsion system capable of performing GTO to Lagrange point transfer via a weak stability boundary orbit. In addition to traditional OMV ’tug’ functionality, scenarios using the OMV to host payloads for operation at the Lagrange points have also been analyzed.
    [Show full text]
  • Chapter 4: Environmental Consequences of Alternatives
    Final Constellation Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement 4. ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES OF ALTERNATIVES The potential environmental consequences of both the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) Proposed Action (Preferred Alternative) to continue preparations for and to implement the Constellation Program, and the No Action Alternative, not continue preparations for nor implement the Constellation Program, are summarized in Chapter 2 and are presented in detail in this Chapter. In addition, this Chapter presents in Cumulative Impacts (see Section 4.3) the potential environmental consequences of two overlapping but individual NASA actions: implementing the Constellation Program and close-out of the Space Shuttle Program. 4.1 ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS OF THE PROPOSED ACTION (PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE) Under the Proposed Action, NASA would continue preparations for and implement the Constellation Program. This Program would involve activities at many U.S. Government and commercial facilities. Although detailed aspects of the Constellation Program and the full scope of the activities that might occur at each facility are not fully known, the activities described in Section 2.1 present enough information to broadly estimate the nature of the potential environmental impacts that might occur if NASA implements the Proposed Action. Figure 2-2 presents a high-level summary of the major Constellation Program activities that would be expected to occur at each of the primary U.S. Government facilities, as well as commercial facilities with the potential for significant environmental impacts. Given the long-term nature of the Constellation Program, and NASA’s desire to utilize as much of the Space Shuttle Program infrastructure as practicable, it is expected that over time, many of the existing facilities currently used by the Space Shuttle Program and planned to be used for the Constellation Program would require maintenance, upgrading, renovation, and/or replacement.
    [Show full text]
  • NASA's Strategic Direction and the Need for a National Consensus
    NASA's Strategic Direction and the Need for a National Consensus NASAs Strategic Direction and the Need for a National Consensus Committee on NASAs Strategic Direction Division on Engineering and Physical Sciences THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES PRESS Washington, D.C. www.nap.edu PREPUBLICATION COPYSUBJECT TO FURTHER EDITORIAL CORRECTION Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved. NASA's Strategic Direction and the Need for a National Consensus THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES PRESS 500 Fifth Street, NW Washington, DC 20001 NOTICE: The project that is the subject of this report was approved by the Governing Board of the National Research Council, whose members are drawn from the councils of the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, and the Institute of Medicine. The members of the committee responsible for the report were chosen for their special competences and with regard for appropriate balance. This study is based on work supported by Contract NNH10CC48B between the National Academy of Sciences and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the agency that provided support for the project. International Standard Book Number-13: 978-0-309-XXXXX-X International Standard Book Number-10: 0-309-XXXXX-X Copies of this report are available free of charge from: Division on Engineering and Physical Sciences National Research Council 500 Fifth Street, NW Washington, DC 20001 Additional copies of this report are available from the National Academies Press, 500 Fifth Street, NW, Keck 360, Washington, DC 20001; (800) 624-6242 or (202) 334-3313; http://www.nap.edu.
    [Show full text]
  • NASA Langley Research Center Dedicated As Vertical Flight Heritage Site N Friday, May 8 (The W
    NASA Langley Research Center Dedicated as Vertical Flight Heritage Site n Friday, May 8 (the W. F. Durand. The paper states day after Forum 71), “The gravest charge against ONASA Langley Research the helicopter is its lack of hosted a ceremony for the means of making a safe recognition of the Center as descent when the engine has an AHS International Vertical stopped.” It disproved two Flight Heritage Site. The common misperceptions that ceremony featured remarks the parachute effect of the by NASA Administrator, stopped blades or the blades Charles Bolden; Associate spinning backwards could Administrator for Aeronautics, create a safe landing. It then Jaiwon Shin; Acting Center provided a mathematical Director Dave Bowles; US treatment of the principle Congressman Scott Rigell (via of autorotation. This video); the Honorable George principle was later to be a Wallace, Mayor of the City of major feature in Juan de la Hampton; and AHS Executive Cierva’s autogyro work and, Director Mike Hirschberg. Sikorsky YR-4B in the NACA Langley Full Scale Wind Tunnel in 1944. (All eventually, in satisfactory NASA debuted a photos courtesy of NASA) helicopter behavior following historical overview video of a power failure. This 1920 NASA Langley’s rotorcraft be dedicated since AHS began the technical publication even contributions created specifically for the Vertical Flight Heritage Sites Program demonstrated some understanding of event. Administrator Bolden predicted in 2013. The initiative is intended to twist and rotor inflow considerations. the impact that vertical flight aircraft recognize and help preserve sites of Throughout the years, Langley would have on relieving ground traffic the most noteworthy and significant researchers continued exploring the congestion in the future, citing the long contributions made in both the theory complex problem of vertical flight.
    [Show full text]
  • Npl Fact Sheets (Initial Title)
    Region 3: Mid-Atlantic Region Hazardous Site Cleanup Division Serving: Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia Recent Additions | Contact Us | Print Version Search: EPA Home > OSWER Home > Region 3 HSCD > Virginia Superfund Sites > Langley Air Force Base > Current Site Information Superfund Current Site Information (NPL Pad) Brownfields / Redevelopment Langley Air Force Base / NASA Langley Initiatives Research Center Administrative Record EPA Region 3 EPA ID# VA2800005033 Last Update: May 2000 Virginia Risk Assessment / Hampton 2nd Congressional District Other Names: None RBC Tables Resources / State Links Current Site Status Specialist Listing Several sites are currently in the remedial investigation/feasibility study (RI/FS) stage. Records of Decision have been signed by Oil Pollution NASA and the EPA for the Area E Warehouse Operable Unit (OU) and the Tabbs Creek OU. Two Records of Decision have been Freedom of signed for the LAFB. Dredging of soils contaminated with PCBs Information Act (Polychlorinated Biphenyls) and PCTs (Polychlorinated Terphenyls) Requests (FOIA) along Tabbs Creek began in December 1999 and should take six to eight months to complete. Site Description The Langley Air Force Base (LAFB)/NASA Langley Research Center (NASA LaRC) site in Hampton, Virginia consists of two Federal facilities. LAFB covers 3,152 acres, has been an airfield and aeronautical research center since 1917, and is the home base for the First Fighter Wing. NASA LaRC is consists of 787 acres and is a research facility that conducts numerous operations in nearly 200 buildings and 40 wind tunnels. Wastes generated at LAFB include petroleum, oils and lubricants, fuels, solvents, paints, pesticides, photographic chemicals, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and heavy metals.
    [Show full text]
  • NASA Langley Research Center
    National Aeronautics and Space Administration LANGLEY RESEARCH CENTER www.nasa.gov contents NASA is on a reinvigorated “path of exploration, innovation and technological development leading to an array of challenging destinations and missions. — Charles Bolden” NASA Administrator Director’s Message ........................................ 2-3 Exploration Developing a New Launch Crew Vehicle ................. 4-5 Aeronautics Forging Tomorrow’s Flight Today ............................... 6 NASA Tests Biofuels for Commercial Jets .................. 7 Science Tracking Dynamic Change ......................................... 8 Airborne Air-Quality Campaign Created a Buzz ........... 9 Systems Analysis Making the Complex Work ...................................... 10 Partnerships Collaborating to Transition NASA Technologies .......................................... 12-13 We Have Liftoff Two Launches Carried Langley Instruments into Space ..................................... 14-15 A Space Shuttle Tribute ........................... 16-17 Economics ................................................... 18-19 Langley People ........................................... 20-21 Outreach & Education .............................. 22-23 Awards & Patents ...................................... 24-26 Contacts/Leadership ...................................... 27 Virginia Air & Space Center ........................... 27 (Inside cover) Splashdown of a crew A conference room in Langley’s new headquarters capsule mockup in Langley’s new Hydro building uses
    [Show full text]