Rogers Dry Lake

USA / California / North Edwards /
 NRHP - National Register of Historic Places, draw only border, salt pan / flat, U.S. National Historic Landmark
Rogers Lake, an endorheic desert salt pan; its hard 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.

This is a part of Rogers dry lake (formerly Muroc dry lake) which is inside the boundary of Edwards Air Force Base. This part of the lake bed is used as an extension to the paved runway, in case a plane being tested needs more runway length than the paved runway provides, or needs a wider runway area because of technical problems.
Although a natural resource, the Rogers Dry Lake is recommended for designation as a National Historic Landmark because of its association with flight testing of advanced aircraft that opened the way to space. The natural attributes of clean air, isolated location, ideal weather, proximity to variable terrain, and the large surface of the dry lakebed provided a natural laboratory in which to flight test aircraft that were on the cutting edge in aviation and aerospace technology. As a resource the Rogers Dry Lake has contributed as much to the American aircraft and aerospace effort as any manmade facility. Starting in 1947 with the flight of the Bell X-1, the first plane to break the sound barrier, to the landing of the Space Shuttle Columbia in 1981, the Rogers Dry Lake has been the scene of some of the most important developments in the history of aviation.
Wikipedia article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edwards_Air_Force_Base
Nearby cities:
Coordinates:   34°54'26"N   117°50'2"W

Comments

  • Also known as "God's gift to the U.S. Air Force."
  • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rogers_Dry_Lake
This article was last modified 6 years ago